Latest news with #Proton
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Cyber security experts reveal the chilling number of images predators need to make deepfakes of children
Cybersecurity experts have revealed that predators need just 20 images to create deepfake videos of children, prompting urgent warnings over the growing dangers of sharing family photos online. Professor Carsten Maple, a leading expert from the University of Warwick and the Alan Turing Institute, said advanced AI tools can use a shockingly small number of pictures to generate realistic fake profiles and videos of minors. The consequences, he warned, can include identity theft, blackmail, and online exploitation. Parents are unknowingly giving criminals exactly what they need, with many doing it simply by uploading family pictures to social media and cloud storage platforms. 'It takes just 20 images for sophisticated AI tools to create a realistic profile of someone, or even a 30-second video,' said Professor Maple. New research commissioned by privacy tech firm Proton found that UK parents share an average of 63 photos each month, most of them including children. One in five parents post family pictures multiple times a week. Two in five do so several times a month. The findings suggest today's children often have a digital footprint from birth, long before they understand the internet, or can give consent. But it's not just criminals that experts are worried about. Big tech firms are also harvesting these images for their own purposes. Professor Maple pointed to Instagram's recent policy change, which allows the platform to use user photos to train its AI systems. He called the move 'deeply concerning.' He said: 'These companies use consumer data to build advertising profiles, analyse trends, train algorithms and track behaviour — often without people fully realising what's being collected.' Over half of parents now automatically back up their family images to cloud storage. The average parent has around 185 photos of their child saved online at any given time. Yet almost half admit they didn't know that tech companies can access and analyse those photos. The study found four in ten parents believe tech firms only gather basic metadata, things like time, location, or device used, while 11 percent had no idea what kind of information is being collected at all. Experts now warn that a generation of children could face serious long-term risks — including fraud, grooming, and deepfake abuse, simply because of the volume of images being shared. 'Oversharing can lead to digital records that are difficult or impossible to delete,' said Professor Maple. 'This opens the door not just to identity fraud, but also to more sinister forms of exploitation.' Despite this, many parents remain unaware of how vulnerable their images really are. While 72 per cent say photo privacy is important to them, a staggering 94 per cent believe tech firms should be more transparent about how they use stored data. Parental anxiety appears to be rising, with around 32 per cent of parents saying they are constantly worried about their phone or cloud accounts being hacked. Nearly half say they worry about it from time to time. More than half have already taken extra security steps, using Face ID, PIN codes, limiting app downloads, and keeping devices updated. But Professor Maple says that's not enough. With the rapid growth of AI and rising numbers of data breaches, the need to strengthen protection for children has never been more urgent. 'We are building digital profiles of children without their consent,' he said. 'The risks are real, and the damage, in many cases, irreversible.'
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- RTÉ News
Is home gym equipment worth the price tag? I put two to the test
Journalist Glenn Kelly puts two pieces of home workout equipment to the test to see if they are worth the hefty price tags. The gym - it's a funny old place, and while it offers a "catch-all" of everything from running machines to weights, it is not for everybody. I used to be a regular gym user myself, but with the arrival of kids and an intensification of work commitments, I found it was getting less and less the place for me. In the age of working from home, and people's demands for specific training (and work) schedules, investing in some state-of-the-art equipment is proving to be a godsend for current generations of would-be gym rats. This gear doesn't come cheap, but rather than a one-off payment, many are viewing it as something akin to a gym membership. I was, of course, intrigued about what I could get out of today's premium offerings, and if they were really worth their executive price tags. Step forward, market leaders Wattbike and Echelon, who offered their respective bikes and rowing machines for testing. Needless to say, I was only too happy to give my independent verdict. Time to read on to see if these machines are really good enough to replace that gym membership... Wattbike Proton €1,899 (includes free delivery offer) Score: 8.5 out of 10 Pros Easy to assemble Huge sizing adjustability Can be used by a range of age groups Smooth operation Relatively compact Great challenges on app and compatible with some of the largest cycling apps Cons Quite noisy if used at night App controls take a bit of getting used to The saddle could be more comfortable Artificial feel to gear changes I would be the first to admit that I am not the king of DIY, so when Wattbike explained that the bike would come unassembled, I was struggling to clear half a day in my diary. However, I should not have worried. Upon delivery, the box simply gets pulled up and cleared to unveil the bike, almost fully assembled. Some simple attachment of the wheels and legs was all that was required, and within half an hour, I was ready to go. The Proton is aimed at cyclists of all abilities and sizes. The bike has height and reach adjustments coming out of its ears, which means it is suitable for users from 137-198cm. This means almost all the family can take part in activities on the bike, something that my young family found particularly fun. The adjustability is child's play and offers something very niche in this market. The bike itself is on the heavy side at almost 50kg, but it has a relatively small footprint, so it doesn't look too out of place within the house. When I was eventually ready to go, it did take me a little while to get the hang of the app. Some simple instructions, such as to end the workout, require an extra click on the screen that isn't very obvious when it really should just be a big red button. However, apart from this, the app was relatively straightforward and showed me the basics I needed. If you need more, it is compatible with, amongst others, the Zwift app, which will help you push yourself to your limits and race in real-time with fellow cyclists around the world. The actual mechanics of the bike were solid. The bike is well put together, and the operation is smooth, although there is a fair degree of whooshing during use. The noise travels through the house, which may be an issue when you want to keep the kids asleep, but this is not unexpected. During my cycling, it was possible to exert a high degree of force through the bike, and I don't think I was in any danger of overloading it! The gear changes are operated by buttons on the handles, and they seem a little artificial to use, but they do the trick. Overall, I found it very easy to jump on and off the bike during my lunch break and blast out 45 minutes to an hour while enjoying listening to my favourite podcast or watching a show on TV. Although my kids are just off the size chart for the bike, they couldn't wait until they could ride it for real, and I think that is the point of the Proton. It is not aimed only at the cycling supremo, but at the individual or family who are breaking into the cycling habit, and this can only be a good thing as we head towards a more sustainable future, where hopefully, kids will have better road infrastructure outside to test their cycling skills on. Fair play, Wattbike. Echelon Row-7s Smart Rowing Machine €2,380 Score: 9 out of 10 Pros Smooth and quiet operation Superb interface with endless interactive and live workouts 22-inch screen included Foldable Comfortable seat Instant resistance changes at the touch of a fingertip Full-length bench allows full rowing movement Cons Expensive Setting up the on-screen app was plagued by connectivity issues until updated Takes up quite a bit of room Having suffered from some Achilles issues over the past year, I was particularly intrigued about trying out the Row-7s due to rowing's low-impact nature as I seek ways to fill the intense cardio void of football, and I was not disappointed by the machine. Let's get the negatives out of the way first. Out of the box, it wasn't quite as easy as the Proton to put together, taking most of an afternoon, but there are more parts involved. Then, it was onto the setup. Despite trying for over an hour, the machine just would not connect to the internet. This was extremely frustrating until I eventually read that due to software issues, I had to connect to my phone's hotspot connection, which allowed it to update, which then cured the connection issues. Thankfully, this worked and, to be honest, was the last negative I had of my time with the machine. The equipment is not cheap, coming in at over €2,000, but it feels every bit the premium piece of gym equipment, with an option to pay about €75 a month. Operation of the pulley is smooth and eerily quiet. Unlike the bike, I could use the machine next door to where my kids sleep and knew I wouldn't wake them. The fittings are superbly tight, and there have been no corners cut in the design or construction phase. The seat is superbly comfortable and padded, and you could spend over an hour on the machine with no ailments whatsoever. Getting a 22-inch touchscreen with the machine is a huge bonus, and being able to connect to this to follow live workouts is a godsend - much better than using your phone. I also found that having the resistance buttons on the handle worked really well, rather than reaching beyond to the front of the machine, so I could flick through the levels instantaneously as the workout progressed. The Row-7s does take up quite a bit of room in our spare bedroom, but it is foldable, which is superb, allowing it to slide alongside the bed and out of the way. Echelon has hit the jackpot on this machine, with only a point taken off for the connectivity issues. If they can sort this in the long term, this could be a perfect 10.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Proton appoints Ainol Azmil as covering deputy CEO
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd (Proton) has announced the appointment of Ainol Azmil as covering deputy chief executive officer (CEO), effective June 10, 2025. The carmaker said he will cover the role of Roslan Abdullah, who is leaving after serving five years as deputy CEO, and reporting directly to the group's chief executive officer Dr Li Chunrong. 'Concurrently, he will continue to serve his existing portfolio in corporate strategy and group technical procurement,' it said in a statement today. The company said Roslan has helped Proton reinforce its position as a prominent brand in Malaysia while also entering the electric vehicle market with its first product, the Proton 7. 'Proton welcomes Ainol to the role of covering deputy CEO. We are confident in his ability to take on this temporary appointment,' it said.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Proton names Ainol Azmi as covering deputy CEO, Roslan Abdullah stepping down
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton has appointed Ainol Azmi as its covering deputy chief executive officer (CEO) effective June 10, 2025. He will take over the responsibilities of Roslan Abdullah, who is stepping down after serving five years as deputy CEO. Proton said Roslan was instrumental in reinforcing Proton's position as a top automotive brand in Malaysia and leading its entry into the electric vehicle (EV) market with the Proton 7. Ainol will report directly to Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong. At the same time, he will continue to manage his current responsibilities in corporate strategy and group technical procurement. "Proton welcomes Ainol Azmil to the role of covering deputy CEO. We are confident in his ability to take on this temporary appointment. "At the same time, Proton would like to convey utmost gratitude to Roslan Abdullah for his contribution to the company and we wish him well in his future undertakings," Li Chunrong said.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Proton VPN review 2025: The best privacy features of any service I've tested
Price Proton VPN isn't the cheapest VPN out there, but nor is it trying to be. It's more expensive than Surfshark, about on par with NordVPN, and cheaper than ExpressVPN. While it doesn't offer cyber insurance like Nord's Ultimate plan, you get plenty of privacy tools, bundled encrypted cloud storage and even a password manager. Unlike most VPNs, Proton isn't just selling you a VPN; it's selling a whole privacy ecosystem. The Free and Unlimited tiers are full security suites, bundling in extras like Proton Mail, Proton Drive and Proton Pass (its password manager), while VPN Plus is the core VPN product. However, even the VPN-only plan comes with access to Proton's free tools. While the free plan is one of the most generous around, delivering unlimited data, servers in five countries and no ads, you'll need to upgrade to the Plus plan if you want access to streaming, higher speeds, Secure Core routing and more server locations. There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind. One really nice thing worth flagging is that Proton VPN doesn't do sneaky renewal price hikes. The price you sign up for is the price you'll keep paying, even after your first term ends. I've seen competitors double the price upon renewal. It's a refreshingly fair approach compared to other providers like NordVPN and Surfshark, who've faced backlash for quietly locking users into auto-renewals at steep new rates. That alone might make Proton VPN worth the extra quid. Proton Free This is arguably the best free VPN around. You get access to servers in five countries (the US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania and Poland), unlimited data and no ads, but you don't get streaming, torrenting, faster speeds, NetShield or Secure Core routing. It's limited to one device and slower overall, but still decent if you just want to keep your IP private. But Proton Free isn't just a VPN – it's a mini privacy suite. You also get 5GB of encrypted storage with Proton Drive, Proton Mail with basic features, and access to Proton Pass, the free version of its password manager. That includes unlimited password storage, unlimited devices and 10 email aliases. Proton VPN Plus The standard Proton VPN plan, Plus unlocks all the good stuff – full-speed servers in 110 countries, streaming support, Secure Core routing, NetShield ad and malware blocking, split tunnelling, torrenting, and use on up to 10 devices. You also get priority support with live chat. You still keep all the free tools from Proton's ecosystem, so you can use Proton Drive (5GB), Proton Mail and the free version of Proton Pass alongside your VPN plan. It's a nice bonus, and makes the value a little better compared to VPNs that give you just the tunnel. At the time of writing, the cheapest deal is the two-year plan, which costs £86.16 up-front (about £3.59/month). The one-year plan costs £59.88 (£4.99/month), or you can pay monthly for £9.49. Proton Unlimited For the full Proton experience, you'll want Proton Unlimited. As well as Proton VPN Plus, Proton Unlimited upgrades all its other tools too. You get Proton Mail Plus (with more addresses and folders), Proton Drive with 500GB encrypted storage, Proton Calendar and Proton Pass Plus, the premium version of its password manager with secure sharing, unlimited aliases and dark web monitoring. The two-year plan costs £158.16 (about £6.59 per month), the one-year plan is £98.29 (£8.19 per month), and the monthly price is £10.59 per month. Privacy and features If privacy is your main reason for using a VPN, Proton VPN is one of the most trustworthy services out there. Everything's open source, independently audited, and based in Switzerland, which means it's outside the reach of data-hungry intelligence alliances like Five Eyes. The no-logs policy is really clear. In fairness, I didn't dig through the open-source code myself, but knowing it's all public gave me confidence. You get strong AES-256 encryption and access to trusted tunnelling protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2 and Proton's own Stealth protocol. WireGuard is the default, and it held up really well during my testing. It was consistently fast and stable, even on patchy wifi on the Tube. The Stealth protocol helps you get around VPN blocks or censorship, wrapping WireGuard in an extra layer to make it look like regular HTTPS traffic. Proton VPN also uses Smart Protocol, a feature that automatically selects the best tunnelling method if another connection is blocked. There's a kill switch baked in, too, but it's not enabled by default. I had to manually switch it on in the tab. Proton VPN's Always-on VPN feature is switched on by default, so the moment your phone or laptop reconnects to wifi or data, it'll automatically tunnel back through the VPN. While it's a great backup, the kill switch is still worth activating for the extra peace of mind. Secure Core is one of Proton VPN's standout features. It routes your traffic through an extra Proton-owned server before connecting to the internet. It's not the fastest. I noticed a slight slowdown when I used it over public wifi, but it's nice having the added layer of protection. I kept NetShield – Proton's ad and malware blocker – turned on for most of my testing, but honestly, it's not the most effective blocker I've used. You can choose whether to block just malware or go full ads and trackers, but it didn't stop much of it. It's nowhere near as customisable or effective as a dedicated ad blocker like AdGuard. There's also split tunnelling on Android and Windows, which worked perfectly when I excluded my banking app. Traffic was routed correctly, but it's still missing on iOS and macOS, which is disappointing. Proton VPN also supports torrenting via dedicated P2P servers, port forwarding, and there's even Tor over VPN support on the Windows application. You can also create custom connection profiles. I set one up for general streaming, another with Secure Core, and a third using the stealth protocol for testing in restricted networks. It saves reconfiguring everything each time. You can also set the VPN to auto-connect on launch or when connected to unsecured wifi. All of this is paired with Perfect Forward Secrecy, so even if someone did manage to snatch your encryption keys, they'd only get access to that one session, not any previous or future ones. There's some really advanced stuff here, especially for Windows users. Logging Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, which has some of the world's strongest privacy laws. That means it's not part of any surveillance alliances like Five Eyes, and the Swiss government can't demand your data without jumping through serious legal hoops. Even then, there's not much Proton could hand over. It has a strict no-logs policy. It doesn't track your browsing habits, record your IP address or identify what you were doing online. Proton's also proved it in court. In 2019, Swiss authorities issued an order asking Proton to start logging a specific user. But because of how Proton VPN is built, it physically couldn't. The authorities were told this, and the case was closed without any data being turned over. It's a rare real-world example of a no-logs policy actually being tested. In July 2024, Proton VPN passed its third consecutive infrastructure audit by the European security firm Securitum. The audit team physically visited Proton's offices, reviewed its VPN server configurations, operating procedures and change management systems, and confirmed that no logs or metadata are stored, not even temporarily. On top of that, Proton makes all its apps open source, runs a public bug bounty program, and releases a yearly transparency report. Few VPNs go to this level to prove their trustworthiness. Performance and speed Proton VPN's speeds are really good. On my 67Mbps broadband, Proton VPN only shaved about 6 per cent off my download speed when I connected to a UK server. That's basically nothing – everything still loaded quickly, and I was able to stream in HD without any buffering. Connecting to the US gave me a roughly 9 per cent dip, which again is decent, and lines up with the best VPNs I've tested. There's also a VPN Accelerator feature, which is designed to improve speeds on long-distance connections by reducing latency. It's hard to isolate the impact during day-to-day use, but it didn't seem to hurt. The connection was stable even when I was hopping between different countries and testing out Secure Core, which slows things down a touch. You are being routed through two servers, after all. That said, the UI experience varies quite a bit between platforms. On macOS, the app is clean and easy to navigate. You get a subtle map at the top, a country list on the left and tabs for things like Secure Core, NetShield and the kill switch. Most of the more advanced settings are tucked away. It's simple and lightweight, though probably too stripped-back for anyone looking to tweak things. The Windows app has more features but feels cluttered. There's a two-panel layout with the server list, including labels for P2P and Tor, on the left, and a settings sidebar on the right where you can toggle port forwarding, switch protocols, and configure the kill switch. There's also an interactive world map in the middle. You can click on countries to connect, but it's not all that useful in practice. It mostly feels like a visual flourish that gets in the way more than anything, especially when you just want to scroll and connect quickly. You can still monitor your real-time speed, IP address and server load from the main screen, which is handy. iOS and Android apps The Proton VPN mobile apps aren't quite as slick or intuitive as the desktop version, and the layout varies depending on whether you're on iOS or Android. On iOS and Android, the Home tab shows a giant world map up top, but it's mostly there for decoration. You can't tap on it to choose a location, so it ends up feeling like wasted space. Below that, you have quick connect buttons for the fastest server and your most recent connection, plus a readout of how many ads and trackers have been blocked. To pick a server, you need to head into the Locations tab. There's also a Profiles tab where you can save custom presets, which is useful if you regularly switch between different setups like Secure Core or Stealth. You'll find settings like NetShield, the kill switch and Always-on VPN tucked into the main menu, but you don't get features like split tunnelling or port forwarding because of iOS restrictions. Android users also get more control: there's split tunnelling, port forwarding, custom DNS settings, and even a home screen widget for one-tap access. That said, both apps require a fair bit of tab-hopping. The map looks nice, but doesn't do anything, and all the real functionality is hidden behind secondary menus. It's not bad, and everything's clearly labelled, but it does take a few extra taps to get where you want to go. Proton VPN and streaming Proton VPN might not rave about streaming support as much as its rivals, but it still works like a charm. I tested it with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, ITVX and Sky Go, and everything played smoothly without any errors. I didn't have to bounce around different servers or dig through support articles to find one that worked. Content like EastEnders on BBC iPlayer and The Genius Game on ITVX loaded and played without any issues. I streamed a few episodes of The Devil's Plan on Netflix in HD during testing and didn't run into any buffering, even when connected to servers further afield. The connection was stable throughout. Obviously, this will also largely depend on the speed of your wifi connection – the faster your wifi, the less likely you'll run into buffering. Streaming isn't available on the free plan. You'll need to be on the Plus or Unlimited tier to get access. But if you're already signed up, it worked perfectly for streaming all our services. Support Proton VPN has live chat support, but only if you're a paying user. You won't see the chat option unless you're logged in to a Plus or Unlimited account. To access it, I had to log in to the website and then click on Live chat at the bottom. It can only be accessed during its operating hours (9am to midnight CET), but you can also leave a message and Proton will get back to you by email. I asked a question about the kill switch and only had to wait about 10 seconds to get connected to an agent. The person I spoke to was helpful and gave a clear answer without fobbing me off or linking to a generic support article. If you're using the free version, you won't get live chat. You're directed to submit a support ticket or dig through the help centre instead. The support docs are decent, though, and there's a fair amount of detail once you land on the right page.
