E-Business
HP Reinventing Classrooms with ‘ProBook x360 11 EE’ Thinnest Convertible PC
Remember school computer labs? Those shared-tech spaces often had the ambiance of a musty library and typically held a collection of also-ran computers that were far from the leading-edge of personal computing.
Today’s kindergarten-through-high school students – the so-called digital natives who know how to use a touchpad before they use a spoon – have radically different touchpoints with their tech.
Still, budget-strapped school districts often find themselves investing in low-end computers that don’t always hold up in classrooms or struggle to support new, digital teaching methods.
That’s why HP has built an affordable, durable and fully functional learning PC – the HP ProBook x360 11 G1 Education Edition, powered by Windows 10.
The device, which was announced Tuesday, responds to a shift that is being recognized in classrooms across the country. Classrooms are increasingly transitioning from traditional lecture-based methods to “blended learning” experiences, where technology is at the forefront and small groups of students rotate between different stations on various subjects.
For example, some might be doing projects on the floor with tablets while others huddle around desktop computers or use laptops to collaborate online with students at different schools.
Most teachers say they are using technology in these ways every day with their students, and they expect to step it up in the coming year, according to a survey by Front Row Education.
“The education market is a strategic growth area for HP,” said Gus Schmedlen, vice president, Education at HP. “We pay close attention to the unique needs of students, teachers and schools because they are enabling the next generation of inventors, leaders and future employees to go beyond note memorization and master creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.”
HP is a big player in the education market, having shipped 4.8 million PCs into schools and universities during fiscal year 2016, according to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker (2015Q4 to 2016Q3).
Built for Schools
Durability was an immediate design priority because, with blended learning, students are constantly transporting computers, increasing the odds of dropped equipment. With that in mind, HP took steps to make the HP ProBook x360 11 EE the world’s thinnest, most rugged convertible PC.
It’s encased in hard, industrial rubber and its screen features optional damage-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. HP engineers put the computer through its rigorous HP Total Test Process, which involved dropping hundreds of computers from an elevation of up to 30 inches (about the same height as an average school desk) to make sure they could take a beating.
The device is built around Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which delivers a wide variety of innovation for the modern classroom. This new operating system enables educators to get up-and-running quickly, which is important because nearly half of U.S. teachers serve as their own tech support in classrooms.
And Windows 10 is considered the most secure OS from Microsoft yet, which can help schools prevent costly network breaches. There’s even an app called “Take a Test,” which includes simple yet secure features for modern test-taking.
“We collaborated with Microsoft on the HP ProBook x360 11 EEbecause they are helping to redefine classroom learning,” said Schmedlen. “Teaching has changed dramatically over the past few years, and we believe we’ve created a solution that will adapt and enhance the education of young minds everywhere.”
Designed for Learning
But first and foremost, HP designed the HP ProBook x360 11 EEto enrich student learning. The new computer includes many of the features that are found in consumer or business devices, such as Microsoft Office OneNote. But it also has some student-friendly benefits as well.
“It is the world’s only convertible laptop with a dual camera system, which HP calls Explorer Mode. Explorer Mode is used for project-based learning and content creation and uses an optional 1080p FHD camera embedded on the keyboard deck to let students take video in tablet mode while viewing in real-time.”
There’s also an active penfor math, note-taking, annotation and art. And the standard touch screen interface is easier than a mouse for young children to manipulate.
Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) experts at the 10th annual Cyber Security Weekend – META 2025 held recently, talked about supply chain attacks and reported that by the end of 2024 a total of 14,000 malicious packages were found in open-source projects, a 48% increase compared to the end of 2023. 42 million versions of open-source packages have been examined by Kaspersky throughout 2024 in search for vulnerabilities.
Open-source is software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. Popular open-source packages include GoMod, Maven, NuGet, npm, PyPI, and others.
These are tools that power countless applications and help developers easily find, install, and manage pre-built code libraries, making it simpler to build software by reusing code others have written. Attackers take advantage of the popularity of these and other packages.
In March 2025, the Lazarus Group was reported to have deployed several malicious npm packages, which were downloaded multiple times before removal. These packages contained malware to steal credentials, cryptocurrency wallet data, and deploy backdoors, targeting developers’ systems across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The attack leveraged GitHub repositories for added legitimacy, highlighting the group’s sophisticated supply chain tactics. Kaspersky’s GReAT also found other npm packages related to this attack. Malicious npm packages could have been integrated into web development, cryptocurrency platforms, and enterprise software, risking widespread data theft and financial losses.
In 2024, a sophisticated backdoor was discovered in XZ Utils versions 5.6.0 and 5.6.1, a widely used compression library in Linux distributions. Inserted by a trusted contributor, the malicious code targeted SSH servers, enabling remote command execution and threatening countless systems globally.
Detected before widespread exploitation due to performance anomalies, the incident highlighted the dangers of supply chain attacks. XZ Utils is integral to operating systems, cloud servers, and IoT devices, making its compromise a threat to critical infrastructure and enterprise networks.
In 2024, Kaspersky’s GReAT discovered that attackers uploaded malicious Python packages like chatgpt-python and chatgpt-wrapper to PyPI, mimicking legitimate tools for interacting with ChatGPT APIs.
These packages, designed to steal credentials and deploy backdoors, capitalised on the popularity of AI development to trick developers into downloading them. These packages could have been used in AI development, chatbot integrations, and data analytics platforms, endangering sensitive AI workflows and user data.
“Open-source software is the backbone of many modern solutions, but its openness is being weaponised. The 50% rise in malicious packages by the end of 2024 shows attackers are actively embedding sophisticated backdoors and data stealers in popular packages, which millions rely on.
“Without rigorous vetting and real-time monitoring, a single compromised package can trigger a global breach. Organisations need to secure the supply chain before the next XZ Utils-level attack succeeds,” comments Dmitry Galov, Head of Research Center for Russia and CIS at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched an investigation into allegations that the confidentiality and integrity of candidates’ personal data may have been compromised by hackers.
The Commission initiated the inquiry following concerns over possible data breaches during examinations.
Preliminary findings indicate that several examination centres may not have implemented adequate technical and organizational measures to safeguard candidates’ personal information, as required under data protection regulations.
Although the incident reportedly affected 379, 997 candidates, the NDPC’s investigation is poised to cover a systemic audit of data processing and third parties.
It will be recalled that JAMB recently admitted that a technical error on its platform affected a total of 379,997 candidates in 157 examination centres across Lagos and the South-East.
Further investigation led to the arrest of at least 20 suspects who are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Police Force.
Cyber security firm, Kaspersky, has once again warned that sophisticated cybercriminals increasingly target Africa as ransomware and advanced persistent threats (APTs) escalate across the region.
Speaking at the company’s annual Cyber Security Weekend for the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region, the cybersecurity firm’s Global Research and Analysis Team highlighted growing digital threats affecting African nations.
Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa emerged as hotspots, with Kenya recording one of the highest web threat incident rates at 20.1% in first quarter 2025.
“While ransomware is less prevalent in Africa due to lower levels of digitisation and economic constraints, countries like South Africa and Nigeria are seeing a sharp rise in attacks,” said Sergey Lozhkin, head of META and APAC regions at Kaspersky.
Kaspersky noted a 0.01 percentage point increase in African ransomware cases year-on-year, reaching 0.41%, still below global and Middle Eastern averages, but a troubling sign for the continent’s emerging digital infrastructure.
Experts warned that attackers are refining their tactics, shifting focus to unconventional entry points like IoT devices, smart appliances, and misconfigured hardware.
“As these economies expand digitally, sectors such as manufacturing, finance and government are becoming key targets,” said Lozhkin
The cyber-crime landscape is evolving quickly, fuelled by AI tools and dark web access to large language models, which enable less skilled actors to launch convincing phishing and malware campaigns.
Groups like FunkSec, which uses AI-generated code and a low-cost ransom model, are redefining ransomware operations.
“African organisations face the dual challenge of expanding digital footprints and limited cybersecurity awareness. This makes layered defense strategies, including network segmentation, real-time monitoring and regular staff training, essential,” stated Lozhkin
Kaspersky continues to monitor 25 active APT groups in the META region, including SideWinder and MuddyWater, some of which are known to target African institutions.
To bolster defenses, the firm recommends using tools such as its free Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business and the Kaspersky Next suite for threat visibility and response.
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