Internet of things

New multi-stage scams use PDF files to harvest corporate credentials

Phishing continues to succeed despite increasingly sophisticated AI-driven threats, with attackers relying on familiar tools such as PDFs and cloud services. Researchers have identified a new campaign using legitimate-looking documents to redirect victims to credential-harvesting pages impersonating Dropbox.

The attack starts with professional emails framed as procurement or tender requests. When recipients open the attached PDF, they are quietly redirected through trusted cloud infrastructure before reaching a fake Dropbox login page designed to steal corporate credentials.

Each stage appears legitimate in isolation, allowing the campaign to bypass standard filters and authentication checks. Business-style language, reputable hosting platforms, and realistic branding reduce suspicion while exploiting everyday workplace routines.

Security specialists warn that long-standing trust in PDFs and mainstream cloud services has lowered user vigilance. Employees have been conditioned to view these formats as safe, creating opportunities for attackers to weaponise familiar business tools.

Experts say phishing awareness must evolve beyond basic link warnings to reflect modern multi-stage attacks. Alongside training, layered defences such as multi-factor authentication and anomaly detection remain essential for limiting damage.

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User activity stabilises as TikTok recovers from transition disruption

TikTok has largely recovered from a brief decline in daily active users following its US ownership change, when a group of American investors assumed control of domestic operations. Usage fell temporarily as uncertainty spread among users. Competing video apps saw short-term gains during the disruption.

Data from Similarweb shows TikTok’s US daily active users dropped to between 86 and 88 million after the transition, compared with a typical average of around 92 million. Activity has since rebounded to more than 90 million. Many users who experimented with alternatives have returned.

Platforms rivalling TikTok, including UpScrolled and Skylight Social, experienced rapid but limited growth. UpScrolled peaked at 138,500 daily users before falling back to roughly 68,000. Skylight Social reached 81,200 daily users, then declined to around 56,300.

User concerns were driven less by ownership itself and more by fears around platform changes. An updated privacy policy allowing precise GPS tracking triggered backlash, alongside confusion over language referencing sensitive personal data. Some interpreted the changes as increased surveillance.

A multi-day data centre outage disrupted search, likes, and in-app messaging, resulting in user frustration. Some users attributed the glitches to possible censorship or platform instability. Once services were restored, activity stabilised, and concerns eased.

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Hybrid offices evolve as Zoom Spaces introduces agentic AI tools

Zoom is repositioning hybrid offices as intelligent work environments through Zoom Spaces, its AI-first workplace platform for collaboration and space management that gives IT teams centralised oversight while providing employees with consistent tools for meetings, scheduling, and in-office coordination.

New agentic AI features extend Zoom Spaces beyond room booking into proactive workplace assistance. Workspace Reservation now recommends optimal meeting spaces during overlaps, while upcoming voice commands for Zoom Rooms will enable hands-free meeting control and task capture.

Zoom says intelligent offices reduce friction caused by inconsistent technology, double bookings, and disconnected tools. By unifying scheduling and collaboration experiences, the platform aims to streamline movement between remote and in-person work.

The company is also expanding its ecosystem, allowing organisations to run Zoom Meetings on Cisco Rooms and integrate professional production tools through partners such as Vizrt. The strategy focuses on flexibility while maintaining consistent user experiences.

Additional upgrades include premium media capabilities for high-frame-rate video and improved mobile Workspace Reservation features. Zoom says these enhancements position Zoom Spaces as a next-generation hybrid workplace platform built around adaptive AI collaboration.

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AI becomes optional in Firefox 148 as Mozilla launches new control system

Mozilla has confirmed that Firefox will include a built-in ‘AI kill switch‘ from version 148, allowing users to disable all AI features across the browser. The update follows earlier commitments that AI tools would remain optional as Firefox evolves into what the company describes as an AI-enabled browser.

The new controls will appear in the desktop release scheduled to begin rolling out on 24 February. A dedicated AI Controls section will allow users to turn off every AI feature at once or manage each tool individually, reflecting Mozilla’s aim to balance innovation with user choice.

At launch, Firefox 148 will introduce AI-powered translations, automatic alt text for images in PDFs, tab grouping suggestions, link previews, and an optional sidebar chatbot supporting services such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, and Le Chat Mistral.

All of these tools can be disabled through a single ‘Block AI enhancements’ toggle, which removes prompts and prevents new AI features from appearing. Mozilla has said preferences will remain in place across updates, with users able to adjust settings at any time.

The organisation said the approach is intended to give people full control over how AI appears in their browsing experience, while continuing development for those who choose to use it. Early access to the controls will also be available through Firefox Nightly.

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Alternative social platform UpScrolled passes 2.5 million users

UpScrolled has surpassed 2.5 million users globally, gaining rapid momentum following TikTok’s restructuring of its US ownership earlier this year, according to founder Issam Hijazi.

The social network grew to around 150,000 users in its first six months before accelerating sharply in January, crossing one million users within weeks and reaching more than 2.5 million shortly afterwards.

Positioned as a hybrid of Instagram and X, UpScrolled promotes itself as an open platform free of shadowbanning and selective content suppression, while criticising major technology firms for data monetisation and algorithm-driven engagement practices.

Hijazi said the company would avoid amplification algorithms but acknowledged the need for community guidelines, particularly amid concerns about explicit content appearing on the platform.

Interest in alternative social networks has increased since TikTok’s shift to US ownership, though analysts note that long-term growth will depend on moderation frameworks, feature development, and sustained community trust.

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GPT-4o set for retirement as OpenAI shifts focus to newer systems

OpenAI has confirmed that several legacy AI models will be removed from ChatGPT, with GPT-4o scheduled for retirement on 13 February. The decision follows months of debate after the company reinstated the model amid strong user backlash.

Alongside GPT-4o, the models being withdrawn include GPT-5 Instant, GPT-5 Thinking, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and o4-mini. The changes apply only to ChatGPT, while developers will continue to access the models through OpenAI’s API.

GPT-4o had built a loyal following for its natural writing style and emotional awareness, with many users arguing newer models felt less expressive. When OpenAI first attempted to phase it out in 2025, widespread criticism prompted a temporary reversal.

Company data now suggests active use of GPT-4o has dropped to around 0.1% of daily users. OpenAI says features associated with the model have since been integrated into GPT-5.2, including personality tuning and creative response controls.

Despite this, criticism has resurfaced across social platforms, with users questioning usage metrics and highlighting that GPT-4o was no longer prominently accessible. Comments from OpenAI leadership acknowledging recent declines in writing quality have further fuelled concerns about the model’s removal.

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Church leaders question who should guide moral answers in the age of AI

AI is increasingly being used to answer questions about faith, morality, and suffering, not just everyday tasks. As AI systems become more persuasive, religious leaders are raising concerns about the authority people may assign to machine-generated guidance.

Within this context, Catholic outlet EWTN Vatican examined Magisterium AI, a platform designed to reference official Church teaching rather than produce independent moral interpretations. Its creators say responses are grounded directly in doctrinal sources.

Founder Matthew Sanders argues mainstream AI models are not built for theological accuracy. He warns that while machines sound convincing, they should never be treated as moral authorities without grounding in Church teaching.

Church leaders have also highlighted broader ethical risks associated with AI, particularly regarding human dignity and emotional dependency. Recent Vatican discussions stressed the need for education and safeguards.

Supporters say faith-based AI tools can help navigate complex religious texts responsibly. Critics remain cautious, arguing spiritual formation should remain rooted in human guidance.

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US cloud dominance sparks debate about Europe’s digital sovereignty

European technology leaders are increasingly questioning the long-held assumption that information technology operates outside politics, amid growing concerns about reliance on US cloud providers and digital infrastructure.

At HiPEAC 2026, Nextcloud chief executive Frank Karlitschek argued that software has become an instrument of power, warning that Europe’s dependence on American technology firms exposes organisations to legal uncertainty, rising costs, and geopolitical pressure.

He highlighted conflicts between EU privacy rules and US surveillance laws, predicting continued instability around cross-border data transfers and renewed risks of services becoming legally restricted.

Beyond regulation, Karlitschek pointed to monopoly power among major cloud providers, linking recent price increases to limited competition and warning that vendor lock-in strategies make switching increasingly difficult for European organisations.

He presented open-source and locally controlled cloud systems as a path toward digital sovereignty, urging stronger enforcement of EU competition rules alongside investment in decentralised, federated technology models.

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GDPR violation reports surge across Europe in 2025, study finds

European data protection authorities recorded a sharp rise in GDPR violation reports in 2025, according to a new study by law firm DLA Piper, signalling growing regulatory pressure across the European Union.

Average daily reports surpassed 400 for the first time since the regulation entered force in 2018, reaching 443 incidents per day, a 22% increase compared with the previous year. The firm noted that expanding digital systems, new breach reporting laws, and geopolitical cyber risks may be driving the surge.

Despite the higher number of cases in the EU, total fines remained broadly stable at around €1.2 billion for the year, pushing cumulative GDPR penalties since 2018 to €7.1 billion, underlining regulators’ continued willingness to impose major sanctions.

Ireland once again led enforcement figures, with fines imposed by its Data Protection Commission totaling €4.04 billion, reflecting the presence of major technology firms headquartered there, including Meta, Google, and Apple.

Recent headline penalties included a €1.2 billion fine against Meta and a €530 million sanction against TikTok over data transfers to China, while courts across Europe increasingly consider compensation claims linked to GDPR violations.

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Europe opens new digital identity innovation hub in France

ID Campus has opened in the French city of Angers as a new European hub dedicated to identity technologies and trust-based digital services. Led by sovereign provider iDAKTO, the initiative aims to bring together public institutions, startups, and researchers to advance secure online systems.

The campus will support innovation, training, pilot projects, and cross-sector collaboration. A key focus is the rollout of the European Digital Identity Wallet. Deeptech firms, research labs, and international delegations are expected to use the site for testing and cooperation.

The project’s development involved partnerships with public bodies in France, including France Titres, La Mission French Tech, and Angers Loire Metropole, reflecting a wider push to strengthen national and European authentication infrastructure.

The official launch brought together leaders from government and industry to discuss the rise in digital adoption and tightening regulatory frameworks across Europe, as secure digital identity systems become central to public services and cross-border transactions.

European digital sovereignty remains a core driver of the initiative, with policymakers seeking interoperable trust frameworks that reduce reliance on non-European technologies.

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