Category: 4. Technology

September 3, 2025

Slimmer, Smarter, and Engineered for Peak Performance in the Water

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (September 3, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – H2O Audio, the pioneer in waterproof audio innovation, announces the launch of the SONAR 2 PRO, the next evolution in underwater listening. Engineered for swimmers, triathletes, and water-sports enthusiasts, SONAR 2 PRO features a slimmer design, upgraded audio, and intuitive controls — now 40% smaller to reduce drag in the water.

This second-generation model builds on the award-winning SONAR PRO, delivering an immersive open-ear bone conduction experience with less drag, better fit, and enhanced functionality. And with PLAYLIST+ technology, users can record streaming audio from their favorite Bluetooth apps and play it underwater — no phone needed.

“Swimming is not a drag anymore,” said H2O Audio CEO Kristian Rauhala. “We built SONAR 2 PRO for serious athletes who want world-class sound, seamless operation, and total freedom in the water. Every upgrade was shaped by feedback from swimmers and pro athletes. We listened, streamlined, and made it perform better.”

“The SONAR 2 PRO is excellent for swimming; you almost forget they’re there,” said Luke Tasker, multiple IRONMAN 70.3 winner and Hummingbird Collective Racing Team Director. “They don’t move on your head, no matter the pace. And the sound is much better than my other headphones.”

Designed to Go Beyond Limits

The SONAR 2 PRO redefines what’s possible in swim tech audio:

• Fully Waterproof (IPX8): Submersible for the most intense aquatic sessions.
• 40% Smaller and Thinner: Streamlined design to minimize drag in the water.
• Enhanced Audio Quality: Improved clarity and volume, optimized for both music and voice.
• More Buttons, Easier Controls: New layout with tactile volume and playback controls.
• Removable Metal Clip: Slim and secure, fits easily under a swim cap or goggles.
• Battery Life & Fast Charging: Up to 10 hours of playtime; full recharge in 1–2 hours via a custom magnetic USB cable engineered for waterproof integrity.
• PLAYLIST+ Tech: Record and store music from any Bluetooth app (Spotify, Audible, etc.) and store up to 8GB for offline playback.
• Dual Mode Playback: Toggle between streaming (above water) and stored playback (underwater).
• Proprietary Bone Conduction Technology: Open-ear design transmits sound through cheekbones for clear underwater listening.
• Seamless App Integration: Works with the H2O Audio PRO App to manage playlists and audio files. Available for iOS and Android.

The SONAR 2 PRO comes with a protective travel case, USB charging cable, and solid blue earplugs, ensuring a premium experience from pool deck to open water.

H2O Audio is trusted by endurance athletes across swimming, triathlon, and paddle sports. SONAR 2 PRO embodies the brand’s Beyond Waterproof ethos and commitment to seamless, high-performance audio for active lifestyles.

ABOUT H2O AUDIO

H2O Audio has redefined the way athletes connect with music. For over 20 years, the brand has developed innovative, high-performance audio solutions that inspire athletes to push beyond their limits. H2O Audio products are trusted by athletes worldwide for their exceptional sound, durability, and ability to perform in the most extreme environments.

Highlights include the hyper-versatile ZIP modular projection platform and the audio-centric BOOM series; live demos at Hall H21, Booth H21-111.

BERLIN, Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aurzen, a leading innovator in smart projection technology, today announced it will showcase its comprehensive product ecosystem at IFA 2025 from September 5–9. Press and attendees are invited to Messe Berlin, Hall H21, Booth H21-111, for live demonstrations.

At the heart of Aurzen’s showcase are three distinct product families: the hyper-portable ZIP modular ecosystem, the premium audio-integrated BOOM series, and the feature-rich, budget-friendly EAZZE series. Together, they represent Aurzen’s commitment to creating a perfect projection solution for every user, from the digital nomad to the home cinema enthusiast.

The ZIP Family: A Modular Pocket Projection Platform

Aurzen’s flagship ZIP ecosystem redefines on-the-go entertainment with its unique modular design, allowing users to build their perfect portable setup. The complete ZIP ecosystem will be demonstrated for the first time at IFA 2025.

• ZIP Projector: An ultra-compact 720p HD projector with Time-of-Flight autofocus and keystone correction for instant, perfect pop-up screenings anywhere.
• Seamless Streaming & Gaming: The CastPlay-C Dongle provides plug-and-play, DRM-certified streaming from Netflix, Disney+, among others, and mirrors a Nintendo Switch with pass-through charging.
• Project Anywhere: The innovative Suction Cup Mount attaches to any smooth surface, while the Battery Stand extends the runtime and provides stable placement for a truly mobile cinema.
• Instant Screen: The ScreenPlay Portable A3 Display is a lightweight, foldable 16:9 screen that sets up in seconds.

The BOOM Series: Premium Audio Meets Powerful Projection

The BOOM series integrates high-fidelity audio directly into a high-performance projector, eliminating the need for external sound bars.

• BOOM mini: Delivers a cinematic experience with native 1080p resolution, ultra-low 50ms latency for gaming, and powerful built-in 2x10W Dolby Audio speakers. Its transparent back panel puts the powerful speakers on display, offering a visual dimension to the immersive audio experience.
• BOOM air: Features a searchlight-inspired design with 300 ANSI lumens, built-in Google TV, and 10W Dolby Audio. Both models include a 110° gimbal stand for easy, off-center image alignment. BOOM air features a visible speaker in the back.

The EAZZE Series: Feature-Rich Projection Without the Premium Price

Aurzen makes cutting-edge technology accessible to everyone with its EAZZE series. A highlight is the D1R Cube(available Sept. 2025), the world’s first projector with Roku OS, delivering streaming simplicity in a compact form. Other models include the powerful D1 Max (950 ANSI lumens, Google TV) and the entry-level D1G, which packs autofocus and auto-keystone into an affordable package.

• D1 Max (coming Q4 2025): 950 ANSI lumens, native 1080p, 1,500:1 contrast, autofocus & keystone, karaoke-ready mode, 2GB RAM, 16GB memory, Google TV OS, and dual 8W speakers.
• D1R Cube with Roku OS (available September 2025): The Aurzen Roku TV smart projector is the world’s first Roku OS projector. Unique features include an intuitive Roku remote and wireless audio expandability, allowing users to pair Roku Wireless Streambars or Roku Wireless Speakers for cinema-like sound.
• D1G: Built-in Google TV, autofocus, and auto-keystone correction, all at a budget-friendly price.

The three distinct product families—the hyper-portable ZIP, the audio-centric BOOM, and the value-focused EAZZE—are engineered to deliver a specialized experience for every lifestyle and budget. This strategic approach ensures that whether a user prioritizes portability, all-in-one cinematic sound, or accessible smart features, Aurzen has a purpose-built solution.

About Aurzen

Aurzen is a global innovator in smart projection technology, dedicated to creating high-value, user-friendly entertainment solutions for modern lifestyles. Combining cutting-edge optical engineering with intuitive software and user-centric design, Aurzen delivers products that bring big-screen experiences to any space. The company pioneered the world’s first Tri-Fold Truly Portable projector, ZIP, and its designs have been recognized with multiple international awards, including iF Design Award, Red Dot Award, G-Mark Award and IDEA Award.

For more information, visit www.aurzen.com.

Media Contact:
[email protected]

Press Kit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_I9aTGblCyzQXySgSjvz965mTdwNRcqZ?usp=drive_link

SOURCE Aurzen Official

Industrial data fabrics also allow organizations to eradicate the complicated web of point-to-point connections and add context between the OT layer and IT layer. With an industrial data fabric acting as the unifying data and message broker, hyper connectivity can still be established between OT and IT systems across an organization’s geographic and enterprise network. It facilitates the on-premises-to-cloud data flow into a single, encrypted port rather than exposing hundreds of open ports like classical point-to-point protocols do. 

By managing OT data following the fabric paradigm, industry can more easily analyze and secure it at a lower total cost of ownership. Moreover, this approach promotes industry compliance and audit trails, ensuring that sensitive data is safely protected, without silos getting in the way.  

Eliminating data silos and adding context  

Beyond cybersecurity, there are several benefits to eradicating data silos with a fabric-enabled data management strategy.   

In years past, fragmented data management practices not only exacerbated cyber risk, but created data silos across the business. In these cases, data tended to be trapped in smart devices, SCADA systems or distributed control systems (DCS) or shared to the cloud without any context. Different departments or systems were tasked with maintaining their own separate databases, thus creating inefficiencies and hindering collaboration. However, as industry continues to embrace digital transformation and AI, the need for unified data access at any level of the organization is becoming even more important.

Industrial data fabrics allow companies to access important data with connections to devices, sensors, cameras and DCS/SCADA systems, as well as break down data silos among these technologies. By doing this, data is not just accessible across cloud, edge and on-premises environments, it will also have the necessary context.  

What’s more, an advanced industrial data fabric is aware of a data’s source location and associated context, so the challenging, manual step of moving data and applying context afterward is eliminated. For data to be effective across the organization, it’s important to know where it comes from, when it was collected, what sensors it represents and more. 

With the right data management strategy, hyper-connectivity across the organization can be achieved, without maintenance and cybersecurity headaches. As industry continues to take steps toward improving its cybersecurity posture and accelerating digital transformation initiatives, streamlined and centrally managed data paradigms will play an increasingly important role. 

Companies prioritizing data management best practices at the data fabric level will shrink their attack surface and be better equipped to rely on their data to make insight-driven decisions about the business. 

Dr. Nina Schwalb is vice president, Inmation Industrial Data Fabric, at Emerson’s Aspen Technology business. 

​VML UK  have appointed Sanjiv Mistry as executive creative director. Sanjiv will report to chief creative officer Ryan McManus and work across the agency’s diverse client portfolio.

Sanjiv brings nearly two decades of creative leadership experience to VML, having built a distinguished career spanning multiple markets, sectors and disciplines. He previously spent 10 years at McCann London, rising from group head to executive creative director.

At McCann, he led the transformation of its Microsoft division into a creative-centric operation, developing a succession of high-profile campaigns for Xbox, including ‘Survival Billboard’, ‘The Birth of Gaming Tourism’, and the Titanium-winning ‘The Everyday Tactician’. He also created Xbox Design Lab Originals: The Fanchise Model, which won the first-ever Cannes Grand Prix in Commerce, and was celebrated equally for its creativity and effectiveness.

“Sanjiv knows how to make work that people remember and moves the needle for clients. He brings a sharp creative mind, real cultural intuition, and a deep understanding of what makes brands matter. We are super excited to have him on board.” commented Ryan McManus, chief creative officer at VML UK.

Throughout his career, Sanjiv has demonstrated expertise in developing large-scale integrated campaigns that blend traditional advertising with digital innovation. His strategic approach to creative problem-solving and love for brand building have consistently delivered insightful and impactful work that resonates with global audiences.

Sanjiv is one of the most awarded creative leaders in the UK, with over 1,000 international awards. Among these are almost 80 Cannes Lions, 43 D&AD Pencils, and 45 One Show Pencils, including the Penta Pencil for consistent creative excellence. In the 2024 Cannes Creativity Report, he was ranked the No.1 ECD in the UK and No. 5 globally.

“From the moment VML approached, I was in awe of the scale,” said Sanjiv. “Scale of ambition. Scale of capability. Scale of talent. But all of it expressed through groups of smart, funny and thoroughly lovely people. I am so happy to be joining this team, to help add new chapters to the agency’s storied history.”

Sanjiv’s appointment marks the second executive creative director role filled under chief creative officer Ryan McManus’s leadership since he joined the agency in 2024. The hire follows the December 2024 appointment of Juliana Paracencio, who has successfully led creative direction for the Boots and The No.7 Company accounts and contributed to the agency’s celebrated ‘DIY by IKEA’ campaign, which launched earlier this year. These two high-profile appointments within a 12-month period underscore the agency’s dedication to attracting exceptional creative talent and delivering human-first creative solutions for clients.

Samsung may be partly to blame for unleashing the party speaker upon the world — its Giga line launched over a decade ago — but in recent years its entrants to the field have been strangely restrained, with only small light strips along the sides. Not so with its two new Sound Towers, which add LED lights that would be impossible to miss.

The Sound Tower ST50F and ST40F both feature a large LED “racetrack-style” light strip across the front, along with other lights around the tweeters, the edge of the body, the base, and even the underside of the handle. There are six different dynamic lighting patterns, five “mood” presets, and absolutely no accounting for taste.

The ST50F has up to 240W output, 18 hours of battery, and integrated wheels for $699.99. The smaller ST40F is 160W, runs for 12 hours, and isn’t rollable, but costs $499.99.

Tired of the ever-increasing cost of take-away coffee? Good news – right now you can grab the premium Siemens EQ700 fully automatic espresso machine for just £649.99 (was £1,300) at Argos and make as many drinks as you like at home – just use an insulated cup to take them to work, and skip the coffee shop queue in the morning.

Earlier this year I tested this machine’s sibling, the Siemens EQ900 Plus. It’s definitely one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines I’ve used in recent months, and shares a lot of DNA with the EQ700. Both deliver consistently well-extracted coffee, and will brew your favourite drinks with a couple of taps of the colour touchscreen.

There are all the usual hot options (single or double espresso, cappuccino, caffé latte, and more) plus a collection of chilled drinks – and unlike some coffee machines I’ve tested recently, this one doesn’t just ask you to put ice in a cup and then dump a shot of hot espresso over the top.

Instead it actually uses cold water to extract the shot, which produces a smoother, more mellow flavour than brewing hot. I’ve tried it and it’s a very good approximation of traditionally made cold-brewed coffee steeped overnight in the fridge.

Today’s best Siemens EQ700 deal 

Siemens recently got in touch to let me know that the EQ700 is on sale for £799.99 when bought direct from the company website, but as you can see, this deal at Argos is even better. If I didn’t already have an espresso machine I’d be sorely tempted by it, and I’d definitely recommend it to any friends or family members who were considering investing in their first automatic machine.

If you’re looking for something even more affordable, take a look at my roundup of the best budget coffee makers I’ve tested this year, but bear in mind that you won’t find a better automatic at this price.

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September 3, 2025

Groundbreaking MicroLED model is the brightest smartwatch ever made

OLATHE, Kan. (September 3, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) is advancing the future of smartwatch technology with the introduction of fēnix^® 8 Pro series. These premium GPS smartwatches are the first to feature inReach^® technology for satellite and cellular connectivity¹—letting athletes and adventurers leave their phone behind and still stay in touch. Further revolutionizing the smartwatch industry, fēnix 8 Pro – MicroLED introduces a first-of-its-kind, high-resolution MicroLED display for superior readability.

“fēnix 8 Pro is changing the game for smartwatches. This new lineup is full of breakthrough innovations, bringing life-changing inReach technology to the wrist to help keep athletes and adventurers in touch with their family and friends and introducing the first-ever ultra-bright MicroLED display to a smartwatch so users can see their maps, stats, health and wellness metrics and more like never before.”

—Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing

Leave the phone behind and still stay connected

Designed for those pursuits that make it impractical to carry a phone, fēnix 8 Pro has built-in inReach technology for satellite and cellular connectivity¹.

Satellite connectivity

fēnix 8 Pro uses inReach technology to let explorers exchange messages and send location check-ins.

• Text messages: Send and receive text messages with those using the Garmin Messenger^™ app on their smartphone or compatible Garmin smartwatch.
• Location check-ins: Send location updates to family and friends so they can keep track of trip progress.

Cellular connectivity

In addition to sending text messages or providing location check-ins, fēnix 8 Pro can be used to make phone calls, send voice messages, share LiveTrack links and view weather forecasts when connected to the LTE network.

• Voice calls: Make and take voice calls from the watch with other fēnix 8 Pro users or those using the Garmin Messenger app on their smartphone.
• Voice messages: Check in with family and friends by exchanging 30-second voice messages. Recipients can listen to the messages or read the transcriptions on their watch or in the Garmin Messenger app.
• LiveTrack: Friends and family can follow the adventures with LiveTrack location sharing and location check-ins on their smartphone. Users can also alert their friends and family when a LiveTrack session has started, in case they want to follow along or reach out during an activity.
• Weather forecasts: Access current weather conditions and multiday forecasts to stay prepared for what’s ahead.

SOS capability supported by Garmin Response

When an SOS is triggered, fēnix 8 Pro will send a message over satellite or cellular connectivity to the Garmin Response^℠ center, where a dedicated team of skilled emergency response coordinators are ready at any time. From there, Garmin Response will communicate with the user, their listed emergency contacts, search and rescue organizations and other available local resources. They provide updates to users and emergency contacts on the response effort, including confirmation when help is on the way, and remain available as the incident is being resolved. With nearly two decades of experience, the Garmin Response team has supported more than 17,000 inReach incident responses in more than 150 countries on all seven continents.

First-of-its-kind MicroLED display

Offering remarkable brightness in exquisite detail, fēnix 8 Pro – MicroLED features over 400,000 individual LEDs delivering up to 4,500 nits, making it the brightest smartwatch ever. The result is a revolutionary display that produces rich colors and high pixel densities with wide viewing angles and superior readability—even in direct sunlight.

Rugged design, premium features

Made for any adventure, all fēnix 8 Pro models are dive-rated and feature leakproof metal buttons, a metal sensor guard cover, AMOLED or MicroLED touchscreen displays and titanium bezels, plus an LED flashlight for greater visibility in dark environments.

Built for wherever the adventure leads, fēnix 8 Pro is loaded with Garmin’s full suite of performance, navigation, health and wellness², and connected features, including endurance score, hill score, daily suggested workouts, preloaded TopoActive Maps, dynamic round-trip routing, the Garmin ECG App³, sleep coach, Garmin Pay^™, safety and tracking features and more. To learn more, visit www.garmin.com.

fēnix 8 Pro – AMOLED comes in 47mm and 51mm sizes, gets up to 27 days of battery life in smartwatch mode⁴ and starts at $1,199.99. fēnix 8 Pro – MicroLED comes in a 51mm size, gets up to 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and is $1,999.99. Both models are available to purchase on September 8, 2025.

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for adventurers, athletes, off-road explorers, road warriors and outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing products that enhance experiences, enrich lives and help provide peace of mind, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminoutdoor on social, or follow our blog.

¹ Active subscription required; LTE network coverage and satellite connectivity are not available in all countries. Check Garmin.com/fenix8ProCoverage to see which services are accessible in your area — or in countries to where you may be traveling; some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.

² Activity tracking accuracy.

³ The ECG app is only available on select Garmin smartwatches with the latest version of the Garmin Connect smartphone app and watch software. The ECG app is not available in all regions; see Garmin.com/ECG for availability. The ECG app is only intended for adults aged 22 years and over. The ECG app is capable of recording an ECG similar to a Lead I ECG and detecting the presence of atrial fibrillation or normal sinus rhythm.

⁴ Battery life estimate is for the 51mm fēnix 8 Pro – AMOLED

###

About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin, fēnix and inReach are registered trademarks, Garmin Messenger and Garmin Pay are trademarks and Garmin Response is a service mark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983), and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 28, 2025 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 001-41118). Copies of such Form 10-K and Form 10-Q are available at https://www.garmin.com/en-US/investors/sec/. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Stephanie Kelner and Natalie Miller
913-397-8200
media.relations@garmin.com

The application enables you to edit or remove the background of a video to suit your business’s brand. With these features, your videos are made more accessible and captivating, and keep your audience interested in your message. 

In this article, we will discover how CapCut Desktop Video Editor’s background features can help create effective, branded video campaigns that make an impact.

Why Background Tools are Important in Branded Video Campaigns

Backgrounds for videos play a major role in shaping a brand’s tone and look. A clean and static background does serve to uphold the focus on the message. It also makes your videos look professional. 

A cluttered or empty background, however, takes away from your branded narrative. For example, if an advertiser’s campaign video has a messy room or various items in the background behind the subject, the audience may be distracted and lose the focal message. It waters down the brand impact.

CapCut Desktop Video Editor has smart background tools to overcome that. You can utilize the background remover tool to erase unwanted regions of a video. You can use this tool to add backgrounds that match your brand’s color or tone. These kinds of tools help you to create amazing videos and build a robust brand image.

Most Important Background Tools in CapCut Desktop Video Editor for Branding

CapCut Desktop Video Editor contains a number of background tools that aid in developing strong branded videos. First, the background removal and exchange feature enables you to eliminate unwanted parts of your video. This helps to isolate the subject and add backgrounds that are suitable for your brand color or theme.

You can even upload your own personal background in the video editor. This enables you to use your corporate photos, logos, or even videos as a background. This helps keep your brand consistent across all your campaign videos.

Another feature that is helpful is background blur and effects. These enable you to draw attention to the star subject by blurring the background. The addition of these effects makes your videos look professional and polished.

Note that CapCut Desktop is not fully free. Some advanced features, including some background effects, are paid for. Download the CapCut Desktop Video Editor from the official website to get the most secure and latest version.

In summary, CapCut Desktop Video Editor is a robust software meant for creators and marketers. It offers easy ways of video making that look professional and communicate your brand effectively.

Advantages of Utilizing CapCut Desktop Background Tools in Branded Campaigns

Utilizing background tools in CapCut Desktop Video Editor helps to expedite the video-making process. It is achievable to edit backgrounds within minutes without inhibiting your production. It is cost-effective since you don’t need a professional studio or costly equipment.

These tools also make your story look better. Syncing backgrounds with your brand, your videos are professional-looking and clean. The user-friendly interface ensures that the software is perfect for content creators and marketers who are not video professionals.

CapCut Desktop utilizes smart AI features that allow it to be a breeze to carry out activities like background removals. The AI background generator helps in the process of creating unique backgrounds within a short time, which ideally fit your brand’s look.

Keep in mind that most features are available for free, but there are more premium features with a paid version. Nevertheless, CapCut Desktop Video Editor offers a strong set of features to help you produce professional-level and engaging branded videos.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Branded Videos Utilizing Background Tools in CapCut Desktop

Step 1: Download and Install CapCut Desktop

New techniques have been developed within the Tycoon phishing kit to hide malicious links in email attacks, researchers from Barracuda have warned.

The use of URL encoding, among other new techniques, are designed to better obscure, muddle and disrupt the structure of malicious links.

“This is intended to confuse automated detection systems and ensure the links aren’t blocked,” the researchers noted.

Tycoon’s evolution comes in response to improved capabilities of email security tools to detect and block dangerous links, Barracuda added in the report, published on September 3.

“Attackers are constantly inventing new and more sophisticated ways to disguise dangerous links in phishing emails. They use tricks with spaces, symbols and web addresses in a way that looks trustworthy at first glance. These methods make it much harder for people – and traditional security software – to tell if they are being lured to a risky website,” the researchers commented.

Tycoon is a Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) platform available for cybercriminals to hire on the dark web. It offers advanced capabilities, including tools to bypass detection and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Read now: Tycoon 2FA Phishing Kit Upgraded to Bypass Security Measures

New Link Obfuscation Capabilities

URL Encoding

The Barracuda researchers observed new URL encoding techniques in phishing emails masquerading as voicemail messages from a trusted accounting service.

The URL encoding used in the fake voicemail link inserted a series of invisible spaces into the web address, using the code ‘%20’. This is designed to push the malicious part of the link out of sight of security scans.

It also added odd characters, including a Unicode symbol that looks like a dot but isn’t one.

Additionally, a hidden email address or special code was observed being included at the end of the web address.

“By using unexpected and unusual codes and symbols and making the visible web address look less suspicious and more like a normal website, the encoding technique is designed to trick security systems and make it harder for recipients and traditional filters to recognize the threat,” the researchers wrote.

The Tycoon attacks also include a fake CAPTCHA verification stage before redirecting the victim to the attacker-controlled website. This is designed to make the website appear more legitimate and bypass basic security checks.

Redundant Protocol Prefix Technique

Tycoon phishing attacks also utilized the Redundant Protocol Prefix technique, which involves crafting a URL that is only partially hyperlinked or contains invalid elements.

Examples include ‘https’ or no ‘//’ in the link.

This approach aims to hide the real destination of the link while ensuring the active part looks benign and legitimate and doesn’t arouse suspicion among targets or their browser controls.

Another approach is using the ‘@’ symbol in a web address. This is because everything before the ‘@’ is treated as ‘user info’ by browsers, therefore the attackers put something that looks reputable and trustworthy in this part, such as ‘office365’.

The link’s actual destination comes after the ‘@’ symbol.

Subdomain Abuse

Another approach used to obfuscate malicious links in Tycoon attacks again involved a benign/malicious split, this time for subdomains.

The attackers created fake websites using names seemingly linked to well-known companies, such as ‘office365Scaffidips.azgcvhzauig.es.’

This makes the user think it is dealing with a Microsoft subdomain, but the last part of the web address is an attacker-owned phishing site.

Game developers in Southeast Asia and beyond have rallied together in support of Palestine with the launch of a new charity bundle that is attempting to raise $200,000 for people in the region who are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. 

The Play for Peace—Games for Palestine 2025 Charity Bundle will run for 20 days on Itch.io and has already raised over $12,000 despite costing just $8. 

It contains 382 titles including Coffee Talk, Lucifer Within Us, VVVVVV, Bonfire Peaks, Gunhouse, Electric Zine Maker, Everything is Going to be Okay, Atuel, Roto Force, and many more. 

All funds will be donated to UNRWA USA, a non-profit dedicated to lifting up the “voices, experiences, and humanity of Palestine refugees to secure American support for resources essential to every human being, for the promise of a better life.” 

The bundle was organized by SE Asian Games for Good, which describes itself as a community-powered initiative focused on bringing people together to support and help those in need. Although the Play for Peace campaign began in Southeast Asia, organizers welcomed content and games from people across the world.

“Thanks to all the incredible devs who contributed their games to this bundle, we have 382 amazing games, from cozy narrative sims, to meditative adventures, to action games, visual novel tools, experimental sims, an RPG about being a cow, to tabletop experiences about everything from the occult, to journaling of self-discovery, and so much more,” said the Play for Peace organizing committee.

Related:Wartorn developer Stray Kite shows how small studios can chase big ideas in a turbulent 2025

“All of it represents the creative expression of artists and developers who want to help raise money through their art for one of the most important causes of our time—freedom and the ending of genocide in Palestine.”

SE Asian Games for Good explained the bundle was curated by a cohort of volunteers who worked diligently to ensure each title is free from harmful and illegal content. It said the entire campaign has been in the works for over 10 months and thanked everyone involved for their unwavering support.