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Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, May 29 (game #1221).Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.Quordle today (game #1222) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1222) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.Quordle today (game #1222) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.Quordle today (game #1222) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:Quordle today (game #1222) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• R• C• B• ERight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.Quordle today (game #1222) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1222, are…RAJAHCAUSEBLACKETUDEI’ll be honest, ETUDE is a word I only know because it’s featured in Quordle before – it’s a piece of music designed to test and improve a music student’s technical skills. Otherwise it would have been a very long time before I’d have gotten my penultimate answer today.I knew that my final word was likely one with a rare letter, as I had so few options left but it took me a while to find RAJAH (an Indian prince).How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.Daily Sequence today (game #1222) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1222, are…DELTAFROZEREVELCOMFYQuordle answers: The past 20Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGHQuordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURERQuordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADARQuordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOPQuordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEANQuordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLARQuordle #1215, Friday, 23 May: SHIRE, GIANT, AWAIT, CAPERQuordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCELQuordle #1213, Wednesday, 21 May: NOVEL, CHOSE, DIRTY, DONUTQuordle #1212, Tuesday, 20 May: DECOY, SHAKE, MAPLE, PURERQuordle #1211, Monday, 19 May: LINK, HANDY, DITCH, WAIVEQuordle #1210, Sunday, 18 May: QUACK, ROACH, PURGE, DOWNYQuordle #1209, Saturday, 17 May: STRIP, RANGE, UNITE, GEESEQuordle #1208, Friday, 16 May: SHEEP, SNUCK, DRIFT, BREAKQuordle #1207, Thursday, 15 May: PAINT, CROUP, PEDAL, FLUKEQuordle #1206, Wednesday, 14 May: FAVOR, METER, PICKY, MAKERQuordle #1205, Tuesday, 13 May: SCENT, AGAPE, POLAR, YEARNQuordle #1204, Monday, 12 May: ROYAL, ARGUE, BUNCH, READYQuordle #1203, Sunday, 11 May: QUASH, MUNCH, ALTER, UNDUEQuordle #1202, Saturday, 10 May: RELIC, BADGE, CHAMP, SATIN

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 29 (game #452).Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.NYT Strands today (game #453) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… And here's the kicker…NYT Strands today (game #453) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.RIFLESPEEDFIRSTDRAWERSEEKKEEPNYT Strands today (game #453) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 6 lettersNYT Strands today (game #453) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 5th rowLast side: right, 6th rowRight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Strands today (game #453) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #453, are…FORWARDDEFENDERGOALKEEPERSTRIKERMIDFIELDERSPANGRAM: SOCCERMy rating: EasyMy score: PerfectAnyone interested in learning the rules of SOCCER should seek out England’s official 1990 World Cup song World In Motion by New Order, which features a rap by the country's most talented MIDFIELDER of the era.“You’ve got to hold and give,” John Barnes explains. “Defend and attack, there’s only one way to beat them, get round the back.”There are of course other crucial elements to association football, but essentially it’s passing, tacking, and shooting at the goal all performed by the positions featured in today’s word search.Once you’ve mastered the basics you can then learn about the offside rule and its many sub-clauses and exceptions. That should take a year or so, by which time you’ll be ready to watch the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and USA.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 29, game #452)BUTTERFLYMOTHWASPFLEAHORNETDRAGONFLYSPANGAM: INSECTWhat is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, May 29 (game #718).Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.NYT Connections today (game #719) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…TAPERADIOWATER BOTTLECLUBSTICKCADDYSHAKEHATTEESTAFFTOILET PAPERBATRIBBONTOTELOVEFOILNYT Connections today (game #719) - hint #1 - group hintsWhat are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?YELLOW: Types of poleGREEN: All wrapped around a cylinderBLUE: Free stuffPURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “back”Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…NYT Connections today (game #719) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?YELLOW: RODS GREEN: THEY'RE ON A ROLL! BLUE: COMMON SWAG ITEMS PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "SHACK"Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Connections today (game #719) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #719, are…YELLOW: RODS BAT, CLUB, STAFF, STICKGREEN: THEY'RE ON A ROLL! FOIL, RIBBON, TAPE, TOILET PAPERBLUE: COMMON SWAG ITEMS HAT, TEE, TOTE, WATER BOTTLEPURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "SHACK" CADDY, LOVE, RADIO, SHAKEMy rating: EasyMy score: 1 mistakeBy COMMON SWAG ITEMS I’m guessing Connections means free stuff companies give away with their logo on that you will use once then put in a cupboard somewhere and forget about.Or, in the case of a WATER BOTTLE or mug, take into work and add to all the other “swag items” your colleagues have also brought to work because they don’t want them around the home.I wasn’t thinking about this, though, when I put the group together; I thought it was things to take to the beach and wrongly I had RADIO instead of TEE.Radio was also my blind spot that stopped me from seeing WORDS BEFORE “SHACK”, a group which contained one of the best comedies of all time and a lethal earworm which will be in my head for days without having to play it – stay away fools!How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, May 29, game #718)YELLOW: SALUTE APPLAUD, HAIL, HONOR, PRAISEGREEN: SUITABLE APT, FIT, PROPER, RIGHTBLUE: VERBS FOR FINISHING DONUTS FROST, GLAZE, POWDER, SPRINKLEPURPLE: WHAT "BUFF" MIGHT MEAN ENTHUSIAST, MUSCULAR, NUDE, POLISHWhat is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

The new Blink Video Doorbell is on sale now for $69.99 (about £50 / AU$110)Its features include 150-degree field of view and infrared night visionBlink's affordable subscription plans unlock person recognition and alertsRing makes some of the best video doorbells around, but if you're looking for one that's completely wireless, then the latest model from Blink might be even better. The company has just released a new version of the Blink Video Doorbell that can run for up to two years without recharging, and includes advanced features like a 150-degree field of view that makes it easy to see callers and packages, plus infrared night vision for peace of mind after dark.If you have a Blink subscription plan, the Blink Video Doorbell can also differentiate between people, objects, and animals, and send you a notification on your phone when someone arrives at your door.The extra-long battery life comes courtesy of three AA batteries and the new Blink Sync Module Core – a compact smart home hub that also provides local storage for video clips captured by your Blink doorbell and security cameras.The Blink Video Doorbell is available now direct from Blink for $69.99 (about £50 / AU$110). That makes it one of the cheapest video doorbells you can buy outright, though you'll need to sign up for a Blink subscription plan to access all of its features.(Image credit: Blink)Blink subscription plansBlink offers two subscription tiers: Blink Basic and Blink Plus. The Blink Basic plan covers just one device and includes features such as Live View recording, 60-day unlimited video history, video sharing, and person detection.The Blink Plus plan covers an unlimited number of devices, so it will also cover security cameras like the Blink Outdoor 4 (one of the best home security cameras for guarding your yard). Blink Plus includes everything you get with Blink Basic, as well as the ability to pause movement notifications for up to 24 hours, the option to group multiple clips into a single video, and 10% off Blink products at Amazon.For more details, check out the full subscription comparison. The table below shows the different prices for both plans in the US, UK, and Australia. Whichever option you choose, you'll find it's significantly cheaper than the equivalent Ring Home subscription.Blink subscription plansPlanPrice per monthPrice per yearBlink Basic$3 / £2.50 / AU$4.95$30 / £24.99 / AU$49.95Blink Plus$10 / £8 / AU$15$100 / £80 / AU$150You might also likeThink smart home tech isn't for you? Here are 5 easy ways it could change your lifeRing and the RSPB are giving away 50 free cameras so you can enjoy birdwatching when you're away from homeRoku's new wireless security cameras will guard your home for up to two years on a single charge

We may not think much about it, but businesses need to rely on digital and physical documents every day. Decisions, purchases, and deals worth millions hinge on information in official documents being trustworthy. In the new world that AI has brought about, forged or altered documents are becoming not only very convincing, but also available to anyone with basic AI tools.The news cycle has been replete with cases of AI being used to fake crucial documents like IDs – and these only scratch the surface. AI has given fraudsters the tools for fabricating invoices, tax forms, investment contracts, risk assessments, financial audits, and procurement documents among others.A report on AI-assisted fraud found that digital document forgeries increased 244% between 2023 and 2024 making it one of the fastest growing categories of business-related fraud going into 2025. For businesses operating into the next decade, the possibility that they cannot trust their own internal documents is becoming a problem that is impossible to ignore.Faked documents do real harm to businessesWhile cases of significant fraud will be rare given the layers of internal security and regulations that prevent decision making being centered on one person or one document, the real damage this will do will be to trust. Without a reliable and quick way to authenticate documents businesses may have to add hours into processes of checking and re-verifying documents, even when they are perfectly legitimate.At best, this will add a significant inefficiency to many businesses, wasting time and effort – but at worst, it can grind operations almost to a standstill – costing businesses the critical advantage of time against their competitors.This creates a need to counter this by creating systems that distinguish authentic documents from tampered ones.How tech restores trustResponding to this critical problem, new technologies focused on document verification have developed quickly. Principally, the solutions that exist fall into four main categories blockchain-based solutions, AI detection, Identity Verification Technology (IDVT), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Here’s what you need to know about them:Blockchain While Blockchain started as a means for facilitating cryptocurrencies, it’s since become a legitimate platform for business applications, where the immutability of blockchains present significant security benefits when integrated into business software and processes.Blockchain authentication solutions create tamper-proof documents by matching them with cryptographic hashes - meaning that a document can always be checked against its hash. Fundamentally, blockchain’s decentralized nature makes it nearly impossible for bad actors to change internal records stored on the platform, providing a reassurance that once a document is placed on the blockchain, you will always be able to verify it against the authentic version.Since document hashing takes place in your own environment and hashes cannot be reverse engineered to rebuild the document, this method allows you to avoid sending any sensitive data to third parties.There are some legitimate concerns about the blockchain's environmental costs given the vast amounts of computing and energy needed to maintain it, although different blockchains offer different advantages in this regard.AI-detectionAI anomaly detection identifies metadata, formatting, and other criteria for mismatches. This is certainly the most straightforward option – as AI’s have become surprisingly adept at spotting the output of other AI. That said, while it can be a cost-effective solution, there is no way of guaranteeing its accuracy given AIs notorious hallucinations. Given this, it can be an effective 'first layer’ against forgery but should not be relied upon exclusively.IDVTIDVT uses AI to scan metadata and security protocols to detect fakes. This scanning procedure can cross-reference the protocols with trusted databases to prevent using forged credentials in business transactions. The process essentially provides a checkpoint for all your data – documents are flagged immediately if it doesn’t match the protocols stored on an organizations database.IDVT is sometimes hampered by overreliance on database accuracy. Organizations typically require a lot of resources in terms of infrastructure, personnel, and access to reliable data sources to set it up – making it prohibitively expensive for small and medium companies. It's also prone to human error- if an employee sets up protocols incorrectly, the solution becomes near useless.PKIPKI relies on shareable digital certificates that authenticate a document's origin and integrity. Using the issuer’s public key to check the certificate, both first parties and third parties can check its authenticity. It has the advantage of being intuitive to set up, but has gained an unfortunate reputation of being somewhat insecure – if bad actors are able to obtain the keys and/or modify them, they can certify modified documents as authentic.Regulation needs to be the answer to systemic document forgeryThe truth is, AI forgery is not a business-by-business level problem, but a systemic one that will need higher level regulation to address. Eventually, it will become critical for governments to impose baseline metadata standards and mandatory verification technology that can make vital public documentation verifiable by everyone.We cannot afford to regard AI forgeries as a distant problem – the threat of serious harm being caused by an AI-doctored document grows daily. Operating a business or running a government where we cannot trust the documents we depend on is an impossible task. Embracing these technologies not only allows us to head off this potential crisis of trust, but can open new opportunities to make the organizations we rely on more transparent.We've featured the best authenticator app.This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Luxury brand Hermés unveils its first over-ear headphonesYours for the same price as 33 pairs of the Sony XM6 Specs are still secret, but the design may offer cluesLuxury brand Hermès has announced a set of high-end wireless headphones, and as you might expect they're going to cost a bit more than a pair made by 1More.As WWD.com reports, the headphones will cost $15,000. And if you think that's a lot of money, you're not the target market. But they do sound intriguing, not least because of what the brand hasn't announced.Hermès' tech adventures include working with Apple on the Watch right from its launch. (Image credit: Apple)Hermès' $15K headphones: what we know – and what we don'tThis isn't Hermès' first audio product, although it's the first pair of headphones its produced; the brand has previously made a jukebox, a boom box, and a cubic speaker.The new headphones aren't just brand engineering with Hermès sticking some dead cow on someone else's earcups. They're being developed by Hermès' Ateliers Horizons workshop in Paris, which makes some of its most-wanted products, and that workshop is collaborating with unnamed manufacturing partners who it seems are taking care of the sound.According to Axel de Beaufort, Ateliers Horizons' creative director, “We need to understand the engineering of things. It doesn’t mean that we do the engineering, but we need to understand and we need to be able to push boundaries."Specs are currently secret but the grilles look rather like those of planar magnetic headphones, which have a more advanced speaker design than regular dynamic headphones, so it's possible that the spec could be as high as the price. We do know that the headphones will be made for both wired and wireless use, and that they will deliver a tuned “Hermès sound”.Planar options are rare among the best wireless headphones, but not unheard of – and having this much budget to play with in the production of the headphones would certainly help with the engineering challenges involved.The headphones will feature hand-stitched cowhide leather and will come in Kelly bag-inspired colors including "naturel", black, chocolate, "rouge H" and Prussian blue. Start saving now: they'll launch this summer.You might also likeThe best headphones for those of us who don't have $15K to spendThe best over-ear headphones 2025 for all budgetsThe best wired headphones 2025, all tested by our audio experts

Researchers found a flaw in Microsoft OneDrive File PickerThe flaw stems in the lack of fine-grained OAuth permissionsMicrosoft acknowledges the flaw, but hasn't fixed it yetA vulnerability in Microsoft’s OneDrive File Picker has been found which could allow threat actors to access people’s entire cloud archives, experts have warned.Security researchers Oasis discovered the flaw and reported it to Microsoft, noting the problem lies in excessive permissions that File Picker asks for - including read access to the entire drive. The tool asks for these permissions since the OAuth scopes for OneDrive aren’t fine-grained.File Picker is a tool in OneDrive that allows websites and applications to integrate directly with the cloud storage solution. That way, users can manage their OneDrive account within a third-party interface, resulting in seamless file access.Reading the calendar"This stems from overly broad OAuth scopes and misleading consent screens that fail to clearly explain the extent of access being granted," the Oasis Research Team explained in a report."This flaw could have severe consequences, including customer data leakage and violation of compliance regulations."Oasis further stressed that a number of popular apps, such as ChatGPT, Trello, or Slack, are also affected, since they integrate with OneDrive.The researchers also said that the messaging, when uploading files, isn’t clear enough, which could mislead people into thinking their cloud storage solutions are secure."The lack of fine-grained scopes makes it impossible for users to distinguish between malicious apps that target all files and legitimate apps that ask for excessive permissions simply because there is no other secure option," Oasis concluded.If that wasn’t enough, Oasis also said the OAuth tokens are often stored insecurely since they’re saved in the browser’s session storage in plaintext.Microsoft has reportedly acknowledged the issue, but hasn’t come back with a patch just yet.If you’re worried about exposing your OneDrive storage, you might want to temporarily remove the option to upload files using OneDrive through OAuth. You could also stop using fresh tokens and make sure to store access tokens more securely.Via The Hacker NewsYou might also likeGoogle warns of legit VPN apps being used to infect devices with malwareTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

The Order: 1886 creative director Ru Weerasuriya has revealed that the game was supposed to be the first game in a trilogyThe Order 1891 and The Order 1899 were planned, and the second game was in the early stages of development before it was canceledThe sequel would have featured bigger fight sequences and a multiplayer mode that was cut from the first gameThe PlayStation 4 exclusive The Order: 1886 was originally supposed to be the first game in a trilogy.That's according to The Order: 1886 creative director Ru Weerasuriya, who revealed in a new French-language interview with YouTuber Julien Chieze that two more games were planned: The Order 1891 and The Order 1899 (via VGC).Weerasuriya said the second game was in the early stages of development before it was canceled and that he wrote a 10-page pitch for the sequel, which would have featured bigger fight sequences, as well as a multiplayer mode.It was also revealed that a multiplayer mode was in development for the first game, but it was shelved for the sequel.Although the third game never made it to development, Weerasuriya said that he planned for where the story would go if developer Ready at Dawn had been able to complete the trilogy, and that other installments in the series would have taken the franchise to the 20th century.While it's never been revealed why The Order: 1886's sequel was canceled, Weerasuriya suggested that the first game's mixed critical response was a factor.The Order: 1886 was released in 2015 and is set in an alternate version of Victorian London, "where science and myth collide". It's been more than 10 years since the game made its PS4 debut, and although it's playable on PS5 through backward compatibility, The Order: 1886 is still exclusive to PlayStation.You might also like...Sony's Days of Play sale kicks off tomorrow and will bring price cuts to the PS5 Pro, DualSense Edge, the PS5 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle, and a host of price cuts on accessories and gamesLeaker claims Sony is now working on a new PlayStation handheld consoleGhost of Yotei pre-orders live: Collector's Edition up in the US, Standard Edition retailers, and where to buy in the UK

Thanks to intensified activity on the part of law enforcement agencies worldwide – resulting in the shutdown of highly profitable and destructive ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) groups such as LockBit – we’ve seen some encouraging signs within the ongoing fight against ransomware threats. Annual ransomware payment totals fell from $1.25 billion in 2023 to $813.55 million last year.Meanwhile, the global year-to-year rise in the rate of these attacks is on the decline, with 5,289 incidents in 2024, up 15 percent from 4,591 in 2023. But, that percentage increase is significantly lower than the 77 percent increase seen in 2023 (2,593 attacks in 2022). So, the overall incident growth rate appears to be leveling off somewhat.However, it’s no time to get complacent. In our own research, we’ve found that ransomware variants grew to 101 in 2024, up from 70 in 2023. This rise in variants remains a foreboding indicator of accelerated attacks to come, signifying rebranding efforts on the part of cybercriminals. They’re responding to law enforcement activity with craftier variants and more precisely targeted campaigns aimed at victims with deep pockets. As a result, they’re boosting their efficiency and efficacy.Ransomware-as-a-serviceWith the rise of RaaS over the years, cybercriminals now work much like a business, leveraging a subscription-based market in which customers (most commonly referred to as affiliates) pay for software created by ransomware operators, for the purpose of launching attacks.By its very nature, RaaS has lowered the barrier to entry because customers no longer need to be experts in coding. They can simply pay for the product to launch their ransomware campaigns, and their subscriptions typically entail full-service offerings of software support, malware and infrastructure. Such a model created a strong incentive for more cyber actors, who are perhaps less skilled or experienced, to join the ransomware landscape, as long as they agreed to share a cut of the ransom with the RaaS operator, of course.Key trendsIf this sounds like a high-level, enterprise approach to crime, well, that’s because it is. Subsequently, we’re seeing the following key trends reshaping the very essence of the ransomware experience in 2025 – trends that can help victims make better decisions as they assess whether to proceed with payment negotiations or not:(Dis)honor among thievesAmong cyber attack techniques, ransomware stands out because there are inevitably person-to-person interchanges, those which often touch upon human emotions and elements of trust. Or mistrust.Victims, already rattled by the reality of the situation, find themselves in dialogue with the ransomware operator and must evaluate whether the operator will make good on terms if the ransom is paid. “What do we know about this group?” victim organizational leaders will ask. “Do they seem too aggressive? Are they pressuring us without any intention of deleting the data they stole, or never bothering us again? Or do they have a track record of respecting negotiated agreements?”The weaponization of dataRaaS groups aren’t just stealing victims’ data. They’re weaponizing it as a means to increase the pressure to pay. They will now go through financial records, cyber liability limits and additional information to determine whether a victim is positioned to pay – and how much.Artificial intelligence (AI) tools enable them to explore further at a larger scale, such as the exploitation of human resources (HR) records to reach employees and/or senior executives and tell them that their records have been compromised. With this, the RaaS operator tries to apply pressure on employees and executives to convince their organization to pay the ransom.Outsourcing and automationRaaS operators are fully capable of using the same tech and personnel management tools as legitimate companies. Outsourcing allows them to rebrand quickly if they feel the heat around the corner. They can put people and resources in place with a spinoff group and then migrate to the new brand when they have to make the current one “disappear” to avoid getting arrested.Automation will enhance efficiencies and expand the scale of victim targeting and payments. Instead of communicating with targeted organizations person-to-person, a chatbot instantly will direct organization members to a log-in page, and they’ll use a transaction number to process payment and secure the stolen information.Deal or no deal?Ultimately for victims, ransomware comes down to one simple proposition: Deal or no deal? This is a highly individualized decision, based upon the size of the organization, industry, and the potential consequences of taking a “no payment” position.But the more companies know about the RaaS operator, the better informed their choices. If they know the background of the operator and how adept they are at deploying AI and additional resources to “go deep” within their environment – then they’ll have a stronger sense of likely outcomes of paying or not paying. If they’re aware that the “new” group which compromised them is actually a spinoff of an old one, then they can research the reputational history of the former brand.Given that AI and automation should only dramatically expand the capabilities of the RaaS underworld as a collective whole, organizations will need to stay on top of these trends to make the best decision for their teams.We've featured the best encryption software.This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

While we're still waiting for a true electric minivan to hit the US, VW's ID.Buzz microbus is close. It's a unique family hauler that'll definitely get your neighbors buzzing. No, seriously, during my week of testing I had over a dozen conversations with strangers who were fascinated by the ID.Buzz. One of my neighbors stopped their car dramatically when they saw it, backed up, and just had to give me a thumbs up and praise it as "cool as hell."

My kids were similarly enamored, they loved its cute design and enormous interior space. In many ways, it's the family EV I've been dreaming of — something that could comfortably seat seven people and carry tons of cargo for road trips. Unfortunately, its high $60,000 starting price and relatively lackluster 234 mile range hold it back from true greatness.

Really, though, those issues were obvious when VW announced its US launch details for the ID.Buzz last year. I was more intrigued to see if it was a complete flop for VW, or if there was something compelling about it despite those flaws. After testing the ID.Buzz for a week, I've noticed one surprising thing: It makes everyone smile. It may not look exactly like VW's classic '60s microbus, but it elicits a similar amount of joy. And that's refreshing compared to the response I've seen to other large EVs like the Cybertruck (my son calls it the "ugly truck") and the ridiculous Hummer EV.

Sure, it's sort of coasting on vibes, but the VW ID.Buzz still has plenty of practical benefits if you don't mind the high price and charging a bit more often during road trips. And as I'll explain below, it'll likely be an enticing option once it hits the used market in a few years.

What is the VW ID.Buzz?

Most cynically, the ID.Buzz is an attempt to milk the brand nostalgia for VW's hippy-era Type 2 microbus. VW never quite gave up on those vehicles, but its later models dropped the cute rounded aesthetic and looked more like commercial vans. What makes the ID.Buzz truly interesting is that it transforms a beloved classic into a cutting-edge EV, with an enormous infotainment screen and modern features like adaptive cruise control.

It also makes a great first impression, since it doesn’t look like anything else on the road. There's a rounded front end that evokes the playfulness of the original model, and its two-tone color design (on some trims) simply pops among a sea of boring (and often white) cars in traffic. Sure, VW has done this before, but the Buzz is still a great reminder that EVs don't have to look like traditional vehicles. There's no front engine to worry about, just a big battery and electric motors. In the Buzz's case, you can choose from rear-wheel drive and "4Motion" all-wheel drive dual motors, delivering 282 and 335 horsepower, respectively.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

The ID.Buzz offers the seating of a minivan — with room for six to seven people depending on your configuration, and convenient sliding second-row doors — plus the height and storage capacity more akin to cargo vans. With all of its seats up, the Buzz offers an acceptable 18.6 cubic feet of storage, which is enough for a typical grocery run or a stroller and a diaper bag. Fold the third row down, though, and you get a far more useful 75.5 cubic feet of space. You could also remove the second and third row of seats entirely to get a massive 145.5 cubic feet of space.

Funny enough, you could technically fit three people into the Buzz's third row, but US regulators have taken issue since that row only has two seatbelts. VW has recalled existing vehicles and says it'll be adding "unpadded trim parts" to reduce the seating area. Yes, it's the rare recall where you'll actually lose a bit of functionality in the name of safety. (Nobody is actually forcing Buzz owners to do that, though...)

As for other niceties, the ID.Buzz offers an enormous 12.9-inch infotainment screen (I've never seen Apple CarPlay look so big before), a smaller driving information screen behind the steering wheel and an optional heads-up display. There's also a panoramic sunroof option, which can't be opened but can be tinted to look opaque on demand. Our review unit didn't have that sunroof, unfortunately, and the interior certainly felt a bit gloomier because of that. If I were seriously considering the ID.Buzz, I'd argue the sunroof a is requirement. (Admittedly, it could be a problem if you're trying to get babies and toddlers to sleep, since the interior will never truly get dark. But kids outgrow napping fairly quickly, and it's easy to find canopies for car seats.)

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What's good about the VW ID.Buzz?

The best thing about the ID.Buzz is the vibe you get while driving it around town. People will stop and stare at it, kids will point at it excitedly and harried parents will approach it like the monolith from 2001. It's as if VW's designers took Marie Kondo's advice to heart: It simply sparks joy. As I dropped off my son at daycare one morning, one of the school's admins dragged me outside and demanded to see the interior. "I wish I could retire in this thing and travel the country," she said.

The ID.Buzz is also very capable as an EV. Despite its large size, it's quick to accelerate and incredibly comfortable on the highway and bumpy roads. Parking was a bit annoying, but the Buzz was also easy to maneuver thanks to the large infotainment screen, which could display both single-camera and 360-degree overhead views at the same time. I had a much easier time backing into spots than I did with much smaller cars.

The Buzz's large second row could easily fit three carseats side-by-side, assuming you get the models with the middle bench seat. I was able to hook up my son's carseat and my daughter's booster chair in a few minutes, without the finger-cramping I usually experience with my Volvo XC90 SUV. (One downside to the second row? You can't open its windows fully, instead only a smaller section of the windows open up.)

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

I also instantly appreciated the Buzz's enormous storage area, as it was able to fit a large pile of charity donations that were sitting in my garage. That included a bike trailer for kids as well as an old high chair. We were able to fully load up the trunk with the third-row seats down, and there was still room in the second row for additional gear. That trip likely would have been possible with my Volvo, but it would have involved cramming in large items more creatively. With the ID.Buzz, I didn't break a sweat.

Now that I'm several years into being a suburban dad with two kids (sigh), I've learned to appreciate the benefits of less flashy and more practical transportation. And there's no doubt the ID.Buzz is useful. In addition to that donation drop-off, I was also able to comfortably pile my parents into the Buzz along with my kids for a day trip. My dad thought the third row was absolutely huge, and my mom had no trouble sitting in the second row alongside the child and booster seats.

There's no other EV that's this flexible. The Rivian R1S is far more expensive, and the Kia EV9 is great but doesn't offer as much storage. And neither of those cars have minivan-like sliding doors, which are a life-saver in tight parking spots. There's no true EV minivan in the US at this point, the best you can get is the hybrid Toyota Sienna (which I loved) and the plug-in hybrid Pacifica (which I had to dump because of Chrysler's terrible build quality).

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

What's bad about the VW ID.Buzz?

The hardest pill to swallow with the Buzz is its $60,000 starting price, which can escalate to over $70,000 if you want all the fixins. Basically, it's a luxury curiosity for those who can afford it, not something that's easily attainable for everyone. Its price could be excused if the Buzz also offered everything we see in comparable EVs, but its short 234-mile range is just inexcusable when the EV9 can reach 309 miles for around the same price. For such a large vehicle, you'd think VW would be able to stuff in more batteries.

Realistically, the Buzz's range only becomes a problem during long road trips, where you'll have to charge more often compared to other EVs. But that can be an annoying process, since you'll typically have to spend at least half an hour at a charging station to get ready for the next leg of your trip. VW says the Buzz can go from 10 to 80 percent charge on a 200 kW DC fast charger in 30 minutes, but those aren't available everywhere. One hour of level 2 AC charging got me 12 percent of additional battery life, while level 1 trickle charging at home added 20 percent of juice over 14 hours.

It's also worth noting that range estimates vary dramatically in cold weather, or if you're cranking the Buzz's heat or air conditioning. That's why it's always smart to aim for as much range as you can, even if you don't think you'll be driving that much.

Volkswagen

Beyond the obvious problems, I also hated the Buzz's capacitive touch controls, which are spread across its steering wheel buttons, infotainment center and window controls. While there are indentations and a bit of haptic feedback when you hit something, like pumping up the volume or choosing the next music track via the steering wheel, it's hard to differentiate those controls from nearby capacitive buttons. It's far too easy to tap the cruise control functions while you're just trying to change the volume, and vice versa.

Since it's hard to actually feel where certain buttons are, I found myself looking down to make sure I was hitting the right option, which is something I absolutely hate doing while driving. Similarly, trying to adjust HVAC settings on the bottom portion of the infotainment screen can easily trigger the capacitive buttons below them, which was another reason I had to occasionally take my eyes off the road. Thankfully, VW appears to be focusing on physical buttons for future vehicles, but ID.Buzz owners are still left with a frustrating interface.

The ID.Buzz's rearview mirror controls... how do they work?

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Here are just some of the ways the capacitive buttons infuriated me:

It's difficult to turn on the cruise control and adjust your speed without looking down.

It's tough to control the rear windows from the driver's seat, since it involves hitting a capacitive "Rear" button. There are only two controls for windows, so you have to choose between controlling the front and second-row windows. Even more annoying, the Buzz would sometimes disable the rear window option after a few seconds.

I spent at least 10 minutes trying to figure out how the rear-view mirrors are controlled, and I still have no clue. It's an inscrutable combination of a joy-stick, turning dial and capacitive controls.

Should you buy the VW ID.Buzz?

At this point, given its price and range, the VW ID.Buzz just doesn't make sense for most people. If you really want a three-row EV, you'll likely be better served by the Kia EV9 or the Hyundai Ioniq 9, which offer more range for a similar price. And if you absolutely need something that's like a minivan, the Toyota Sienna is hard to beat. While it's not a full EV, its hybrid setup still offers a healthy 36 MPG.

But, I've also noticed that used EVs tend to drop in price far quicker than gas cars. You can currently find the Polestar 2, which launched at around $60,000, for $30,000 or less in the used market. While I can't guarantee the Buzz will drop that far, I wouldn't be surprised if we see used versions for around $40,000 in a few years. And at that point, it could be a decent purchase even with its relatively low range.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Wrap-up

It's clear that the ID.Buzz is a big swing for VW, and it’s truly unique since there aren't any EV minivans outside of China. It's just a shame that it's held back by some obvious issues. The ID.Buzz is still undeniably useful though, especially if you don't plan on taking many road trips, so there's a chance it'll become more compelling as its price falls.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/volkswagen-idbuzz-review-a-head-turning-ev-microbus-with-unfortunate-flaws-143024824.html?src=rss