Photo by Mahtab Mashuq on Unsplash

Sony Launches New PlayStation 5 Pro for $700

• Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Sony announced a new console, the PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro), with better graphics and new features for $699. Pre-orders will be available starting September 26th directly from PlayStation and other retailers on October 10th.

“I’m incredibly proud to announce the next step in that evolution and welcome PlayStation 5 Pro to the PlayStation family – our most advanced and innovative console hardware to date,” wrote Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Platform Business Group.

Keeping creators and players in mind, the PlayStation team developed a new product with key performance features. Among the main upgrades, the company highlighted an enhanced GPU with “67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory.” Players can expect a faster and smoother device than previous versions. Players can expect more realistic images with better lighting and more accurate visual experiences as it also includes more powerful ray tracing, casting rays up to three times faster than the PS5.

PlayStation also introduces AI-powered features on its PS5 Pro, with the new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, a new feature that will help refine images adding more clarity and “an extraordinary amount of detail.”

The company also announced that several games like Assassin’s Creed: Shadows , Hogwarts Legacy , Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth , Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 , Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart , and The Last of Us Part II Remastered , will get free software updates to adapt to the new PS5 Pro features.

The news has been shared on social media by PlayStation and other users. However, many users on X have complained about the price—40% more than the regular PS5— and the fact that the new console does not include a disk drive.

The journey continues with PlayStation 5 Pro. ⚬ Larger GPU ⚬ Advanced ray tracing ⚬ AI-Driven upscaling ⚬ PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution Full details: https://t.co/TzMEbfbaH8 pic.twitter.com/kXu69olPNZ — PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 10, 2024

“At £700?? For a console with no new games or disc drive? Did you get the Concord PR team to write this statement?!,” wrote one user on X referring to the online shooter game recently launched and taken offline just two weeks after its release. “Very cool but no disk drive. This makes it immediately a no-go,” wrote another.

Image from Freepik

Cyberattack Forces South London School Closure

• Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

A high school in South London has announced its closure for the first half of this week due to a ransomware attack, leaving approximately 1,300 students home, as reported by The Record (TR).

The school will remain closed from 9 to 11 September, giving staff time to cleanse affected devices and prepare for the safe resumption of classes.

The ransomware attack was first detected last week when staff noticed unusual activity on the school’s IT systems, as reported by gbhackers . In response, the school’s headteacher, Aston Smith, sent a letter to parents and guardians last Friday, outlining the situation.

The letter confirms that the school has fallen victim to a cyber-attack, though the extent of the data breach remains unclear. There is a possibility that all information held by the school may have been compromised. A cybersecurity company has been brought in to investigate the incident, but it could take up to three weeks before the systems are fully restored.

In the meantime, parents are urged to be vigilant against suspicious emails. All students’ accounts have been disabled as a precaution, but communications with teachers will continue through alternative platforms.

Ransomware attacks targeting educational institutions have become increasingly common worldwide. Schools are often vulnerable due to outdated security measures and limited cybersecurity resources, as highlighted by Cybersecurity News .

The 2024 State of Ransomware in Education report by ThreatDown noted a 92% spike in attacks, especially on K-12 institutions, posing a significant risk to educational activities.

Halcyon notes that ransomware groups target the education sector due to its vulnerabilities, especially in underfunded schools. These institutions often rely on outdated security solutions, which are ineffective against modern ransomware tactics.

Even with improved tools, many schools struggle to manage them due to a shortage of cybersecurity professionals, leaving them exposed to attacks, as noted by Halcyon.

Halcyon further states that the impact of these breaches extends beyond disruption, with stolen student and staff data leading to long-term risks like identity theft.

Many ransomware groups use a dual-extortion model, leveraging stolen data to pressure schools into paying ransoms. Schools, already constrained by limited budgets, are ill-equipped to handle such complex threats, notes Halcyon.

Halcyon suggests that to combat this, there must be increased investment in advanced security technologies and the recruitment of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Without these resources, schools will remain vulnerable to sophisticated ransomware operations, threatening both their operations and the personal security of students and staff.

This attack on the South London school mirrors similar incidents that have recently affected major London public institutions like the NHS and Transport For London . The rise in cyber-attacks on educational and public sector organizations underscores the need for stronger cybersecurity defenses.