Apr 22, 2025Ravie LakshmananCyber Espionage / Threat Intelligence The China-linked cyber espionage group tracked as Lotus Panda has been attributed to a campaign that compromised multiple organizations in an unnamed Southeast Asian country between August 2024 and February 2025. "Targets included a government ministry, an air traffic control organization, a telecoms operator, and a construction company," the Symantec Threat Hunter Team said in a new report shared with The Hacker News. "The attacks involved the use of multiple new custom tools, including loaders, credential stealers, and a reverse SSH tool." The intrusion set is also said to have targeted a news agency located in another country in Southeast Asia and an air freight organization located in another neighboring country. The threat cluster, per Broadcom's cybersecurity division, is assessed to be a continuation of a campaign that was disclosed by the company in December 2024 as a high-profile organization in Southeast Asia since at least October 2023. Then last month, Cisco Talos connected the Lotus Panda actor to intrusions aimed at government, manufacturing, telecommunications, and media sectors in the Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Taiwan with a backdoor known as Sagerunex. Lotus Panda (aka Billbug, Bronze Elgin, Lotus Blossom, Spring Dragon, and Thrip) has a history of orchestrating cyber attacks against governments and military organizations in Southeast Asia. Believed to be active since at least 2009, the group came under the spotlight for the first time in June 2015 when Palo Alto Networks attributed the threat actor to a persistent spear-phishing campaign that exploded a Microsoft Office flaw (CVE-2012-0158) to distribute a backdoor dubbed Elise (aka Trensil) that's designed to execute commands and read/write files. Subsequent attacks mounted by the group have weaponized a Microsoft Windows OLE flaw (CVE-2014-6332) via a booby-trapped attachment sent in a spear-phishing email to an individual then working for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan to deploy another trojan related to Elise codenamed Emissary. In the latest wave of attacks spotted by Symantec, the attackers have leveraged legitimate executables from Trend Micro ("tmdbglog.exe") and Bitdefender ("bds.exe") to sideload malicious DLL files, which act as loaders to decrypt and launch a next-stage payload embedded within a locally stored file. The Bitdefender binary has also been used to sideload another DLL, although the exact nature of the file is unclear. Another unknown aspect of the campaign is the initial access vector used to reach the entities in question. The attacks paved the way for an updated version of Sagerunex, a tool exclusively used by Lotus Panda. It comes with capabilities to harvest target host information, encrypt it, and exfiltrate the details to an external server under the attacker's control. Also deployed in the attacks are a reverse SSH tool, and two credential stealers ChromeKatz and CredentialKatz that are equipped to siphon passwords and cookies stored in the Google Chrome web browser. "The attackers deployed the publicly available Zrok peer-to-peer tool, using the sharing function of the tool in order to provide remote access to services that were exposed internally," Symantec said. "Another legitimate tool used was called 'datechanger.exe.' It is capable of changing timestamps for files, presumably to muddy the waters for incident analysts. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 211, for April 22.

The five-story structure in Santa Marta was built in 1996 under the papacy of Pope John Paul II, providing more comfortable sleeping arrangements for cardinals during conclaves. Prior to its construction, papal electors slept “on cots in small rooms adjacent to the Sistine Chapel,” National Geographic reported.Following his death, the doors to Francis’s apartment were ceremonially closed with red ribbon and a wax seal.What happens now?A nine-day period of mourning, or novendiali, will follow the death of Pope Francis. The conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the pontiff’s death. Cardinals will flock to the Vatican to elect Pope Francis’s successor in a secretive voting process inside the Sistine Chapel. Following each voting session, the cardinals’ ballots are counted and burned.White smoke indicates that the next pope has been chosen, while black smoke indicates that voting must continue. Pope Francis’s successor will need two-thirds majority vote in order to be elected.What is in Vatican City?St. Peter’s Basilica, where Pope Francis’s funeral will take place, is a domed church in the heart of Vatican City with elements of Renaissance and Baroque styles. It was constructed between 1506 and 1626 and is one of Christianity’s holiest landmarks.Just outside of the Basilica is St. Peter’s Square, where Pope Francis made his final public appearance. The sprawling piazza was completed in 1667. At its center is the Vatican Obelisk, an ancient Egyptian obelisk that was transported to Rome in 37 AD. The Sistine Chapel, home to Michaelangelo’s famous ceiling frescoes, is located inside the Apostolic Palace. The Apostolic Palace also houses the papal apartments, which have served as the traditional residence of the pope since the 17th century. The Vatican museums, which receive six million visitors every year, are also inside the Palace.Black smoke billows out of the Sistine Chapel’s chimney during the March 2013 conclave, indicating a new pope had not yet been selected. Photo: Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty ImagesWhere does conclave voting take place?The Sistine Chapel is where conclave voting takes place.

Fox Business Fox Business Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions.  Legal Statement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Recommended SpaceX and its partners emerge as frontrunners to build part of Trump's Golden Dome project: report SpaceX, Palantir and Anduril reportedly working on joint bid to construct missile defense system close Musk SpaceX rescue mission is ‘American exceptionalism at its finest,’ says Tomi Lahren Panelists Ned Ryun and Tomi Lahren ‘celebrate and cheer’ the return of stranded NASA astronauts on ‘The Evening Edit.’ Elon Musk’s SpaceX and two of its partners have emerged as frontrunners to build part of President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense system, a report said.  SpaceX is teaming up with software maker Palantir and defense technology company Anduril for a joint bid, with all three of the companies meeting with top officials in the Trump administration and the Pentagon in recent weeks to pitch their proposal, sources told Reuters. Their plan is to build and launch 400 to up to more than 1,000 satellites to track the movement of missiles around the globe, the sources said. A fleet of 200 attack satellites armed with missiles or lasers would then eliminate enemy projectiles, but the SpaceX group is not anticipated to play a role in the weaponization of those satellites, the sources added.  The White House, the Department of Defense, SpaceX, Palantir and Anduril did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment from FOX Business. US ‘GOLDEN DOME’ BACK IN PLAY AS ‘INSURANCE POLICY’ DECADES AFTER REAGAN’S COLD WAR-ERA PROPOSAL White House senior advisor and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk listens during a Cabinet meeting held by President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 24. (Win McNamee/Getty Images / Getty Images)Trump has ordered the construction of an advanced, next-generation missile defense shield to protect the U.S. from an aerial attack. In January, he signed an executive order that tasks Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with drawing up plans to build an "Iron Dome for America" that will protect Americans from the threat of missiles launched by a foreign enemy. TRUMP’S ‘GOLDEN DOME’ WILL NEED MANHATTAN PROJECT-SCALE WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT EFFORT, SPACE FORCE GENERAL SAYS Elon Musk, left, speaks with President-elect Donald Trump, center, and guests at a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship in Brownsville, Texas, on Nov. 19, 2024. (Brandon Bell/Pool/Reuters / Reuters)So far, the Pentagon has received interest from more than 180 companies to help build the project, a U.S. official told Reuters.  An Israeli soldier stands at an Iron Dome anti-missile battery site for air defense in northern Israel on Jan. 13. (Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESSThe news agency also reported that SpaceX proposed having the U.S. government pay for access to its technology rather than having the government own its part of the Golden Dome project outright. Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report. 

ChatGPT search, OpenAI’s feature within ChatGPT that allows the chatbot to access and incorporate up-to-date information from the web into its responses, is growing at a fast clip in Europe. A report filed by one of OpenAI’s EU corporate divisions, OpenAI Ireland Limited, reveals ChatGPT search had roughly 41.3 million average monthly active “recipients” for the six-month period ending March 31. That’s up from approximately 11.2 million average monthly active recipients in the six-month period ending October 31, 2024. OpenAI regularly publishes information on ChatGPT search to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates many aspects of online services in European nations. The DSA defines monthly active recipients as “[people] actually engaging with the service at least once in a given period of time” by “being exposed to information disseminated on the online interface of the online platform, such as viewing it or listening to it, or by providing information.” One component of the DSA instructs “very large” online platforms or search engines — those with over 45 million average monthly recipients — to allow users to opt out of recommendation systems and profiling, share certain data with researchers and authorities, and perform external auditing. ChatGPT search may soon be subject to these requirements, assuming the current growth trend holds. Online platforms that don’t comply with the DSA’s rules could see fines of up to 6% of their global turnover. A platform continually refusing to comply could result in a temporary suspension in the EU. ChatGPT Search has made inroads against incumbents like Google since debuting last year. According to a poll published in September, 8% of people said they’d choose ChatGPT over Google as their primary search engine. But Google remains far and away the dominant online search tool. By one estimate, it handles 373 times more searches than ChatGPT. Researchers have found ChatGPT search and other AI-powered search engines to be less reliable than conventional search, depending on the query. According to one study, ChatGPT incorrectly identified 67% of searched-for articles. Another study surfaced accuracy problems related to ChatGPT’s treatment of news content, including content from publishers with which OpenAI has licensing agreements.

Continuum Powders, a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in sustainable metal powder production, recycled 16,182 kilograms of nickel scrap from Siemens Energy’s turbine servicing facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, over the final five months of 2024. Averaging nearly one ton per week, the material was processed into high-performance metal powders suitable for use in additive manufacturing applications across energy, aerospace, and defense sectors. Scrap originated from unused turbine components at the Siemens Energy site, where equipment such as gas and steam turbines and generators are maintained. Continuum applied its proprietary Greyhound M2P plasma atomization system to convert the reclaimed metal into powders that meet strict industrial specifications. The resulting feedstock contains nickel-based superalloys and rare earth minerals, providing an alternative to virgin materials. Reprocessing the material in this way reduces the need for traditional, energy-intensive recycling and prevents valuable metals from entering landfills. “This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Rob Higby, CEO of Continuum Powders. “By prioritizing efficient recycling and high-quality production, we are helping industry leaders reduce their environmental impact and build supply chain resiliency.” The Continuum Powders team with Rich Voorberg and Ramesh Subramanian of Siemens Energy at the AMGTA Annual Member Summit 2025. Photo via Continuum Powders. Siemens Energy, a global provider of energy technology solutions, is now evaluating how to reintegrate the recovered powders into its own production workflows. “Our goal is to recycle scrap materials into high-quality metal powders for reuse in additive manufacturing because when we minimize waste and boost circular manufacturing, it makes us a stronger player in the energy sector,” said Rich Voorberg, President of Siemens Energy in North America. Project outcomes are positioned as a case study for the broader implementation of circular manufacturing strategies in critical industries. Compared to legacy methods, the closed-loop approach implemented by Continuum reduces energy use, carbon emissions, material handling, and transportation. “Our recycling and powder production capabilities prove that innovative solutions can deliver significant environmental and economic value while meeting the most demanding industry requirements,” said Michael Brennen, Sales Director at Continuum. Operations at Continuum’s facilities in Texas and California are focused on expanding production capacity for metal powders derived from scrap. The Greyhound M2P platform, a patented plasma-based atomization technology, enables the company to process high-value alloys into new materials without depending on mining or conventional refining. This process supports landfill diversion, resource conservation, and improved supply chain resilience for high-performance manufacturing environments. Continuum Logo. Photo via Continuum Powders. Growing Emphasis on Powder Reuse in Additive Manufacturing Stratasys, a 3D printer manufacturer, recently introduced SAF ReLife, a platform designed to recycle waste PA12 powder from powder bed fusion processes such as SLS and high-speed sintering. The solution enables reuse of powder on the company’s SAF-powered H350 printer, with reported benefits including improved surface finish, reduced cost-per-part, and significant waste reduction. According to a Fraunhofer IPA-led Life Cycle Assessment, SAF ReLife can lower the carbon footprint of PA12 3D printing by up to 89% when powered by renewable energy sources. Service provider Wehl Green tested the platform and reported 20% cost-per-part savings and faster turnaround. Parallel to polymer advances, a research published by the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) evaluated energy consumption across three common metal powder production methods: gas atomization, ball milling, and wire drawing. Findings revealed that helium gas atomization required 13% less energy than argon and 28% less than nitrogen for materials like stainless steel and Inconel. Mechanical production via ball milling demonstrated the highest energy efficiency overall, outperforming gas atomization by nearly 90% under the tested conditions. The study, conducted by Syntec Associates in collaboration with Divergent Technologies, supports broader efforts to quantify and optimize the sustainability of additive feedstock production across metal AM supply chains. This research supports AMGTA’s commitment to sustainable additive manufacturing practices. Image via Carpenter Additive. Ready to discover who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards? Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to stay updated with the latest news and insights. Featured image showcases Continuum Logo. Photo via Continuum Powders. Anyer Tenorio Lara Anyer Tenorio Lara is an emerging tech journalist passionate about uncovering the latest advances in technology and innovation. With a sharp eye for detail and a talent for storytelling, Anyer has quickly made a name for himself in the tech community. Anyer's articles aim to make complex subjects accessible and engaging for a broad audience. In addition to his writing, Anyer enjoys participating in industry events and discussions, eager to learn and share knowledge in the dynamic world of technology.

Second Post here, i have since then been struggling with unreal 5 niagara, i am currently using kisong lee’s coloso course, i am really confused there are a lot of concepts that i don’t even understand, my laptop has a gtx 1060 6gb, worried if it would run unreal 5 properly, smoke sims slow it down a lot, generally just really confused on how to start and where to go, need advice, stick with unreal or go back to unity, i believe that learning unreal makes me more employable. am i wrong?. thanks a lot everyone! 1 post - 1 participant Read full topic

AppImages have come a long way in recent years. Here's why you should check them out if you haven't already, and a few of my favorites to start with.

WWE announces Survivor Series 2025 will be held at San Diego’s Petco Park on November 29, breaking early with tradition and raising questions about War Games.

Table of Contents Table of Contents An opportunity for something different A glitzed-up van Are you not entertained? Mechanicals are still a mystery Whether it’s big sedans or SUVs, Mercedes-Benz is one of the top names in luxury vehicles for people who can’t be bothered to drive themselves. And now the automaker is trying to apply that expertise to a very different form factor. Mercedes is launching a new generation of vans that are also its first to be designed from the ground up for electric powertrains, while still performing all of the functions of its current van lineup. But before it shows the everyday delivery vehicles and hotel shuttles, Mercedes is heralding the arrival of these new vans with the Vision V — a concept vehicle that shows just how luxurious a van can be. Recommended Videos The Vision V is a chauffeur-driven living room on wheels. A partition housing a massive television separates the driver’s compartment from the rear of the vehicle, where instead of the usual multiple rows of seats, two reclining thrones, a host of speakers and a massive screen provide an immersive audiovisual experience. It’s the luxury vehicle you didn’t know you wanted. Related Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends Luxury minivans are popular in Japan and China, but anything with sliding doors generally isn’t considered fancy enough in the United States and Europe. With its next-generation vans, based on new modular architectures called Van.EA (for electric vans) and Van.CA (for combustion vehicles), Mercedes hopes to change that with a van “designed as a chauffeur-driven limousine,” Benjamin Kaehler, chief engineer for Mercedes-Benz Vans, told Digital Trends and other media at a preview event near the automaker’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. And why shouldn’t a van play that role? If you’re going to be driven around in something, it might as well be a big box on wheels with plenty of interior space. They’re already used as hotel and airport shuttles, sometimes with elaborate interior upgrades via the aftermarket. And SUVs have shown that it’s possible to make the transition from workaday vehicle to VIP transport. A plain boxy van doesn’t exactly have the brawny caché of an SUV, though, or the refinement of classic luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. So while Mercedes was able to cram the Vision V concept full of high-end features, designers had to create a decidedly un-van-like exterior to pique curiosity about what’s inside. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends After signing confidentiality agreements and checking credentials, a false wall lifted up, Hollywood-style, and the gaggle of journalists was ushered into a hidden room where, bathed in harsh studio lighting and special-effects smoke, the Vision V awaited. This is the type of vehicle that deserves such a dramatic introduction. It’s definitely a van, but with its sloping roof, defined character lines in the body sides, and a simple tailgate with a circular lighting element that recalls Star Trek impulse engines, it’s also definitely futuristic. the Vision V proudly wears an ostentatious grille and bright 24-inch wheels. But the Vision V also hits all of the luxury-vehicle marks. At a time where many automakers are abandoning chrome for blacked-out exterior trim, the Vision V proudly wears an ostentatious grille with a mirror finish, along with equally bright 24-inch mono-block wheels similar to what you’d normally see on Mercedes’ ultra-luxury Maybach models. The traditional hood ornament ties the Vision V to Mercedes’ luxury cars, as do the segment headlights that arc up and away from the grille, as well as twin power bulges in the hood. One thing the Vision V has that current Mercedes luxury cars don’t is electrochromic glass. Taking things up a notch from heavy window tinting, this tech can switch the side glass (as well as the interior partition) from transparent to opaque instantly, providing maximum privacy for rear-seat passengers. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends The doors slid open (thanks to an attendant operating a remote control, this is a concept car after all) to reveal a fever dream of an interior. The two rear seats were comprised of tube-like elements, accompanied by equally strange-looking speaker assemblies (there are 42 speakers in all) and a ceiling lamp. Apple Store white and polished aluminum were the colors of choice — accented by the color-changing ambient lighting that’s become a signature feature of recent Mercedes interiors. Once situated, a process that required shrinking wrapping my shoes and having one of the Vision V’s attendants lay a protective cover over the seat (even blue jeans could stain the one-off leather upholstery, apparently) it was surprisingly comfortable, given the unorthodox design. Mercedes was able to build in lounge chair-levels of recline thanks to the amount of space available, although headroom was a little tight with the seat in its upright position. Integrated seatbelts allow the seats to be reclined with belts fastened, but it’s unclear if recumbent passengers aren’t a part of the regular crash-test regimen. The cabin of the Vision V felt like a cozy lounge without being claustrophobic. The seats face a 65-inch 4K screen that rises up in front of a limo-like partition that separates the front seats from the rest of the vehicle. It makes for glorious gaming and movie-watching experiences that blow away the comparatively-tiny screens available with today’s rear-seat entertainment systems. The images even overflow from the screen onto the ceiling and door panels —that hard-to-clean white upholstery makes a great projection surface — and the screen can also be partly raised to serve as a relaxing digital fireplace or an oversized “Now Playing” bar. While the interior is complete down to the last detail, the Vision V is still very much a concept car rather than a production-ready vehicle. The fans needed to keep all of its electronics cool whirred loudly throughout my time in the van (while still keeping the ambient temperature uncomfortably warm), and the vehicle wasn’t moving. Still, it’s easy to see the potential of this idea. The cabin of the Vision V felt like a cozy lounge without — despite the amount of stuff crammed into it — feeling claustrophobic. It seemed like a great place to be while stuck in traffic with someone else driving. Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends Mercedes emphasized that the Vision V isn’t just another fantastical concept car, and that it really is evaluating building a production luxury van with similar features based on its new Van.EA and Van.CA platforms. But while the first vans based on those platforms are scheduled to debut in 2026, Mercedes hasn’t provided many technical details. It’s worth noting that Van.EA was announced first — Van.CA was only announced recently as Mercedes pulled back from its more ambitious EV goals — and the automaker says both platforms share 70% of components. So it’s likely that, in the reverse of the way things are currently done, Mercedes has designed an EV-first van architecture that is now being adapted for internal-combustion powertrains. Mercedes hasn’t provided many technical details on its next-generation vans. Expect a greater degree of modularity than the designs of current vans, like the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, to more easily accommodate the different powertrain types, including single-motor and dual-motor EV variants. Hopefully Mercedes will also incorporate some of the efficiency improvements gleaned from its Vision EQXX concept, and incorporated into electric passenger cars starting with the 2026 CLA compact sedan, to boost range and make electric vans more attractive to businesses. The more workaday vans will face competition from usual suspects like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, all of which have both electric and combustion options in their van lineups. But as a van maker that also happens to be one of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands, Mercedes has an opportunity new to both sides of the business. And if the Vision V is any indication, it’ll be more than just the Mercedes three-pointed star on its hood that justifies its high-end status. Editors’ Recommendations