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Report: School IT Officials Worried About AI Adoption, Cybersecurity

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While schools have made progress in technology adoption — from artificial intelligence guidelines to vetting education technology — they still struggle with the lack of resources, funding and expertise, according to a new report.

The annual State of EdTech report from the Consortium for School Networking polled roughly 600 chief technology officers for K-12 schools. One of the biggest takeaways, according to CoSN CEO Keith Krueger: AI adoption is higher than ever. According to the report, nearly three-quarters (79%) of school districts have AI guidelines in place, up from 57% in 2025.

“Given how many school districts we have, given how many small and rural ones there are, it’s shocking at how quickly at least the guidance around responsible use of AI is,” Krueger says. “As a foundational step, we’re seeing movement.”

But respondents repeatedly stated they are running into roadblocks of insufficient staffing and funding.

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“There’s never going to be enough training, and we have to make sure the training is quality and meeting administrators with what they want and need,” Krueger says, adding it’s not just about training on a specific tool, but “helping them think in new ways how to use the tools.”

Most of the districts polled are in favor of AI guidelines, either set by the districts themselves or state education agencies, but do not want state or federal mandates. Typically, mandates are formed, then approved, by a board — something that is time-consuming and does not lend itself well in the fast-moving world of AI.

“This week, this month, this year is changing rapidly,” Krueger says. “It doesn’t mean we change fundamental beliefs of what’s cheating (with AI), for example, but things are moving rapidly. You don’t want to have too many solidly, board-approved things which can get locked in when you need to evolve.”

The most common AI initiative among districts is training staff on the use of instruction-focused generative AI tools, with 7 out of 10 respondents saying they do so. Productivity-focused measures focused on instructional staff and teachers followed, with 54% and 53%, respectively, deploying those initiatives. One of the largest jumps was the amount of districts having initiatives focused on AI’s operational purposes, from 37% in 2025, to 64% in 2026.

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Less than half (41%) of initiatives focus on using AI for teaching and learning.

“I would say the low hanging fruit is on the operational and teacher productivity side,” Krueger says. “We should continue to explore and think through the great uses that are in the classroom. But, overnight we shouldn’t just wildly go trying to do those things when it’s going to take time to figure out the instructional piece.”

The CoSN State of EdTech Report showcases districts’ AI initiatives.

Source: Consortium for School Networking

Cybersecurity

The largest concern about AI use: cybersecurity attacks. According to the report, nearly all respondents (98%) are concerned that AI can bring in new forms of cyber attacks, with just 2% stating they are “not at all concerned.” That same percentage also has concerns on student data and AI’s effect on its privacy.

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The CoSN annual EdTech Report shows districts are concerned about AI fast-tracking more cyber attacks in coming years.

Source: Consortium for School Networking

While the concern over cybersecurity is strong, two-thirds of respondents state they have insufficient staffing and budget to address those challenges.

Cybersecurity concerns continue to cause schools woe, most recently with the Instructure attack in May that caused several schools to pay a ransom and shut down one of the world’s largest digital education platforms.

“The high visibility breaches and attacks that we’ve seen underscore the real cost to our school system by not investing in better cybersecurity,” Krueger says.

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After 17 years of utilizing the State of EdTech report, Krueger says he believes a tipping point may have finally been reached on addressing cyber concerns.

“Certainly those in charge of technology have been yelling loudly that cybersecurity is a problem,” he says, adding the issue has become more well-known among superintendents and school board members. “I think they will start to say, ‘We can’t just have these broadband networks and not have them safe and secure.’ But it’s a huge challenge, given the lack of human capacity in schools for cybersecurity.”

EdTech

Another major finding from the report is an issue that has been bubbling beneath the surface in both tech evangelist and oppositional circles: vetting educational technology.

Edtech vetting has been under consideration amid the screen-time backlash in classrooms, with some states pushing for better review of the vetting process. Oftentimes, schools rely on the vendors’ own data and are unequipped to review the software themselves to ensure children’s safety.

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“There is nobody right now that is confirming these products are safe, effective and legal,” Kim Whitman, co-lead for Smartphone Free Childhood US, said in a previous interview with EdSurge. “It should not fall on the district’s IT director; it would be impossible for them to do it. And the companies should not be tasked with doing it — that would be like nicotine companies vetting their own cigarettes.”

According to the report, most schools now have a process for vetting free edtech tools before they’re used in schools, either through IT or a list of approved vendors.

But that process still has some gaps: only 29 percent require information about if the product is inclusive and accessible for all learners. That is particularly worrisome for accessibility advocates who already fear they are being left out of the conversation.

“Parents with children who have a disability must have a seat at the table,” Sambhavi Chandrashekar, global accessibility lead for D2L, an online learning platform, said in a previous EdSurge interview. “Blanket rules that are blind to fundamental human differences will do more disservice than good to students at the margins.”

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And while more than half (55%) of the edtech processes require vendors to provide information about safety, that leaves roughly 45% not addressing safety concerns.

“It’s a huge warning sign; there’s a whole lot of progress and work that has to happen in this area,” Krueger says.

He suggested reviewing the five quality indicators for edtech and AI products, with districts benchmarking their current status and set it as a priority to push forward.

“One of the biggest powers we have is procurement, so getting serious about how we buy them, and when,” Krueger says. “Whether or not we move forward will depend on if we set it as a priority and get serious about the awareness, the training and the policies.”

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Hostinger builds Agentic Mail so AI agents can finally run email workflows without waiting on outdated human systems

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  • Email systems were never designed for autonomous machine workflows
  • Hostinger introduces webhook-first email for real-time automation processing
  • AI agents now trigger actions immediately when emails arrive

AI agents can process data and execute actions within milliseconds, yet many automated systems still depend on tools originally built for human users.

That mismatch has become increasingly noticeable as businesses attempt to connect AI-driven workflows with traditional email systems, never designed for machine-to-machine interactions.

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Blue Origin CEO pledges to repair ruined launch pad and return to flight by the end of the year

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The SkySat satellite image at left shows Blue Origin’s launch pad in Florida on May 20, before the New Glenn rocket explosion. The satellite image at right shows the pad on May 31, three days after the blast. Click on the image for a larger version. (Credit: Planet Labs PBC)

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture aims to repair the damage done last week by a launch-pad rocket explosion and return to flight before the end of the year, the company’s CEO says.

In a post to X, CEO Dave Limp laid out a schedule that was more optimistic than what was expected immediately after last Thursday’s fiery destruction of a New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test. CNBC quoted NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman as saying that it would “take some serious time” to restore Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

In his post, Limp said he had “a bit of good news” to share after inspecting the pad and the complex’s integration facility.

“The propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen and LNG tanks are all in good shape. This is good luck because these are very long lead items,” he said. “The water tower is also good. The big support tower is damaged, but it can be repaired in place rather than torn down and replaced. The booster ‘Never Tell Me The Odds’ and the three GS-2s [upper stages] that were onsite in the integration facility also look good.”

Limp said the pad would be rebuilt to accommodate the current 7×2 New Glenn configuration, which offers a 7-meter-wide fairing powered by two BE-3U rocket engines, rather than immediately transitioning to the next-generation configuration with a 9-meter fairing.

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“Rate manufacturing of 7×2 is going well, and we’re going to continue that at pace as planned and store the stages for use,” he explained. “In addition, we had already been working for some time on eliminating our transporter-erector in favor of an alternative vertical conop [concept of operations], and we’ll now go directly to that; so we don’t need a new transporter-erector.”

If New Glenn returns to flight this year, that would be relatively good news for NASA and Blue Origin’s other customers. NASA had tapped New Glenn and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander to deliver a set of payloads to the moon this fall, and to send the space agency’s VIPER rover to the moon’s south polar region in 2027.

A crew-capable version of the Blue Moon lander was slated to have its first flight test in low Earth orbit as early as next year during NASA’s Artemis 3 mission. And just this month, NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract worth up to $468 million to deliver two lunar terrain vehicles, or LTVs, to the moon in the 2028 time frame. All those opportunities depend on having New Glenn and its launch pad back in operation.

New Glenn also figures prominently in the plans of another company founded by Bezos: Amazon. Blue Origin, a private venture that’s separate from publicly traded Amazon, was due to launch 48 satellites for the Amazon Leo broadband internet constellation as early as this week. The rocket that exploded — nicknamed “No, It’s Necessary” — was being tested in preparation for taking on that task.

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Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Amazon Leo, told his team in an internal memo obtained by Business Insider that it was still too early to speculate on the cause of the explosion or its potential effects.

“I’ve been in this business for a long time and it’s worth saying: Spaceflight is hard, and setbacks happen,” he wrote in the memo.

Amazon has reserved scores of launches with other providers, including United Launch Alliance, Arianespace and SpaceX — and the satellites that were earmarked to ride on New Glenn can be shifted to those other companies’ rockets. United Launch Alliance delivered 29 Amazon Leo satellites to orbit with an Atlas 5 launch last Friday, boosting the constellation’s count to 331.

“New Glenn is just one vehicle in our lineup,” Badyal wrote. “Our mission hasn’t changed, our commitment to our customers and delivering service hasn’t changed.”

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For an interactive look at Blue Origin’s Launch Complex 36 before and after the New Glenn explosion, check out this presentation of Planet Labs imagery on SpaceFromSpace.com, and be sure to use the “Transparency” slider to compare the before-and-after views.

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Noble Osprey Wireless Earbuds Debut at High End Vienna 2026: Entry-Level Price, Noble DNA

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Noble Audio is using High End Vienna 2026 to expand its true wireless lineup with the new Osprey, an entry-level earbud aimed at listeners who want the Noble house sound without wandering into $300-plus wallet damage. Priced below $200, the Osprey gives Noble a more accessible option in a category it already knows well, combining everyday wireless convenience with the brand’s focus on balanced tuning, musicality, and a more refined presentation than most budget true wireless earbuds can usually manage.

Construction & Exterior Design

noble-osprey-wireless-earbuds-with-case

The Osprey follows the design language Noble Audio has used across its true wireless lineup, with a distinctive marbled faceplate that gives the earbuds a more finished look than the usual plastic black-bean approach. It is a small touch, but a useful one in a crowded category where most affordable wireless earbuds look like they were issued by the same factory committee.

Noble also includes a compact aluminum charging case, which should give the Osprey a more durable and premium feel without making it bulky. The goal here is practical: a lower-cost Noble earbud that still looks and feels like it belongs in the family.

noble-osprey-wireless-earbuds-case

The Osprey uses an ergonomic earbud shell designed to sit securely in the ear without feeling bulky. A proper fit should improve passive isolation, which matters more than most people admit with true wireless earbuds.

Noble includes multiple eartip sizes to help users find the best seal for comfort, stability, and consistent sound quality over longer listening sessions.

Drivers

The Osprey uses a hybrid dual driver configuration, pairing a 10mm dynamic driver with a custom balanced armature. In theory, that gives Noble more room to divide the workload: the dynamic driver handles low frequency weight and impact, while the balanced armature supports midrange and treble detail.

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That does not automatically guarantee magic. This is still an earbud under $200. But it does give the Osprey a more ambitious driver platform than many entry level true wireless models. The goal is controlled bass, clear mids, and better high frequency separation without pushing the sound into something thin or etched.

High-Resolution Wireless Connectivity

noble-osprey-wireless-earbuds-in-ear-side

Powered by an Airoha 1571 Bluetooth chipset, the Osprey supports noise cancellation (ANC) and Bluetooth multipoint pairing for seamless device switching. With Bluetooth 5.4 and TrueWireless Mirroring, the Osprey provides a stable, low-latency connection whether you’re streaming high-resolution audio or making calls.

Clear Phone Calling

For calls and virtual meetings, the Osprey employs a dual-microphone array with Qualcomm cVc noise suppression. This technology minimizes background noise while preserving the natural tone and dynamics of your voice, ensuring speech remains clear and intelligible in both professional and everyday environments

The Osprey includes Active Noise Cancellation and a Hearing Through mode, giving listeners some flexibility when moving between commuting, office use, calls, and street noise. Integrated cVc noise reduction is also included to help improve voice pickup during calls, although real world results will still depend on wind, background noise, and microphone placement.

Battery life is rated at up to 7 hours with ANC turned off, or up to 5 hours with ANC enabled. The 500mAh charging case extends total playback time, and Noble claims a 10 minute quick charge can provide roughly 2 hours of listening. 

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noble-osprey-wireless-earbuds-lifestyle-side-angle

Battery Life

The Osprey includes a 500mAh wireless charging case, which extends playback beyond the earbuds themselves. Noble rates battery life at up to 7 hours with ANC turned off, or up to 5 hours with ANC enabled. A 10 minute quick charge provides roughly 2 hours of listening.

Those figures are suitable for daily use, especially given the Osprey’s under $200 price point, ANC support, hybrid driver design, and wireless charging case.

Companion App

For ease of use, the Osprey is compatible with the Noble Audio app, which offers EQ and OTA software updates, keeping the Osprey relevant for as long as you use them. 

Comparison

noble-wireless-earbuds-comparison
Noble Model Opsrey (2026) FoKus Prestige Encore (2025) FoKus Rex5 (2024) FoKus Amadeus (2025) FoKus Prestige (2023)
Product Type TWS – True Wireless Stereo Earphones TWS – True Wireless Stereo Earphones TWS – True Wireless Stereo Earphones TWS – True Wireless Stereo Earphones TWS – True Wireless Stereo Earphones
Price  $199 $699 $449 $320 $599
Design Marbled exterior on earbuds with an aluminum charging case CNC-machined from solid wood – no two Encores look alike Aluminum and acrylic Shells: Glossy black resin.

Faceplates: Red celluloid.

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Charging Case Body: Matte black aluminum.

Charging Case Lid: Crimson red aluminum.

Plastic (with CNC-machined wooden body and case)
Driver system 10mm dynamic driver, custom balanced armature 1 × 8mm Dynamic, 2 × BA, 1 × 6mm Planar Magnetic 1 × 10mm Dynamic, 3  × BA, 1 × 6mm Planar Magnetic 8.3mm custom triple-layer dynamic diaphragm 1 x 8.2mm Dynamic Driver, 2 x Knowles Balanced Armature Drivers
Chipset Airoha 1571  Qualcomm® QCC3091 Qualcomm® QCC3091 Qualcomm QCC3091 Not Indicated
Bluetooth 5.4 with TrueWireless Mirroring and multipoint support 5.4 with TrueWireless Mirroring and multipoint support 5.4 with TrueWireless Mirroring and multipoint support 5.4 with TrueWireless Mirroring and multipoint support 5.2
Bluetooth Codecs SBC / AAC / LDAC  aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, AAC, SBC SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC
Noise control Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) + HearThrough mode Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling + HearThrough mode Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency, and Basic modes Active Noise Cancellation + Transparency Mode Not indicated
Phone Calling Dual-mic cVc™ noise suppression Dual-mic cVc™ noise suppression Dual-mic cVc™ noise suppression Dual-mic cVc™ noise suppression Dual-mic cVc™ noise suppression
Battery life 7 hours (ANC off)

5 hours (ANC on) 

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10h (ANC off)

7h (ANC on)

Up to 35h total with case

7h (ANC off)
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5h (ANC on)

Up to 40h total with case

12 hours (ANC off)

Up to 8 hours (ANC on)

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Up to 42 hours total with the case

Up To 10 Hours (ANC on/off not specified)
Charging 10min quick charge = 2h playback USB-C + Qi wireless charging; 10min quick charge = 2h playback USB-C + Qi wireless charging; 15min quick charge = 2h playback USB-C & Qi wireless charging 10 minutes = ~2 hours playback USB-C; 17min quick charge = 70 minues playback
Personalization Not Indicated Audiodo per-ear calibration with on-device storage Audiodo per-ear calibration with on-device storage Audiodo per-ear calibration with on-device storage No
App Custom EQ, touch mapping, OTA updates, multilingual interface Custom EQ, touch mapping, OTA updates, multilingual interface Custom EQ, touch mapping, OTA updates, multilingual interface Custom EQ, touch mapping, OTA updates, multilingual interface Custom EQ, touch mapping, OTA updates, multilingual interface
noble-osprey-wireless-earbuds-inside-case

The Bottom Line 

The Noble Osprey gives Noble Audio a more affordable entry point in true wireless without turning it into a stripped down budget model. For $199, the Osprey offers the styling Noble is known for, a hybrid dual driver design, ANC, Hearing Through mode, Bluetooth 5.4, Multipoint connectivity, app support, and a wireless charging case. That combination gives it a stronger identity than many wireless earbuds in this price range, especially for listeners who already like Noble’s tuning approach but do not want to spend FoKus money.

The tradeoffs are clear. The Osprey does not carry the FoKus name, and codec support appears more limited with no aptX formats listed, and no indicated support for Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio. That matters because the $179 to $249 earbud category is crowded with models from LG, Beats, Sony, Status Audio, and aggressive value brands like SOUNDPEATS, which are pushing features such as LDAC, aptX Lossless, hybrid ANC, and app based EQ at even lower prices.

What makes the Osprey interesting is not that it wins the spec sheet war. It probably does not. The appeal is Noble bringing its design language, hybrid driver experience, and app supported true wireless platform below $200. The question is whether buyers in this range care more about Noble’s sound and styling, or whether they will chase the longer codec list and feature overload offered by lower priced competitors.

noble-osprey-wireless-earbuds-lifestyle-side

Price & Availability

The Noble Audio Osprey will be available for pre-order from nobleaudio.com and selected retailers worldwide starting June 4th, 2026, priced at $199 / £199 / €225. Shipping is expected to begin by the end of June 2026

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The Osprey launch will coincide with Noble’s appearance at HIGH END Vienna 2026, where attendees can try it out for themselves.

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From Scrappy Pallet Wood To Fancy Tea Tray

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Pallets are a wonderful way to package goods and move them around, but especially the wooden ones have a very finite lifespan. This means that many of them are discarded every day, even though there is still good wood on them. Even if it’s not the highest quality wood, you can still use it for some nice wooden items, like the tea tray that [GR Woodworking] recently put together.

The reclaimed wood is the typical fast-growing, soft type, with the suspicion of it being paulownia here. Of course, wooden pallets use a wide variety of wood varieties, so not all reclaimed wood is equally suitable for applications like this, and identifying the type can be a challenge in itself.

In the video it’s shown how the wood is planed to make it smooth and straight, before the joints are created and it is married to the poplar or aspen base plate. Of note is that absolutely no power tools or bulky things like router tables are used here, just basic hand tools that should make this kind of woodworking accessible to people even without that kitted-out woodworking shop.

After assembly it’s finished with Vararhana oil-based stain to give it a darker look and really bring out the grain. Naturally, since it’s a tea tray it has to be commissioned with a proper tea ceremony, which it passes with flying colors.

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Critical Kirki flaw exploited to hijack WordPress admin accounts

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Critical Kirki flaw exploited to hijack WordPress admin accounts

Hackers are exploiting a critical privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2026-8206) in the Kirki plugin for WordPress to take over any user account, including those belonging to administrators.

The attacks were detected by WordPress security firm Defiant, whose Wordfence firewall blocked over 222 attempts against its customers in the past 24 hours.

The full name of the plugin is Kirki – Freeform Page Builder, Website Builder & Customizer. It is a freeform visual builder and advanced theme customizer active on more than 500,000 websites.

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Wordfence reports that the issue was introduced in a recent major release, version 6.0.0, and impacts plugin versions up to 6.0.6, which are used by nearly 40% of the plugin’s userbase, according to download statistics from WordPress.org.

CVE-2026-8206 is caused by the exposure of a custom REST API endpoint for password resets through the ‘handle_forgot_password()’ function.

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The flaw stems from the plugin accepting an arbitrary email address during password reset requests.

When a username is provided, the plugin generates a valid password reset link for the associated account, but sends it to the attacker-supplied email address rather than the account owner’s registered email address.

This behavior makes it trivial for unauthenticated attackers to generate password reset links for any user registered on the site to email addresses under their control, easily hijacking them.

Once an attacker gains admin-level access, they could install malicious plugins, modify website content, deploy web shells or persistent backdoors, and access private databases.

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The flaw was discovered by security researcher CHOIGYENGMIN, who reported it to Wordfence on May 4, 2026. The company notified the vendor on May 16 and released a fix with version 6.0.7 on May 18, 2026.

Given the active exploitation status of CVE-2026-8206 and the very low requirements for launching attacks, it is critical that website owners/administrators upgrade to version 6.0.7 or disable the plugin.


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Automated pentesting tools deliver real value, but they were built to answer one question: can an attacker move through the network? They were not built to test whether your controls block threats, your detection rules fire, or your cloud configs hold.

This guide covers the 6 surfaces you actually need to validate.

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Control Resonant Will Bend Your Reality On September 24, 2026

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You can pre-order the Faden siblings’ next adventure now.

It’s been about five months since our last look at Control Resonant, the much-anticipated sequel to 2019’s Control from Remedy Entertainment, and now we know when it’ll arrive: September 24, 2026. The date was announced as part of the PlayStation State of Play event today, but it’ll also hit the Xbox Series X/S and PC. 

The date was revealed alongside a brief trailer that focuses a bit more on the story, which will start Dylan Faden, the brother of protagonist Jesse from the original game. The Hiss, a malevolent force unleashed on the Federal Bureau of Control, are running wild in the city of New York and Dylan is tasked with stopping them — something that’s apparently causing a bit of friction in the FBC world. We also got a quick look at Jesse using her powers alongside Dylan, good news for fans who hoped we’d see more of her even though the game is focused on her brother.

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The PlayStation Blog teases out the story a bit more, and it delves into the Jesse / Dylan relationship a bit. “Dylan’s journey is shaped by Jesse’s actions as humanity meets a new existential threat. She remains central and has a presence in the game, but he’s the one moving the story forward,” it reads. 

“In Resonant, we go further into the Fadens’ complicated past. Their lives have been anything but easy, and the cost of what they carry is about to come due. What lies ahead will push them further than either has gone before.”

Pre-orders for Control Resonant are open as of today, and people who order the digital deluxe edition will get access to the game 48 hours early. 

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Microsoft and Qualcomm think the future lies is in AI wearables

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Qualcomm and Microsoft believe cloud-based AI wearables are the future, rather than entirely optional and secure on-device features like Apple Intelligence.

Big tech has all but embraced the proliferation of AI. Microsoft and Qualcomm are the latest to suggest the future of hardware and software development lies in AI-first devices.

On June 2, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon discussed a new wearable device dubbed Project Solara, a joint venture of the two companies.

“We’re moving from building operating systems, devices for apps, to agents,” said Nadella.

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Qualcomm’s CEO describes Project Solara as “a much more personalized and bespoke experience than an app in itself,” and as a product “that’s changing the nature of devices.”

In essence, the two companies are working on a device that does tasks for you through AI agents, rather than a product with an established operating system and apps that let you do things on your own. Additionally, the “whole silicon is designed for you to have a cloud-native experience,” according to Amon.

Design-wise, Project Solara resembles a smartphone attached to a lanyard. Commenting on the product’s design, Amon said that we’ve started to see “incredible new form factors” like Project Solara.

Realistically, though, it’s not a far cry from the ill-fated Rabbit R1 or the Humane AI Pin.

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Inside, Microsoft and Qualcomm’s new device will house a power-efficient CPU, along with a variety of sensors to help it understand the world around its wearer. In that respect, the device sounds like most AI wearables on the market, though less convenient than something like Google’s smart glasses.

Microsoft’s AI approach vs. Apple’s ideas

Project Solara stands at odds with Apple’s privacy-first AI philosophy, where on-device models are prioritized over cloud-based processing. The product has an inherent security risk, relative to an iPhone, as information is constantly shared over the internet.

Balding man with glasses in a light purple shirt adjusting a black wearable device or headset around his neck in a bright modern office setting

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon spoke about “incredible new form factors,” but the device looks like a smartphone on a lanyard. Image Credit: Qualcomm.

However, there is a small commonality between the AI ideas of Microsoft and Apple. Project Solara will feature an open ecosystem where wearers can choose the AI agents they want to use.

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Apple, meanwhile, is said to be working on improved third-party AI support for iOS 27, though its own on-device AI will continue to be the backbone of Apple Intelligence.

In essence, Microsoft will prioritize convenience over privacy, security, and long-term usability. Both Apple and Microsoft will give users freedom of choice when it comes to AI models, though.

When viewed through the context of failures like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1, though, Apple’s idea of offering AI with existing products makes more sense. Google Gemini is similarly available across Android devices, as Apple Intelligence is on iOS.

More importantly, Apple Intelligence is an entirely optional set of features, an auxiliary set of tools. AI is not the cornerstone of the iPhone, and Apple understands that users want the freedom to do things without LLMs. Microsoft’s AI approach is arguably the exact opposite.

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However, rumors of an Apple-branded AI pin continue to circulate, and OpenAI is working on an AI-themed device with former Apple designer Jony Ive. Even with the nonexistent success of AI companion devices, tech companies seem to believe there’s still hope for this sort of platform.

Whether any AI-themed device, be it from Apple or Microsoft, will achieve mainstream success remains to be seen.

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AI-built ransomware toolkit automates EDR evasion, AD discovery

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AI-built ransomware toolkit automates EDR evasion, AD discovery

A threat actor is using an AI-built ransomware attack toolkit that automates Active Directory discovery and helps evade endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.

Tool and payload development was assisted by Cursor and Claude Opus agents in various stages, including initial coding, analysis, and revisioning. Additionally, some agents were tasked with checking security research posts for various bypass techniques.

Some of the malware created this way was tested in virtual environments against EDR tools from Sophos, CrowdStrike, and Microsoft.

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Despite the malware research and development orchestrated using AI technology, the researchers note that the workflow is entirely human-driven.

Rapid EDR-bypass development

Researchers at cybersecurity company Sophos detected activity from the toolkit on a system at a customer environment that triggered alerts for payloads stored in C:\Users\User\Documents\test.

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The malicious files suggested they were part of an attack framework that focused on evading detection:

  • Cobalt Strike profiles designed to make beacon traffic resemble legitimate web requests
  • A Telegram bot API–based external command and control (C2) mechanism that routed communication through Telegram’s infrastructure rather than using direct connections
  • Python-based malware development scripts for injecting shellcode into legitimate Windows executables while preserving original functionality
  • A Cloudflare Worker acting as a front-end redirector to obscure the actual backend C2 server

The researchers say that while the tool may appear as a “red team” post-exploitation framework, it is used in cybercriminal activity related to ransomware.

“Our initial assessment included the possibility that a legitimate Red Team was engaged, but our investigation revealed further artifacts that indicated malicious and criminal activity,” Sophos told BleepingComputer.

The discovery in Cobalt Strike operator logs of entries pointing to a ransom note and details on multiple organizations listed on a ransomware data leak site clarified that the framework was used for cybercrime operations.

Agentic malware development

In a report published today, Sophos says that multiple Python scripts on the compromised host were written in Russian and generated with the help of AI tools.

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During the investigation, the researchers found a Git repository with components related to “an automated Active Directory (AD) discovery panel and a lab that uses an iterative approach to developing and testing malware against the Sophos, CrowdStrike, and Windows Defender endpoint detection and response (EDR) agents.”

They say that AD discovery is driven by collecting observations from completed tasks and selecting the next action from predefined choices. The next step is delegated to remote agents, with results being reassessed.

The framework has multiple AI agents, each with a distinct role and function. For instance, a Claude Opus 4.5 agent acts as the coordinator of the R&D process, while others handle testing, OPSEC hardening, documentation, proxy stress testing, VM deployment, and other related tasks.

For the development stage, some agents documented bypass techniques in research from Kaspersky, Palo Alto Networks, Bishop Fox, and SpecterOps, as well as details published in social media posts.

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The agents extracted the techniques, mapped them to the MITRE ATT&CK knowledge base of adversary behaviors, identified what was needed for reproduction, prepared a test lab, executed the technique, and reported the outcome.

The main component in the malicious framework is a Python tool that generates payloads, mostly in Rust and Go, based on an evasion technique. Close to 80 modules were generated and tested against more than 70 techniques.

“This modular Windows payload loader generator wraps a raw payload in layers of encryption, evasion, and alternative execution techniques, producing custom-built executables or DLLs intended to resist sandboxing, antivirus, and EDR detection” – Sophos

While the agents initially suggested a high failure rate, the modules appeared to bypass almost all EDR solutions after several iterations. However, Sophos noticed discrepancies between the test output and the framework’s internal reporting in some instances, although the reasons are unclear.

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The EDR bypass development workflow
The EDR bypass development workflow
Source: Sophos

Sophos found no evidence that AI was embedded in deployed malware or operating independently in victim environments. Instead, the technology was used to accelerate the iterative process of developing, testing, and refining payloads against security products.

AI tools are shortening the period between the publication of offensive security research and its practical implementation by threat actors.


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Instagram will stop bombarding teens with the same kind of obsessively unhealthy content

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Instagram has a well-documented problem with how it treats teenage users, and Meta is finally taking a more concrete step to address it. The company announced it is testing a new feature on Instagram designed to stop teens from being repeatedly served the same type of content in Explore, Feed, and Reels.

The announcement is part of a broader global rollout of tightened teen account protections across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger.

The evidence against Instagram’s algorithm has been building for years

Researchers set up fake teen profiles on Instagram and found that liking just one fitness-related post was enough to completely change what the algorithm recommended next. The Explore tab quickly filled up with weight-loss tips, extreme dieting content, and images of heavily edited body types. The pattern repeated across profiles mimicking teenagers of different ages and genders.

According to Harvard researchers, Instagram’s algorithm actively draws vulnerable teens into a damaging cycle of negative social comparison, worsening body image, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

Most damningly, Facebook’s own internal research found that 32% of teen girls said Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies when they were already struggling. The platform knew this and kept going.

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What Meta is doing to protect teens from harmful content

Meta acknowledges that content around nutrition, fitness, or coping with anxiety can be useful, but argues it should be balanced rather than served on repeat. The new feature being tested is specifically aimed at breaking that loop.

Separately, the 13+ content setting, first launched last October, is now expanding globally across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. Nine out of ten teens have stayed within that setting since launch.

An independent assessment by online safety firm Alice found that teens in the default 13+ setting saw 68% less mature content than on a leading competitor’s teen experience. Those in the stricter Limited Content setting saw 96% less.

Meta also crowdsourced feedback from hundreds of thousands of parents who rated over 15 million pieces of content. In a survey at the end of April, fewer than 2% of posts were flagged as inappropriate by most parents. The stricter Limited Content setting is also coming to Facebook and Messenger later this year.

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Windows 11 may soon let you uninstall the AI models Microsoft keeps installing on your PC

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Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8553 rolled out last week with several new features, improvements, and bug fixes. Notable changes include expanded customization options for the Start menu, improved Search with substring matching, and support for touch swipe gestures to reveal the Taskbar when it is docked in an…
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