Synology has faced a lot of hate over the past year for various reasons—some of which are very founded. However, a longstanding gripe of the brand’s customers is how expensive its hardware is. Here’s why I think that it’s still worth paying the Synology tax in 2026.
While I have a 60TB server sitting next to my desk, I actually keep my backups in the cloud. I know that might sound counterintuitive, but let me explain why I choose cloud-based backups instead of local-first approaches.
It’s that time of the week again, the time when I showcase three pieces of homelab software for you to try out over the weekend. Today, I’m taking a look at both advanced and simple projects, from running a PXE server to playing retro games in your browser. Here are three homelab projects to try before Monday comes.
Lead Analysts: Jeewan Singh Jalal, Prabhakaran Ravichandhiran and Anand Bodke
KnowBe4 Threat Labs recently examined a sophisticated dual-vector campaign that demonstrates the real-world exploitation chain following credential compromise.
Both platforms serve as backbone infrastructure for remote work and software development, making these flaws particularly dangerous for business continuity.
The post Zoom and GitLab Patch RCE, DoS, and 2FA Bypass Vulnerabilities appeared first on TechRepublic.
Both platforms serve as backbone infrastructure for remote work and software development, making these flaws particularly dangerous for business continuity.
The post Zoom and GitLab Patch RCE, DoS, and 2FA Bypass Vulnerabilities appeared first on TechRepublic.
Fixes were rolled out for over two dozen vulnerabilities, including critical- and high-severity bugs.
The post Atlassian, GitLab, Zoom Release Security Patches appeared first on SecurityWeek.
I do a lot of photography and videography, and those files can take up a lot of storage. I used to just store the footage and photos on my laptop’s internal storage, moving it to the NAS only when needed. Now, I just back up the footage to my NAS first and work from there, and that workflow is so much better. Here’s how I automatically back up my SD card to my NAS, and how you can too.
Global banking giant HSBC joined an impressive roster of investors that includes Prudential Hong Kong, Fubon Bank, and Hong Kong Investment Corporation.
The post HSBC Backs $220M WeLab Asian Fintech Deal appeared first on TechRepublic.
Global banking giant HSBC joined an impressive roster of investors that includes Prudential Hong Kong, Fubon Bank, and Hong Kong Investment Corporation.
The post HSBC Backs $220M WeLab Asian Fintech Deal appeared first on TechRepublic.
— Jon Pollock is now chief product officer of Acumatica, the Bellevue, Wash.-based enterprise software giant that was acquired last year by Vista Equity Partners.
Pollock joins Acumatica from childcare management software company Procare Solutions, where he was CPO and general manager of Procare’s ChildPlus division. He previously held leadership roles with Worldpay, Asurion, Dell, Polaroid and others.
“Jon has the experience, vision, and strong track record of leading dynamic teams to execute our product strategy and empower the people who use our software every day,” John Case, CEO of Acumatica, said in a statement.
Case succeeds Ali Jani, who was with the company for 16 years. Early in his career, Jani co-founded a PC manufacturing startup and a company providing software for business management operations.
— Mo Malakoutian is now the mayor of the City of Bellevue. Malakoutian joined the Bellevue City Council in 2023, was elected by his colleagues to serve as deputy mayor beginning in 2024, and was chosen as mayor this month.
Malakoutian previously worked at Amazon for more than eight years, leaving the role of senior manager of learning and development in October. He is currently the executive director of the University of Washington’s Consulting and Business Development Center with the Foster School of Business.
Malakoutian replaces Lynne Robinson, who was mayor since 2020. She remains on the Bellevue City Council.
City councilmember Dave Hamilton was appointed deputy mayor of Bellevue.
— Software engineering leader David Bettis is leaving Amazon after two decades. Bettis was most recently with Amazon Web Services, including roles focused on the company’s telehealth initiative. Earlier in his career, Bettis worked on the company’s Halo product, Amazon Go’s cashierless “Just Walk Out” technology, Kindle and other initiatives.
Bettis said on LinkedIn that he stayed at Amazon for so long because of the opportunity to work on emerging businesses, which provided “new and exciting opportunities, while staying under the same roof.”
More recently he had “explored a couple paths internally, but nothing sparked the same excitement I’d felt in previous roles. That’s when I realized it was time for a bigger change.”
The engineer added that he’ll spend most of this year deciding what full-time role comes next — maybe a smaller company, teaching, something entrepreneurial — and that he’ll be staying in Seattle.
— In another Amazon departure, Steven Hatch has resigned from his role as head of engineering with AWS Bedrock. Hatch, based in New York City, has been with Amazon for nearly 18 years, working in areas including with Audible, Amazon Prime delivery experience, computer vision and most recently in AI.
Hatch said on LinkedIn that he’s “closing a chapter that changed how I think, lead, and build. I’m proud of my achievements. But the real story was about the people, the learning, and the craft.”
Hatch did not disclose his next move, but said there would be “more soon.”
— Warren McNeel left T-Mobile after more then 25 years with the Bellevue-based telecom juggernaut. McNeel has been in the wireless sector for three decades, and most recently served as T-Mobile’s senior vice president of information technology.
McNeel said on LinkedIn that he wanted to spend time with his family “and begin thinking about the next chapter of my professional journey.”
“I’ve had the privilege of leading some of the best technology and product teams in the industry,” he added. “I couldn’t be more proud of the innovations, technology transformations, and results these teams delivered.”
— Seattle-based Gates Foundation appointed Sri Mulyani Indrawati to its governing board. Indrawati was Indonesia’s first female minister of finance and the former managing director and chief operating officer of the World Bank.
“She adds fresh perspective for the board as it guides the foundation’s direction over the next 20 years,” said CEO Mark Suzman.
The Gates Foundation announced two additional leadership changes:
— Reverb, a Seattle-based HR consulting and leadership development firm, is officially expanding into the Colorado market with the hiring of Renee Fischer. Fischer, who resides in Denver, is a business development and human resources consultant.
— Sabah Öney joined the board of directors of Seattle’s Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Öney is the president and CEO of Dispatch Bio, a Bay Area startup that is developing a treatment for solid tumors. He is also a co-founder of the protein design company Vilya.
— Seattle-based Cascadia Capital, an investment bank serving clients globally, promoted Kerri Hagen to managing director within the its Financial Sponsors Group. Hagen has been with the firm for more than three years.
— Seattle software engineering startup FlintLab named Diwakar as its head of engineering. Diwakar, who was previously based in India, joins from the semiconductor company AMD. Past employers include Ericsson, RSA Security and others.
FlintLab launched in 2024 and describes itself as an “AI-powered infrastructure platform as a service” company. Co-founders Krishna Seerapu and Jinesh M.D previously held roles at Amazon and elsewhere.
— Life Science Washington announced four new members of its board of directors:
Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos.
For the first time in more than 54 years, astronauts are training to travel to the vicinity of the Moon, perhaps within the next couple of months. NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other companies are poised to take major steps toward actually landing humans on the Moon, perhaps within a few years.
New rockets are slated to debut in 2026, and scientists hope to open new windows on the Universe. Here, we list the most anticipated space missions scheduled for this year, ranked according to our own anticipation for them. We also assess the chances of these missions actually happening in the next 12 months. Unless specified, we don't assess the chances of a successful outcome.
© NASA/Kim Shiflett
Growing up in Houston, Craig Shannon was always inspired by NASA and the spirit of exploration the agency represents. Yet it was a passion for scuba diving that unexpectedly led to his more than 23-year career at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Shannon became a certified diver and scuba instructor while earning his bachelor’s degree in communications from Stephen F. Austin State University. He happened to meet divers from NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at a local environmental cleanup event during his senior year. “The encounter planted a seed,” he said.
Shannon was hired as an NBL diver shortly after graduation, launching what would become a 19-year career in dive operations. He progressed through a variety of roles – from utility diver, instructor, and training officer, to dive operations lead, training group lead, and ultimately, dive operations manager. “Each role deepened my understanding of operational excellence, safety, and leadership in high-performance environments,” he said. Shannon added that becoming the dive operations manager was one of the defining points of his career. “I had the privilege of leading an exceptional team and contributing directly to astronaut training and operational excellence.”
Seeking new challenges and opportunities for professional growth, Shannon transitioned to a test safety officer position at Johnson for about four years, expanding his knowledge of technical risk management in different environments. He returned to the NBL in 2025, this time as a safety officer. In that role, Shannon works to protect employees’ well-being and the facility’s operational integrity. His responsibilities are a mix of proactive safety initiatives – such as facility inspections, safety training, and communication – and incident response, which involves investigating mishaps and close calls and developing corrective action plans to prevent recurrence. He also serves as an internal technical consultant, fielding safety-related questions from employees and visitors and providing guidance that complies with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and NASA safety standards.
“I work across functions with operations, engineering, medical, and training teams to integrate safety into all daily processes and long-term planning,” he said. “It brings full circle my commitment to the safety and success of human spaceflight training.”
Shannon acknowledged that not having an engineering degree has made work more challenging at times, but it has not hindered his advancement. “I’ve earned key positions by committing myself to continuous learning, gaining in-depth knowledge of the technical areas I work in, and consistently demonstrating dedication to both my employers and my career,” he said. “My path has required hard work, adaptability, and a proactive approach to professional growth, which I view as strengths that have allowed me to contribute meaningfully in a highly technical setting.”
Shannon has also learned the importance of embracing change. “Change isn’t always easy, but it’s often where the most learning and development happen,” he said. “Whether it was stepping into leadership for the first time, shifting into a new field, or returning to a familiar place with a new purpose, each transition brought growth I never could have anticipated.” He added that patience, accountability, and empathy are important leadership qualities that help build stronger, more resilient teams.
While Shannon takes pride in his work, he said his family is his greatest achievement. “I’m most proud of raising three amazing children with my wife, Kimberley. They have been my grounding force and greatest inspiration,” he said.
He is also the proud co-owner of a local scuba diving company, which allows him to combine his love for diving, travel, and community. “I’ve had the privilege of leading dive trips around the world with groups of amazing people—sharing unforgettable underwater experiences and fostering a strong, adventurous dive community,” he said. “It’s a way for me to stay connected to the roots of my diving career and continue exploring the world through the lens of curiosity and connection.”
He encourages the next generation to find something they are passionate about. “It’s important to be genuinely excited about what you do and to face the challenges ahead with determination and curiosity,” he said. “That energy, paired with a willingness to adapt and grow, has carried me through each phase of my career. Challenges will come, but how you meet them defines your path.”
Which US rocket companies achieved the most during 2025?
Once again, Ars Technica is here to provide some answers in the form of our annual power ranking of US launch companies. We began doing this in 2022 and have since put out a top-10 list every year (see 2023 and 2024). Our intent, as always, is to spark debate, discussion, and appreciation for the challenge of operating a successful rocket company. It's a demanding business, both technically and financially. We respect the grit and hustle because we know just how hard this stuff is.
Please also note that this is a subjective list, although hard metrics such as total launches, tonnage to orbit, success rate, and more were all important factors in the decision. And finally, our focus remains on what each company accomplished in 2025, not on what they might do in the future.
© Blue Origin
Lead analysts: Cameron Sweeney, Lucy Gee, Louis Tiley, James Dyer
“Super-app” WeChat offers a wealth of functionality—from instant messaging, text and voice messaging, and video calls to mobile payments, ride booking, ordering food deliveries, paying bills and even accessing government services.
Since November 3, 2025, KnowBe4 Threat Labs has been monitoring a highly sophisticated, multi-stage phishing operation that is actively targeting organizations to steal employees’ Microsoft 365 credentials. The campaign has been engineered to bypass traditional email security defenses, such as secure email gateways (SEGs), and multi-factor authentication (MFA) tools.
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