Weekend Reads: 24 October 2026

This week’s reading starts with a security warning that Dutch organisations should act on now, then moves to a home battery review and the closure of a well-known game studio. Further afield, we look at a leadership change at Xbox and what startups can learn about keeping early customers.

Local

PHP flaw is now being exploited, Dutch cyber agency warns

The Nationaal Cyber Security Centrum (NCSC) says it has received the first signals that attackers have successfully exploited the major vulnerability in the PHP programming language. Earlier the agency said it had not yet seen such signals. It has also seen attempts to exploit the flaw since the previous day, and it is urging companies to update their systems quickly. If your employer or your own website runs on PHP, check that patches have been applied.

Source: NOS

Why the PHP warning was louder in the Netherlands

The PHP vulnerabilities drew wide media attention in the Netherlands on Wednesday, while coverage abroad stayed more limited. NU.nl reports that the difference is hard to explain, though earlier large hacks in the Netherlands almost certainly play a part. The headline gives the core point: the Dutch did not overreact.

Source: NU.nl

Anker’s Solarbank Max AC brings serious power to the home

Tweakers has reviewed the Anker Solix Solarbank Max AC, a home battery that can deliver 3500W. The reviewers say its storage capacity is also large. For households with solar panels, it is a heavyweight option for using more of the energy they generate.

Source: Tweakers

EA shuts down BioWare after 31 years

Electronic Arts is closing the Canadian studio BioWare after disappointing results, cutting 400 jobs. Founded in 1995, BioWare specialised in role-playing games where players choose the direction of the story, and it became known for Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Its first success came in 1998 with Baldur’s Gate, a PC game based on the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons from the 1970s.

Source: NOS

Also in Europe

Xbox loses its first COO after a short tenure

Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft, only a few months after she became the first chief operating officer of Xbox, according to an internal memo seen by The Verge. Chiang spent 21 years at Microsoft and led Minecraft before her promotion. Her departure leaves the newly created role empty.

Source: The Verge

Keeping customers matters more than going viral

At TechCrunch Disrupt last week, two founders and a venture capitalist discussed how startups can build an early following and then hold on to it. The message for founders is that sustained customer loyalty counts for more than a viral moment.

Source: TechCrunch

Weekend Reads is a curated weekend digest: we summarise and link, the reporting belongs to the publications named. Something wrong or missing? Tell us.