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The Guardian launches Secure Messaging, a world-first from a media organisation, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge

The Guardian launches Secure Messaging, a world-first from a media organisation, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge

The Guardian8 hours ago

The Guardian​ has today ​(9 June) launched a unique new tool for protecting journalistic sources. Secure Messaging, a new whistleblowing innovation, makes it easier and safer for anyone to share stories and tips with our journalists via ​the Guardian app.
Built by the Guardian's product and engineering team in partnership with the University of Cambridge's Department of Computer Science ​and Technology​, Secure Messaging is an exciting new approach to confidential communication between the public and the press.
Secure Messaging is unlike traditional information sharing platforms​. The tech behind the tool conceals the fact that messaging is taking place at all. It makes the communication indistinguishable from data sent to and from the app by our millions of regular users. So, by using the Guardian app, readers are effectively providing 'cover' and helping us to protect sources.
Secure Messaging is not just a significant source protection tool for the Guardian. As part of our commitment to protecting the press and the public interest globally, the Guardian has published the source code for the technology that enables this system. This means that other organisations can use this technology freely to implement secure messaging tools within their own apps.
The development of Secure Messaging comes at a time when journalists and their confidential sources are under pressure in the US and globally. This work underpins the Guardian's long-standing commitment to investigative journalism in the public interest and to safeguarding those who take risks to expose the truth.
​Katharine Viner, ​editor-in-chief, Guardian News & Media, says:
'Investigative reporting is extremely important to the Guardian; we have been exposing wrongdoing and scrutinising power with complete independence for decades. We know first-hand how impactful investigations so often depend on trusted reader-reporter interactions. Blowing the whistle on wrongdoing has always taken bravery and, as threats to journalists around the world increase, so does the need to protect confidential sources.'
​Caspar Llewellyn Smith, ​chief product officer, Guardian News & Media says:
'Secure Messaging represents significant progress in protecting source anonymity. The Guardian is proud to lead the way​ in developing this new technology, working in close collaboration with the University of Cambridge. We have always had confidential processes for sharing digital information and Secure Messaging is a protected way for sources to get in touch – all within the secure environment of the Guardian app.'
Professor Alastair Beresford, Head of Cambridge's Department of Computer Science and Technology, says:
'News organisations serve a key role in a democracy, providing all of us with independent information about our society, and holding the powerful to account. Protecting the identity of sources is a critical component of what makes investigative journalism safe and effective. We are pleased to collaborate with the Guardian to improve communication security between sources and journalists by using Secure Messaging in their main news app. It's wonderful to see this technology released as open source software, and we are keen to work with other global news organisations to adopt this.'
Further information about how the Guardian created Secure Messaging, can be found here.
Secure Messaging is one of the key new features within the Guardian's recently updated news app. Download now on the App Store and Google Play.
[ENDS]
For interviews please contact media.enquiries@theguardian.com.
Notes to editors
The concept for Secure Messaging originated following a paper written by University of Cambridge researchers in 2022 – 'CoverDrop: blowing the whistle through a news app'. The paper, which included interviews with staff at the Guardian, explored the issue with keeping sources truly confidential within current whistleblowing tech. Once published, the Guardian started work to make the Secure Messaging service a reality, with its product and engineering investigations and reporting team building the app, alongside a member of the original research team from the University of Cambridge.
The academic paper about the Guardian's implementation received positive feedback from experts in applied cryptography, human computer interaction and decentralised systems. The technology has been audited by 7A Security (with funding from the Open Technology Fund).
The Guardian will continue to develop the platform, adding new enhancements and security measures in the coming months.
About Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group is amongst the world's leading media organisations. Its core business is Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of theguardian.com, one of the largest English-speaking quality news websites in the world.
In the UK, Guardian Media Group publishes the Guardian newspaper six days a week, first published in 1821. Since launching its US and Australian digital editions in 2011 and 2013, respectively, traffic from outside of the UK now represents around two-thirds of the Guardian's total digital audience. The Guardian also has an international digital edition and a new European edition that launched in 2023, with an expanded network of more than 20 European correspondents, editors and reporters.

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Secret Apple upgrades ‘coming today including extra iPhone battery life & AirPods trick to understand foreign languages'
Secret Apple upgrades ‘coming today including extra iPhone battery life & AirPods trick to understand foreign languages'

The Sun

time35 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Secret Apple upgrades ‘coming today including extra iPhone battery life & AirPods trick to understand foreign languages'

APPLE is about to show off huge free upgrades coming to millions of customers – including owners of the iPhone, iPad, AirPods, MacBook, and Apple Watch. Eligible gadget fans will reportedly get the ability to translate foreign languages in real-time using AirPods headphones, combine multiple emoji, and unlock extra battery life without paying a penny extra. 6 And the way iPhone apps look may be totally revamped for the first time in over a decade. It's all part of Apple's regular software makeover that the company hands out to gadget fans each year. Apple is showing off the new goodies at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) during a special event at 10am in California today – that's 1pm for New Yorkers and 6pm in the UK on Monday, June 6. And there are six major upgrades that you'll want to watch out for… APPLE UPDATE #1 – MAJOR APP MAKEOVER The first change to watch out for is a brand new look for your app icons. 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Power up: flat out on track in the 2,011bhp Lotus Evija
Power up: flat out on track in the 2,011bhp Lotus Evija

Top Gear

timean hour ago

  • Top Gear

Power up: flat out on track in the 2,011bhp Lotus Evija

Big Reads Time to get behind the wheel of the electrifying Lotus Evija on track. Buckle up... Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading A beautiful day in Wales and a Lotus. What could be simpler? Perfect tarmac, jaw dropping scenery and a pure, lightweight, throwback sports car. Apply a few cliches about adding lightness, the genius of Colin Chapman and a liberal sprinkling of 'ride handling balance' fairy dust and you have the formula that's been on the rinse and repeat cycle in car magazines since the 1960s. Did I mention steering feel yet? Don't worry. It's coming. But first, let's throw out everything we know of how this tale goes. Today is truly a new day. The Lotus in question isn't a sports car. The Evija is truly hyper. Fiendishly complex, hysterically powerful, mind meltingly expensive and (sadly for Lotus), likely to be as exclusive as ground unicorn horn. Advertisement - Page continues below The price of £2m plus taxes is a rather fundamental limiting factor, of course, but that's nothing compared to the bleak market conditions. In 2019, when the Evija was first revealed, the world was hurtling towards EV domination and the unprecedented performance potential created dazzling new possibilities. Photography: Jonny Fleetwood You might like In 2025 things aren't so optimistic. In fact, while the mainstream is quickly retreating to hybrid, the hypercar customer has resoundingly opted out of the great electric revolution. Just ask Pininfarina or Rimac. So, right now and despite a Herculean effort by Lotus to bring the Evija to fruition, the 'maximum of 130 cars' promise seems as overinflated as its total power output. Yet even if the Evija's stated sales target is DOA, it remains a fascinating car and seeing two parked side by side in a pit garage at Anglesey – the roadtrip comes later – is a very special moment. These are the most powerful production cars Top Gear has ever tested so the clear skies are a godsend, and later the unbroken sunshine will beautifully render every detail, duct and aero device. Why two? Well, with a 93kWh battery feeding four electric motors the range is, um, compromised. Lotus claims 195 miles but on a racetrack you can cut that in half, then maybe in half again. So having a spare seems prudent. Sensible, even. Advertisement - Page continues below Skip 18 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Speaking of sensible, the Evija has a total power output of 2,011bhp. Remember the Lotus Carlton, the super saloon that prompted questions in parliament due to its irresponsible power output? Well, each one of the Lotus Evija's wheels has 125bhp more than the Carlton's total output. It can accelerate from 0–186mph in under nine seconds and hits 217mph. Zero to 60mph? Lotus simply says 'less than three seconds', but even one exploratory launch on Anglesey's straight delivers an easy GPS verified two seconds. The performance is otherworldly and a huge departure from the usual Lotus ways. Yet, rolling out of the pitlane there's a very real feeling of two worlds colliding here. The full carbon fibre structure is extremely stiff, the interior wonderfully minimalist with lovely materials and the tiny yoke-like steering wheel feels delicious. These high end hypercar calling cards in combination with the manic whirr of the electric motors and instant, ear flattening performance suggest the Evija shouldn't have a shred of Lotusness about it. Yet it does. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Much of it bubbles up through the steering. Lotus elected to stick with hydraulic power steering to ensure clarity of feedback and it feels like an inspired decision. The Evija might have alien performance but initially the sensations it provides are reassuringly familiar. There's no heavy regen, either. God knows the battery could do with all the help it can get in terms of range, but I appreciate that lifting the throttle doesn't artificially induce heavy negative g. In fact, programming in a tiny bit of regen wouldn't be a bad idea as the Evija seems to freewheel when not under load. Perhaps most satisfying is that the Evija feels light and lithe. As every Lotus should. With its exotic structure and a real focus on weightsaving, the Evija has been kept to 1,884kg. Heavy compared to, say, an Aston Martin Valkyrie, but literally hundreds of kilograms lighter than other EVs of this nature. With electronically adjustable Multimatic dampers and a heave damper to handle the huge downforce generated, body control is measured and, again, has an organic feel. As I gently increase the pace the Evija stays composed but breathes with the surface and has just enough movement on its suspension to impart information and breed ever more confidence. The soundtrack increases in intensity, too. There's no fakery here. The motors almost shriek under full power and while the noise isn't spine tingling, the frenzied, runaway sense of it is perfectly in keeping with the performance, which borders on the surreal. Such is the assault on the senses that even the lack of a gearbox to control doesn't seem a mortal fault. The Evija might not quite conform to all my usual mental markers, but it's a deeply moving experience. A mix of high definition tactility and quantum performance. The Evija is brutal yet oddly balletic at times, wild yet determinedly controlled Yet, there are compromises. The sheer scale of performance on offer has led Lotus to a necessarily slightly conservative balance. On track we're concentrating on Sport and Track modes (Valet, Range, City and Tour will be addressed later), but even fully wound up the Evija's traction and stability control remains active at all times. This measure seems wise when you see the telltale light on the dash flickering at 130mph in a straight line and feel the ever present torque steer as the Pirellis are stressed right to the limit. However, you'd think the watchful eye of the electronics might allow Lotus to really exploit the power of true torque vectoring. As each wheel can be controlled independently there's a whole new world of possibility... but the Evija is neutral almost to a fault. In Sport mode there's a hint of understeer first and sometimes a tiny sliver of oversteer under power on corner exit but it's almost imperceptible. Switch to Track mode and the Evija's stability is incredible but there's almost nothing by way of adjustability. Point, shoot, hope your neck muscles can take the beating. Repeat. It's outrageous but the thrill is physical rather than an experience that conquers your heart and mind. 28 minutes 4 seconds It's funny, the only time the Evija feels slightly unruly is under full power in a straight line – where the front tyres can feel very sensitive to surface changes and cambers – and under heavy braking. There's just not quite the stability you expect and because Lotus didn't go for a 'skateboard' construction (instead building up the batteries where you'd find a V8 or V12 in a mid-engined supercar) the weight just behind your shoulders moves and shakes in ways that can feel pretty unnerving. Oh, and even six piston carbon ceramic brakes can't handle 2,011bhp and 1,884kg for too long before the pedal starts to creep closer to the floor. You might have noticed that I've avoided describing the raw performance up until now. Mostly because, well, it's hard to put into words. Relentless? Yep, but that doesn't quite do it justice. Sickening? Weirdly not. Perhaps the driving position and excellent body control help here, but the Evija is far less vomit inducing than a Tesla Plaid, for example. Extreme? Absolutely. The Evija makes something like a McLaren 750S feel very ordinary indeed. Unforgettable? Perhaps that sums it up best. Not just the acceleration but the whole car. The Evija is brutal yet oddly balletic at times, wild yet determinedly controlled – a vast leap for Lotus but still clinging to the old ways where it can. It turns out there's nothing simple about a sunny day in Wales and this Lotus. But I won't forget it in a hurry.

Opinion: there's hope yet for a fun motoring future
Opinion: there's hope yet for a fun motoring future

Top Gear

timean hour ago

  • Top Gear

Opinion: there's hope yet for a fun motoring future

Opinion Despite the doom and gloom in recent years for petrolheads, Jethro reckons the foreseeable future looks exciting Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading As I write this, the sun is shining and the temperature has picked up. It's finally spring and my optimism is rising. It helps that there seems to be good news every single day at the moment. (Not in the wider world, which is a disaster, but in our little automotive enclave.) After several years of oppressive doom and gloom for car enthusiasts it appears the oft touted winter of our passion has been rolled back, the heavy frost is thawing and maybe, just maybe it's spring for us, too. Do I feel bad that EV sales are failing to ignite as anticipated, causing manufacturers all sorts of problems? I do not. Am I happy to see the likes of Porsche reinvesting in ICE technology and trying to adapt new EV only architecture to accept engines? Oh yes. Does the news that Mercedes is developing a new V8 engine and will stick it back in the C63 model ASAP fill me with glee? I'm afraid it does. Advertisement - Page continues below Perhaps I should feel a tinge of guilt. We are all meant to want to save the world. But instead I find myself heartened by the power of the people. For years publicly pious and mostly disingenuous politicians have made decisions on our behalf that sound great on the election campaign trail but have no grounding in reality. For once, a large majority of people in all markets have just said, 'Well, we can make our own decisions". To put it politely. This is not to say that I hate EVs. But boy, have they been shoved down our throats. Usually new technology takes over once it's better, cheaper and more convenient than the incumbent. Right now it's none of those things in all but a very few use cases. As many have said before, legislate the end goal and let the engineers do the rest. Legislating the path to said target from a position of limited knowledge and experience is a fool's errand. You might like All that being said, my hopes for the future of fun motoring is even being bolstered in the EV segment, too. I couldn't care much for yet another 1,000bhp saloon or 2,000bhp supercar that weighs more than the moon and has an appeal half-life measured in seconds, but projects like the new Renault 5 Turbo 3E are genuinely intriguing. It references old heroes but isn't slavishly stuck in the past and the look, feel and promise of the technology within is lip smacking. There's a film on TG's YouTube channel (that you can watch below) about the 3E but just think reimagined Group B look, RWD and 540bhp from two in-wheel motors that offer precise torque vectoring, plus a hydraulic handbrake. And just 1,450kg! It's an extreme concept and, sadly, a huge chunk of change at over £120,000, but at least it's provocative and recognises that a conventional sports car or supercar with a sonorous engine replaced by electric motors just won't cut it. For an EV to be truly fun requires a wholly different approach. Advertisement - Page continues below The real challenge is to bring this sort of thinking into the grasp of normal people who can't blow well over £100,000 on a car with a very narrow capability window. Luckily, while manufacturers work out the solution to that conundrum, we've all been granted a reprieve. The road ahead is long, exciting and paved, for the foreseeable future, with V8 engines. 25 minutes 19 seconds Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.

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