A long-running study suggests that the MIND diet may be linked to slower structural brain changes that often accompany aging. New research published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry suggests that the MIND diet, a blend of the Mediterranean diet and a blood pressure-lowering eating plan, may help slow structural changes in the […]
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Cancer’s strongest gene switches push DNA into damaging overdrive, creating repeated breaks and repairs that may fuel tumor evolution while exposing possible therapeutic weak spots. A new study indicates that cancer can harm its own genetic material by forcing critical genes to work at unusually high levels. Scientists discovered that some of the strongest genetic […]
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Healthy daily habits may do more than support physical health, they may also help the mind stay adaptable when stress strikes. Do you ever feel mentally stuck when stress hits, as if you cannot handle what is happening? New research from Binghamton University suggests that simple habits such as eating a healthy breakfast, exercising, and […]
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In the popular 2023 Korean movie, Unlocked a woman’s life is turned upside down when a stranger finds her lost smartphone, installs spyware, and uses all her personal information to commit a series of crimes, ruining her social, professional, and personal life. The suspenseful tech-thriller plot, has a relevant cautionary tale about smartphone security. The movie is an eye opener to what can happen when you fall prey to cybercrime.
Curiosity and urgency are among the main reasons one falls prey to cyber crime. Another reason cyber crime is on the rise is due to under reporting, especially when women are victims, they are overwhelmed with guilt and self-blame.
To mark International Women’s Month, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) conducted a cyber hygiene workshop for women journalists under the theme #OnlineButUnafraid. The workshop aimed at empowering media professionals with awareness and practical knowledge to navigate the digital space safely and confidently.
The motive was to carry forward the message to women folk, with practical tips. The initiative under the #OnlineButUnafraid campaign is TGCSB’s effort to promote a culture of digital confidence, responsible online behaviour, and proactive cyber safety practices, especially among women and professionals.
Women fall prey to three categories of cybercrimes — cyber stalking, online harassment and sextortion. And the only way to curb these crimes is by reporting at the earliest.
So, while women are good at screenshotting images of bags, clothes or shoes, it is essential to be proactive and take screenshots of cybercrime attempts. The more the evidence, the better the chance of nabbing the perpetrator at the earliest. The team at TGCSB stressed the importance of preserving evidence.
Shikha Goel, lPS, director, TGCSB said, “Our aim is to make women worry less about their social media presence. Fear and shying away from being online is not the solution; being aware and vigilant is. This workshop goes beyond having strong passwords and changing them frequently.”
She also stressed on the importance of ‘the golden hour’ where one reports suspicious moves or crime at the earliest. In case of financial crimes, the chances of blocking fund transfers and recovering stolen money increases drastically when a crime is reported immediately. Citizens can report through official channels, including the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and the online portal cybercrime.gov.in.
Shikha also mentioned that while cyber crimes against women in India showed a 25% increase, the rate of cyber crimes in Telangana declined by 3% in 2025. A total of 86,177 FIRs were filed in Telangana in 2025, and 21,639 of these were related to cyber crime.
The awareness workshop was led by Sunny NV, CEO, Vatins, an IT security service which works closely with Telangana Police. Sunny presented tips for cyber hygiene, emerging cyber threats, and practical safety measures. These included tips on keeping your digital footprint low, shifting to WPA3 (secure Wi-Fi standard) from basic home network configuration and understanding the seven layers of cyber security — networks, applications, cloud, email/social media/messaging, endpoints, human layer and finally compliance — around which our data revolves.
Strong, unique passwords for every application: A combination of alphabets, numbers and special characters. Change passwords at least once in a few months.
Enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication for WhatsApp, social media and cloud accounts. Enable fingerprint or face recognition unlocking wherever applicable.
Ensure Wi-Fi routers are secured with strong passwords and WPA2/WPA3 encryption.
Change username and passwords of CCTV cameras at home or office after installing.
To report cyber crime, call 1930 or check cybercrime.gov.in
The team presented real-life case studies to stress the need to conduct timely online checks to spot fake social media profiles, and highlighted how cybercriminals exploit trust, identity and digital behaviour. “Never be in a hurry to respond to anyone, even a friend asking for money. It is possible that their ID has been hacked. Similarly, do not be in a rush to click any link or scan a QR code to accept money. Double check the website and the URL. If it redirects to another link, then is the time to grow suspicious,” added Sunny.
The workshop also sensitised women on recognising early warning signs during online interactions, securing personal and professional digital presence, handling online abuse, and responding effectively to cyber incidents.
B Shivadhar Reddy, lPS, Director General of Police, Telangana, highlighted the growing scale and impact of cyber crimes and stressed the need for collective vigilance and proactive reporting. He encouraged women in media to not only safeguard themselves, but use their platforms to educate citizens about cyber safety and responsible digital behaviour.
Published – March 19, 2026 03:17 pm IST
OnePlus launches Nord Buds 4 Pro with spatial audio and ANC
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
OnePlus on Thursday (March 19, 2026) launched the new wireless earbuds, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro, in India. The Nord Buds 4 Pro comes with spatial audio and real-time active noise cancellation (ANC) and claims to block up to 55 decibels of noise.
OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro also supports slide controls for volume. Users can also tap any bud to start a playlist instantly with Spotify Tap, double tap to take a photo and a tap to start AI assistant.
OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro feature titanium coated drivers, and features six microphones, three in each Bud. Each bud weighs around 4 grams and carries an IP55 rating.
It supports LHDC 5.0 for high definition music, Bluetooth 6.0 and above. Pairing can also be done via Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair.
OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro claims up to 55 hours without a charge with ANC switched off and volume set at 50%, while a ten minutes charge claims five hours of listening. The case offers thirteen hours battery backup.
Users with OnePlus devices running OxygenOS 15.0.1 or later can also use the HeyMelody app for real time translation between languages such as English, Hindi, Spanish and French.
OnePlus Nord Buds 4 will go on sale starting March 23, priced at ₹3,999, across OnePlus, OnePlus Store App, OnePlus Experience Stores, Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra.
Published – March 19, 2026 02:00 pm IST
Realme launches P4 Lite 5G smartphone with 7,000 mAh battery
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Realme on Thursday (March 19, 2026) launched the new P4 Lite 5G smartphone in India for the budget segment buyers. The new budget segment phone bears military-grade durability, and IP64 dust and spalsh resistance.
The new Realme P4 Lite 5G has a 6.7 inch display with up to a 144 Hz refresh rate, 900 nits peak brightness. Realme P4 Lite 5G ships 7,000 mAh battery.
Realme has used MediaTek Dimensity 6300 5G chipset in the P4 Lite 5G with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage.
Realme P4 Lite 5G sports a 13 MP rear camera, and dual view video for simultaneous front and rear recording.
Realme P4 Lite 5G will sell in Mosaic Green and Mosaic Blue colour options, and will be available on Realme, Flipkart, and across retail stores from March 25.
Realme P4 Lite 5G starts at ₹12,999 for the 4GB and 64GB variant.
Published – March 19, 2026 12:34 pm IST
The process of building technology, for the past few decades, was defined by rigid assembly lines. A product manager wrote the specs. A designer created the visuals. A front-end engineer built the interface. And a back-end developer handled the data. Everyone was focused on their task or function within the larger organisation, sticking to their lanes. Erran Berger, the Vice President of Product Engineering at LinkedIn, thinks that type of division of labour is rapidly disappearing, a prediction that could unsettle traditionalists in the software world.
Sitting on the executive team of the world’s largest professional network, Mr. Berger is observing a fundamental shift in how work gets done, not just within LinkedIn’s own walls, but across the 1.3 billion members that make up the platform’s “Economic Graph.” His central thesis is that the future belongs not to the hyper-specialist, but to the individual who can take an idea from concept to launch entirely on their own, aided by a suite of artificial intelligence tools — he calls this breed the “Full Stack Builder.”
When Mr. Berger joined the platform in 2009, it was essentially a digital rolodex for resumes. Now, those behind the platform are performing multi-speciality tasks. Product managers are writing code. Engineers are generating design concepts. As a result, the gap between having an idea and shipping a product is closing fast.
This creates a paradox that Mr. Berger is keen to navigate: if AI can generate code and design interfaces, what happens to the craft? He insists that the “maestro” is still essential. Just because a machine can generate code doesn’t mean it is secure, maintainable, or efficient enough to load quickly in low-bandwidth markets like India. The role of the human shifts from labourer to editor, from creator to curator. The domain expertise remains vital, but the capacity to execute expands dramatically.
This philosophy extends beyond engineering and into the very heart of LinkedIn’s business model: recruiting.
For years, the recruitment industry has been bogged down by what Mr. Berger calls “toil.” Recruiters spend vast majority of their days staring at search bars, filtering lists, and sending generic outreach messages. It is repetitive, low-value work that burns people out. Mr. Berger’s strategy is to hand this entire stack of drudgery over to AI.
His team has rolled out tools that assist recruiters with automated hiring support. Disputing the idea that such automation removes the human element from recruiting, Mr. Berger argues it makes the hiring process more human. By removing the search process, recruiters are freed to showcase their company’s vision, assess cultural fit, and build relationships with potential hires.
In Mr. Berger’s view, judgment and creativity will be the last bastions of human exclusivity. An algorithm can match keywords to a resume, but it cannot determine if a candidate has the grit to survive a pivot or the empathy to lead a team. This exclusivity, if it pans out as Mr. Berger predicts, will transition a recruiter into a talent agent and a brand ambassador.
For this ecosystem to work, the workforce itself must adapt. Mr. Berger noted that the anxiety in the market is palpable. Professionals are confused about which skills matter when the ground is shifting beneath them. The old static profile of a list of universities attended and job titles held is fast becoming insufficient or incomplete.
LinkedIn’s own data suggests that the skills required for jobs are changing by double-digit percentage points annually. In response, the platform is evolving from a resume repository into a dynamic verification system. It is no longer enough to claim you can code; you link to your GitHub repository. It is no longer enough to say you are a designer; you link your portfolio. The platform is betting that in an age of AI-generated noise, proven capability will command a premium.
When asked how a professional survives in this volatile environment, Mr. Berger’s advice is strikingly analog: curiosity. He draws a parallel to the engineers who have survived the industry’s previous seismic shifts when the platform shifted from desktop to web and from on-premise servers to the cloud. The survivors were never the ones who clung to the old ways, but the ones who jumped headfirst into the new paradigm.
Mr. Berger sees the current AI revolution as a tool kit to be mastered, and not a wave to be ridden on. This revolution is specialisation agnostic so whether you are an accountant or a software engineer, it will dynamically change the way work gets done in any organisation.
Published – March 19, 2026 08:01 am IST
File photo of a man checking Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro in China
A newly identified set of iOS vulnerabilities is at the centre of a sophisticated attack method known as “DarkSword,” according to a new research by Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, along with cybersecurity firms Lookout and iVerify. Their findings show how multiple flaws in Apple’s mobile operating system can be linked together to quietly break through the iPhone’s security layers.
While this attack potentially affects iOS 18 version users, an extremely large pool, the research points out that it was actively used against iPhone users in four countries: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Turkey, Malaysia and Ukraine.
At its core, DarkSword is what researchers describe as an exploit chain. In simple terms, that means attackers don’t rely on a single bug but instead combine several weaknesses, using one to unlock the next, until they gain deeper access to the device. This layered approach is what makes the technique both powerful and difficult to detect.
The research points to the use of previously unknown vulnerabilities, often called zero-days, which are security flaws that developers have not yet fixed because they are not publicly known. By chaining these together, attackers are able to move from limited access to full control of the system, including sensitive parts of the operating system that are normally locked down.
What stands out in this case is how the attack is delivered. Instead of requiring users to install malicious apps, the DarkSword chain can be triggered through compromised websites. Visiting one of these pages is enough to start the process in the background, with no obvious warning to the user. This method, sometimes referred to as a watering hole attack, works by infecting sites that targets are likely to visit.
Once the chain is successfully executed, the attackers can run what is essentially spyware. This allows them to extract data from the device, monitor activity, and access private information. In some cases, the malicious code does not remain on the phone after a reboot, which makes forensic analysis and detection much harder.
The report suggests that tools like DarkSword are no longer confined to highly targeted espionage operations. While such exploit chains were once associated mainly with government-backed actors, researchers are now seeing signs that similar capabilities are spreading more widely. This raises concerns about how quickly advanced techniques can move beyond niche use and into broader circulation.
Another notable aspect of the research is the indication that parts of the exploit framework may have been exposed online. If confirmed, that could lower the barrier for other groups to replicate or adapt the method, accelerating its use across different campaigns.
The findings underline a broader shift in mobile security. As smartphone defences have improved, attackers have responded by building more complex, multi-step intrusion methods. Each individual flaw might seem minor on its own, but when combined, they can undermine even tightly controlled systems.
Researchers say the vulnerabilities used in the DarkSword chain have since been addressed in newer iOS updates. Apple’s recent iOS 26.3.1 was released earlier this month. For users who cannot immediately update their devices, the researchers suggest enabling “Lockdown Mode,” which is a hardened security feature designed to reduce the attack surface by limiting certain functionalities that attackers often exploit. Even so, the episode highlights how critical timely updates remain, especially as attack techniques continue to evolve in both scale and sophistication.
Published – March 19, 2026 11:58 am IST
Research Highlights Fat stored around the waist, often called belly fat or visceral fat, showed a much stronger link to heart failure risk than body mass index (BMI), making waist size a more revealing measure of risk. Inflammation throughout the body emerged as a major factor connecting abdominal fat to heart failure, accounting for roughly […]
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A new study reveals how aging changes the biological behavior of lung cancer. Scientists at the University of Gothenburg have identified a protein that may increase the risk of lung cancer spreading and returning after treatment. Their findings suggest a possible path toward more targeted therapies, especially for older patients. Lung cancer is most common […]
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