Network security

UK government urges firms to keep paper backups for cyberattack recovery

The UK government has issued a strong warning to company leaders to prepare for cyber incidents by maintaining paper-based contingency plans. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) emphasised that firms must plan how to continue operations and rebuild IT systems if networks are compromised.

The advice follows a series of high-profile cyberattacks this year targeting major UK firms, including Marks & Spencer, The Co-op, and Jaguar Land Rover, which experienced production halts and supply disruptions after their systems were breached.

According to NCSC chief executive Richard Horne, organisations need to adopt ‘resilience engineering’ strategies, systems designed to anticipate, absorb, recover, and adapt during cyberattacks.

The agency recommends storing response plans offline and outlining alternative communication methods, such as phone trees and manual record-keeping, should email systems fail.

While the total number of cyber incidents investigated by the NCSC, 429 in the first nine months of 2025, remained stable, the number of ‘nationally significant’ attacks nearly doubled from 89 to 204. These include Category 1–3 incidents, ranging from ‘significant’ to ‘national cyber emergency.’

Recent cases highlight the human and operational toll of such events, including a ransomware attack on a London blood testing provider last year that caused severe clinical disruption and contributed to at least one patient death.

Experts say the call for offline backups may sound old-fashioned but is pragmatic. ‘You wouldn’t walk onto a building site without a helmet, yet companies still go online without basic protection,’ said Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point. ‘Cybersecurity must be treated like health and safety: not optional, but essential.’

The government is also encouraging companies, particularly SMEs, to use the NCSC’s free support tools, including cyber insurance linked to its Cyber Essentials programme.

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EU nations back Danish plan to strengthen child protection online

EU countries have agreed to step up efforts to improve child protection online by supporting Denmark’s Jutland Declaration. The initiative, signed by 25 member states, focuses on strengthening existing EU rules that safeguard minors from harmful and illegal online content.

However, Denmark’s proposal to ban social media for children under 15 did not gain full backing, with several governments preferring other approaches.

The declaration highlights growing concern about young people’s exposure to inappropriate material and the addictive nature of online platforms.

It stresses the need for more reliable age verification tools and refers to the upcoming Digital Fairness Act as an opportunity to introduce such safeguards. Ministers argued that the same protections applied offline should exist online, where risks for minors remain significant.

Danish officials believe stronger measures are essential to address declining well-being among young users. Some EU countries, including Germany, Spain and Greece, expressed support for tighter protections but rejected outright bans, calling instead for balanced regulation.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has asked major platforms such as Snapchat, YouTube, Apple and Google to provide details about their age verification systems under the Digital Services Act.

These efforts form part of a broader EU drive to ensure a safer digital environment for children, as investigations into online platforms continue across Europe.

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Microsoft strengthens UAE AI infrastructure

Microsoft has announced a strategic investment to enable in-country data processing for Microsoft 365 Copilot in the UAE. The service will be available to qualified UAE organisations in early 2026, hosted in Microsoft’s Dubai and Abu Dhabi cloud centres for secure, local AI processing.

The move aligns with the UAE’s ambition to become a global AI hub, supported by initiatives such as the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 and the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI.

Government leaders emphasise that in-country AI infrastructure strengthens trust, cyber resilience, and innovation across ministries and public entities.

Collaboration with the UAE Cybersecurity Council (CSC) and the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) ensures Microsoft 365 Copilot complies with national AI policies and data governance standards.

Local processing cuts latency, protects data, and supports regulated environments, allowing government stakeholders to adopt AI securely.

Microsoft and its strategic partner G42 International highlight the initiative’s broader impact on the UAE’s digital economy. The project could create 152,000 jobs and train one million UAE learners in AI by 2027, supporting a secure and innovative digital future.

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Vodafone and Samsung expand Open RAN deployment across Europe

Samsung Electronics has been chosen by Vodafone as a primary partner to deploy virtualised RAN and Open RAN networks in Germany and several European countries. The agreement builds on previous collaborations and represents one of the largest Open RAN projects in Europe.

Germany will serve as the first and main market, with thousands of sites planned, including a full deployment in Wismar by early 2026. The rollout will expand across Europe over five years, beginning with a live site already operating in Hannover.

Samsung will provide its virtualised RAN solutions supporting 2G, 4G and 5G, as well as O-RAN compliant radios, Massive MIMO equipment and AI-powered management tools. The company will also integrate its CognitiV Network Operations Suite to improve performance, efficiency and automation.

Partners such as Dell Technologies, Intel and Wind River will contribute hardware and cloud platforms to ensure interoperability and large-scale integration.

Vodafone’s Chief Network Officer Alberto Ripepi said Open RAN is essential for building flexible, future-ready networks and expanding connectivity across Europe.

Samsung’s Networks Business President Woojune Kim highlighted the project as a major step in developing software-based and autonomous networks designed for the AI era. Both companies view the partnership as a means to advance digital transformation and enhance network efficiency.

The collaboration also promotes energy efficiency and shared infrastructure. Samsung’s AI Energy Saving Manager will monitor traffic to reduce power consumption during low-use periods. The company’s radio systems will support RAN sharing, helping operators cut costs and deliver consistent coverage.

Analysts consider Vodafone’s decision a validation of Samsung’s leadership in open and virtualised network technology.

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Ethernet wins in raw security, but Wi-Fi can compete with the right setup

The way you connect to the internet matters, not just the speed, but also your privacy and security. That’s the main takeaway from a recent Fox News report comparing Ethernet and Wi-Fi security.

At its core, Ethernet is inherently more secure in many scenarios because it requires physical access. Data travels along a cable directly to your router, reducing risks of eavesdropping or intercepting signals mid-air.

Wi-Fi, by contrast, sends data through the air. That makes it more vulnerable, especially if a network uses weak passwords or outdated encryption standards. Attackers within signal range might exploit poorly secured networks.

But Ethernet isn’t a guaranteed fortress. The Fox article emphasises that security depends largely on your entire setup. A Wi-Fi network with strong encryption (ideally WPA3), robust passwords, regular firmware updates, and a well-configured router can approach the network security level of wired connections.

Each device you connect, smartphones, smart home gadgets, IoT sensors, increases your network’s exposure. Wi-Fi amplifies that risk since more devices can join wirelessly. Ethernet limits the number of direct connection points, which reduces the attack surface.

In short, Ethernet gives you a baseline security advantage, but a well-secured Wi-Fi network can be quite robust. The critical factor is how carefully you manage your network settings and devices.

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Microsoft ends support for Windows 10

Windows 10 support ends on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, and routine security patches and fixes will no longer be provided. Devices will face increased cyber risk without updates. Microsoft urges upgrades to Windows 11 where possible.

Windows powers more than 1.4 billion devices, with Windows 10 still widely used. UK consumer group Which? estimates 21 million local users. Some plan to continue regardless, citing cost, waste, and working hardware.

Upgrade to Windows 11 is free for eligible PCs via the Settings app. Others can enrol in Extended Security Updates, which deliver security fixes only until October 2026. ESU offers no technical support or feature updates.

Personal users in the European Economic Area can register for ESU at no charge. Elsewhere, eligibility may unlock ESU for free, or it costs $30 or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. Businesses pay $61 per device for year one.

Unsupported systems become easier targets for malware and scams, and some software may degrade over time. Organisations risk compliance issues running out-of-support platforms. Privacy-minded users may also dislike Windows 11’s tighter Microsoft account requirements.

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Google cautions Australia on youth social media ban proposal

The US tech giant, Google (also owner of YouTube), has reiterated its commitment to children’s online safety while cautioning against Australia’s proposed ban on social media use for those under 16.

Speaking before the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee, Google’s Public Policy Senior Manager Rachel Lord said the legislation, though well-intentioned, may be difficult to enforce and could have unintended effects.

Lord highlighted the 23-year presence of Google in Australia, contributing over $53 billion to the economy in 2024, while YouTube’s creative ecosystem added $970 million to GDP and supported more than 16,000 jobs.

She said the company’s investments, including the $1 billion Digital Future Initiative, reflect its long-term commitment to Australia’s digital development and infrastructure.

According to Lord, YouTube already provides age-appropriate products and parental controls designed to help families manage their children’s experiences online.

Requiring children to access YouTube without accounts, she argued, would remove these protections and risk undermining safe access to educational and creative content used widely in classrooms, music, and sport.

She emphasised that YouTube functions primarily as a video streaming platform rather than a social media network, serving as a learning resource for millions of Australian children.

Lord called for legislation that strengthens safety mechanisms instead of restricting access, saying the focus should be on effective safeguards and parental empowerment rather than outright bans.

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ID data from 70,000 Discord users exposed in third-party breach

Discord has confirmed that official ID images belonging to around 70,000 users may have been exposed in a cyberattack targeting a third-party service provider. The platform itself was not breached, but hackers targeted a company involved in age verification processes.

The leaked data may include personal information, partial credit card details, and conversations with Discord’s customer service agents. No full credit card numbers, passwords, or activity beyond support interactions were affected. Impacted users have been contacted, and law enforcement is investigating.

The platform has revoked the support provider’s access to its systems and has not named the third party involved. Zendesk, a customer service software supplier to Discord, said its own systems were not compromised and denied being the source of the breach.

Discord has rejected claims circulating online that the breach was larger than reported, calling them part of an attempted extortion. The company stated it would not comply with demands from the attackers. Cybercriminals often sell personal information on illicit markets for use in scams.

ID numbers and official documents are especially valuable because, unlike credit card details, they rarely change. Discord previously tightened its age-verification measures following concerns over the misuse of some servers to distribute illegal material.

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OpenAI expands ChatGPT Go to 16 new Asian markets

The US startup OpenAI has broadened access to its affordable ChatGPT Go plan, now available in 16 additional countries across Asia, including Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Thailand.

Priced at under $5 per month, the plan offers local currency payments in select regions, while others will pay in USD with tax-adjusted variations.

ChatGPT Go gives users higher message and image-generation limits, increased upload capacity, and double the memory of the free plan.

A move that follows significant regional growth (Southeast Asia’s weekly active users increasing fourfold) and builds on earlier launches in India and Indonesia, where paid subscriptions have already doubled.

The expansion intensifies competition with Google, which recently introduced its Google AI Plus plan in more than 40 countries. Both companies are vying to attract users in fast-growing markets with low-cost AI access, each blending productivity and creative tools into subscription offerings.

At OpenAI’s DevDay 2025 in San Francisco, CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT’s global weekly active users have reached 800 million.

OpenAI is also introducing in-chat applications from partners like Spotify, Zillow, and Coursera, signalling a shift toward transforming ChatGPT into a broader AI platform ecosystem.

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