Techbest – Top Tech Reviews In Australia
The best in Australian gadgets and technology
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The popular JavaScript library Axios, which achieves an impressive 300 million weekly downloads, has become the latest victim of a complex supply chain attack. This incident has raised concerns within the developer community and highlighted the weaknesses present in software supply chains.
The attack initiated with the hijacking of the npm account belonging to Axios’s main maintainer, Jason Saayman. The attacker altered the account email to an anonymous ProtonMail address, disseminating the harmful package through npm’s command-line interface, evading GitHub’s continuous integration processes.
Security firm Socket identified a harmful dependency, plain-crypto-js@4.2.1, while the attacker methodically orchestrated the breach over an 18-hour span, first publishing a legitimate version to build trust.
The malicious payload targets various platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, to introduce a remote access Trojan (RAT). The sophisticated attack employs obfuscation and anti-analysis methods, offering robust RAT functionalities.
Developers utilizing Axios are encouraged to promptly secure their projects by locking to safe version axios@1.14.0 or axios@0.30.3 to avert any possible breach. Additionally, tracking network logs for any activity connecting to the C2 server at sfrclak.com or the IP address 142.11.206.73 can aid in identifying intrusions.
While the individuals behind the breach remain unknown, the lack of evidence for cryptocurrency mining or ransomware points to an intention beyond financial profit. The assault seems to be an intelligence-gathering initiative, potentially linked to an advanced persistent threat (APT) group.
The Axios npm library, essential for many developers, has experienced a serious supply chain breach that threatens numerous systems around the world. Maintaining vigilance and following recommended security practices are imperative to counteract this risk.
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The eagerly awaited Hatching-tide event makes its return to Final Fantasy XIV Online (FFXIV Online) for 2026, welcoming players globally to partake in the Easter celebrations. Regardless of whether you’re enjoying the emergence of spring or the cool winds of autumn, FFXIV Online ensures a delightful celebration for all regions.
The Hatching-tide event is presently active and will finish on April 7 at 12:59 AEST. Remember this important date, especially if you reside in an AEDT region, since daylight saving time will conclude shortly. If you miss this window, you may need to wait for the potential reappearance of items on the Mog Station.
To join in on the celebration, players need to be a minimum of level 15. Visit the Mih Khetto Amphitheatre in Old Gridania and converse with the Stylish Dreamer to kick off the quest called “Of Weeds and Whimsy.” This quest opens the door to exclusive event activities.
The 2026 Hatching-tide brings a fresh mini-game that players are sure to enjoy. Armed with a garden scythe, players will clear weeds to discover hidden eggs. This challenge can be approached in two different ways: trading eggs for rewards or striving for high scores.
This year’s rewards take inspiration from spring themes, providing players with a selection of cosmetic and housing goodies. Look forward to egg basket decorations, egg and blossom-themed eyewear, and past event artwork. Additionally, players can now equip multiple pairs of the themed eyewear at once, allowing for inventive glamour combinations.
As with all seasonal events in FFXIV Online, Hatching-tide is temporary. Make sure to start the quest by April 7, gather sufficient eggs, and claim your prizes before the event wraps up. After it’s finished, acquiring these items might necessitate waiting for a Mog Station release.
FFXIV Online’s Hatching-tide 2026 features an Easter celebration with a new mini-game and a range of themed rewards. Players must fulfill the level requirement and complete event tasks prior to the April 7 deadline to obtain exclusive items.
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The new hub is conveniently located at the corner of Airport Drive and Francis Briggs Road, a key junction for commute traffic. With 24 charging spaces, it features a blend of 150kW and 300kW chargers, addressing the needs for both rapid and ultra-rapid charging. This is vital for airport patrons who often have time constraints.
This venture meets the rising demand for EV facilities as a growing number of Australians shift to electric vehicles. By introducing a substantial number of charging stations in one location, it alleviates range anxiety for drivers traveling from rural regions to Melbourne’s central aviation center.
The hub prioritizes user convenience, featuring a spacious canopy for weather protection. It also includes accessible charging spaces and drive-through options for larger vehicles, ensuring usability for all drivers.
This initiative is a partnership between Melbourne Airport and bp pulse. The hub will utilize renewable energy generated from the airport’s solar farms, employing smart grid technology to guarantee effective power management even during peak periods.
<p Ride-share and taxi operators, who frequently serve the airport, will take advantage of the ultra-rapid charging facilities. The hub also supports the transition of commercial vehicle fleets to electric, aiding the Victorian Government’s zero-emission objectives.
Costs will be managed by bp pulse and are anticipated to be competitive with other ultra-rapid charging locations. The hub will be operational 24/7, allowing users to start charging via the bp pulse app or using tap-and-go credit card terminals.
The hub supports Melbourne Airport’s sustainability goals, targeting net zero emissions by 2025. It also enhances local air quality by minimizing the idle time of traditional combustion engines.
Melbourne Airport is setting a benchmark that may inspire other airports across Australia. As airports transform into energy and transportation centers, the integration of robust EV charging infrastructure is likely to become the norm.
The new EV charging hub at Melbourne Airport, created in collaboration with bp pulse, marks a significant advancement for sustainable transportation infrastructure in Australia. The facility, featuring 24 high-speed charging stations, addresses the increasing number of electric vehicles and aligns with Victoria’s environmental goals.
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Medical device firm Stryker has reported a notable recovery in its operations after a cyber incident on March 11 brought about extensive interruptions. The incident impacted order processing, manufacturing, and shipments, hindering the company’s capacity to serve its clientele effectively.
Stryker disclosed that its production capacity is swiftly improving, with the majority of its sites and crucial lines back to operation. The company’s digital ordering systems have been restored, enabling customers to place orders again. Stryker is concentrating on reconciling orders, manufacturing goods, and ensuring prompt deliveries.
The cyber incident was claimed by a hacking group dubbed Handala, purportedly linked to Iran. The group asserted that the attack was a response to an assault on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran. The incident impacted devices operating on Microsoft’s Windows OS that could connect to Stryker’s computer networks.
With a workforce of 56,000 and operations across 61 countries, Stryker is partnering with external cybersecurity experts and authorities. These initiatives are aimed at seizing domains associated with the hackers, reducing further threats and fortifying the company’s digital framework.
Stryker’s manufacturing operations are gradually recovering following a cyber incident that hindered their workflow. The company has reinstated most of its essential facilities and is working closely with cybersecurity authorities to thwart future incidents.
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Google has transformed the searching experience for Australians with the introduction of Search Live. This recent enhancement enables users to engage with the internet in a more natural and intuitive way, surpassing conventional text-based interactions. By facilitating real-time conversations, individuals can utilize their voice and camera to add context to their queries, creating a more seamless and dynamic search experience.
The Search Live functionality is especially useful for those on-the-spot moments when immediate assistance is required. Whether fixing a device or identifying plants, users can now engage in interactive conversations with follow-up inquiries, enriching the information obtained. Additionally, the system allows users to activate their camera during interactions, providing visual context to inquiries for more relevant and helpful recommendations.
This launch is driven by the Gemini 3.1 Flash Live voice model, which is inherently multilingual and user-friendly. The model offers a more organic conversational experience, reminiscent of chatting with a person rather than a computer system. This innovation reduces communication barriers, making technology more accessible to a varied user base.
Google is also reshaping the online shopping landscape in Australia with innovative AI functionalities embedded in Search and the Gemini app. Users can now articulate their desired items in simple English, eliminating the need for precise keywords. This method yields intelligently structured responses featuring rich visuals, local pricing, customer feedback, and real-time inventory information, enhancing the efficiency and personalization of shopping.
The Google Shopping Graph, an extensive repository of more than 50 billion product listings, fuels this upgraded shopping experience. With approximately 2 billion listings refreshed every hour, users receive precise and timely information regarding product availability and pricing, specifically tailored for the Australian market. This guarantees that users can rapidly make well-informed purchasing choices.
The merger of camera functionality with AI blurs the boundaries between the digital and physical realms, providing practical solutions to everyday challenges. While some may find the concept of conversing with their device peculiar, the advantage of having hands-free support is undeniable. Australia’s participation in this global launch emphasizes the nation’s forward-thinking tech approach, with users already capable of accessing these features today.
The introduction of Google Search Live and AI-empowered shopping capabilities signifies a major leap in how Australians connect with technology. By merging voice and visual components into search and shopping, Google delivers a more intuitive and effective user experience. These enhancements are poised to reshape daily activities, making technology an even more integral aspect of our lives.
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The Benchmark Awards Roundtable, hosted by Interactive, gathered leading technology executives to explore the shifting dynamics of cloud technology. As organizations increasingly depend on cloud solutions, modernization becomes imperative. Executives are charged with crafting strategies that cater to current requirements while also preparing for upcoming obstacles.
Cloud sovereignty remains a pivotal element for Australian firms. With data regulations tightening, businesses must guarantee that their cloud strategies adhere to local laws and global standards. The roundtable reinforced the significance of selecting cloud solutions that provide both adaptability and governance over data storage and processing.
Security is paramount in cloud implementation. The discussions at the roundtable emphasized the necessity for comprehensive security protocols that safeguard sensitive information and uphold the integrity of business operations. As cyber threats progress, the strategies to defend against them must evolve as well. This necessitates ongoing investment in security technologies and methodologies.
One of the hurdles in cloud integration is expense management. Predictability in cloud-related costs enables organizations to plan judiciously and allocate resources adeptly. Moreover, resilience in cloud services guarantees that businesses can sustain operations without interruptions, even amid unforeseen circumstances.
The Benchmark Awards Roundtable offered valuable perspectives on the future of cloud technology, focusing on modernization, sovereignty, and security. As Australian enterprises tackle these intricate matters, the necessity for strategic foresight and dependable solutions becomes increasingly apparent.
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An independent assessment has determined that Australia’s Security of Critical Infrastructure (SoCI) Act is deficient in its efficiency, branding it as “ineffective”. The associated penalties are viewed as merely a standard business expense rather than an incentive for enhancing security.
The assessment recommends a reformation of the SoCI Act to eliminate duplication and synchronize with other existing responsibilities. It advocates for the legislation to be designed to adapt to technological and geopolitical changes. A key suggestion is to transition from a compliance-focused approach to one centered on enforcement with concrete penalties.
Consultations with industry representatives indicated that the current SoCI Act is perceived as convoluted and intricate. The assessment recommends broadening the Act’s scope to encompass emerging areas like AI services, content delivery networks (CDNs), large-scale cloud service providers, and technologies related to space and drones.
Assessment leader Jill Slay pointed out a lack of personal investment in the significance of safeguarding Australia’s critical infrastructure among compliance personnel. It was noted that individuals with backgrounds in Defence and intelligence were exceptions, showing a greater awareness of the consequences.
The review of Australia’s SoCI Act underscores notable deficiencies in its present form. The push for a comprehensive overhaul aims to ensure that the Act can effectively tackle modern threats and challenges by transitioning to a more stringent enforcement framework.
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The Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) is taking a proactive stance by appointing a chief technology officer on an as-needed basis. This move is designed to infuse strategic insights into a significant core modernisation initiative. By opting for a CTO-as-a-Service model, ACMA aims to incorporate expert knowledge that resonates with current technology developments and government digital initiatives.
In the wake of Lyall Reid’s exit as the previous full-time CTO, ACMA has been actively searching for a suitable successor to manage its technological agenda. At present, Chris Dale serves as Chief Information and Digital Officer (CIDO) and will supervise the on-demand CTO. This strategic choice underscores ACMA’s dedication to enhancing its technological framework and decision-making processes.
ACMA’s choice to implement this adaptable CTO model highlights the necessity for strategic technology leadership. The agency’s current systems and infrastructures are becoming obsolete and disjointed, requiring a coherent strategy to modernise and align with wider government digital initiatives. The new CTO will be vital in steering this transformation, ensuring that ICT investments deliver meaningful business and regulatory results.
As ACMA advances its modernisation strategies, there is a clear focus on enhancing architectural governance and general technology oversight. The CTO-as-a-Service will be instrumental in this process, providing expert advice to consolidate ICT decision-making and bolster strategic alignment throughout the organization.
ACMA is making a significant advancement by adopting a CTO-as-a-Service framework, concentrating on modernising its core systems and reinforcing strategic technology leadership. This initiative is expected to facilitate considerable improvements in technology governance, investment strategies, and alignment with government digital objectives.
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Authorities in the US have taken into custody Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, one of the co-founders of Super Micro, on allegations concerning the unlawful export of high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) to China. These GPUs play an essential role in enhancing artificial intelligence (AI) in data centers.
Along with Liaw, Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang, and Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun are charged with violating US export control laws. Sun, described as a “fixer” and “broker,” has been arrested while Chang remains unidentified.
The indictment states that Liaw and Chang led a scheme utilizing third-party brokers to arrange orders with Super Micro, purportedly routing servers to Chinese enterprises through an intermediary in Southeast Asia. These activities involved document forgery and the creation of fake servers to deceive US inspectors.
An investigation by the FBI disclosed that around US$2.5 billion in servers were implicated, with US$510 million worth of AI technology reaching China within a brief timeframe. The operation is said to have involved repackaging servers in Taiwan before their final transit to China.
Super Micro declared its intention to assist US authorities and distanced itself from the actions of those accused, stressing its commitment to compliance with regulations.
The detention of Wally Liaw and his associates from Super Micro brings to light serious accusations of unlawful technology exports to China. This case emphasizes the necessity for strict adherence to export control regulations, particularly regarding advanced AI technologies.
