At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Slim design and sturdy yet compact monitor stand Thunderbolt 5 connectivity with 96 watts of power Super-sharp 6K image with 224 pixels per inch Wide color gamut and great color accuracy Cons Frustrating menu system LG offers calibration software, but monitor doesn’t ship with a colorimeter No USB-A or Ethernet connectivity Our Verdict The LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S is a 6K monitor with great color performance and high-speed Thunderbolt 5, though it’s hampered by lackluster software and image quality configuration. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S Retailer Price $1,996.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The ranks of 6K monitors remain slim, but LG’s Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S adds another option. It separates itself from the alternatives with support for Thunderbolt 5, which includes a downstream port that can daisy-chain the connection to downstream displays or storage devices. It’s a good pick if you want to use Thunderbolt as a way to minimize cable clutter on your desk, but LG’s software support doesn’t stack up to the alternatives. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparison. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S specs and features The highlight of the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S is rather obvious. It’s the resolution. The 31.5-inch Nano IPS Black panel delivers a pixel count of 6144×3456. That’s a total of over 21 million pixels. Display size: 31.5-inch 16:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 6144×3456 Panel type: Nano IPS Black Refresh rate: 60Hz Adaptive sync: None HDR: Yes, VESA DisplayHDR 600 Certified Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x Thunderbolt 5 / USB-C with DisplayPort and 96 watts of Power Delivery, 1x Thunderbolt 5 / USB-C DisplayPort MST-out (daisy chain), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 upstream, 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 downstream Audio: Yes, speakers included Extra features: LG Calibration Studio Supported OS: Windows, MacOS Price: $1,999.99 MSRP It’s not all about resolution, though. The LG 32U990A-S also includes Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and a few downstream ports, which include DisplayPort-out and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports. As you might expect, 6K resolution doesn’t come cheap, though your view on pricing may depend on your past experience with 6K displays. The LG 32U990A-S has a retail MSRP of $1,999.99 and so far has not received a significant discount. That’s a lot of money, and you can find some less expensive 6K alternatives, like the Asus ProArt PA32QCV. But other 6K monitors, such as the Dell U3224KB and of course the Apple Pro Display XDR, are much more expensive. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S design The LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S makes a good first impression. It’s constructed primarily from silver plastics that have a smooth, premium finish, though the stand includes metal elements for weight and durability. While the back of the display panel is simple, smooth plastic, the rear of the stand has an attractive art-deco finish. It’s unusual and helps the monitor stand out from its competition. The stand also has a compact flat base keeps the monitor upright. Though it’s small, the stand felt stable on my desk. It allowed even less wobble or shake than most monitors in this price category. The stand adjusts for height, tilt, and rotates (pivots) 90 degrees for use in portrait mode. It doesn’t swivel, though, which is a downside. The monitor has a 100x100mm VESA mount for using with third-party monitor arms and stands. Matthew Smith / Foundry However, the stand is not a tool-free design. Two screws must be installed with a screwdriver to assemble it. That’s unusual, though not unheard of, and it makes setup ever-so-slightly more complex than normal. LG also ships the monitor with an external power supply. This too is not unusual for a high-end monitor, but the power supply is large and bulky (at roughly 8 x 4 x 1.5 inches), so beware if you have a tight spot below or beneath your desk for the power supply. On the plus side, keeping the power supply external helps LG deliver the monitor’s slim, sleek look. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S connectivity While the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S is a 6K monitor, it’s also a Thunderbolt 5 monitor, and for some shoppers that could be just as important. The LG 32U990A-S has three video inputs. One is the Thunderbolt 5 port with DisplayPort and 96 watts of Power Delivery. That 96-watt figure makes the display capable of powering all MacBook Pro models, though only mid-range Windows laptops. The Thunderbolt 5 port is flanked by an HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 port. The monitor also has a Thunderbolt 5 downstream port with DisplayPort MST. Because of this, the monitor is capable of daisy-chaining connections to multiple downstream devices, including monitors and storage.This is useful because it turns a single Thunderbolt 5 connection into several Thunderbolt 5 connections. You can, for example, make a Thunderbolt 5 connection from your laptop to the LG 32U990A-S, then daisy-chain from the LG 32U990A-S to a second Thunderbolt monitor, and then continue the chain from that second monitor to external Thunderbolt storage (or another peripheral).However, the monitor’s connectivity is otherwise so-so. It has two downstream USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connections, but no downstream USB-A and no Ethernet. Matthew Smith / Foundry The Dell U3224KB is otherwise a better all-in-one hub for connectivity, as it has many USB downstream ports, Ethernet, and more power delivery (140 watts). But, in fairness to LG, the Dell is $1,000 more expensive, and sticks to Thunderbolt 4. The LG 32U990A-S also has a KVM switch and picture-by-picture features for managing multiple connections. That, however, is standard for this type of monitor. Finally, you should know that all the monitor’s ports face towards the rear. This is in contrast to most monitors, which usually have ports that face down. Rear-facing ports are more accessible for connecting and disconnecting ports, and I generally like them, but they also make wall mounting difficult. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S menus and features Unfortunately, the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S is saddled with a bad menu system, and it left me frustrated. The on-screen menu system is controlled with a responsive joystick tucked behind the center bezel. So far, so good. However, the menus themselves are not adequate. While the monitor does provide some decent image quality presets, including DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB modes, it doesn’t provide fine-grain, precise control of color temperature and gamma settings. That’s a disappointment. Annoyingly, the menu system appears vertically on the right side of the display. It feels rather odd when using the controls, as they are centered. It’s a system that would make more sense with a remote control, but the 32U990A-S doesn’t have one. Matthew Smith / Foundry LG also provides software utilities. This includes LG Switch, which is used to control some monitor settings and to switch between displays, including LG webOS displays. It’s okay, but not as feature rich (in terms of image quality features) as similar software from BenQ, Dell, and Asus. Calibration can be handled in LG’s Calibration Studio software. The LG 32U990A-S does not ship with a hardware calibrator, though, so you have to provide your own. That in turn makes the usefulness of the software suspect. After all, colorimeters ship with their own software, and I really can’t think of a reason to use the LG Calibration Studio software instead of the software shipped with your colorimeter of choice. And to add insult to injury, the LG Calibration Studio software was finicky about detecting a connected PC, so I found it unreliable in practice. Competitors like Dell and BenQ justify their own calibration software with additional features including built-in colorimeter hardware and the ability to manage multiple monitors remotely, which is useful if you need to calibrate all monitors on your desk or in a studio. But the LG 32U990A-S doesn’t provide these features. The LG 32U990A-S includes a light sensor for automatic brightness adjustment. This is a good feature to have, however, it doesn’t work well here. I found the automatic brightness adjustment was often too dim, and I couldn’t find a feature to manually adjust how the automatic brightness functioned. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S audio A pair of speakers are bundled in the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S, though LG’s specifications don’t say anything specific about their capabilities. To me, they sound like a basic pair of speakers in the 2- to 3-watt range. Audio quality is passable for podcasts or ambient music played at low volume, but the speakers lack the bass and volume to provide real impact. External speakers or headphones are recommended. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S SDR image quality The LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S is a 31.5-inch 6K monitor which, of course, means it provides superior sharpness. However, there’s more to the monitor than that. LG touts the display as a go-to choice for prosumers and creative professionals, and while the monitor’s menu system and software don’t live up to that, the monitor’s image quality certainly does. Matthew Smith / Foundry First up is brightness, and here the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S delivers a strong maximum SDR brightness result of 480 nits. Although this is not the brightest, it’s extremely bright, and it is also far more than what would ever normally be required for a computer monitor. Still, this is good news if you were planning to use the monitor in a bright environment. What’s less encouraging, though, is the monitor’s display finish. It’s a sort of semi-gloss coat that diffuses reflections, but the presence of reflections on the screen is still more noticeable than I’d like. It’s not on par with the matte finish of BenQ’s DesignVue monitors, or close to Apple’s Nano-Texture finish. Matthew Smith / Foundry Next we have contrast, where the LG 32U990A-S delivered a contrast ratio of 1500:1. That’s a bit lower than I had expected, given that the monitor has a Nano IPS Black panel. Still, it’s a mid-pack result and not bad for a modern IPS display. As with most LCD monitors, the LG 32U990A-S will show backlight glow when dark scenes are viewed in a dark environment. This is most noticeable when watching movies, streaming shows, or playing games. For that reason, people looking for a monitor that’s great for both work and play should consider an OLED alternative (though, unfortunately, no 6K OLED monitor is available to date). Matthew Smith / Foundry Now we come to color gamut, and this is where the LG 32U990A-S really comes through. The monitor delivered a color gamut that spans 96 percent of DCI-P3 and 100 percent of AdobeRGB, as well as 82 percent of Rec.2020. As the graph shows, these are excellent results even when compared to other prosumer and professional monitors, which already tend to deliver excellent color performance. Indeed, only a handful of monitors I’ve ever tested deliver a wide color gamut. This translates to a vivid, saturated image, and it also means you can work in wide color gamuts with confidence that you’re seeing a very wide swath of the colors that gamut is supposed to provide. Matthew Smith / Foundry In addition to a wide color gamut, the LG 32U990A-S has great color accuracy with an average color error of only 0.73. Importantly, no error was over a value of 2, so all of the colors tested were extremely accurate.While some other monitors are even more accurate, all the monitors in this comparison are leaders in color accuracy. It’s a tough crowd. In actual use, I found the LG 32U990A-S delivered color that appeared realistic. My only complaint about the LG’s color performance concerns its default color temperature, which I recorded at 7000K. That’s quite a bit off the preferred default target of 6500K, and it results in a color temperature that skews blue and sterile. The monitor does provide color temperature modes, but as mentioned earlier, these don’t claim to hit specific color temperature values in degrees Kelvin. You may need software calibration to dial it in. The monitor doesn’t have gamma settings that claim specific gamma values, either, but the monitor was able to provide a default gamma curve of 2.2, which was where I like to see it. Of course, sharpness is also a major strength of the LG 32U990A-S. The monitor’s 6144×3456 resolution, spread across a 31.5-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, translates to a pixel density of 224 pixels per inch. For comparison, a 27-inch 4K monitor has about 163 pixels per inch—so the 6K monitor’s leap in sharpness is quite significant. Whether the added sharpness is visible or significant will depend on your needs, however. Personally, I can tell a difference in sharpness from 4K to 6K, and I do like it—but I wouldn’t call it a must-have.However, the added resolution can have benefits besides sharpness. If you work with 4K video, for example, a 6K monitor makes it possible to view a 4K preview in your video editing software without entering a full-screen mode. Similarly, it helps photographers work with very high resolution photos with less use of zoom. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S HDR image quality The LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S supports HDR and is VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified. Testing the monitor’s HDR performance quickly showed that certification is earned, as the monitor reached a maximum HDR brightness of 748 nits—a great result. Keep in mind, however, that this monitor lacks a way to effectively control dynamic contrast across the display panel. Bright objects in a scene tend to up the brightness of the whole scene, even if they occupy only a small portion of it. The lack of contrast is a major limitation and degrades HDR image quality. HDR can be bright, but won’t necessarily show all the luminance detail expected of an HDR display. As such, I wouldn’t recommend using the HDR for movies and games. I also wouldn’t recommend it if you primarily create content in HDR. If you only need to occasionally view HDR to get a general idea of how it looks, though, the LG 32U990A-S is acceptable. LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S motion performance Given its 6K display resolution, it shouldn’t come as a shock to hear the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate. While a higher refresh rate might be nice, it would prove impractical in many situations. The IPS panel also provides modest quoted pixel response times of 5 milliseconds (the best IPS panels quote a millisecond or less). In short, the monitor’s motion performance is mediocre. Fast moving objects show a lot of ghosting and fast camera pans across scenes can make details in the scene hard to discern. Scrolling text is also difficult to read. None of this is a mark against the monitor, because it’s true of all 6K monitors at present. Still, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re also considering 4K alternatives, as you can find 4K monitors with far better motion clarity. Is the LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S worth it? The LG Ultrafine Evo 32U990A-S is a competitive choice in the increasingly crowded arena of 6K monitors. It provides great color performance and color accuracy, as well as Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. The monitor makes some mistakes in usability, as it has a poorly implemented menu system, and LG’s software utilities are not on par with the competition. Still, if you want a 6K monitor with great image quality and plan to rely on Thunderbolt for connectivity, the 32U990A-S is a solid choice. 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TL;DR: Microsoft Visio 2021 is available for a one-time $9.97 through Feb. 8, a steep drop from its usual $249.99 price. Anyone who has tried to build a real flowchart in PowerPoint or wrangle a diagram in a general design app knows how quickly things fall apart. Microsoft Visio exists specifically to solve that problem, and right now it’s available for $9.97 (reg. $249.99) for a lifetime license, but only through Feb. 8. Visio is Microsoft’s dedicated diagramming software, built for people who work with processes, systems, and structured data. It comes packed with professional templates and thousands of shapes for creating flowcharts, organizational charts, network diagrams, floor plans, timelines, and more. Instead of forcing boxes and arrows to behave, Visio gives you tools that snap, align, and scale the way technical diagrams actually need to. One of its biggest strengths is its ability to work with data. You can generate diagrams directly from Excel, connect visuals to live data sources, and update charts automatically as information changes. It also supports industry standards such as BPMN 2.0 and UML 2.5, making it especially useful for IT teams, analysts, engineers, and project managers. Get Microsoft Visio 2021 for $9.97 while this pricing lasts through Feb. 8. Microsoft Visio 2021 Professional: Lifetime License for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

Microsoft users are reporting a particularly difficult-to-detect scam: phishing emails sent from a genuine Microsoft email address that’s classified as “trustworthy” by the company itself. The emails appear to be official, but they’re demanding high-value payments and leading victims straight into a scam trap. Beware of scam emails from an official Microsoft email address The scam emails are being sent from no-reply-powerbi@microsoft.com, which is a genuine Microsoft email address that’s used for notifications for Power BI (an analysis and collaboration tool). On this support page, Microsoft even explicitly recommends allowing this sender email address to bypass your spam filter so that important system messages aren’t blocked. Cybercriminals are now exploiting this trust. The scam emails allegedly bring up unauthorized charges (via Ars Technica), usually in the amount of $400 to $700 USD. To stop the supposed payment, recipients are asked to call a specified telephone number as quickly as possible—a classic pressure tactic to provoke hasty reactions and one of the biggest red flags of a phishing scam email. Anyone who dials the number gets connected to someone who’s impersonating an Microsoft employee. They ask the recipient to install remote maintenance software to fix the problem. In reality, this gives the scammer complete access to the vicitm’s computer, allowing them to spy on activity, steal data, and even install further malware. In other words, the actual scam doesn’t take place via email but during the telephone conversation afterwards. This makes it considerably more difficult for spam filters to detect automatically. How scammers are misusing Microsoft Power BI to trick victims The whole phishing attack is made possible by a legitimate feature of Microsoft Power BI. When creating a dashboard, any email address can be added as a participant. Power BI then automatically sends a notification to those addresses via the official Microsoft address. The crucial point, though, is that the content of this notification email can be freely defined. Cybercriminals therefore only need valid recipient email addresses to send deceptively genuine payment alerts. Although the email technically comes from Microsoft, the text is completely controlled by the attackers. The actual indication that this is merely an invitation to a Power BI dashboard is only at the end of the message—very easy to overlook or miss. Security researchers point out that this method is particularly effective because it doesn’t contain any malicious links or attachments, plus the sender domain is considered trustworthy. Most of the reports so far have come from the US. However, it’s likely that this will spread to other regions, as similar attempts at abuse have been seen on other large platforms in the past. What you should do To stay safe, remain particularly vigilant against phishing scams: Double-check all payment requests carefully, even if the sender’s email address appears to be genuine. Read the email completely from start to finish. Don’t call any telephone numbers from unsolicited emails. Never install remote maintenance software when requested by a support team, especially over email or telephone. Only settle outstanding invoices via your official Microsoft account or through verified support channels. As a general rule, Microsoft doesn’t contact users by phone or remote access to request payment for unauthorized charges. Read...

Rapid7 appoints veteran cyber leader Simon Ractliffe as APJ general manager to drive regional growth and deepen Microsoft-focused security. Read...

Tim Davie announced his resignation amid a storm about the way Panorama edited a Donald Trump speech. Read...

Windows 11 is increasingly evolving from a classic operating system to an AI-centric platform. Microsoft is integrating Copilot not as a standalone application, but as a permanent system function. For private users, however, it is not so much the strategic orientation that is decisive as the concrete added value in everyday life. This is precisely where a conflict arises between genuinely helpful functions, technical overload, and limited user acceptance to date. We have already provided an overview of the topic of AI in Windows 11 and the new functions in a separate article. Getting started, visibility, and control in the system Copilot starts directly from Windows. On supported systems, the assistant opens using the key combination Windows + C or via the icon in the taskbar. Copilot can be activated or hidden in the settings under “Personalization” and “Taskbar.” New AI PCs and AI laptops also have a physical Copilot button on the keyboard. This button is only available on AI devices with the appropriate hardware. Classic Windows 11 computers do not have it. The button makes for access easier, but does not add any functional value compared to the keyboard shortcut. The button lowers the barrier to entry, but does not replace understanding or meaningful use. Michael Crider / Foundry Copilot as an everyday tool In everyday use, Copilot primarily assists with tasks that can be described in language. Content can be summarized, texts can be roughly formulated, and longer web pages can be reduced to key messages. Explanations of Windows settings or programs can also be provided quickly. The benefit arises when you use Copilot as preliminary work. Results need to be checked, adjusted, and put into context. Copilot does not replace research and your own evaluation. Analyze files without opening them Windows 11 integrates Copilot in several places in File Explorer. A new option allows you to transfer Office files directly to Microsoft 365 Copilot to obtain summaries or content analyses. However, you need a corresponding subscription to do this. There is a similar function in the right-click menu. Both look the same but work differently. It is precisely this dual integration that causes confusion. Users often do not recognize which Copilot is active. The benefits are real, but the operation remains confusing. Those who don’t know the difference will get different results than expected. Some practice is required here. Microsoft itself obviously doesn’t yet know exactly how and where AI should be integrated into the operating system. That’s why development is dynamic: New features are added, while others are dropped. Microsoft System-wide writing assistant A universal writing assistant is now available in more and more text input fields. It corrects grammar, adjusts style, and shortens texts. This can save a noticeable amount of time for short answers, comments or forms. However, this feature requires a Copilot PC with an integrated NPU, which means that many personal computers are not compatible. In addition, the suggestions are often very neutral and standardized. Without manual editing, the texts can therefore quickly appear interchangeable. Those interested should carefully examine the assistant’s capabilities, for example directly in Notepad. It should be noted that a subscription to Microsoft 365 or even Microsoft 365 Copilot is sometimes required. In such cases, the system will indicate this accordingly. Voice input and voice mode Copilot supports voice input and tests activation via voice command. This works well in quiet living environments. In multi-person households or in the evening, voice input remains impractical. Many users still prefer text input. Microsoft is responding to this with parallel text interaction. The vision of a talking PC does not fit into everyone’s everyday life. Foundry AI PCs, NPUs, and local processing AI PCs have a neural processing unit (NPU) that processes selected AI tasks locally. These include live subtitles, studio effects for cameras, and simple classifications. These functions are energy-efficient and do not require a cloud connection. However, many Copilot functions still rely on online services. For private users, the practical difference is therefore less than the marketing suggests. The NPU primarily improves battery life and local effects — but not automatically the quality of Copilot responses. Recall as an example of overambitious features Recall stores screen snapshots to find past content via voice. Recall remains optional and requires active consent, device encryption and Windows Hello login. In practice, the picture is mixed. The quality of the hits remains unreliable. Many users disable Recall for privacy reasons or because of its limited usefulness. Recall clearly shows that technical feasibility does not guarantee everyday value. Microsoft AI agents and new system architecture Windows 11 is currently testing AI agents that perform tasks independently in the background and display their progress directly in the taskbar. One example is a research agent that creates comprehensive evaluations and displays the current status transparently. For private users, this approach theoretically promises additional convenience. At the same time, however, skepticism is growing: Autonomous actions in the file system require a high degree of trust. Microsoft is addressing these concerns with isolated workspaces, explicit approvals, and clear handover mechanisms. Nevertheless, the technology remains a preview feature with correspondingly limited acceptance. Agent Launchers, MCP, and On-Device Registry Windows registers AI agents system-wide with Agent Launchers. These can be launched via Ask Copilot, the taskbar, or the search function. An on-device registry manages capabilities and access rights locally. The Model Context Protocol enables collaboration between agents and tools. For private users, this means more automation in the future, but also more complexity. More entry points increase the learning curve and the risk of overload. Ask Copilot as a replacement for search In new insider versions of Windows 11, Microsoft is testing replacing the classic search with “Ask Copilot.” Files, settings, and apps can then be found using natural language. This works reliably for general queries. For precise file paths or known names, the classic search is often faster. Many users switch depending on the situation. A complete replacement seems unrealistic in the short term. Microsoft Accessibility and side effects AI functions are also reaching classic system areas. The screen reader receives customizable output via natural language. Voice Access simplifies setup. These functions offer real added value, regardless of the AI hype. They show that AI is convincing when it solves specific problems. These functions are being rolled out gradually and are partly reserved for AI PCs with NPUs. Low usage despite maximum presence Despite massive integration, many users rarely use Copilot. Microsoft has already reduced its sales targets for AI. Many users feel that AI in the operating system is imposed on them and is not yet optimally integrated. Creative results are difficult to reproduce. Users often continue to use AI via browsers because they can work more specifically there. The physical Copilot button increases visibility but does not generate acceptance. Hardware constraints and acceptance issues A large proportion of existing PCs do not meet the requirements for AI functions in Windows 11. Many users feel that the switch is being forced upon them. AI notebooks cost significantly more. At the same time, the practical added value of AI functions remains limited. This explains the reluctance to switch, despite the expiry of support for Windows 10. Sam Singleton Practical recommendations for private users Use Copilot selectively: Summaries, short explanations, and text drafts can save you a lot of time. However, always check the results yourself and deactivate functions that do not offer you any added value. Windows 11 remains fully functional even without active AI use. The Copilot button on AI notebooks simply makes access easier — it does not oblige you to do anything. Windows 11 is increasingly evolving into an agent-enabled system. Further AI functions, greater automation, and higher visibility are foreseeable. For users, it is not the sheer number of functions that counts, but their reliability in everyday use. In the short term, Copilot remains a tool for selected scenarios. In the long term, it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will turn mere presence into actual relevance. Microsoft Copilot enhances Windows 11, but it does not replace independent thinking. The greatest benefit comes from conscious, selective use. Many features still seem experimental, some even overly ambitious. Private users would be well advised to view Copilot as an option rather than an obligation. This way, the ubiquitous AI becomes a tool that provides support at the right moment — and otherwise remains discreetly in the background. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Dual 14-inch OLED screens, which can be configured in a variety of ways Powerful Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) processor Elite battery life Cons Average keyboard Slightly on the heavy side Our Verdict This dual-screen laptop is an almost perfect productivity and gaming laptop, save for a keyboard that falls a little short. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A) Retailer Price Asus $2299.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices I’m a huge fan of long-lasting laptops that can hold up as a productivity solution for the road. In this case, the new iteration of the dual-screen Asus Zenbook Duo has everything I want and more. For years, my go-to has been the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2. But the new 2026 edition of the Zenbook Duo arguably does all that in a single laptop. The new Zenbook Duo was the launch vehicle for Intel’s new Core Ultra Series 3 or “Panther Lake” chip, which Intel claims offers the power of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 with battery life that can last as long as a full day or more. That’s helped by packing the largest allowable battery inside this new iteration of the Duo. Essentially, the Zenbook Duo’s “Panther Lake” iteration improves both as a productivity machine and as an entertainment option over the 2025 Zenbook Duo (Lunar Lake), with more powerful gaming options and smaller screen bezels that improve the look and feel. It’s still a surprisingly chunky laptop, however, pushing near four pounds. Asus Zenbook Duo: Configurations Normally, we’d review a laptop with a price and ship date attached. In this case, Intel sent us the laptop, not Asus. The top-of-the-line model, which we’ve reviewed here, costs $2,299.99, and it will ship later this quarter. Other configurations will be available, as indicated below. Though the Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A) is a dual-screen device, it can be used in clamshell mode, where the keyboard covers one screen.Mark Hachman / Foundry Asus Zenbook Duo: Specifications Model number: UX8407A Display: Two 14-inch (2880 x 1800) touch OLED w/stylus support, HDR Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 355/ Ultra 9 386H / Ultra X9 388H (Ultra X9 388H as tested) Graphics: Intel Arc B390 NPU: Yes, up to 50 TOPS Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X, integrated / non-upgradable Storage: 1-2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (1TB as tested) Ports: 2 USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1 10Gbps USB-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack Security: Windows Hello (camera) Camera: 1080p30 Battery: 99Wh Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Operating system: Windows 11 Home / Pro Dimensions: 12.21 x 8.21 x 0.77 to 0.92 inches Weight: 3.54 pounds Color: Moher Gray Price: $2,299.99 This is a superb productivity machine, one that road warriors, business travelers, and consumers alike should consider for their next laptop. Fun fact: I wasn’t told that I would be reviewing the Asus Zenbook Duo, and I was expecting a more conventional clamshell laptop when I removed it from the box. What’s surprising about this laptop is that it appears to be just that: a slightly thicker clamshell. Only when you remove it from the box do the dual screens and the floating keyboard emerge. Normally, a clamshell laptop has both a screen as well as a keyboard deck. In the case of the Duo, the deck is replaced by an additional, 14-inch screen. A “floating” keyboard can sit above one of them, held down by magnetic pogo pins. The secondary screen can also be supported by a small kickstand. This new Duo replaces the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) version of the Zenbook Duo that we reviewed last year. What makes the Zenbook Duo different is how you can align the screens. You can hide one to create a “traditional” clamshell; orient both screens on top of each other in landscape mode to create an “elevated” screen; align them vertically, one next to another, in portrait mode; or lay both screens flat, which creates a “sharing” mode that flips one screen to face a secondary user. The kickstand is now integrated, and Asus has minimized the individual screen bezels even further to give the displays a more cohesive appearance. Mark Hachman / Foundry There’s a mammoth advantage that the Asus Zenbook Duo offers, which doesn’t immediately stand out: a 99 watt-hour battery, basically the largest that can be put inside a laptop or external battery pack to meet FAA airline regulations. (Part of the battery sits behind one screen, part of it sits behind the other, but Windows treats it as a single whole.) Think of it this way, you’re getting the largest battery available paired up with a processor designed to sip power. Don’t forget to read our performance evaluation below to see if this laptop lives up to these claims, especially the Panther Lake processor’s powerful gaming performance! Physically, this laptop looks somewhat like the earlier Asus Zenbook S 14, itself the launch vehicle for Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) chip. It’s basically the same dimensions, but a quarter- to a half-inch thicker and almost a pound heavier than a more traditional thin-and-light. The Duo has the heft of an older, chunkier laptop but with the promise that you can leave its 100W charger at home or in your hotel room. All of the Zenbook Duo is made out of “ceraluminum,” which Asus touts as having lightness of aluminum as well as the durability of ceramic. It all feels a bit plasticy, but I don’t really care what a laptop is made out of as long as it holds up. It would be nice if the displays on the Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A) could be folded back into a tent mode, but they cannot.Mark Hachman / Foundry I performed most of my testing in a traditional clamshell configuration, with the keyboard perched over one of the displays, which shuts off to save power. In this case, the keyboard and touchpad use the physical connection, even if the laptop is in airplane mode. You certainly can use the Zenbook Duo in its portrait mode, where the paired displays create two vertical columns for reading a column of email and a vertical web page. I think more people will prefer unfolding the kickstand, however, and positioning the two landscape displays one over the other. This feels more like my traditional on-the-go setup, with one primary and an additional secondary screen for reference. The Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A), where the displays are extended vertically. A kickstand keeps them secure.Mark Hachman / Foundry In either scenario, both screens are physically separate, which feels a little insecure in a public space, and basically makes working on a plane impossible. Otherwise, this is the first dual-screen laptop I’ve reviewed, and I could see the productivity gains immediately. Well, sort of. Placing the displays one above the other doesn’t pose much of a problem, but in portrait mode the “sides” of the screen on the keyboard deck become the top and bottom. On the left-hand side of the Zenbook Duo are an undisclosed HDMI port, a Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) port, and a headphone jack. On the right is the laptop’s power switch, another Thunderbolt 4 port, as well as a legacy USB-A port, too. In portrait mode, one side is the top, and the other the bottom, making one of those ports inaccessible. It also makes it a bit awkward to charge the laptop displays, since the cord from the laptop to its 100W charger will sprout from the top of the device. The port selection on the Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A) is a little sparse.Mark Hachman / Foundry Asus says that the laptop will ship with a pen (the SA205H) with MPP 2.6 support, but that accessories will vary by country. I don’t think my review unit shipped with one inside. An underappreciated strength of the Duo is its cooling. Though it partially failed my performance stress tests — where it successfully looped a Cinebench CPU benchmark without a significant drop in performance, but failed to do the same in a GPU test — the cooling fans are exceptionally quiet even under load. Air appears to be pulled from the bottom of the Zenbook and is pushed out the sides, but very quietly. It might be noticeable in a quiet office, but just barely. In a normal setting, it’s totally quiet under the Windows “Balanced” power settings, the default. Asus Zenbook Duo: A fantastic, power-saving display OLED screens have become vastly more commonplace over the past few years, especially in laptops, because their inky blacks make for a more visually striking experience. However, OLEDs with high screen refresh rates are a bit less common. And a pair of screens? Well, that’s nearly unique. As a fan of Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Rollable and subsequent prototypes, I really like a notebook that can expand to deliver additional screen space on the road. The Rollable, though, is a single screen. The smaller bezels separating the two displays still aren’t as convenient as a foldable, but the smaller gap (less than 10mm) feels cohesive and allows your eyes to “create” a single image when you’re actually looking a pair of screens. OLED screens look great, of course, and the displays are VESA certified as True Black 1000, covering 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The Asus Lumina Pro LED displays are capable of a nearly perfect DCI-P3 color gamut and with a variable refresh rate than can go to 144Hz and as low as 48Hz. That’s extremely helpful both for smooth refresh rates — including gaming — as well as saving power by lowering the refresh rate, too. Finally, Asus says that the displays can reduce blue light by up to 70 percent, though I lack the ability to test that. According to our instruments, the Zenbook Duo does maintain the 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut it promises.Mark Hachman / Foundry (To be fair, I tested this laptop at a fixed refresh rate of 60 Hz, which can be manually adjusted to 144Hz while running on wall power. The laptop includes a setting to dynamically adjust that down to 48 Hz, which I typically don’t do because of the variability. But the incredible battery life that you’ll see below could be even greater with that control enabled.) Asus says that the two displays can put out 1,000 nits apiece in HDR mode; our light meter measured them producing 480 nits apiece in SDR mode. That’s far more than necessary for outdoor use. Unlike the 2025 version of the Zenbook Duo, these screens feature a new anti-reflection coating that can cut light reflection by 65 percent, but they’re still too glossy for my taste. From a structural standpoint, the dual-screen construction feels quite strong. It reminds me of Lenovo’s early tablets, with a metal kickstand that holds the upper display in place, even when tilted forward. I’m not as fond of the display setup in portrait mode; there’s no other way to secure the displays except by using the angle to prop them up. Put another way, the displays will be less prone to be knocked over in portrait mode when folded close to one another, which robs them a bit of their utility. I also don’t like the Asus five-finger gesture where you close all fingers together, and then expand or “explode” them outwards. This takes a window on a single screen and projects it across the entirety of the display, but it’s tough to get right and therefore works intermittently. The Zenbook Duo ships with the MyAsus app, the overarching system utility that offer performance adjustments, and the ability to configure specific aspects of the laptop. I’ve always thought that the MyAsus app is one of the more useful, well-organized collections of laptop utility functions. I ended up mildly hating the ScreenXpert software, which hovers in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. I would wade through a series of menus to turn it off, inadvertently trigger it again, then have to rediscover the process to banish it once again. Asus Zenbook Duo: Audio improves to superior levels Asus has made additional improvements in the audio subsystem, moving to a total of six speakers, with two firing to the front. It’s a little odd trying to find where the sound originates from while the screens are unfolded, but there’s no doubt that the audio quality is excellent, though a bit flat. The Zenbook Duo offered Dolby Atmos as an audio enhancement, delivering sound that was pretty clear even from the bass on up to the upper end. The speakers delivered enough volume to comfortably fill my office with sound, too. I think some traditional clamshells produce a slightly richer sound, but you won’t be disappointed with how this laptop’s speakers sound at all. Asus Zenbook Duo: On paper, the keyboard is good. Under my fingers… My first reaction when typing on the Asus Zenbook Duo was… I’ve felt this keyboard before. To my fingers, it felt very much like the Microsoft Type Cover keyboards: flat, without an enormous amount of support. Asus says the keyboard has 1.7mm of key travel, which feels right. That’s a tad more than the 1.5 mm travel of a midrange laptop keyboard. The function key row adds custom keys for specific Asus functions.Mark Hachman / Foundry When docked, the keyboard charges itself via the pogo pins. Undocked, it runs off a dedicated battery inside the keyboard itself. Asus rates the keyboard’s battery at over 11 hours by itself, though I didn’t test this specifically. You can also switch off the keyboard while undocked via a small switch. There are three layers of backlighting. Typing on the keyboard itself was moderately comfortable, at least while docked. I wasn’t as happy using it in undocked mode, as the thin flat keyboard rests flat on whatever surface you rest it in. Personally, I like it raised or angled a bit. But even when used in a clamshell mode, my fingers felt a little unfamiliar on the spongy keys — I typed the majority of the review using this laptop, just to gain some added familiarity. It’s not my favorite keyboard. Asus includes dedicated keys to launch its ScreenXpert software, which includes brightness controls for both screens, as well as the ability to sync that brightness level. (The software also lets you know the battery capacity, in percentage, of the keyboard.) There are also dedicated keys to swap content between screens and even disable one entirely. The trackpad is nothing to write home about, but it does the job. Asus Zenbook Duo: The webcam’s not great, but it does the job The Zenbook Duo includes a full HD (1080p) webcam with Windows Hello capabilities, which worked acceptably during the course of the review period, though I had to log in manually occasionally. The webcam didn’t focus exceptionally well, though these examples taken in my office and upstairs in my living room came out fairly well. In general, it’s a softer image than I’d like. But I’m not sure if one of our best webcams would overbalance the displays in their extended mode. The Zenbook’s mics continue to be excellent. I’ve used the Asus Zenbooks as an example of superlative noise filtering, assisted by the NPU’s AI powers. Those controls live within the MyAsus app, a handy collection of utilities to adjust the laptop’s performance and more. Asus Zenbook Duo: Standout performance thanks to Panther Lake I spent the better part of two weeks with the Asus Zenbook Duo, testing it as a representative of the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 “Panther Lake” platform. You’ll find a number of performance tests there that aren’t included here, particular battery performance tests, along with some additional games. At this point, the Asus Zenbook Duo is the only Panther Lake system I have to test, though more reviews will be released soon. For now, I’ll compare it to the earlier Zenbook Duo, as well as some of that laptop’s rivals. Again, my Panther Lake overview compares this laptop to representative laptops that use Intel’s Core Ultra Series 1 and Series 2 chips, AMD’s Ryzen AI 300, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. (The AMD Ryzen AI 400 and Snapdragon X2 Elite have yet to ship.) Intel also claims that the Panther Lake’s performance is as fast as a slightly older gaming notebook with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 inside. That’s a huge claim, and it’s partially true. Again, it’s worth checking out the other article for a deeper explanation. I think it’s worth beginning our look at the Zenbook Duo’s performance, however, by examining a key selling point, which is its battery life. The laptop contains the largest battery allowable for transport on an airplane: 99 watt-hours, which is normally the size you see in a chunky, heavy gaming laptop. In this case, the battery accounts for much of the extra pound, bringing the laptop’s weight to about 3.5 pounds. I’m not a huge fan of our ancient video rundown tests, only because chipmakers now treat video playback as relatively trivial and a task that doesn’t take up much power at all. (This test loops a 4K video file until the battery runs out of juice.) I have a little more respect for tests that simulate work such as UL’s Procyon Office benchmark, which slowly loads tests in Microsoft Office and Outlook, simulating your workday. There’s an additional wrinkle, of course. Do you want to know the results for one screen or two? I’d like to think that PCWorld readers want all the information they can, so I tested all scenarios. Here’s what I found: One screen, video rundown: 22 hours, 15 minutes Two screens, video rundown: 13 hours, 29 minutes One screen, Procyon Office rundown: 13 hours, 56 minutes Two screens, Procyon Office rundown: 8 hours, 49 minutes One screen, video rundown at maximum performance settings: 13 hours, 32 minutes In my earlier review of Intel’s Core Ultra 2 chips, my tests of the other platforms topped out at 17 hours, 17 minutes for the Core Ultra 2 platform and just over 16 hours for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite. I mistakenly tested the Zenbook Duo using Windows’ maximum battery settings for a video rundown, but it created an extra data point. As you might imagine, even two weeks of testing time didn’t allow for three runs of battery testing like I’d prefer, along with the various performance tests and rundown iterations. However, Intel provided us with an additional single-screen Lenovo laptop that produced 25 to 28 hours of battery life as a check against the Zenbook Duo. I also left the laptop running in a fixed 60Hz refresh rate during all of my tests, which would be directly comparable to other laptops. Since the Zenbook Duo can be set to dynamically drop down to 24 Hz when needed, even more battery life might be possible. For comparison, we’re using the $1,679 HP OmniBook Ultra 14, the $999 Asus VivoBook S 14, the $939 Acer Swift 16 AI, and the $1,999 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition, together with the $1,699 Asus Zenbook Duo with Intel’s Lunar Lake chip inside as well as the $3,299 ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable. I tested the laptop using our suite of standard benchmarks. I kept the laptop in its traditional clamshell mode during the tests. Additional screens mean additional pixels, and that’s not a direct comparison to its single-screen competition. I first began with the PCMark benchmark, one of my favorites. It measures overall performance across a variety of applications, and it chewed up the CAD exercises with ease. You’ll have no problem with your day-to-day Office work with the Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A): .Mark Hachman / Foundry We use the Cinebench benchmark to measure the CPU performance on apps that the PCMark test doesn’t cover. Here, we use the multithreaded portion of the test. CPU-specific tasks include the operating system, file decompression, and some games. Again, the Asus Zenbook Duo flies through it with no problems. However, AMD’s Ryzen is right behind! We’re still awaiting the next-gen Ryzen AI 400 chips, and that’s a positive sign for AMD. Yes, the Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A): plows through this test, but AMD’s Ryzen is in the rear-view mirror.Mark Hachman / Foundry We run the Handbrake test as much as a measure of the laptop’s computational ability as a test to see how well it can execute at full load, during a prolonged period. It’s a measure of the laptop’s cooling as much as the performance of the chip. Again, Intel’s Panther Lake is holding on to a narrow lead. Another test goes to Intel and the Asus Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A), but just barely.Mark Hachman / Foundry However, as our Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) evaluation showed, 3D graphics is a killer strength of this chip and, by extension, the Asus Zenbook Duo. If you have work (or play) that demands solid graphics, this notebook could be for you. It’s not even close. Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8407A): blows everything else away.Mark Hachman / Foundry I almost didn’t compile a chart of the battery-life figures of the rival laptops, because 1) there’s too much variability in what the Asus Zenbook Duo offers between the multiple screens and rundown tests and 2) because it’s not particularly close, right? Wrong. While I did see 22 to 25 hours of battery life in a Lenovo laptop Intel provided us, the Zenbook Duo actually squeaked by a little closer than I thought it would over the competition. I’ll be interested to see what notebooks like the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 eventually produce. At CES, Samsung management was talking about 30 hours of battery! Mark Hachman / Foundry Asus Zenbook Duo: Conclusion Nevertheless, if you’re in the market for an innovative, dual-screen laptop, you really can’t go wrong with the Asus Zenbook Duo. It’s simply superb in almost all aspects of the experience, although I’d prefer using another keyboard if I had the chance. Part of that is the Panther Lake chip, certainly, but Asus engineers have still crafted a Zenbook Duo that’s better than the last. This is a superb productivity machine, one that road warriors, business travelers, and consumers alike should consider for their next laptop. Read...

A new date for the 2026 general election is yet to be decided. Read...

Spam and scams generally go hand-in-hand. Accordingly, we all get flooded daily from various angles across multiple email and messaging services, but they’re not the only ways of getting hit. As annoying as they are, scammers are a smart bunch. Which is why my guard is now up after being contacted through an unexpected medium for spammers—Google Meet. A while back, bad actors would tag random users in shared Google documents via @-mentions to try to get people to click on bad links. This eventually died out when Google took action and made it harder to tag random users. Now it appears something similar may be happening over Google Meet. Recently, I received a random call on my phone from a person I didn’t recognize, and at an extremely early hour for the West Coast. A decade ago, I might have assumed a wrong number. But now with so many data leaks and breaches (and those details being exposed and sold repeatedly on the dark web), my guess is that this was a cold call—likely an attempt to sell me on fraudulent services or claim an urgent situation with my finances. I imagine if I had a phone number linked to my Google Meet account, I might have already gotten even more unexpected calls. How Google Meet’s settings look through the browser interface on a PC.PCWorld Fortunately, it’s easy to nope right out of these scam attempts. Just open up Google Meet’s settings in a web browser or on your phone, then head to General and find the toggle for Only Contacts Can Call Me. Flip it on to block random people from calling you. Only your contacts and people you’ve already interacted with through other Google services (for example, via email) will be able to ring you. My other recommendation is that while you’re in those general settings, disable Send more diagnostic info and (if you’re in the phone app) turn on Use additional encryption. Even if you rarely use Meet, there’s no need to let Google collect information about your use patterns—and your privacy and security will be better protected if you use end-to-end encryption for calls. Read...

From smart but insecure door locks to Nvidia’s deepfake keynote, there are currently numerous forms of attack that are extremely dangerous. The following 9 attacks stand out in particular and could also pose a threat in a similar form in 2026. 1. Malware in open source is on the rise In 2024, the computer world narrowly escaped disaster: Over several years, attackers had been working to build a backdoor into the Linux operating system. A vulnerability in this system affects almost all users, as almost every internet server runs on Linux. The attackers were on the verge of gaining undetected access to a large proportion of these servers. They had infiltrated the open source project XZ, which produces a compression tool, by posing as employees. They achieved this through social engineering and a great deal of patience. The attack on the open-source software presumably began in 2021 and continued until early 2024. By that time, the backdoor had penetrated pre-release versions of Debian and other Linux systems. It was then only months away from being distributed to most internet servers worldwide. The backdoor was not discovered by an antivirus specialist, but by Andres Freund, a Microsoft employee. Freund is a developer and works on the open-source database PostgreSQL on Linux. He noticed that logging in via SSH (Secure Shell) took a little longer with the new pre-release version of Debian. Instead of the usual quarter of a second, the login took three-quarters of a second. Other developers might not have noticed this difference or might have ignored it. However, Freund became suspicious and searched for the cause. Four days later, he had found the backdoor and warned the public. Security researchers then assigned the XZ backdoor a CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) score of 10, the highest possible value. SSH is used to connect a PC to a Linux server. Keys are exchanged for security purposes. In 2024, a backdoor that could be exploited via SSH almost found its way into Linux servers. Foundry The attack on XZ is special for several reasons. On the one hand, there is the duration. The attacker took years to become a member of an open source project, gain the trust of the project manager, and integrate his code. The malicious code and the entire attack chain are also noteworthy. It includes XZ Utils, Systemd, and SSH. The same backdoor only opens for the attacker, who must send a secret key. All other SSH users are denied access to the backdoor. Finally, the discovery of the malicious code is also extraordinary — just in time and thanks to a single attentive developer. It is alarming that this extraordinary attack on an open-source project is not an isolated case. Although the other attacks are less spectacular, they are all the more numerous. This is possible because open-source software is based on openness: The code is accessible, customizable, and verifiable by anyone. Although there are security mechanisms in place, it is still relatively easy to provide infected packages, which are then used by developers. The security vulnerability in XZ Utils has been given a score of 10, which is the highest possible value. This shows that the vulnerability can be easily exploited and cause significant damage. Foundry Antivirus manufacturer Kaspersky also draws attention to this. According to an analysis, cybercriminals hid a total of 14,000 malicious packages in open-source projects in 2024. This represents an increase of 50 percent compared to the previous year. The experts at the cybersecurity provider examined 42 million versions of open-source projects for vulnerabilities. We do not yet have any figures for 2025. However, we do not expect a significant decline. Danger: The risk to end users is more indirect. Most attacks are aimed at stealing data from companies. Accordingly, it is mainly enterprise software that is affected. However, data theft from companies ultimately also affects customers. Protection: For developers who integrate open source into their projects, as well as for companies that work with open source, security provider Kaspersky offers an information feed on problematic code. The feed reports the following types of threats: packages with vulnerabilities, packages with malicious code, packages with riskware such as crypto miners, hacking tools, etc., compromised packages containing political slogans. Access to the feed can be requested at kaspersky.com/open-source-feed. Software companies can also access tools from security experts such as Xygeni Security. The company specializes in protecting the software supply chain. End users must rely on their installed virus protection. See our article on the best antivirus programs. 2. Unsubscribe button steals data Every newsletter must contain an unsubscribe button that allows you to unsubscribe. Danger: Not every unsubscribe link is harmless. One in 650 of these buttons does not lead to the desired unsubscribe page, but to a phishing website that wants to steal data or spread malware. This is reported by the security company DNS Filter. Anyone who clicks on an unsubscribe link automatically confirms that their email address exists and that they check their inbox. For spammers, who usually extract their email addresses from large data packages, this information alone is valuable. If the spammers go to the trouble of designing the supposed unsubscribe page in such a way that it extracts data from visitors, they use social engineering tricks to elicit passwords and other sensitive information from their victims. Protection: Instead of clicking on the unsubscribe button, you can block the sender in your email program or in the web interface of your email provider. If this is not possible, you can add the email and thus the sender to a spam list. This will prevent any further messages from this sender from reaching your inbox. You will then only need to remember to unblock the sender if you want to receive messages from them again. However, this will never be the case with the phishing emails we are discussing here. In Outlook, right-click on an email and select “Block” ? “Block sender”. In Thunderbird, select the email and click on “Junk” at the top. In Gmail, open the message and then select the three-dot menu at the top right of the email. In the menu, click on “Report spam” or “Block sender”. 3. Captcha introduces malware Captchas are designed to protect websites from automated requests by distinguishing real people from bots. Nowadays, this often requires nothing more than clicking on the “I’m not a robot” checkbox. In the past, you had to click on small photo squares showing cars, traffic lights, or motorcycles. New trap with captchas: After clicking on the hostile captcha “I’m not a robot”, one of these instructions appears. If you follow it, you insert a previously copied malicious code into the Windows Run dialog, which then downloads the actual virus.Foundry Danger: For some time now, criminals have been using captchas to smuggle viruses such as the Qakbot malware onto the PCs of website visitors, as follows: When you first click on the “I’m not a robot” checkbox, the website copies malicious code to the page visitor’s clipboard. Instructions then appear, which the user is supposed to follow because a network error has allegedly occurred, or to continue verifying that they are a human and not a machine. The instructions specify the key combinations Win-R and Ctrl-V, followed by the Enter key. However, what this actually does is open the Windows Run dialogue box (Win-R), paste the malicious code from the clipboard into it (Ctrl-V), and execute it (Enter). The code then downloads the actual malware, usually Qakbot. This adds the PC to a botnet or downloads ransomware that encrypts all data and then demands a ransom. Protection: The Run dialogue box should serve as a clear warning. No legitimate captcha in the world should want to paste code there. Remain suspicious and don’t be afraid to cancel an action. 4. Spyware Trojans in the App Store A new type of spyware Trojan is stealing from users of Android and iOS smartphones. The malware, known as Spark Cat, was found in apps available in the official Google and Apple app stores. After installing the infected app, it requests access to the photo storage. This does not usually arouse suspicion, as Spark Cat and its successor Spark Kitty hide in chat apps, for example. Sending photos via chat apps is common and naturally requires access to photos. This app was available in Google’s official app store and was infected with the Spark Cat spyware Trojan. The malware searches the smartphone’s image storage for passwords, which it extracts using OCR. Foundry Danger: On Google Playalone, Kaspersky’s security researchers counted 10 apps infected with Spark Kitty that had been downloaded over 240,000 times. In Apple’s App Store, the malware was found in 11 infected apps. The malware searches the phone’s photo storage for screenshots containing passwords or other secret information. The text is extracted using OCR recognition and then used by the attackers to access crypto wallets. This allows them to steal large sums of money from their victims’ accounts. Protection: The tried-and-tested method of only downloading apps from official app stores is unfortunately of no help here. After all, the malware was found in apps from these stores. In future, you should therefore also pay attention to how often an app has been downloaded. Apps with a million or more downloads are most likely safe. Also, pay attention to the permissions an app requests. You should only grant access to your photo storage after careful consideration. And as a general rule, sensitive information such as passwords should not be stored in screenshots. These belong in a password manager. See our article on the best password managers. 5. Attacks on printers In June 2025, security researchers at Rapid 7 discovered eight vulnerabilities in hundreds of printers from various manufacturers. Danger: Attackers can use these vulnerabilities to gain access to the network and data. The companies affected are Brother, Fujifilm, Ricoh, Toshiba, and Konica Minolta. Although the companies have provided firmware updates, the security vulnerability can only be closed with a workaround. This vulnerability bypasses authentication, allowing attackers to gain control of the device. To log in, attackers use the device’s default password, which consists of its serial number. This can be retrieved via another vulnerability. Protection: Change your printer’s default password and install the latest updates for your device. 6. Browser add-ons empty crypto wallets Browser extensions containing malicious code are popping up again and again. Most recently, the criminals behind these extensions targeted owners of crypto wallets. This is a Firefox extension for the Meta Mask crypto exchange. It is often difficult to determine whether these extensions are harmless or not. However, a high number of downloads suggests that an add-on is harmless. Taking a look at the developer’s website also helps with the assessment. Foundry Danger: Dozens of fake browser add-ons for Firefox are designed to steal access data for cryptocurrency wallets. The extensions pretend to be legitimate wallet tools from well-known platforms such as Coinbase, Meta Mask, or Trust Wallet. Some of the approximately 40 dangerous add-ons are even said to have made it into Firefox’s official add-on marketplace, as reported by the discoverer Koi. To do this, the attackers used the open-source code of well-known add-ons and placed their malicious code in them. The add-on was then posted online under a name similar to the original. Protection: Only download browser extensions from trusted sources. Even then, make sure that the add-on has been downloaded many times before. Since extensions can update automatically, there is also a risk that add-ons that were initially harmless could be infected with malicious code after an update. Therefore, uninstall any extensions that you no longer need. 7. Deepfakes Deepfakes are fake photos, audio files, or videos. They can cause a lot of damage, because even cautious people can be misled by the fakes. One example is a fake livestream of Nvidia’s keynote speech in October 2025: At the same time as the real livestream on YouTube, fraudsters broadcast a deepfake video featuring an AI-generated Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia. However, he did not talk about new chips at Nvidia, but about a new cryptocurrency project. The fake stream is said to have had more viewers than the real one at the beginning: 100,000 for the deepfake compared to 12,000 for Nvidia. The reason for this was probably that YouTube displayed the deepfake first in the results list when searching for “Nvidia Keynote.” It took YouTube half an hour to take the fake offline. The real Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, at the real keynote in October 2025. At the same time, a deepfake of the keynote with Jensen Huang was running on YouTube. In it, he advertised a cryptocurrency. Foundry Danger: Criminals use cryptocurrencies to steal money from unwary users. These scams usually involve false promises of quick profits with crypto coins that are actually worthless. Deepfakes are often used for this purpose. Manipulation is then used to quickly increase the apparent value of the coins, which prompts the victims to buy. Once a certain value is reached, the fraudsters sell their shares in one fell swoop and make a profit. The price of the cryptocurrency falls rapidly, so that everyone else usually suffers a complete loss. Protection: You should only invest in cryptocurrencies if you are very familiar with the subject. Then the typical crypto scams are easy to spot. 8. Ransomware with AI Security researchers at Eset have discovered malware called Prompt Lock. It uses artificial intelligence specifically for ransomware attacks. Danger: The blackmail virus uses a locally installed language model that independently generates scripts during the attack and thus decides for itself which files to search, copy, or encrypt. A function for the permanent destruction of files is apparently already integrated, but has not yet been activated. Prompt Lock creates cross-platform Lua scripts that can run on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Protection: The best protection against ransomware is an up-to-date data backup that is stored separately from the system. You can find more tips in our guide to ransomware. 9. Attackers crack doors Smart devices for home networks usually also offer internet access to their functions. While this is convenient, it also carries risks. The management software for Unifi’s smart door locks contained a security vulnerability with the highest vulnerability rating (CVSS 10). Hackers could probably easily crack a door protected by Unifi. Unifi Danger: Vulnerabilities in smart devices become threatening when an attacker can use them to penetrate the home network and steal data. The following case is also very unpleasant: A smart doorbell has a vulnerability that attackers can use to open the lock. This was apparently the case in October 2025 with door locks from the company Unifi. The Unifi Access Application access software contained a security vulnerability with a CVSS score of 10, as announced by the manufacturer itself. It did not reveal exactly what the vulnerability and the corresponding attack methods look like. However, the CVSS score of 10, which is the highest possible rating, suggests that the vulnerability can be easily exploited with massive consequences. Protection: Version 3.4.31 of Unifi Access Application, which is aimed at businesses, is affected by the vulnerability. Administrators should update to the latest version. In general, you should regularly check for updates to the firmware and management software for all smart home and network devices. Vulnerabilities in these devices can have serious consequences. Read...