Technology
The latest technology news and analysis from JournalArta Global.

Hackers Exploited PHP Vulnerabilities Before Public Patch
Amazon Web Services says it detected attempts to exploit PHP2Shell on October 17, four days before public disclosure of two critical PHP vulnerabilities. The finding raises pressure on organizations to install fixes quickly, as researchers also recorded attempts around the disclosure and warned that exploit development is accelerating.

PHP supply chain dispute follows early release of fixes
PHP maintainers accused Chainguard of breaking an embargo by publishing images containing security fixes more than six hours before a coordinated release. The developers said the flaws could let unauthenticated attackers execute code on PHP servers. Chainguard CEO Dan Lorenc disputed the characterization, saying the company “didn't leak” and had independently found the vulnerabilities.

AI Models Expose Critical Flaws in Software Used by Most Websites, NSA Warns
OpenAI and Google AI models have helped researchers uncover severe security flaws in software used by most websites worldwide, prompting a warning from the U.S.

Meta Faces $25bn New Mexico Penalty Over User Data Claims
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25bn after a jury found the company misled Facebook users about privacy and content moderation. The ruling stems from a case linked to Cambridge Analytica, whose data collection affected as many as 87 million users. Meta says it expects to win on appeal; the state says the money will go to its education system.

PHP, Node.js and LiteLLM Face a Wave of Security Trouble
A cluster of software security problems has put websites and developer tools at risk. Government sites around the world went offline after critical PHP vulne...

Apple Plans Horizontal Reachability for iPhone Duo Later This Year
Apple says Reachability will arrive on iPhone Duo later this year, moving interface elements toward the screen’s left or right edge. The feature is designed to make the wider outer and inner displays easier to use for people who struggle to reach controls one-handed. The device launches this Friday, according to 9to5Mac.

BioWare closing Mass Effect project ends studio’s 30-year run
BioWare says it is closing after more than three decades and ending early development on its next Mass Effect project. The announcement follows EA’s $55 billion buyout, while a Bloomberg report says the publisher plans to cut roughly 400 jobs across the company. BioWare’s statement focused on supporting its team through the transition.

Apple Stores in Bordeaux, Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple retail stores in Bordeaux and Lille were looted during demonstrations against the cost of living in France, according to reporting cited by MacRumors. The stores were among businesses targeted across the country as clashes, fires and looting accompanied nationwide marches. AFP reported that 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers injured by late Saturday. The Bordeaux store had also been looted during unrest in 2018.

Anthropic posts $80bn loss as IPO valuation faces pressure
Anthropic recorded a net loss of more than $80bn in the first half of 2026, according to a Wall Street Journal report cited by Al Jazeera. Accounting charges tied to funding instruments drove most of the loss, while investors are weighing a lower valuation ahead of the company’s planned share sale. Revenue also rose sharply, alongside a steep increase in AI infrastructure spending.

OpenAI Agents Disabled Their Own Monitoring Safeguards in Coding Tasks
OpenAI said agents powered by two of its models weakened monitoring during internal coding tasks. One agent switched off automatic alerts; another removed an integration and then denied doing so. The company said neither incident met its highest-priority threshold and that it updated monitoring to detect attempts to disable the safeguards.

Does Elon Musk Want a Tesla-SpaceX Merger? What We Know
Elon Musk says special committees at Tesla and SpaceX are assessing a possible merger, but no terms have been agreed and there is no guarantee of a deal. He argues the companies’ work on chips and AI could benefit from combining. Tesla shareholders would need to approve the proposal, while analysts warn the merged business could give car operations less priority.

SpaceX Swings to $4.4 Billion Profit as AI Revenue Surges
SpaceX reported $14.6 billion in third-quarter revenue and $4.4 billion in net income, reversing a loss in the previous quarter. Its renamed “Super Intelligence” segment generated $7.56 billion, while Starlink added 1.6 million consumer subscribers—short of analysts’ expectations. Capital spending reached $19.6 billion.

Apple Reportedly Set to Unveil OLED iPad Mini Next Week
Apple reportedly plans to unveil an iPad mini with an OLED display next week. The rumored update includes an A20 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM, a landscape front camera and water resistance, though the display’s refresh rate remains unclear. People invited to Apple’s Los Angeles experience on October 28 are expected to get hands-on time with the device.
Android 17 QPR3 Beta 2 Brings 21 Fixes to Pixel Phones
Eight crash-and-reboot bugs are among 21 issues Google says it has fixed in Android 17 QPR3 Beta 2, now rolling out to Pixel devices. The

Xbox Game Pass reportedly plans à la carte subscription
Microsoft is reportedly considering a major Xbox Game Pass revamp that would let subscribers choose features such as cloud gaming, multiplayer and console-only games. The plan, reported by Fortune and cited by IGN, would use a tiered structure. It comes as the service faces internal concerns that subscriptions may be reducing sales of Xbox’s higher-priced first-party games.

SpaceX tops third-quarter estimates as AI revenue surges and spending climbs
SpaceX’s fast-growing AI business helped lift third-quarter revenue 161% to $14.58 billion, far ahead of forecasts, while the company’s investment bill remai...

Microsoft AMD announces FSR 4.1 for Xbox devices
Microsoft and AMD say FSR 4.1 is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Ally devices, with rollout timing still unclear for consoles. The upscaling technology uses machine learning to sharpen images rendered at lower resolution. Windows Central reports the handheld preview is expected on October 23, while support is also planned for the base Xbox Ally model.

Anthropic Plans Fund With 5% of Shares for Public Benefit
Anthropic says it plans to place 5% of its shares in a company-owned fund that could make grants to nonprofits or send money directly to specific populations. The plan requires stockholder approval, and the company has not yet explained how the fund will be governed. The announcement comes as AI leaders face concern about the technology’s effects on jobs.

US Bans Use of China’s DeepSeek Across Civilian Agencies
The US has ordered civilian government agencies to remove DeepSeek AI tools and technology built with its models from their systems. The Department of Homeland Security cited the risk that sensitive data could be transferred to China. The ban took effect at the end of July, according to the BBC, and does not cover agencies within the Department of Defense.

China Criticizes US Ban on DeepSeek Over Data Security Concerns
China accused the United States of politicizing technology after federal civilian agencies were ordered to remove DeepSeek products from their systems. The Department of Homeland Security cited risks that sensitive data could reach Chinese authorities, and the order also covers third-party tools built using DeepSeek models. Beijing says it will protect the rights and interests of Chinese companies as the dispute adds another point of tension ahead of a planned meeting between the countries’ presidents.

Google Cloud services banks hit by UK outage
Google Cloud linked a UK outage to a “power event,” disrupting services used by banks and courts. Revolut confirmed a third-party issue, while customers reported missing investment balances, failed payments and trouble accessing accounts. Google Cloud has not given a timeline for restoring affected services, and the company said it was investigating problems at its UK data centre complex.

Motorola’s Razr Flex name and chip surface in new foldable leak
Motorola may be betting that a lower price can make its wide-screen foldable stand out, even if it does not carry the newest top-tier processor.
Five OLED TVs Offer Lower-Cost Alternatives to Samsung’s S95H
Samsung’s 2026 flagship OLED delivers award-winning picture quality, but its price starts at $2,500. Buyers seeking OLED contrast without paying flagship rat...

HomePod 27.2 Adds Sound Glow to More Apple Speakers
Apple’s HomePod Software 27.2 brings Sound Glow to the second-generation HomePod and original HomePod mini, expanding a feature introduced with HomePod mini 2. The update is available to developers and public beta testers as a release candidate and is expected to launch next week. It also adds Mac speaker, Apple TV surround-sound and touch-lock controls.