Yesterday's Nintendo Direct came out swinging with a surprise direction for the Nintendo Switch 2. In a break from recent tradition, Nintendo showcased only few unique hardware advancements and instead focused on a field it's been historically reluctant to dive into: online multiplayer.The mysterious "C" button, it turned out, wasn't some button that unlocked magical hardware capabilities, but instead quickly brings players into a feature called "GameChat." GameChat appears to be a slimmed-down version of social platforms like Discord that acts as an all-in-one hub for group multiplayer, video calls, private game streaming, and more, all run through the Nintendo Switch 2.In other words, the company that rolled out a mobile app to support voice chat on Nintendo Switch has gone all-in on a console-based micro social network.Why would the normally multiplayer-shy Nintendo dive deep into online multiplayer this way? Well in a world where players are asking developers "can I play with my friends?", the company seems to have picked up on a growing game industry trend: a future where playersespecially younger oneswant to play together at all times.Nintendo thinks it can finally make "safe" online spacesIn a follow-up presentation at a media event held during the Nintendo Direct, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser seemed to tip the company's hand as to why it seems to have finally committed resources to robust online features. He spoke of how players of all ages can now "safely connect" and play games with friends and family.Related:"Safety" has been the watchword for Nintendo's hesitance to jump feet-first into online play. The company has long prioritized family-friendly games, building an audience of young players that isn't as present on competitors like the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Unfortunately as platforms like Roblox have demonstrated, the slightest flaw in content and player moderation can expose children to dangerous situations.Wired's Megan Farokhmanesh pressed the company on this topic in a roundtable Q&A during Nintendo's preview event. Switch 2 director Takuhiro Dohta explained GameChat is an online system built around the Nintendo Friends list instead of random game lobbies. Parents monitoring their children's online activity through the parental control app will be able to personally approve any friend requests they receive, reducing the odds of encountering a stranger in the wild. He didn't address the topic of safety measures for minors whose parents aren't monitoring their activity through the parental control app.Related:Image via Nintendo.Nintendo touts GameChat as a feature that lets people "play together, anywhere," painting a picture of friends or family seated in a family room across great distances.. It's also a strange echo of the mantra "together, apart" you sometimes heard in the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an "Ask the Developer" interview posted by Nintendo, producer Kouichi Kawamoto said GameChat's streaming feature (which lets players stream gameplay to each other, a popular feature on Discord) was "born from" Nintendo's experience developing games in 2020-2021."Back then, we were using a video conferencing system to check the software we were developing with our team, but the screen-sharing function built into the video conferencing system only allowed us to share one gameplay screen at a time," he stated. "So we had each person place their game screen in front of their camera instead of their faces. When we did that, it felt like we were all in the same place, each bringing our own console to play the game together, which was a lot of fun."That's an experience many players had in the pandemic, to the point that much has been made about how young players spend their time in Roblox hanging out and goofing around. Developers everywhere are describing how it's shaping multiplayer design. At DICE, Owlchemy Labs boss Andrew Eiche and Riot Games co-founder and chief product officer Marc Merrill both described how their upcoming games create spaces for players to just hang out and chat, and not automatically force them into head-to-head gameplay.Related:Some third-party-published games shown in yesterday's Nintendo Direct like Survival Kids and System Era Softworks' Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions seemed particularly designed with this concept in mind.What first-party game is Nintendo using to showcase this kind of social gameplay? Unexpectedly, it's Mario Kart World. In hands-on time with the game at the preview event, players had the opportunity to drive around a large open world that hosted elements of the game's many tracks. It was only after I saw a few of the other 24 players driving across the track I was zooming on that I realized I could go off course, and the experience revealed a fun open lobby perfect for players to goof around in.In the Nintendo Direct, the company explained that the open world won't just be an empty sandbox, but an area filled with opportunities for exploration. It was easy to imagine friends logging in not to race, but to just drive around and play bumper cars.Online multiplayer is a big business opportunityLook, let's get brass tacks about all this, with a socially-designed Switch 2, Nintendo can cash in big time on multiplayer.Gating communication behind a Nintendo Switch Online subscription? $20 a year. Adding in the expansion pack? $50 a year. The most they charge for online play is $80 a year for a full family plan.Those prices are low compared to subscription plans on Xbox and PlayStation, but up until this point its offerings were relatively light. A robust suite of social tools is more likely to convince a bunch of dedicated Switch users to make the jump.Image via System Era Softworks/Devolver Digital.The Switch 2 also now has a clear hardware feature that sets ahead of other handhelds. To set up comparable multiplayer services on say, an ROG Ally, players need to download an app like Discord and calibrate it to fit with their playstyle before they can chat with friends. With the Nintendo Switch 2, players can start talking with the push of a button.Then there's the mysterious but ever-present concept of "brand loyalty." Nintendo isn't short on loyal players, but its scaled-back social systems have created an exit vector for players to leave its ecosystem. Now, in a very Apple-like fashion, Nintendo can support voice chat and screen sharing without pushing users to another service (and with the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, it can also eliminate the need to buy non-Nintendo hardware).The runaway success of the Nintendo Switch certainly raised expectations for the Switch 2's sales performance. While the multiplayer tools themselves may not propel the system to over 150 million units sold in its lifetime (Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods might do a lot of heavy lifting), it sets the table for more monetization opportunities down the line.However the Switch 2 performs, its multiplayer-centric hardware shows Nintendo is keeping an eye on changing trends. Multiplayer has long been a domain into which Nintendo barely treads, so its choice to go all-in on the technologyespecially in lieu of drastically new physical hardware featuressignals the weight of its strategic shift.

Though the last season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ended on a perilous note, when the Paramount Plus series returns, its going to lean into the whimsical energy that made the original 60s show feel fun.Ahead of Strange New Worlds season three premiere, Paramount Plus has dropped a new trailer teasing how the USS Enterprises crew are going to find themselves trapped in some kind of anomaly that transforms them into the stars of a kitschy sci-fi program meant to give audiences a reflection of their own world through the lens of fantasy.Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley), Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), and Number One / Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) dont exactly seem to know that theyve been cast in a practical effects-filled sendup of the Enterprises adventures.But they all seem very game to play along with the silliness of their situation, and the trailer spotlights how those kinds of vibes are going to be a big part of this season. In addition to getting caught up in a Clue-style whodunnit, the Enterprises crew are going to find themselves outfitting their ship with analog telephone receivers under commander Pelias (Carol Kane) guidance. …Read the full story at The Verge.

Shares of Apple, Amazon, and other tech stocks are getting walloped on Thursday as the markets digest the impact of President Donald Trumps new round of tariffs announced on Wednesday evening.Shares of Apple were down about 9 percent on Thursday morning, which would mark the biggest drop in about five years if it holds until the close, according to CNBC. Amazon shares dropped about 7 percent.Both companies rely heavily on imports from other countries, like China, on which Trump plans to impose a 54 percent tariff beginning April 9th. Apple also manufactures some products in countries like Vietnam, on which a 46 percent tariff was announced.The tariffs, if they arent walked back, could mean increased prices on electronics for consumers or slimmer margins for companies like Apple and Amazon if they choose to eat some of the costs. Apple has typically had a gross margin, the amount of cash it gets to keep after it sells stuff, of around 38 percent, though it has been higher. Wall Street is likely concerned about lower demand if Apple has to increase the price of Macs, iPhones, iPads, and other products.Other big tech companies were impacted as well. Shares of Nvidia were down more than 4 percent on Thursday morning while Tesla stock was also down about 4 percent, giving up most of its Wednesday gains. Shares of Meta are down about 7 percent.

Nintendo has responded to questions around its decision to go with an LCD screen for the Switch 2, rather than an OLED screen, as it used for the OLED version of the OG Switch.Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch wide color gamut LCD screen capable of outputting at 1080p (1920x1080). In size terms, this is a big upgrade from Switch 1's 6.2-inch screen, the Switch OLED's 7-inch screen, and the Switch Lite's 5.5-inch screen.There is also support for HDR10 and VRR up to 120 Hz, which means games can jump up to 120fps if they and your setup allow it.PlayBut its the quality of the screen itself and the image players see that has sparked discussion among Nintendo fans. During a hardware-focused roundtable Q&A in New York yesterday, attended by IGN, Nintendo representatives were asked why the company went back to an LCD for the Switch 2, which could be seen as a downgrade from the OLED Switch.Tetsuya Sasaki, General Manager, Technology Development Division and Senior Director, Technology Development Department at Nintendo, said the company did not take the decision lightly.Now there's a lot of advancements that have been made in LCD technology during development, Sasaki explained.We took a look at the technology that was available to us now and after a lot of consideration we decided to stick to LCD.Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories GallerySasaki then made the point that the Switch 2 supports HDR, which the OLED Switch does not.Even with the OLED version of Nintendo Switch, we didnt have compatibility support for HDR, but that's something we have the support for now, he said.Weve got plenty more from the Switch 2 hardware Q&A, including Nintendos responses on Joy-Con drift, and what it has to say about the Switch 2's GPU and graphics tech.And, in case you missed it, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Mario Kart World is the first new home console Mario Kart game in a decade. We went hands-on with this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title and played a ton of it across several different modes, so lets break it all down!The Massively Interconnected Open WorldMario Karts biggest new addition centers around a huge, new Forza Horizon-style world filled with tons of courses to race against friends and enemies on. Instead of just having a series of tracks you select from a menu (although youll have that option too) Mario Kart World features a massive playground you can explore at your own pace on your own or with friends. You use this place to cruise around for fun or launch into races, Grand Prix tournaments, and more. Its also packed with collectibles and hidden secrets and areas, and while we dont know just yet what the rewards will be for finding things hidden throughout this world, were hoping its stuff like karts or costumes, or that youll be able to spend coins in some kind of shop for cool cosmetic stuff. Poking around here between races led me to what looked like a strange Peach-themed coin, stacks of smaller, regular coins, a huge evil cloud, a ton of grind rails to practice on, hidden back alleys and pathways, and so much more. Its grand, utterly gorgeous, and incredibly smooth. We got used to how great Mario Kart 8 looked, but this one is even prettier and more stylish, with better draw distance, more detailed characters and environments, and generally just a ton of stuff happening at once.PlayMechanically, everything felt really tight and satisfying so even if there isnt a ton of reward for exploring its still really fun to explore. But knowing Nintendo, theyll definitely be reasons to poke around here. In general, the gameplay feels like a slightly tighter and more forgiving version of Mario Kart 8, so if you spent a ton of time there youll feel right at home here. When your kart gets smashed by an item or another player, your recovery time is snappier and youre back in the competition quicker than in previous Mario Kart games. When an opponent cuts you off and steals an item box right before you can get to it, dont stress it because they respawn almost immediately, giving you a chance for instant green shell vengeance. Gliders have been replaced with planes, underwater sections have been replaced with Wave Race-like boating areas, and you dont customize your kart anymore, at least in the version I played. There were a lot of preset kart options to start with and presumably many more to unlock, though, so it seems like having lots of ways to show off your kart or character wont be limited.Characters, Costumes, and Crazy New Power-UpsYou can play Mario Kart World with up to 24 human players at the same time and there are tons of returning characters from the Mario series, although none from other Nintendo games like Mario Kart 8 had. Its safe to say that Mario Kart World will be THE Mario Kart game for years to come, though, so who knows which characters from other series will show up here eventually. My favorite new character was Cow from Moo Moo Meadows, who is here to get revenge for all the times you drove into his family on the N64, probably. Most characters have different costumed versions you can choose from the character select screen, but where things get a bit more complicated is that you can also change their costume mid-race by finding certain power-ups that appear to alter your stats. Lots of these items are food-based so youll get to see Cow eat a burger. Look, its his first time driving a kart and its crazy out there. Go easy on him.We also noticed a bunch of characters that appear as racers against you but you cant choose yourself just yet, like the Piantas from Super Mario Sunshine and the Conkdors from Super Mario 3D World, so we suspect theyll be unlockable and the roster will only get bigger. Theres also some great new items like throwable hammers and a question block that gives you a ton of coins in a row. Some classic items even have altered functionality, like lightning not lasting as long or blue shells having cartoon phrases pop up when they hit you, but the coolest new upgrade we noticed is that every throwable item now automatically drags behind your kart without you having to hold down a button to do it. Its one less thing to worry about, which is nice because you now have so many new things to worry about!Knockout Tour, the Non-Stop Six-Race Fortnite-Style Battle RoyaleKnockout Tour is the biggest race mode ever included in this series and it feels awesome. You start out in the open world, driving around and hanging out with friends while your race populates with 23 other players. Then, youll all choose a set of interconnected Grand Prix tracks you want to race on. Once the race kicks off, you need to stay out of the bottom four in each segment or youll get eliminated and booted back to the open world. So, the field is culled each lap from 24, to 20, to 16, all the way until there are only four racers left for the final segment. Its incredibly fun and the tracks, endless items, kart racers, and general chaos make every race feel absolutely frenetic. Think the final lap of Baby Park on Mario Kart: Double Dash where its chaos and clutter everywhere, but with the aggressive goal of making sure youre taking down others constantly to advance. Mario Kart World Nintendo Switch 2 ScreenshotsThis mode was incredibly fun. Going from 4th place to 12th place in a Mario Kart game has been a thing for ages, but going from 2nd to 22nd because a series of bad luck or poor decisions put you behind the pack is a brand new feeling, and watching that happen and then getting instantly eliminated from the entire race (or doing it to somebody else) is absolutely hilarious. Generally, this feature adds some much needed urgency and aggression to Mario Kart and its utterly thrilling. Nintendo has been experimenting with this elimination style gameplay with lots of their franchises in the past few years, like Mario 35 and F-Zero 99, but it feels like such a perfect fit for Mario Kart and we suspect its gonna be a massive hit with both kids and the streamer crowds. Knockout Tour modes last much longer than a typical race, assuming you dont get knocked out of the whole thing super early. But Wait.. That Price! Mario Kart World is $80! Everything weve seen and played is awesome and we cant wait for it, but nothing about this game so far really screams eighty dollar product. Nintendo experimented with a $70 price tag on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and we suspect well spend just as much time (or more) playing Mario Kart World throughout the Switch 2 lifespan, but its hard not to feel cynical about about this price, like Nintendo knows that Mario Kart 8 was the best-selling Switch game and one of the best-selling games of all time and that the successor will be a guaranteed hit, so hey, might as well upcharge us. If it came with a year of Switch Online or some sort of season pass of unlockable content itd be a slightly easier pill to swallow, but as far as we know it doesnt. Getting the game bundled with a Switch 2 drops the price down to $50 and since it will be there on the systems launch day thats likely how most players will get it, but still, the whole thing definitely stings a bit.Nintendo Switch 2 Direct April 2025 GamesEvery game shown in Nintendo's April 2 Nintendo Switch 2 reveal direct event.See AllRegardless, Mario Kart World feels like the definitive Switch 2 launch game and will certainly be one of the defining games of the Switch 2 generation. The new open world format and Knockout Tour modes are massive new additions to the franchise, the visuals are gorgeous, the gameplay is a blast, and we cant wait to play more, even if we wish it was a few bucks cheaper.Brian Altano has been playing Mario Kart for 30+ years, and it's crazy that 10 of those years were spent with Mario Kart 8. We haven't seen Battle Mode for Mario Kart World yet, but he's still holding out hope that Block Fort can come back. Bring back Block Fort!

In the aftermath of Severances season ending, Apple TV+ has been able to debut two strong new shows to keep subscribers engaged: The Studio and Dope Thief. But next week, yet another prestige new series is coming to the streamer. Its called Your Friends & Neighbors.Your Friends & Neighbors reviews point to another Apple TV+ hitApple TV+ has been on a hot streak for a while now, dating all the way back to late last summer when it began debuting several top-tier shows all at once.Now, the streamers success looks set to continue with a new show debuting next week.Your Friends & Neighbors arrives on Friday, April 11 with its first two episodes, with weekly releases through May 30.Here are some quotes from early reviews:Collider: With many twists and turns, the Apple TV+ show that Hamm has always longed to star in is as clever as it is addictive.The Hollywood Reporter: This show think Break In? Bad! feels like a Peak TV throwback.CBR: Your Friends & Neighbors is audaciously funny and not for the faint of heart.Currently, the series has an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but thats expected to fluctuate as more reviews come in.The general consensus? Even with some flaws, this prestige series is an especially fun watch.One critic called it, your must-see weekly binge of the spring. Multiple reviews have made comparisons to both Big Little Lies and Breaking Bad.Heres Apples summary of the show:After being fired in disgrace, a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, only to discover that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined.The streaming era has brought an abundance of new TV. But Apple TV+ especially seems to have found the formulaat least for nowof creating compelling prestige shows, one after another.Do you plan to watch Your Friends & Neighbors? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Apple TV+ isavailable for $9.99 per monthand features hit TV shows and movies likeTed Lasso,Severance,The Morning Show,Silo, andShrinking. You can alsowatch free in several ways.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple is a US-based company that relies heavily on a global supply chain to manufacture its products. As a result, the tech firms stock seems to be getting hit especially hard by the new tariffs just announced yesterday, with AAPL down almost 10% upon the markets open todaya big hit to Apple.AAPL stock is down significantly as tariff fears loomApple has grown revenue from its services business consistently for years, but at its core, the company is still very much financially dependent on hardware.The iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and the companys other highly successful products are designed by Apple in California, but by and large manufactured overseas.Now, with President Trumps sweeping tariffs on imports worldwide, Apples core business could take a huge hit.The tariffs are especially high in places where Apple keeps much of its supply chain, including China, India, Vietnam, and more.Last night in after-market trading, Apples stock fell 7%. As my colleague Ben wrote:fears have seen investors ditch Apple stock, with a sell-off in after hours trading of more than 7%. In absolute terms, $AAPL closed at $223 today, and is currently sitting at about $207 in the volatile after-hours market.Today as the market opened, AAPL was initially down 8% but is currently trading around $203an even further dip thats getting close to 10%.Theres still a lot of uncertainty around whether Trump might grant exemptions for Apple like happened during his first term, when the company was spared the worst tariffs so that foreign competitors like Samsung wouldnt gain an edge over the US-based Apple.But so far at least, Wall Street seems to believe Apple could have a hard time ahead.Do you think Apple will raise its product prices if the tariffs go into effect? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Incredible things have been happening in Japan. This is the country that gave us karaoke bars, sushi conveyors, and square watermelon not to mention those high-tech toilets.It's also a world leader in public infrastructure, sporting wonders like the lofty Tokyo Sky Tree, the immense Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, and the 300-meter tall Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. There's also the matter of the Shinkansen bullet train network, connecting riders to major cities across the country at speeds of up to 225 mph.Undergirding these dazzling public works is good old Japanese engineering, known for precision, innovation, and dependability.Case in point, the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) just announced the completion of a 3D-printed train station, which it says is a world first. Plans to replace a crumbling wooden station in Wakayama Prefecture were first announced on March 11, 2025, and the printed building was more or less put together by March 26th in the span of just under three hours.To do it, JR West contracted Serendix, which specializes in 3D printed homes. Serendix delivered the station in four parts by rail, which were then pieced together during a break in the train schedule. Though the rural station weighs in at just 10 square meters, the construction time is more than half the previous estimate of six hours.The construction method reportedly cut down on cost as well, according toThe Japan Times, coming in at half the price of reinforced concrete. The company boasts that it should likewise be able to withstand the region's devastating earthquakes.Once the station goes online in July, citizens of the coastal city of Arida will be able to resume 90-minute trips to the uninhabited island of Jinoshima, a popular destination for summer travelers.The ease with which Japan rolled out the station underscores the country's commitment to public transit. Surprisingly, the majority Japan's metro and regional rail services are privately owned an anomaly compared to most publicly-owned systems throughout the world. The secret is that many of Japan's transit companies also operate as property developers.With some carefully regulation, these companies are able to rapidly develop urban areas around public infrastructure, and invest in innovative new technology like 3D printed buildings.But Japan's success with rail privatization is even more of an outlier. Most privatization ventures throughout the world have failed spectacularly. In the UK, for example, rail privatization has led to rising fees, service reductions, staffing issues, and major delays, thanks to deregulation allowing private equity vultures to pick the system clean.Share This Article

Apr 03, 2025Ravie LakshmananMalware / Threat IntelligenceThe North Korean threat actors behind Contagious Interview have adopted the increasingly popular ClickFix social engineering tactic to lure job seekers in the cryptocurrency sector to deliver a previously undocumented Go-based backdoor called GolangGhost on Windows and macOS systems.The new activity, assessed to be a continuation of the campaign, has been codenamed ClickFake Interview by French cybersecurity company Sekoia. Contagious Interview, also tracked as DeceptiveDevelopment, DEV#POPPER, and Famous Chollima, is known to be active since at least December 2022, although it was only publicly documented for the first time in late 2023."It uses legitimate job interview websites to leverage the ClickFix tactic and install Windows and macOS backdoors," Sekoia researchers Amaury G., Coline Chavane, and Felix Aim said, attributing the effort to the infamous Lazarus Group, a prolific adversary attributed to the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).A notable aspect of the campaign is that it primarily targets centralized finance entities by impersonating companies like Coinbase, KuCoin, Kraken, Circle, Securitize, BlockFi, Tether, Robinhood, and Bybit, marking a departure from the hacking group's attacks against decentralized finance (DeFi) entities.Contagious Interview, like Operation Dream Job, employs fake job offers as lures to attract prospective targets and dupe them into downloading malware that can steal cryptocurrency and other sensitive data.As part of the effort, candidates are approached via LinkedIn or X to prepare for a video call interview, for which they are asked to download a malware-laced videoconferencing software or open-source project that activates the infection process.Lazarus Group's use of the ClickFix tactic was first disclosed towards the end of 2024 by security researcher Taylor Monahan, with the attack chains leading to the deployment of a family of malware called FERRET that then delivers the Golang backdoor.In this iteration of the campaign, victims are asked to visit a purported video interviewing service named Willo and complete a video assessment of themselves."The entire setup, meticulously designed to build user trust, proceeds smoothly until the user is asked to enable their camera," Sekoia explained. "At this point, an error message appears indicating that the user needs to download a driver to fix the issue. This is where the operator employs the ClickFix technique."The instructions given to the victim to enable access to the camera or microphone vary depending on the operating system used. On Windows, the targets are prompted to open Command Prompt and execute a curl command to execute a Visual Basic Script (VBS) file, which then launches a batch script to run GolangGhost.In the event the victim is visiting the site from a macOS machine, they are similarly asked to launch the Terminal app and run a curl command to run a shell script. The malicious shell script, for its part, runs a second shell script that, in turn, executes a stealer module dubbed FROSTYFERRET (aka ChromeUpdateAlert) and the backdoor.FROSTYFERRET displays a fake window stating the Chrome web browser needs access to the user's camera or microphone, after which it displays a prompt to enter the system password. The entered information, regardless of whether it's valid or otherwise, is exfiltrated to a Dropbox location, likely indicating an attempt to access the iCloud Keychain using the stolen password.GolangGhost is engineered to facilitate remote control and data theft through several commands that allow it to upload/download files, send host information, and steal web browser data."It was found that all the positions were not related to technical profiles in software development," Sekia noted. "They are mainly jobs of manager focusing on business development, asset management, product development or decentralised finance specialists.""This is a significant change from previous documented campaigns attributed to DPRK-nexus threat actors and based on fake job interviews, which mainly targeted developers and software engineers."North Korea IT Worker Scheme Becomes Active in EuropeThe development comes as the Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) said it has observed a surge in the fraudulent IT worker scheme in Europe, underscoring a significant expansion of their operations beyond the United States.The IT worker activity entails North Korean nationals posing as legitimate remote workers to infiltrate companies and generate illicit revenue for Pyongyang in violation of international sanctions.Increased awareness of the activity, coupled with the U.S. Justice Department indictments, have instigated a "global expansion of IT worker operations," Google said, noting it uncovered several fabricated personas seeking employment in various organizations located in Germany and Portugal.The IT workers have also been observed undertaking various projects in the United Kingdom related to web development, bot development, content management system (CMS) development, and blockchain technology, often falsifying their identities and claiming to be from Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Ukraine, the United States, and Vietnam.This tactic of IT workers posing as Vietnamese, Japanese, and Singaporean nationals was also highlighted by managed intelligence firm Nisos early last month, while also pointing out their use of GitHub to carve new personas or recycle portfolio content from older personas to reinforce their new ones."IT workers in Europe were recruited through various online platforms, including Upwork, Telegram, and Freelancer," Jamie Collier, Lead Threat Intelligence Advisor for Europe at GTIG, said. "Payment for their services was facilitated through cryptocurrency, the TransferWise service, and Payoneer, highlighting the use of methods that obfuscate the origin and destination of funds."Besides using local facilitators to help them land jobs, the insider threat operation is witnessing what appears to be a spike in extortion attempts since October 2024, when it became public knowledge that these IT workers are resorting to ransom payments from their employers to prevent them from releasing proprietary data or to provide it to a competitor. In what appears to be a further evolution of the scheme, the IT workers are now said to be targeting companies that operate a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy owing to the fact that such devices are unlikely to have traditional security and logging tools used in enterprise environments."Europe needs to wake up fast. Despite being in the crosshairs of IT worker operations, too many perceive this as a US problem. North Korea's recent shifts likely stem from US operational hurdles, showing IT workers' agility and ability to adapt to changing circumstances," Collier said."A decade of diverse cyberattacks precedes North Korea's latest surge - from SWIFT targeting and ransomware, to cryptocurrency theft and supply chain compromise. This relentless innovation demonstrates a longstanding commitment to fund the regime through cyber operations."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Amazon MGM have promised James Bond fans a fresh, exotic new chapter.The studio gained creative control of the 007 franchise earlier this year after longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli decided to step back, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman attached to produce the next film in the super spy series.Speaking at CinemaCon, Amazon MGM executives Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll told the convention: We are committed to honorring the legacy of this iconic character while bringing a fresh, exotic new chapter to audiences around the world alongside Amy and David.Theyre both in London getting started and couldnt be here tonight, but we wanted to thank them for what we know to make an incredible partnership.There is still no update on who will be replacing Daniel Craig as the super spy in the next installment.United ArtistsUnited Artistsloading...READ MORE: Every James Bond Film, Ranked From Worst to BestMeanwhile, speaking about Amazon MGM as a whole, Valenti promised a bold and diverse slate of films for fans across the board, with a commitment to beloved IP and original concepts.She said: Were building a bold and diverse slate with theatrical in mind sci-fi, fantasy, action-packed adventures, family-friendly fare, gripping thrillers movies designed to be seen big and felt deeply."Whether were tapping into beloved IP or launching original concepts, our goal is the same: to deliver unforgettable, four-quadrant experiences that deserve the theatrical moment.When it comes to Bond specifically, recent reports claim producers could bring the franchise back with an origins movie and a very young new leading man.The rumor was shared by actor Daniel Mays who revealed hed heard some details about what Amazon are planning for Bond.During an appearance on the Were Not Getting Any Younger podcast, he said: Bond is a big deal right, that going to Amazon ... I heard a rumor theyre going to cast someone very young and go sort of back to the origins.Theyre going to sort of 60s, youre going to have all the retro cars and that sort of stuff - and start again. I think that would be kind of cool.Get our free mobile app10 Worst Fictional Planets to Live OnWatching people try to survive on these cursed worlds will make you happy you live on Earth.Filed Under: Amazon, James BondCategories: Movie News