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US
Data ICE phones surveillance Technology US

ICE Uses Fake Tower Cells to Spy on Users

Federal contract to spy

Earlier this year, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) paid $825,000 to a manufacturing company that makes vehicles installed with tech for law enforcement, which also included fake cellphone towers called "cell-site" simulators used to surveil phones. 

The contract was made with a Maryland-based company called TechOps Specialty Vehicles (TOSV). TOSV signed another contract with ICE for $818,000 last year during the Biden administration. 

The latest federal contract shows how few technologies are being used to support the Trump administration's crackdown on deportation. 

In September 2025, Forbes discovered an unsealed search warrant that revealed ICE used a cell-site simulator to spy on a person who was allegedly a member of a criminal gang in the US, and was asked to leave the US in 2023.  Forbes also reported on finding a contract for "cell site simulator." 

About ICE

Cell-site simulators were also called "stingrays." Over time, they are now known as International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers, a unique number used to track every cellphone user in the world.

These tools can mimic a cellphone tower and can fool every device in the nearby range to connect to the device, allowing law enforcement to identify the real-world location of phone owners. Few cell-site simulators can also hack texts, internet traffic, and regular calls. 

Authorities have been using Stingray devices for more than a decade. It is controversial as authorities sometimes don't get a warrant for their use. 

According to experts, these devices trap innocent people; their use is secret as the authorities are under strict non-disclosure agreements not to disclose how these devices work. ICE has been infamous for using cell-site simulators. In 2020, a document revealed that ICE used them 466 times between 2017 and 2019. 

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Technology
Bitcoin developer Peter Todd IETF hybrid cryptography NIST PQC standards NSA crypto backdoor post-quantum cryptography Technology

Bitcoin Developer Warns NSA May Be Pushing “Quantum-Only” Cryptography Backdoor

 

Prominent Bitcoin developer Peter Todd has accused the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) of attempting to “backdoor crypto again” through the introduction of so-called quantum-secure algorithms that could exclude traditional cryptographic safeguards.

“Tl;dr: the NSA is clearly looking to backdoor crypto again with the rollout of ‘quantum secure’ algorithms. The obvious way to implement them is AND: traditional AND quantum secure. So you need to break both. The NSA is trying to remove that seatbelt: quantum-only,” Todd posted on X.

His remarks followed a series of blog posts by cryptographer Daniel J. Bernstein (DJB) on October 4 and 5, warning that procedural shifts within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) could lead to the standardization of “weakened cryptography.” Bernstein argued that a new moderation framework—outlined in “MODPOD: The collapse of IETF’s protections for dissent”—might silence critical feedback, including objections to removing hybrid cryptographic models that combine classical and post-quantum methods.

The debate centers on whether post-quantum cryptography (PQC) should transition via hybrid mechanisms—using both classical encryption (like ECDH) and PQ algorithms—or move directly to “quantum-only” systems. Hybrid models offer added protection by requiring attackers to compromise both components. The IETF formalized “hybrid” as a standard concept in June 2025 (RFC 9794), and NIST has similarly supported hybrid key exchange as part of its transition guidance.

Bernstein’s companion post also cited real-world hybrid implementations such as Google’s CECPQ1/2 trials, multi-vendor SSH support, and current browser deployments of ECC+ML-KEM (Kyber)—evidence that hybrid cryptography is already functional at Internet scale. Removing hybrids, he warned, could reduce security precisely when new PQC schemes are still being validated.

Since 2016, NIST has led the global PQC initiative and, as of August 2024, finalized standards for ML-KEM (Kyber) and signature schemes ML-DSA (Dilithium) and SLH-DSA (SPHINCS+), with HQC to follow in 2025. NIST documentation continues to recognize hybrid deployments as legitimate transitional tools, contrasting with an all-quantum-only mandate.

For Bitcoin and the wider crypto ecosystem, this discussion holds particular importance. Bitcoin’s infrastructure depends on standardized cryptographic primitives and protocols shaped by NIST and IETF outputs—even when integrated via open-source implementations. Todd’s concerns echo historic distrust stemming from the Dual_EC_DRBG controversy two decades ago, when an NSA-linked random number generator was withdrawn after allegations of a hidden backdoor.

“Endorsement of backdoored crypto has happened before at the behest of the NSA,” Todd wrote. “It’s not a theoretical risk. They’re clearly gearing up to do it again.”

However, there is no public evidence suggesting the NSA is currently inserting a backdoor into NIST’s PQC or IETF standards. NIST maintains open documentation, public workshops, and community feedback mechanisms supporting hybrid cryptography. Developer Fudmottin (@Fudmottin) countered Todd’s claims, saying: “If NIST endorsed cryptographic algorithms such as SHA-256 turn out to have back doors or a weakness, then NIST is done. No one will even ask them about the time of day (yes, NIST keeps that standard for the USA).”

Bernstein’s posts call for stakeholders to use IETF channels by Tuesday, October 7, to oppose moderation changes and protect hybrid cryptography as the default transition model. Todd’s warning reignites long-standing concerns within the Bitcoin community about government influence in cryptographic standards and reinforces the sector’s push for transparency and decentralized oversight.

At press time, Bitcoin (BTC) traded at $134,545.
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Technology
AI Innovation AI Memory Systems AI Startup Funding Artificial Intelligence Contextual AI Dhravya Shah Emerging AI Entrepreneurs Long-Term AI Memory Supermemory Platform Technology

AI Startup by Dhravya Shah Gains $3 Million Investment and O-1 Visa Recognition

 


As one of the youngest innovators in the global tech landscape, Mumbai-born innovator Dhravya Shah is just 20 years old and makes a big impact in the industry every day. It was Shah’s unconventional decision to move away from the traditional path of IIT preparation to pursue his ambitions abroad that has ultimately culminated in remarkable success, challenging conventional thinking. 

There has been a significant amount of interest in his artificial intelligence venture, Supermemory, with investors and the global AI community both paying close attention to this venture. As a pioneering platform for the enhancement of the memory capabilities of artificial intelligence systems, Supermemory has already been adopted by a large number of companies and developers to develop advanced applications on its platform. 

Shah describes his vision for the project as "my life's work" in a new post on the social network X. Shah's vision reflects a rare blend of ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit, and technical savvy-qualities that have quickly positioned him as one of the most promising young minds shaping the future of AI. 

Artificial intelligence continues to advance the limits of contextual understanding as more and more advances are made, and researchers are continuously working to enhance the ability of models to retain information for extended periods of time, a challenge which will continue to be important in order for truly intelligent systems to evolve. It was in this dynamic environment that Dhravya Shah was beginning to make her way through life. 

While Shah was a teenager in Mumbai, he displayed an early interest in technology and consumer applications, a passion which set him apart from the rest of his peers. In contrast to the rest of the students of his age, who were engrossed in studying for India's notoriously competitive engineering entrance exams, he devoted his time to coding and experimenting.

When he persevered and developed a Twitter automation tool—a platform that turned tweets into visually engaging screenshots—he ultimately sold it to a leading social media management company, Hypefury—an organization that is widely known for its social media automation tools. 

By selling his company, he not only validated his entrepreneurial instincts, but also provided him with the financial means to further his academic ambitions in the United States, where he was accepted into Arizona State University, marking the beginning of his global technology and innovation journey. He has been recognized as both ambitious and successful in his career in the United States. 

Shah was granted the prestigious O-1 visa, which is an exceptionally rare honor awarded to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary abilities in such fields as science, business, education, athletics, or the arts, a distinction reserved only for the most extraordinary innovators and creators in the world. Shah, who is among the youngest Indians to be given such an honor, stands out as a remarkable accomplishment. 

As a result of a desire to challenge himself and sharpen his creative instincts, he embarked on a personal mission in which he was going to build a new project every week for 40 weeks in order to refine his creativity. As a result of these experiments, the early version of Supermemory emerged, originally dubbed Any Context. It was a tool designed to allow users to interact with the bookmarks they had on Twitter. 

Shah's career development has further been accelerated by his tenure at Cloudflare in 2024, during which he contributed to AI and infrastructure projects, and then advanced to an administrative role at Cloudflare in 2024. After initially developing a simple idea, he has since developed a sophisticated platform that allows AI systems to gain insight from unstructured data. This has enabled AI systems to comprehend and retain context effectively. 

While he was in this period, he received mentoring from industry leaders, including Cloudflare's Chief Technology Officer Dane Knecht, who encouraged him to develop Supermemory into a fully-formed product. Shah decided to pursue this endeavor full time due to Shah's conviction that the technology had great potential and to his own conviction that it had great potential. This marked the start of a new chapter in Shah's entrepreneurial career, which has helped shape the future of contextual artificial intelligence. 

It is Shah's vision that Supermemory will redefine how artificial intelligence processes and retains information. Supermemory is the centerpiece of Shah's vision. While many AI models are incredibly capable of generating responses, they remain limited by the fact that they cannot recall previous interactions. As a consequence, their contextual understanding and personalized capabilities are restricted. 

Using Supermemory, AI systems will be equipped with the capability of storing, retrieving, and utilizing information that was previously discussed in a secure and structured manner, which will allow them to overcome the problem of long-term memory. Shah and his growing team are announcing a significant milestone by raising $3 million, which underscores investor confidence in their approach to solving one of the biggest challenges AI faces. 

There is a dynamic memory layer under Supermemory, which is a part of the technology that powers Supermemory, which can be used alongside large language models such as GPT and Claude. It connects externally, so that the models can recall stored data whenever necessary—whether it relates to user preferences, historical context, or previous conversations—rather than altering them themselves. 

Using an external memory engine, as a central component of this architecture, the system supports both scalability as well as security, making the architecture adaptable across a wide range of AI ecosystems. The external memory engine functions independently of the core model so that strict control over data access and privacy can be maintained. 

Supermemory's engine is used to retrieve and supply contextual information to an AI model in real-time when a query is sent to it, thereby enhancing performance and continuity. In addition to enhancing performance, this approach gives developers an integrated solution for building smarter, context-aware applications that have the capacity to sustain meaningful interactions over a prolonged period of time. 

It is apparent that Supermemory's growing influence is reflected in its rapidly expanding clientele, which already includes Cluely, which is backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z); Montra, which is a video editing platform powered by artificial intelligence; and Scira, a search tool powered by artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the company is also working with a robotics firm to develop systems that allow robots to retain visual memories in order for robots to work efficiently. 

The technology can be applied to many industries, highlighting its broad applicability. It is the low latency architecture, according to Supermemory's founder Dhravya Shah, which differentiates the company from its competitors in a crowded AI landscape, offering faster access to stored context and smoother integration with existing models, those benefits being crucial to Supermemory's success. 

This is a confidence shared by investors who, according to Joshua Browder, believe that the platform has a high level of performance, rapid retrieval capabilities, and that this is a compelling solution for AI companies who need to create a memory layer that is both efficient and reliable. According to experts, Supermemory falls into an evolution in artificial intelligence where memory, reasoning, and learning come together to create systems that feel inherently more human in nature. 

Using Supermemory as a tool to enable artificial intelligence to remember, understand, and adapt, Supermemory will enable people to have more individualized, consistent, and emotional digital experiences, including virtual tutors and assistants and health and wellness companions. As much as the startup's technological potential is impressive, it represents a new generation of Indian founders making their mark on the global AI stage. 

Rather than just participating in the future, these young innovators are actively defining it as well. A testament to Shah’s perseverance, calculated risk-taking, and relentless innovation can be found in Supermemory’s story, which continues to unfold as the company continues to evolve. His journey from coding in Mumbai to building a global recognition of AI company in his early twenties shows the changing narrative of India’s technology talent, which increasingly transcends borders and redefines entrepreneurship on an international scale in the process. 

In the age of generative artificial intelligence, platforms such as Supermemory are being positioned to become critical infrastructure, bridging the gap between fleeting intelligence and lasting comprehension, allowing machines to retain information, remember context, and learn from their experience. Shah’s creation illustrates a future where artificial intelligence interactions could be more engaging, meaningful, and human in nature. 

A smarter application for developers, an even more personalized and efficient enterprise, and a technology that remembers and evolves with users are some of the advantages it brings. With investors rallying around his vision, Dhravya Shah and Supermemory are not merely building a product, they are quietly creating the blueprint for artificial intelligence to take place in the future, where memory will be a fundamental part of meaningful digital intelligence in the future.
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Technology
AI Cloud Data Internet Ransomware Technology

Paying Ransom Does Not Guarantee Data Restoration: Report


A new report claims that smaller firms continue to face dangers in the digital domain, as ransomware threats persistently target organizations. Hiscox’s Cyber Readiness Report surveyed 6,000 businesses, and over 59% report they have been hit by a cyber attack in the last year.  

Financial losses were a major factor; most organizations reported operational failures, reputation damage, and staff losses. “Outdated operating systems and applications often contain security vulnerabilities that cyber attackers can exploit. Even with robust defenses, there is always a risk of data loss or ransomware attacks,” the report said.

Problems with ransomware payments

Ransomware is the topmost problem; the survey suggests that around 27% of respondents suffered damage, and 80% agreed to pay ransom. 

Despite the payments, recovery was not confirmed as only 60% could restore their data, while hackers asked for repayments again. The reports highlight that paying the ransom to hackers doesn’t ensure data recovery and can even lead to further extortion. 

Transparency needed

There is an urgent need for transparency, as 71% respondents agreed that companies should disclose ransom payments and the money paid. Hiscox found that gangs are targeting sensitive data like executive emails, financial information, and contracts.

The report notes that criminal groups are increasingly targeting sensitive business data such as contracts, executive emails, and financial information. "Cyber criminals are now much more focused on stealing sensitive business data. Once stolen, they demand payment…pricing threats based on reputational damage,” the report said. This shift has exposed gaps in businesses’ data loss prevention measures that criminals exploit easily.  

AI threat

Respondents also said they experienced AI-related incidents, where threat actors exploited AI flaws such as deepfakes and vulnerabilities in third-party AI apps. Around 65% still perceive AI as an opportunity rather than a threat. The report highlights new risks that business leaders may not fully understand yet. 

According to the report, “Even with robust defenses, there is always a risk of data loss or ransomware attacks. Frequent, secure back-ups – stored either offline or in the cloud – ensure that businesses can recover quickly if the worst happens.”

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Windows
AI Cloud Internet Microsoft PCs Technology Windows

Microsoft to end support for Windows 10, 400 million PCs will be impacted


Microsoft is ending software updates for Windows 10

From October 14, Microsoft will end its support for Windows 10, experts believe it will impact around 400 million computers, exposing them to cyber threats. People and groups worldwide are requesting that Microsoft extend its free support. 

According to recent research, 40.8% of desktop users still use Windows 10. This means around 600 million PCs worldwide use Windows 10. Soon, most of them will not receive software updates, security fixes, or technical assistance. 

400 million PCs will be impacted

Experts believe that these 400 million PCs will continue to work even after October 14th because hardware upgrades won’t be possible in such a short duration. 

“When support for Windows 8 ended in January 2016, only 3.7% of Windows users were still using it. Only 2.2% of Windows users were still using Windows 8.1 when support ended in January 2023,” PIRG said. PIGR has also called this move a “looming security disaster.”

What can Windows users do?

The permanent solution is to upgrade to Windows 11. But there are certain hardware requirements when you want to upgrade, and most users will not be able to upgrade as they will have to buy new PCs with compatible hardware. 

But Microsoft has offered few free options for personal users, if you use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. Users can also back up their data to the Windows Backup cloud service to get a free upgrade. If this impacts you, you can earn these points via Microsoft services such as Xbox games, store purchases, and Bing searches. But this will take time, and users don’t have it, unfortunately. 

The only viable option for users is to pay $30 (around Rs 2,650) for an Extended Security Updates (ESU) plan, but it will only work for one year.

According to PIGR, “Unless Microsoft changes course, users will face the choice between exposing themselves to cyberattacks or discarding their old computers and buying new ones. The solution is clear: Microsoft must extend free, automatic support.”

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zero-click
AI Cloud Data Internet Spyware Technology zero-click

Zero-click Exploit AI Flaws to Hack Systems


What if machines, not humans, become the centre of cyber-warfare? Imagine if your device could be hijacked without you opening any link, downloading a file, or knowing the hack happened? This is a real threat called zero-click attacks, a covert and dangerous type of cyber attack that abuses software bugs to hack systems without user interaction. 

The threat

These attacks have used spywares such as Pegasus and AI-driven EchoLeak, and shown their power to attack millions of systems, compromise critical devices, and steal sensitive information. With the surge of AI agents, the risk is high now. The AI-driven streamlining of work and risen productivity has become a lucrative target for exploitation, increasing the scale and attack tactics of breaches.

IBM technology explained how the combination of AI systems and zero-click flaws has reshaped the cybersecurity landscape. “Cybercriminals are increasingly adopting stealthy tactics and prioritizing data theft over encryption and exploiting identities at scale. A surge in phishing emails delivering infostealer malware and credential phishing is fueling this trend—and may be attributed to attackers leveraging AI to scale distribution,” said the IBM report.

A few risks of autonomous AI are highlighted, such as:

  • Threat of prompt injection 
  • Need for an AI firewall
  • Gaps in addressing the challenges due to AI-driven tech

About Zero-click attacks

These attacks do not need user interaction, unlike traditional cyberattacks that relied on social engineering campaigns or phishing attacks. Zero-click attacks exploit flaws in communication or software protocols to gain unauthorized entry into systems.  

Echoleak: An AI-based attack that modifies AI systems to hack sensitive information.

Stagefright: A flaw in Android devices that allows hackers to install malicious code via multimedia messages (MMS), hacking millions of devices.

Pegasus: A spyware that hacks devices through apps such as iMessage and WhatsApp, it conducts surveillance, can gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, and facilitate data theft as well.

How to stay safe?

According to IBM, “Despite the magnitude of these challenges, we found that most organizations still don’t have a cyber crisis plan or playbooks for scenarios that require swift responses.” To stay safe, IBM suggests “quick, decisive action to counteract the faster pace with which threat actors, increasingly aided by AI, conduct attacks, exfiltrate data, and exploit vulnerabilities.”

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User Security
Gemini AI Google Home Nest Devices Technology User Security

Google Launches Gemini AI Across Home and Nest Devices

 

Google has unveiled its new Gemini-powered smart home lineup and AI strategy, positioning its AI assistant Gemini at the core of refreshed Google Home and Nest devices. This reimagined approach follows Amazon's recent Echo launch, highlighting an intensifying competition in the AI-driven home sector. 

Google’s aim is to extend Gemini’s capabilities beyond just its own hardware, making it available to other device manufacturers, reminiscent of how Android’s open platform fostered an expansive device ecosystem. The company plans to keep innovating with flagship hardware, particularly where Gemini’s potential can shine, while encouraging third-party OEMs and partners to integrate Gemini regardless of price point or form factor.

The new Nest lineup features products like the Nest Cam Outdoor, Nest Cam Indoor, and Nest Doorbell—all updated to leverage Gemini’s intelligence. Additionally, Google teased its next-generation Google Home speaker for spring 2026 and revealed a partnership with Walmart to launch affordable indoor cameras and doorbells under the “onn” brand. 

Notably, Google is prioritizing current device owners by rolling out Gemini features to devices with adequate processing power, using cloud APIs and the Matter smart home standard for broad compatibility. This ensures Gemini’s reach to over 800 million devices—including both Google and third-party products—while the company refines experiences before releasing new hardware.

Gemini enhances user interaction by enabling more conversational, contextually aware commands. Users can reference vague details—like a movie or song—and Gemini will intuit the correct response, such as playing music, explaining lyrics, or suggesting content. It can handle more complex household management tasks like creating shopping lists based on recipes, setting nuanced timers, and chaining multiple requests. 

Device naming is now simplified, and Gemini can manage routines, automate energy usage monitoring, and suggest home security setups via the new “Ask Home” feature. These improvements are facilitated by Google’s upgraded Home app, now more stable and powered by Gemini.

The app uses AI to summarize camera activity, describe detected events, and guide users with direct answers and recommendations, streamlining daily home routines. Gemini Live introduces continuous conversational interaction without the need to repeat “Hey Google,” promising a more natural AI experience. 

Google’s toolkit, reference hardware, and SDK support further empower partners and developers, reinforcing its market-wide AI ambitions. The Nest and Walmart devices are available now, while the new Home speaker is due spring 2026.
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Threat Intelligence
AI Phishing Threats Cyber Awareness Cybercrime Prevention cybersecurity trends Data protection Digital Deception email security Online Safety Technology Threat Intelligence

AI Tools Make Phishing Attacks Harder to Detect, Survey Warns


 

Despite the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, the phishing method remains the leading avenue for data breaches in the years to come. However, in 2025, the phishing method has undergone a dangerous transformation. 

What used to be a crude attempt to deceive has now evolved into an extremely sophisticated operation backed by artificial intelligence, transforming once into an espionage. Traditionally, malicious actors are using poorly worded, grammatically incorrect, and inaccurate messages to spread their malicious messages; now, however, they are deploying systems based on generative AI, such as GPT-4 and its successors, to craft emails that are eerily authentic, contextually aware, and meticulously tailored to each target.

Cybercriminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to orchestrate highly targeted phishing campaigns, creating communications that look like legitimate correspondence with near-perfect precision, which has been sounded alarming by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to FBI Special Agent Robert Tripp, these tactics can result in a devastating financial loss, a damaged reputation, or even a compromise of sensitive data. 

By the end of 2024, the rise of artificial intelligence-driven phishing had become no longer just another subtle trend, but a real reality that no one could deny. According to cybersecurity analysts, phishing activity has increased by 1,265 percent over the last three years, as a direct result of the adoption of generative AI tools. In their view, traditional email filters and security protocols, which were once effective against conventional scams, are increasingly being outmanoeuvred by AI-enhanced deceptions. 

Artificial intelligence-generated phishing has been elevated to become the most dominant email-borne threat of 2025, eclipsing even ransomware and insider risks because of its sophistication and scale. There is no doubt that organisations throughout the world are facing a fundamental change in how digital defence works, which means that complacency is not an option. 

Artificial intelligence has fundamentally altered the anatomy of phishing, transforming it from a scattershot strategy to an alarmingly precise and comprehensive threat. According to experts, adversaries now exploit artificial intelligence to amplify their scale, sophistication, and success rates by utilising AI, rather than just automating attacks.

As AI has enabled criminals to create messages that mimic human tone, context, and intent, the line between legitimate communication and deception is increasingly blurred. The cybersecurity analyst emphasises that to survive in this evolving world, security teams and decision-makers need to maintain constant vigilance, urging them to include AI-awareness in workforce training and defensive strategies. This new threat is manifested in the increased frequency of polymorphic phishing attacks. It is becoming increasingly difficult for users to detect phishing emails due to their enhanced AI automation capabilities. 

By automating the process of creating phishing emails, attackers are able to generate thousands of variants, each with slight changes to the subject line, sender details, or message structure. In the year 2024, according to recent research, 76 per cent of phishing attacks had at least one polymorphic trait, and more than half of them originated from compromised accounts, and about a quarter relied on fraudulent domains. 

Acanto alters URLs in real time and resends modified messages in real time if initial attempts fail to stimulate engagement, making such attacks even more complicated. AI-enhanced schemes can be extremely adaptable, which makes traditional security filters and static defences insufficient when they are compared to these schemes. Thus, organisations must evolve their security countermeasures to keep up with this rapidly evolving threat landscape. 

An alarming reality has been revealed in a recent global survey: the majority of individuals are still having difficulty distinguishing between phishing attempts generated by artificial intelligence and genuine messages.

According to a study by the Centre for Human Development, only 46 per cent of respondents correctly recognised a simulated phishing email crafted by artificial intelligence. The remaining 54 per cent either assumed it was real or acknowledged uncertainty about it, emphasising the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in impersonating legitimate communications now. 

Several age groups showed relatively consistent levels of awareness, with Gen Z (45%), millennials (47%), Generation X (46%) and baby boomers (46%) performing almost identically. In this era of artificial intelligence (AI) enhanced social engineering, it is crucial to note that no generation is more susceptible to being deceived than the others. 

While most of the participants acknowledged that artificial intelligence has become a tool for deceiving users online, the study demonstrated that awareness is not enough to prevent compromise, since the study found that awareness alone cannot prevent compromise. The same group was presented with a legitimate, human-written corporate email, and only 30 per cent of them correctly identified it as authentic. This is a sign that digital trust is slipping and that people are relying on instinct rather than factual evidence. 

The study was conducted by Talker Research as part of the Global State of Authentication Survey for Yubico, conducted on behalf of Yubico. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, Talker Research collected insights from users throughout the U.S., the U.K., Australia, India, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, and Sweden in order to gather insights from users across those regions. 

As a result of the findings, it is clear that users are vulnerable to increasingly artificial intelligence-driven threats. A survey conducted by the National Institute for Health found that nearly four in ten people (44%) had interacted with phishing messages within the past year by clicking links or opening attachments, and 1 per cent had done so within the past week. 

The younger generations seem to be more susceptible to phishing content, with Gen Z (62%) and millennials (51%) reporting significantly higher levels of engagement than the Gen X generation (33%) or the baby boom generation (23%). It continues to be email that is the most prevalent attack vector, accounting for 51 per cent of incidents, followed by text messages (27%) and social media messages (20%). 

There was a lot of discussion as to why people fell victim to these messages, with many citing their convincing nature and their similarities to genuine corporate correspondence, demonstrating that even the most technologically advanced individuals struggle to keep up with the sophistication of artificial intelligence-driven deception.

Although AI-driven scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, cybersecurity experts point out that families do not have to give up on protecting themselves. It is important to take some simple, proactive actions to prevent risk from occurring. Experts advise that if any unexpected or alarming messages are received, you should pause before responding and verify the source by calling back from a trusted number, rather than the number you receive in the communication. 

Family "safe words" can also help confirm authenticity during times of emergency and help prevent emotional manipulation when needed. In addition, individuals can be more aware of red flags, such as urgent demands for action, pressure to share personal information, or inconsistencies in tone and detail, in order to identify deception better. 

Additionally, businesses must be aware of emerging threats like deepfakes, which are often indicated by subtle signs like mismatched audio, unnatural facial movements, or inconsistent visual details. Technology can play a crucial role in ensuring that digital security is well-maintained as well as fortified. 

It is a fact that Bitdefender offers a comprehensive approach to family protection by detecting and blocking fraudulent content before it gets to users by using a multi-layered security suite. Through email scam detection, malicious link filtering, and artificial intelligence-driven tools like Bitdefender Scamio and Link Checker, the platform is able to protect users across a broad range of channels, all of which are used by scammers. 

It is for mobile users, especially users of Android phones, that Bitdefender has integrated a number of call-blocking features within its application. These capabilities provide an additional layer of defence against attacks such as robocalls and impersonation schemes, which are frequently used by fraudsters targeting American homes. 

In Bitdefender's family plans, users have the chance to secure all their devices under a unified umbrella, combining privacy, identity monitoring, and scam prevention into a seamless, easily manageable solution in a seamless manner. As people move into an era where digital deception has become increasingly human-like, effective security is about much more than just blocking malware. 

It's about preserving trust across all interactions, no matter what. In the future, as artificial intelligence continues to influence phishing, it will become increasingly difficult for people to distinguish between the deception of phishing and its own authenticity of the phishing, which will require a shift from reactive defence to proactive digital resilience. 

The experts stress that not only advanced technology, but also a culture of continuous awareness, is needed to fight AI-driven social engineering. Employees need to be educated regularly about security issues that mirror real-world situations, so they can become more aware of potential phishing attacks before they click on them. As well, individuals should utilise multi-factor authentication, password managers and verified communication channels to safeguard both personal and professional information. 

On a broader level, government, cybersecurity vendors, and digital platforms must collaborate in order to create a shared framework that allows them to identify and report AI-enhanced scams as soon as they occur in order to prevent them from spreading.

Even though AI has certainly enhanced the arsenal of cybercriminals, it has also demonstrated the ability of AI to strengthen defence systems—such as adaptive threat intelligence, behavioural analytics, and automated response systems—as well. People must remain vigilant, educated, and innovative in this new digital battleground. 

There is no doubt that the challenge people face is to seize the potential of AI not to deceive people, but to protect them instead-and to leverage the power of digital trust to make our security systems of tomorrow even more powerful.
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trending news
Browser privacy risks data risks News Technology trending news

Why Deleting Cookies Doesn’t Protect Your Privacy

Most internet users know that cookies are used to monitor their browsing activity, but few realize that deleting them does not necessarily protect their privacy. A newer and more advanced method known as browser fingerprinting is now being used to identify and track people online. 

Browser fingerprinting works differently from cookies. Instead of saving files or scripts on your device, it quietly gathers detailed information from your browser and computer settings. This includes your operating system, installed fonts, screen size, browser version, plug-ins, and other configuration details. Together, these elements create a unique digital signature, often as distinct as a real fingerprint. 

Each time you open a website, your browser automatically sends information so that the page can load correctly. Over time, advertisers and data brokers have learned to use this information to monitor your online movements. Because this process does not rely on files stored on your computer, it cannot be deleted or cleared, making it much harder to detect or block. 

Research from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) through its Cover Your Tracks project shows that most users have unique fingerprints among hundreds of thousands of samples. 

Similarly, researchers at Friedrich-Alexander University in Germany have been studying this technique since 2016 and found that many browsers retain the same fingerprint for long periods, allowing for continuous tracking. 

Even modern browsers such as Chrome and Edge reveal significant details about your system through something called a User Agent string. This data, when combined with other technical information, allows websites to recognize your device even after you clear cookies or use private browsing. 

To reduce exposure, experts recommend using privacy-focused browsers such as Brave, which offers built-in fingerprinting protection through its Shields feature. It blocks trackers, cookies, and scripts while allowing users to control what information is shared. 

A VPN can also help by hiding your IP address, but it does not completely prevent fingerprinting. In short, clearing cookies or using Incognito mode provides limited protection. 

True online privacy requires tools and browsers specifically designed to reduce digital tracking. As browser fingerprinting becomes more common, understanding how it works and how to limit it is essential for anyone concerned about online privacy.
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Technology
Advertising AI Chatbot Meta Privacy Technology

Meta to Use AI Chat Data for Targeted Ads Starting December 16

 

Meta, the parent company of social media giants Facebook and Instagram, will soon begin leveraging user conversations with its AI chatbot to drive more precise targeted advertising on its platforms. 

Starting December 16, Meta will integrate data from interactions users have with the generative AI chat tool directly into its ad targeting algorithms. For instance, if a user tells the chatbot about a preference for pizza, this information could translate to seeing additional pizza-related ads, such as Domino's promotions, across Instagram and Facebook feeds.

Notably, users do not have the option to opt out of this new data usage policy, sparking debates and concerns over digital privacy. Privacy advocates and everyday users alike have expressed discomfort with the increasing granularity of Meta’s ad targeting, as hyper-targeted ads are widely perceived as intrusive and reflective of a broader erosion of personal privacy online. 

In response to these growing concerns, Meta claims there are clear boundaries regarding what types of conversational data will be incorporated into ad targeting. The company lists several sensitive categories it pledges to exclude: religious beliefs, political views, sexual orientation, health information, and racial or ethnic origin. Despite these assurances, skepticism remains about how effectively Meta can prevent indirect influences on ad targeting, since related topics might naturally slip into AI interactions even without explicit references.

Industry commentators have highlighted the novelty and controversial nature of Meta’s move, referring to it as marking a 'new frontier in digital privacy.' Some users are openly calling for boycotts of Meta’s chat features or responding with jaded irony, pointing out that Meta's business model has always relied on user data monetization.

Meta's policy will initially exclude the United Kingdom, South Korea, and all countries in the European Union, likely due to stricter privacy regulations and ongoing scrutiny by European authorities. The new initiative fits into Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s broader strategy to capitalize on AI, with the company planning a massive $600 billion investment in AI infrastructure over the coming years. 

With this policy shift, over 3.35 billion daily active users worldwide—except in the listed exempted regions—can expect changes in the nature and specificity of the ads they see across Meta’s core platforms. The change underscores the ongoing tension between user privacy and tech companies’ drive for personalized digital advertising.
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Why Businesses Must Act Now to Prepare for a Quantum-Safe Future

 



As technology advances, quantum computing is no longer a distant concept — it is steadily becoming a real-world capability. While this next-generation innovation promises breakthroughs in fields like medicine and materials science, it also poses a serious threat to cybersecurity. The encryption systems that currently protect global digital infrastructure may not withstand the computing power quantum technology will one day unleash.

Data is now the most valuable strategic resource for any organization. Every financial transaction, business operation, and communication depends on encryption to stay secure. However, once quantum computers reach full capability, they could break the mathematical foundations of most existing encryption systems, exposing sensitive data on a global scale.


The urgency of post-quantum security

Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) refers to encryption methods designed to remain secure even against quantum computers. Transitioning to PQC will not be an overnight task. It demands re-engineering of applications, operating systems, and infrastructure that rely on traditional cryptography. Businesses must begin preparing now, because once the threat materializes, it will be too late to react effectively.

Experts warn that quantum computing will likely follow the same trajectory as artificial intelligence. Initially, the technology will be accessible only to a few institutions. Over time, as more companies and researchers enter the field, the technology will become cheaper and widely available including to cybercriminals. Preparing early is the only viable defense.


Governments are setting the pace

Several governments and standard-setting bodies have already started addressing the challenge. The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has urged organizations to adopt quantum-resistant encryption by 2035. The European Union has launched its Quantum Europe Strategy to coordinate member states toward unified standards. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized its first set of post-quantum encryption algorithms, which serve as a global reference point for organizations looking to begin their transition.

As these efforts gain momentum, businesses must stay informed about emerging regulations and standards. Compliance will require foresight, investment, and close monitoring of how different jurisdictions adapt their cybersecurity frameworks.

To handle the technical and organizational scale of this shift, companies can establish internal Centers of Excellence (CoEs) dedicated to post-quantum readiness. These teams bring together leaders from across departments: IT, compliance, legal, product development, and procurement to map vulnerabilities, identify dependencies, and coordinate upgrades.

The CoE model also supports employee training, helping close skill gaps in quantum-related technologies. By testing new encryption algorithms, auditing existing infrastructure, and maintaining company-wide communication, a CoE ensures that no critical process is overlooked.


Industry action has already begun

Leading technology providers have started adopting quantum-safe practices. For example, Red Hat’s Enterprise Linux 10 is among the first operating systems to integrate PQC support, while Kubernetes has begun enabling hybrid encryption methods that combine traditional and quantum-safe algorithms. These developments set a precedent for the rest of the industry, signaling that the shift to PQC is not a theoretical concern but an ongoing transformation.


The time to prepare is now

Transitioning to a quantum-safe infrastructure will take years, involving system audits, software redesigns, and new cryptographic standards. Organizations that begin planning today will be better equipped to protect their data, meet upcoming regulatory demands, and maintain customer trust in the digital economy.

Quantum computing will redefine the boundaries of cybersecurity. The only question is whether organizations will be ready when that day arrives.


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AI Adoption Surges Faster Than Cybersecurity Awareness, Study Reveals

 

A recent study has revealed that the rapid adoption of AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini is far outpacing efforts to educate users about the cybersecurity risks associated with them. The research, conducted by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) — a nonprofit organization promoting data privacy and online safety — in collaboration with cybersecurity firm CybNet, surveyed over 6,500 participants across seven countries, including the United States.

The findings show that 65% of respondents now use AI tools daily, reflecting a 21% increase compared to last year. However, 58% of users said they had not received any formal training from their employers on the data security and privacy risks of using such technologies.

"People are embracing AI in their personal and professional lives faster than they are being educated on its risks," said Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director at the NCA. Alarmingly, 43% of respondents admitted to sharing sensitive information — including financial and client data — in conversations with AI tools. This underscores the growing gap between AI adoption and cybersecurity preparedness.

The NCA-CybNet report adds weight to a growing concern among experts that the surge in AI use is not being matched by adequate awareness or safety measures. Earlier this year, a SailPoint survey found that 96% of IT professionals viewed AI agents as potential security risks, yet 84% said their companies had already begun deploying them internally.

AI agents, designed to automate complex tasks and boost efficiency, often require access to internal systems and sensitive documents — a setup that could lead to data leaks or breaches. Some incidents, such as AI tools accidentally deleting entire company databases, highlight how vulnerabilities can quickly escalate into serious problems.

Even conventional chatbots carry risks. Besides producing inaccurate information, many also store user interactions as training data, making privacy a persistent concern. The 2023 case of Samsung engineers inadvertently leaking confidential data to ChatGPT serves as a cautionary example, prompting the company to prohibit employee use of the chatbot.

As generative AI becomes embedded in everyday tools — Microsoft recently added AI features to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint — users may be adopting it without realizing the full scope of its implications. Without robust cybersecurity education, individuals and businesses could expose themselves to significant risks in pursuit of productivity and convenience.
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Google Introduces AI-Powered Ransomware Detection in Drive for Desktop

 

Ransomware continues to be a growing cyber threat, capable of crippling businesses and disrupting personal lives. Losing access to vital files — from cherished family photos to financial records — can have devastating consequences. To tackle this, Google is introducing an AI-powered ransomware detection system for Drive for Desktop, designed to identify threats early and prevent large-scale data loss.

According to Google’s blog post, this new security layer for macOS and Windows continuously monitors for abnormal behavior, such as mass file encryption or corruption — common indicators of a ransomware attack. Unlike traditional antivirus tools that scan for malicious code, Google’s AI model focuses on how files change. When it detects unusual activity, even across a few files, it immediately halts syncing between the user’s device and the cloud. This pause prevents infected files from overwriting safe versions in Google Drive.

Once potential ransomware activity is detected, users receive desktop and email alerts and can access a new recovery interface within Drive. This interface allows them to restore their files to a clean, pre-attack state.

Ransomware remains a significant cybersecurity issue. In 2024, Mandiant reported that ransomware accounted for 21% of all intrusions, with an average cost per incident exceeding $5 million. Critical industries such as healthcare, education, retail, manufacturing, and government are particularly at risk. Google’s approach focuses on a crucial middle ground — between traditional antivirus prevention and post-attack recovery — where AI-driven early intervention can make a major difference.

Google emphasizes that this feature isn’t meant to replace antivirus or endpoint detection tools but to act as an additional safeguard. The system prioritizes commonly targeted file types like Office documents and PDFs, while native Google Docs and Sheets already benefit from built-in protection. Importantly, Google notes that it does not collect user data to train its AI models without explicit consent.

The AI ransomware detection feature is currently rolling out in open beta and will be available at no extra cost for most Google Workspace commercial customers. Individual users will also have access to file recovery tools for free. However, there’s no confirmation yet on whether similar protections will extend to Google Cloud Storage for enterprise users.
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Social Event App Partiful Did Not Collect GPS Locations from Photos

 

Social event planning app Partiful, also known as "Facebook events for hot people," has replaced Facebook as the go-to place for sending party invites. However, like Facebook, Partiful also collects user data. 

The hosts can create online invitations in a retro style, which allows users to RSVP to events easily. The platform strives to be user-friendly and trendy, which has made the app No.9 on the Apple store, and Google has called it "the best app" of 2024. 

About Partiful

Partiful has recently developed into a Facebook-like social graph; it maps your friends and also friends of friends, what you do, where you go, and your contact numbers. When the app became famous, people started doubting its origins, alleging that the app had former employees of a data-mining company. TechCrunch, however, found that the app was not storing any location data from user-uploaded images, which include public profile pictures. 

Metadata in photos

The photos that you have on your phones have metadata, which consists of file size, date of capture. With videos, Metadata can include information such as the type of camera used, the settings, and latitude/longitude coordinates. TechCrunch discovered that anyone could use the developer tools in a web browser to get raw user profile photos access from Partiful’s back-end database on Google Firebase. 

About the bug

The flaw could have been problematic, as it could have exposed the location of a person’s profile photo if someone used Partiful. 

According to TechCrunch, “Some Partiful user profile photos contained highly granular location data that could be used to identify the person’s home or work, particularly in rural areas where individual homes are easier to distinguish on a map.”

It is a common norm for companies hosting user photos and videos to automatically remove metadata once uploaded to prevent privacy issues, such as Partiful.

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Government Operations in Chaos After South Korea Data Centre Fire




A massive disruption has struck South Korea’s government operations after a fire at a national data centre crippled hundreds of digital services, exposing serious weaknesses in the country’s technology infrastructure.

The incident occurred on Friday at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon, where a blaze broke out during regular maintenance in a server room. The centre is a critical backbone of South Korea’s digital governance, hosting online platforms used by numerous ministries and agencies. Officials confirmed that out of 647 affected government systems, only 62 had been restored as of Monday.


Disruption Across Core Agencies

The outage has impacted major institutions, including Korea Customs, the National Police Agency, and the National Fire Agency, while even the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s website remained inaccessible at the start of the week. With no clear timeline for complete restoration, authorities continue to work on recovering the systems.

Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung said that services were gradually coming back online, highlighting the return of Government24, the central online portal for public administration, and digital platforms operated by Korea Post. He acknowledged that the outage has caused widespread inconvenience and urged government bodies to cooperate to minimize disruptions as public demand for services increases during the work week.

President Lee Jae-myung publicly apologized for the breakdown, expressing concern that the government had not developed stronger contingency systems despite similar disruptions in the past. He directed ministries to urgently strengthen cybersecurity and propose emergency budgets for backup and recovery systems to prevent future incidents.

Preliminary findings suggest the fire began after a battery explosion in the facility. The battery, produced by LG Energy Solution and maintained by its affiliate LG CNS, was reportedly over ten years old and beyond its warranty period. According to the safety ministry, LG CNS had recommended replacement during an inspection last year, though the batteries continued to function at the time. The company has not issued further comments while investigations are underway.


Citizens Face Real-World Impact

The shutdown of online systems has forced residents to visit local offices in person for routine tasks such as obtaining ID cards, real estate documents, and school application forms.

A 25-year-old resident, Kim, said she had to delay travel plans to collect documents that were normally accessible online. Similarly, Kim Doo-han, 74, said he had to cancel his morning plans to visit a community service centre after hearing about the outage.

Officials working in these centres were seen noting down which services remained unavailable and manually assisting residents— a scene that highlighted the scale of the disruption and the country’s heavy reliance on digital governance.


Experts Warn of Complacency

Technology experts say the incident reflects insufficient preparedness for large-scale system failures. Lee Seong-yeob, a professor at Korea University, said national agencies should never experience such disruptions and urged the government to implement real-time backup and synchronization systems without delay.

As recovery efforts continue, authorities have cautioned that service interruptions could persist for several days. The government has promised to keep citizens informed as restoration progresses.






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Is UK's Digital ID Hacker Proof?


Experts warned that our data will never be safe, as the UK government plans to launch Digital IDs for all citizens in the UK. The move has received harsh criticism due to a series of recent data attacks that leaked official government contacts, email accounts, staff addresses, and passwords. 

Why Digital IDs?

The rolling out of IDs means that digital identification will become mandatory for right-to-work checks in the UK by the end of this Parliament session. It aims to stop the illegal migrants from entering the UK, according to Keir Starmer, the UK's Prime Minister, also stressing that the IDs will prevent illegal working.

Experts, however, are not optimistic about this, as cyberattacks on critical national infrastructure, public service providers, and high street chains have surged. They have urged the parliament to ensure security and transparency when launching the new ID card scheme. 

According to former UK security and intelligence coordinator and director of GCHQ David Omand, the new plan will offer benefits, but it has to be implemented carefully. 

Benefits of Digital IDs

David Omand, former UK security and intelligence coordinator and director of GCHQ, said the scheme could offer enormous benefits, but only if it is implemented securely, as state hackers will try to hack and disrupt. 

To prevent this, the system should be made securely, and GCHQ must dedicate time and resources to robust implementation. The digital IDs would be on smartphones in the GOV.UK’s wallet app and verified against a central database of citizens having the right to live and work in the UK.

Risk with Digital IDs

There is always a risk of stolen data getting leaked on the dark web. According to an investigation by Cyjax, more than 1300 government email-password combinations, addresses, and contact details were accessed by threat actors over the past year. This is what makes the Digital ID card a risk, as the privacy of citizens can be put at risk. 

The UK government, however, has ensured that these digital IDs are made with robust security, secured via state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology. 

According to PM Starmer, this offers citizens various benefits like proving their identity online and control over how data is shared and with whom.

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Blockchain Emerges as the Preferred Payment Backbone for Global Companies


 The Swift Group has announced plans to integrate a blockchain-based shared ledger into its technology infrastructure, which may mark the beginning of a new chapter in the evolution of international finance. The initiative could lead to a heightened level of speed, transparency, and efficiency in cross-border payments, providing unprecedented levels of speed, transparency, and efficiency. 

With this decision, Swift is making a major step toward the development of instant, always-on international transactions at an unprecedented scale that has never been possible before in traditional banking systems. This ledger has already been developed in collaboration with over thirty leading financial institutions around the world, and it was designed with the goal of allowing cross-border payments to be made in real time and 24/7.

It is the intention of the team to work with Consensys to develop the first conceptual prototype, and phase one of the process will be to finalise it and plan out the subsequent stages of implementation. At an era when the growing influence of cryptocurrency advocates in boardrooms is reshaping the contours of modern finance, this move comes at an exciting time. 

A number of organisations in the United States, such as the National Centre for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), are actively urging technology giants, such as Amazon and Microsoft, to diversify their asset portfolios by investing in Bitcoin, a currency that has seen a massive rise in value in the past year. Nevertheless, despite this growing enthusiasm, financial policymakers and corporate treasurers remain sceptical about Bitcoin. 

There has been a lot of discussion about blockchain technology, as a promising technology for payment systems, but Nash Aggarwal, Associate Director of Policy and Technical at the Association of Corporate Treasurers, noted that although it has the potential to revolutionise the payment systems of large corporations, they generally avoid exposure to it because it is volatile and unpredictable. 

According to Aggarwal, corporate treasurers' priority remains security, liquidity, and yield - three core principles where cryptocurrencies often fail to meet these standards. It is fair to say that for most treasurers, managing a volatile asset portfolio like cryptocurrencies simply isn't feasible, since boards expect their investments to be stable, liquid, and able to generate reliable returns, and that's not the case at all." 

It is evident that global finance is currently faced with two parallel realities: while blockchain technology has become increasingly accepted by institutions as a foundation for more efficient financial institutions, cryptocurrencies continue to occupy a niche on the market that is speculative and highly risky. It is also a pressing need to address the mounting costs and inefficiencies of conventional payment methods, which are driving a growing interest in blockchain adoption across global finance. 

It is estimated that financial institutions will suffer an average loss of $6 million per data breach by the year 2024, nearly 22% more than the global average in data breaches. In recent years, legacy systems have become lucrative honeypots for cybercriminals, offering a single point of failure that can be difficult to detect and contain for a long period of time. They are centralised and interconnected via complex networks, making them lucrative targets for cybercriminals. 

Traditional payment infrastructures are not only vulnerable to cyberattacks, but they also suffer from operational fragmentation in addition to their vulnerability to cyberattacks. The outdated framework relies on several independent databases and manual processes, which results in errors, chargebacks, and delayed settlements as transactions pass through multiple intermediaries that add friction, expense, and risk. 

Blockchain technology, however, provides a clear solution to these inefficiencies. There is no intermediary necessary and a significant reduction of the attack surface for hackers, since the data is cryptographically secured across a decentralised network, unlike centralised systems. With this architecture, security is integrated into the very foundation of the system instead of being treated as an extra layer, resulting in a transparent record of each and every transaction that is tamper-resistant and transparent. 

Blockchain has already demonstrated its real-world potential in modern platforms such as NOWPayments. NowPayments gives businesses of all sizes the ability to accept over 300 digital and fiat currencies, including stablecoins like USDT and USDC, at a fee as low as 0.5%, which stands in stark contrast to traditional processors' transaction fees, which usually range between 4–6%. 

By showing how blockchain can reduce costs but also improve transparency and accessibility in global commerce, the model exemplifies the power of blockchain. There is a broader technological revolution underlying blockchain's expanding footprint that transcends financial services. 

It is estimated that by 202,5 there will be more than 1,000 active blockchains, spanning public, private, consortium, and permissioned networks, resulting in innovative solutions far beyond finance into healthcare, logistics, and governance. However, the most profound transformation that has occurred in this sector is in the financial sector.

In a time when the financial industry is faced with rising cybercrime losses related to crypto crime that topped $2.1 billion in the first half of 2025 alone, financial institutions increasingly rely on blockchain technology both as a shield and a strategic enabler. There are, however, some industry leaders who argue that blockchain’s value does not just end with security; rather, it represents a blueprint for a completely new type of financial architecture, one that is characterised by resilience, speed, and an entirely different kind of trust model. 

A decisive step has been taken by Swift to secure its dominance in international finance by embracing technology that once threatened to disrupt it in order to retain its dominance. To achieve the goal of enabling instant, round-the-clock cross-border transactions based on a blockchain-based ledger, the institution has embarked on an ambitious project that aims to transform the traditional settlement process of one to five business days into a real-time, round-the-clock process. 

As Swift works to eliminate longstanding bottlenecks caused by a wide range of banking hours, time zones, and regulatory hurdles, it is aiming to make a significant contribution to the advancement of financial infrastructure in the future. The organisation is partnering with over 30 of the world's largest financial institutions, including Bank of America and Citigroup, to develop a digital ledger. Consensys is being tasked with developing the first prototype of the system. It is no secret that Swift is one of the most influential firms in global finance. 

Over 11,500 institutions, which span more than 200 countries, depend on their network for payment processing, making their network a vital part of international commerce. The adoption of blockchain technology by the traditional banking sector is a significant step forward for the industry, which has long been criticised for being dependent on outdated technologies. 

Decentralised technologies are increasingly becoming a vital part of legacy finance and are no longer just experimental; they are essential to future competitiveness, as highlighted by the move. This urgency has only been increased by the rise of stablecoins, digital tokens that are pegged to fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar. 

This asset offers the same core functions as currency exchange, with the added advantage that it settles almost instantly, charges a minimal fee, and is available globally without interruption. Since the Genesis Act, which established regulatory clarity for stablecoins in the United States, has been enacted, financial institutions have begun to enter the blockchain space with renewed confidence in the process. In response to this wave of adoption, financial consortia have been formed to handle the needs of these consortia. 

The U.S. banking industry is reportedly collaborating with a coalition of banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, to create a stablecoin that is backed by the dollar, whereas major European banks, including ING and UniCredit, have recently announced plans to launch their own euro-pegged counterpart. 

In addition to its own blockchain-inspired initiatives, JPMorgan is now introducing a proprietary deposit token and a private digital ledger tailored specifically for institutional clients, as well. McKinsey analysts describe stablecoins as a direct challenge to the established payment rails that have been the backbone of global finance for centuries. This has prompted banks like Swift to innovate rather than risk obsolescence. 

While they are making good progress, they are hindered by a cautious pace of regulation and risk management that constrains their progress. However, time may be an important factor to consider - Citigroup recently estimated that by the year 2030, stablecoins will have a transaction volume of more than $100 trillion. 

This suggests that the evolution of payments may progress with or without the institutions which built the financial world as we know it, whether they are still around or not. A market report by Grand View Research shows that the global blockchain market will increase rapidly by 2030, and that by 2024 it will reach $390 billion. 

Blockchain technology paired with artificial intelligence-driven analytics is changing the way payments are handled, delivering real-time fraud detection, instant settlements, transparent transactions, and substantial cost savings for technology and financial leaders alike. According to McKinsey experts, tokenisation is bringing new dimensions of financial innovation by increasing transparency, liquidity, and automation, as well as creating new revenue streams for financial companies. 

Although adoption has picked up a bit over the past couple of years, it still remains uneven. Some institutions are relying on inefficient legacy systems, while early adopters are already building the digital equivalent of a financial hyperloop - fast, secure and borderless. Currently, the real issue for businesses is not whether to embrace crypto innovation, but rather how quickly they can move to the new payment systems that will shape the future of global finance, according to Lifshits. 

A steady shift toward decentralisation in global finance is making it less and less likely for blockchain to be integrated into mainstream payment systems than ever before. To get to this point, however, it will take a delicate balance between innovation and governance. In order for Swift to succeed in the future, it will need to be able to modernise legacy infrastructure while maintaining the high level of reliability that has long underpinned the trust of global financial institutions. 

For businesses to adopt blockchain in a sustainable way, strategic collaboration between regulators, banks, and technology providers will be key to ensuring interoperability, transparency, and consumer protection, all of which are cornerstones of blockchain adoption. As a competitive imperative, embracing blockchain is more than just a technological upgrade for a business. 

It opens up a flood of operational agility, cost-optimisation, and data-driven insight at a much wider scale. In addition to streamlining their payment ecosystems, institutions that act early will also be positioned as architects of the next financial paradigm-one defined by efficiency, inclusivity, and global one defined by efficiency, inclusivity, and global accessibility. Despite its rapid growth in this evolving landscape, blockchain is not only a disruptive force. It is a unifying foundation for tomorrow's borderless, intelligent, and trust-driven economy.

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