Image: Square EnixSquare Enix is bringing Bravely Default: Flying Fairy to the Switch 2 on the console's launch day via an HD Remaster, and we're pretty happy to see the first entry in this delightful series make the jump to home consoles. But it's being launched as a Game-Key Card game, which has definitely put a bit of an asterisk on what should be a celebration. Now, there might be another wrinkle to contend with, as a Square Enix blog post has highlighted a number of new and returning features from the 3DS game. The big thing that has people worried is the "Encounter Rate Settings" section, where the blog specifically states (along with a screenshot, below) that "You can set the rate of random enemy encounters at 50% intervals to anywhere from 50% to 200%." Yet, in the Western release of Bravely Default, you could reduce the encounter rate to 0%, meaning you could turn off random encounters entirely. It was such a good feature that allowed players to customise their experience, and that appears to be entirely gone here. Image: Square Enix There are some caveats here, of course — this remaster may well be based on the original Japanese release of the game, titled Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. The Western 3DS release is actually based on an enhanced rerelease of the game called Bravely Default: For the Sequel, which added tons of quality-of-life features. In the original Japanese release, there was no way to amend the encounter rate at all; this was added in For the Sequel and stuck around as a feature for the follow-up, Bravely Second: End Layer.You can't turn off encounters for Bravely Default 2, but enemies are visible on the overworld, so there are no random encounters. If this has been removed, it seems like an odd choice given its popularity, and other features such as fast forward have remained. Plus, Square Enix is adding new content in the form of two new minigames. So it's not like this is just a simple, straight port with nicer visuals. We've reached out to Square Enix to confirm this information, and we'll let you know if there are any updates. The bad news is that it's a 'Game Key' release... All confirmed Switch 2 Game-Key Card games [source square-enix-games.com] Related Games See Also Share:0 0 Alana has been with Nintendo Life since 2022, and while RPGs are her first love, Nintendo is a close second. She enjoys nothing more than overthinking battle strategies, characters, and stories. She also wishes she was a Sega air pirate. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment... Related Articles Paul Rudd Returns In An Awesome SNES-Style Switch 2 Commercial Super together! Exclusive: Shin'en Talks 'Fast Fusion' On Switch 2, Reveals First-Look Trailer "This will make your hands sweaty!" More Switch 2 Estimated File Sizes Seemingly Revealed Make some space for third-party offerings Nintendo Museum Has A Surprise If You Bring Your 3DS A new kind of MuseumPass

The cybersecurity world is full of jargon and lingo. At TechCrunch, we have been writing about cybersecurity for years, and we frequently use technical terms and expressions to describe the nature of what is happening in the world. That’s why we have created this glossary, which includes some of the most common — and not so common — words and expressions that we use in our articles, and explanations of how, and why, we use them.  This is a developing compendium, and we will update it regularly. If you have any feedback or suggestions for this glossary, get in touch. Advanced persistent threat (APT) An advanced persistent threat (APT) is often categorized as a hacker, or group of hackers, which gains and maintains unauthorized access to a targeted system. The main aim of an APT intruder is to remain undetected for long periods of time, often to conduct espionage and surveillance, to steal data, or sabotage critical systems. APTs are traditionally well-resourced hackers, including the funding to pay for their malicious campaigns, and access to hacking tools typically reserved by governments. As such, many of the long-running APT groups are associated with nation states, like China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. In recent years, we’ve seen examples of non-nation state cybercriminal groups that are financially motivated (such as theft and money laundering) carrying out cyberattacks similar in terms of persistence and capabilities as some traditional government-backed APT groups. (See: Hacker) Adversary-in-the-middle attack An adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) attack, traditionally known as a “man-in-the-middle” (MitM), is where someone intercepts network traffic at a particular point on the network in an attempt to eavesdrop or modify the data as it travels the internet. This is why encrypting data makes it more difficult for malicious actors to read or understand a person’s network traffic, which could contain personal information or secrets, like passwords. Adversary-in-the-middle attacks can be used legitimately by security researchers to help understand what data goes in and out of an app or web service, a process that can help identify security bugs and data exposures. Arbitrary code execution The ability to run commands or malicious code on an affected system, often because of a security vulnerability in the system’s software. Arbitrary code execution can be achieved either remotely or with physical access to an affected system (such as someone’s device). In the cases where arbitrary code execution can be achieved over the internet, security researchers typically call this remote code execution.  Often, code execution is used as a way to plant a back door for maintaining long-term and persistent access to that system, or for running malware that can be used to access deeper parts of the system or other devices on the same network.  (See also: Remote code execution) Attribution Attribution is the process of finding out and identifying who is behind a cyberattack. There is an often repeated mantra, “attribution is hard,” which is to warn cybersecurity professionals and the wider public that definitively establishing who was behind a cyberattack is no simple task. While it is not impossible to attribute, the answer is also dependent on the level of confidence in the assessment. Threat intelligence companies such as CrowdStrike, Kaspersky, and Mandiant, among others, have for years attributed cyberattacks and data breaches to groups or “clusters” of hackers, often referencing groups by a specific codename, based on a pattern of certain tactics, techniques and procedures as seen in previous attacks. Some threat intelligence firms go as far as publicly linking certain groups of hackers to specific governments or their intelligence agencies when the evidence points to it.  Government agencies, however, have for years publicly accused other governments and countries of being behind cyberattacks, and have gone as far as identifying — and sometimes criminally charging — specific people working for those agencies. Backdoor A backdoor is a subjective term, but broadly refers to creating the means to gain future access to a system, device, or physical area. Backdoors can be found in software or hardware, such as a mechanism to gain access to a system (or space) in case of accidental lock-out, or for remotely providing technical support over the internet. Backdoors can have legitimate and helpful use cases, but backdoors can also be undocumented, maliciously planted, or otherwise unknown to the user or owner, which can weaken the security of the product and make it more susceptible to hacking or compromise. TechCrunch has a deeper dive on encryption backdoors. Black/white hat Hackers historically have been categorized as either “black hat” or “white hat,” usually depending on the motivations of the hacking activity carried out. A “black hat” hacker may be someone who might break the law and hack for money or personal gain, such as a cybercriminal. “White hat” hackers generally hack within legal bounds, like as part of a penetration test sanctioned by the target company, or to collect bug bounties finding flaws in various software and disclosing them to the affected vendor. For those who hack with less clearcut motivations, they may be regarded as a “gray hat.” Famously, the hacking group the L0pht used the term gray hat in an interview with The New York Times Magazine in 1999. While still commonly used in modern security parlance, many have moved away from the “hat” terminology.  (Also see: Hacker, Hacktivist) Botnet Botnets are networks of hijacked internet-connected devices, such as webcams and home routers, that have been compromised by malware (or sometimes weak or default passwords) for the purposes of being used in cyberattacks. Botnets can be made up of hundreds or thousands of devices and are typically controlled by a command-and-control server that sends out commands to ensnared devices. Botnets can be used for a range of malicious reasons, like using the distributed network of devices to mask and shield the internet traffic of cybercriminals, deliver malware, or harness their collective bandwidth to maliciously crash websites and online services with huge amounts of junk internet traffic.  (See also: Command-and-control server; Distributed denial-of-service) Brute force A brute-force attack is a common and rudimentary method of hacking into accounts or systems by automatically trying different combinations and permutations of letters and words to guess passwords. A less sophisticated brute-force attack is one that uses a “dictionary,” meaning a list of known and common passwords, for example. A well designed system should prevent these types of attacks by limiting the number of login attempts inside a specific timeframe, a solution called rate-limiting.  Bug A bug is essentially the cause of a software glitch, such as an error or a problem that causes the software to crash or behave in an unexpected way. In some cases, a bug can also be a security vulnerability.  The term “bug” originated in 1947, at a time when early computers were the size of rooms and made up of heavy mechanical and moving equipment. The first known incident of a bug found in a computer was when a moth disrupted the electronics of one of these room-sized computers. (See also: Vulnerability) Command-and-control (C2) server Command-and-control servers (also known as C2 servers) are used by cybercriminals to remotely manage and control their fleets of compromised devices and launch cyberattacks, such as delivering malware over the internet and launching distributed denial-of-service attacks. (See also: Botnet; Distributed denial-of-service) Crypto This is a word that can have two meanings depending on the context. Traditionally, in the context of computer science and cybersecurity, crypto is short for “cryptography,” the mathematical field of coding and decoding messages and data using encryption. Crypto has more recently also become short for cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the myriad blockchain-based decentralized digital currencies that have sprung up in the last fifteen years. As cryptocurrencies have grown from a niche community to a whole industry, crypto is now also used to refer to that whole industry and community.  For years, the cryptography and cybersecurity community have wrestled with the adoption of this new meaning, going as far as making the phrases “crypto is not cryptocurrency” and “crypto means cryptography” into something that features on its own dedicated website and even T-shirts.  Languages change over time depending on how people use words. As such, TechCrunch accepts the reality where crypto has different meanings depending on context, and where the context isn’t clear, then we spell out cryptography, or cryptocurrency.  Cryptojacking Cryptojacking is when a device’s computational power is used, with or without the owner’s permission, to generate cryptocurrency. Developers sometimes bundle code in apps and on websites, which then uses the device’s processors to complete complex mathematical calculations needed to create new cryptocurrency. The generated cryptocurrency is then deposited in virtual wallets owned by the developer.  Some malicious hackers use malware to deliberately compromise large numbers of unwitting computers to generate cryptocurrency on a large and distributed scale. Dark and deep web The world wide web is the public content that flows across the pipes of the internet, much of what is online today is for anyone to access at any time. The “deep web,” however, is the content that is kept behind paywalls and member-only spaces, or any part of the web that is not readily accessible or browsable with a search engine. Then there is the “dark web,” which is the part of the internet that allows users to remain anonymous but requires certain software (such as the Tor Browser) to access, depending on the part of the dark web you’re trying to access. Anonymity benefits those who live and work in highly censored or surveilled countries, but it also can benefit criminals. There is nothing inherently criminal or nefarious about accessing the dark web; many popular websites also offer dark web versions so that users around the world can access their content. TechCrunch has a more detailed explainer on what the dark web is. Data breach When we talk about data breaches, we ultimately mean the improper removal of data from where it should have been. But the circumstances matter and can alter the terminology we use to describe a particular incident.  A data breach is when protected data was confirmed to have improperly left a system from where it was originally stored and usually confirmed when someone discovers the compromised data. More often than not, we’re referring to the exfiltration of data by a malicious cyberattacker or otherwise detected as a result of an inadvertent exposure. Depending on what is known about the incident, we may describe it in more specific terms where details are known. (See also: Data exposure; Data leak) Data exposure A data exposure (a type of data breach) is when protected data is stored on a system that has no access controls, such as because of human error or a misconfiguration. This might include cases where a system or database is connected to the internet but without a password. Just because data was exposed doesn’t mean the data was actively discovered, but nevertheless could still be considered a data breach.  Data leak A data leak (a type of data breach) is where protected data is stored on a system in a way that it was allowed to escape, such as due to a previously unknown vulnerability in the system or by way of insider access (such as an employee). A data leak can mean that data could have been exfiltrated or otherwise collected, but there may not always be the technical means, such as logs, to know for sure. Deepfake Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, audios, or pictures designed to look real, often with the goal of fooling people into thinking they are genuine. Deepfakes are developed with a specific type of machine learning known as deep learning, hence its name. Examples of deepfakes can range from relatively harmless, like a video of a celebrity saying something funny or outrageous, to more harmful efforts. In recent years, there have been documented cases of deepfaked political content designed to discredit politicians and influence voters, while other malicious deepfakes have relied on using recordings of executives designed to trick company employees into giving up sensitive information or sending money to scammers. Deepfakes are also contributing to the proliferation of nonconsensual sexual images.   Def Con (aka DEFCON) Def Con is one of the most important hacking conferences in the world, held annually in Las Vegas, usually during August. Launched in 1993 as a party for some hacker friends, it has now become an annual gathering of almost 30,000 hackers and cybersecurity professionals, with dozens of talks, capture-the-flag hacking competitions, and themed “villages,” where attendees can learn how to hack internet-connected devices, voting systems, and even aircraft. Unlike other conferences like RSA or Black Hat, Def Con is decidedly not a business conference, and the focus is much more on hacker culture. There is a vendor area, but it usually includes nonprofits like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, The Calyx Institute, and the Tor Project, as well as relatively small cybersecurity companies. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) A distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, is a kind of cyberattack that involves flooding targets on the internet with junk web traffic in order to overload and crash the servers and cause the service, such as a website, online store, or gaming platform to go down.  DDoS attacks are launched by botnets, which are made up of networks of hacked internet-connected devices (such as home routers and webcams) that can be remotely controlled by a malicious operator, usually from a command-and-control server. Botnets can be made up of hundreds or thousands of hijacked devices. While a DDoS is a form of cyberattack, these data-flooding attacks are not “hacks” in themselves, as they don’t involve the breach and exfiltration of data from their targets, but instead cause a “denial of service” event to the affected service. (See also: Botnet; Command-and-control server) Encryption Encryption is the way and means in which information, such as files, documents, and private messages, are scrambled to make the data unreadable to anyone other than to its intended owner or recipient. Encrypted data is typically scrambled using an encryption algorithm — essentially a set of mathematical formulas that determines how Nearly all modern encryption algorithms in use today are open source, allowing anyone (including security professionals and cryptographers) to review and check the algorithm to make sure it’s free of faults or flaws. Some encryption algorithms are stronger than others, meaning data protected by some weaker algorithms can be decrypted by harnessing large amounts of computational power. Encryption is different from encoding, which simply converts data into a different and standardized format, usually for the benefit of allowing computers to read the data. (See also: End-to-end encryption) End-to-end encryption (E2EE) End-to-end encryption (or E2EE) is a security feature built into many messaging and file-sharing apps, and is widely considered one of the strongest ways of securing digital communications as they traverse the internet. E2EE scrambles the file or message on the sender’s device before it’s sent in a way that allows only the intended recipient to decrypt its contents, making it near-impossible for anyone — including a malicious hacker, or even the app maker — to snoop inside on someone’s private communications. In recent years, E2EE has become the default security standard for many messaging apps, including Apple’s iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Signal, and WhatsApp.  E2EE has also become the subject of governmental frustration in recent years, as encryption makes it impossible for tech companies or app providers to give over information that they themselves do not have access to. (See also: Encryption) Escalation of privileges Most modern systems are protected with multiple layers of security, including the ability to set user accounts with more restricted access to the underlying system’s configurations and settings. This prevents these users — or anyone with improper access to one of these user accounts — from tampering with the core underlying system. However, an “escalation of privileges” event can involve exploiting a bug or tricking the system into granting the user more access rights than they should have.  Malware can also take advantage of bugs or flaws caused by escalation of privileges by gaining deeper access to a device or a connected network, potentially allowing the malware to spread. Espionage When we talk about espionage, we’re generally referring to threat groups or hacking campaigns that are dedicated to spying, and are typically characterized by their stealth. Espionage-related hacks are usually aimed at gaining and maintaining stealthy persistent access to a target’s network to carry out passive surveillance, reconnaissance for future cyberattacks, or the long-term collection and exfiltration of data. Espionage operations are often carried out by governments and intelligence agencies, though not exclusively. Exploit An exploit is the way and means in which a vulnerability is abused or taken advantage of, usually in order to break into a system.  (See also: Bug; Vulnerability) Extortion  In general terms, extortion is the act of obtaining something, usually money, through the use of force and intimidation. Cyber extortion is no different, as it typically refers to a category of cybercrime whereby attackers demand payment from victims by threatening to damage, disrupt, or expose their sensitive information.  Extortion is often used in ransomware attacks, where hackers typically exfiltrate company data before demanding a ransom payment from the hacked victim. But extortion has quickly become its own category of cybercrime, with many, often younger, financially motivated hackers, opting to carry out extortion-only attacks, which snub the use of encryption in favor of simple data theft. (Also see: Ransomware)  Forensics Forensic investigations involve analyzing data and information contained in a computer, server, or mobile device, looking for evidence of a hack, crime, or some sort of malfeasance. Sometimes, in order to access the data, corporate or law enforcement investigators rely on specialized devices and tools, like those made by Cellebrite and Grayshift, which are designed to unlock and break the security of computers and cellphones to access the data within. Hacker There is no one single definition of “hacker.” The term has its own rich history, culture, and meaning within the security community. Some incorrectly conflate hackers, or hacking, with wrongdoing.  By our definition and use, we broadly refer to a “hacker” as someone who is a “breaker of things,” usually by altering how something works to make it perform differently in order to meet their objectives. In practice, that can be something as simple as repairing a machine with non-official parts to make it function differently as intended, or work even better.  In the cybersecurity sense, a hacker is typically someone who breaks a system or breaks the security of a system. That could be anything from an internet-connected computer system to a simple door lock. But the person’s intentions and motivations (if known) matter in our reporting, and guides how we accurately describe the person, or their activity.  There are ethical and legal differences between a hacker who works as a security researcher, who is professionally tasked with breaking into a company’s systems with their permission to identify security weaknesses that can be fixed before a malicious individual has a chance to exploit them; and a malicious hacker who gains unauthorized access to a system and steals data without obtaining anyone’s permission. Because the term “hacker” is inherently neutral, we generally apply descriptors in our reporting to provide context about who we’re talking about. If we know that an individual works for a government and is contracted to maliciously steal data from a rival government, we’re likely to describe them as a nation-state or government hackeradvanced persistent threat), for example. If a gang is known to use malware to steal funds from individuals’ bank accounts, we may describe them as financially motivated hackers, or if there is evidence of criminality or illegality (such as an indictment), we may describe them simply as cybercriminals. And, if we don’t know motivations or intentions, or a person describes themselves as such, we may simply refer to a subject neutrally as a “hacker,” where appropriate. Hack-and-leak operation Sometimes, hacking and stealing data is only the first step. In some cases, hackers then leak the stolen data to journalists, or directly post the data online for anyone to see. The goal can be either to embarrass the hacking victim, or to expose alleged malfeasance.  The origins of modern hack-and-leak operations date back to the early- and mid-2000s, when groups like el8, pHC (“Phrack High Council”) and zf0 were targeting people in the cybersecurity industry who, according to these groups, had foregone the hacker ethos and had sold out. Later, there are the examples of hackers associated with Anonymous and leaking data from U.S. government contractor HBGary, and North Korean hackers leaking emails stolen from Sony as retribution for the Hollywood comedy, The Interview.  Some of the most recent and famous examples are the hack against the now-defunct government spyware pioneer Hacking Team in 2015, and the infamous Russian government-led hack-and-leak of Democratic National Committee emails ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Iranian government hackers tried to emulate the 2016 playbook during the 2024 elections.  Hacktivist A particular kind of hacker who hacks for what they — and perhaps the public — perceive as a good cause, hence the portmanteau of the words “hacker” and “activist.” Hacktivism has been around for more than two decades, starting perhaps with groups like the Cult of the Dead Cow in the late 1990s. Since then, there have been several high profile examples of hacktivist hackers and groups, such as Anonymous, LulzSec, and Phineas Fisher.  (Also see: Hacker) Infosec Short for “information security,” an alternative term used to describe defensive cybersecurity focused on the protection of data and information. “Infosec” may be the preferred term for industry veterans, while the term “cybersecurity” has become widely accepted. In modern times, the two terms have become largely interchangeable.  Infostealers Infostealers are malware capable of stealing information from a person’s computer or device. Infostealers are often bundled in pirated software, like Redline, which when installed will primarily seek out passwords and other credentials stored in the person’s browser or password manager, then surreptitiously upload the victim’s passwords to the attacker’s systems. This lets the attacker sign in using those stolen passwords. Some infostealers are also capable of stealing session tokens from a user’s browser, which allow the attacker to sign in to a person’s online account as if they were that user but without needing their password or multi-factor authentication code. (See also: Malware) Jailbreak Jailbreaking is used in several contexts to mean the use of exploits and other hacking techniques to circumvent the security of a device, or removing the restrictions a manufacturer puts on hardware or software. In the context of iPhones, for example, a jailbreak is a technique to remove Apple’s restrictions on installing apps outside of its “walled garden” or to gain the ability to conduct security research on Apple devices, which is normally highly restricted. In the context of AI, jailbreaking means figuring out a way to get a chatbot to give out information that it’s not supposed to.  Kernel The kernel, as its name suggests, is the core part of an operating system that connects and controls virtually all hardware and software. As such, the kernel has the highest level of privileges, meaning it has access to virtually any data on the device. That’s why, for example, apps such as antivirus and anti-cheat software run at the kernel level, as they require broad access to the device. Having kernel access allows these apps to monitor for malicious code. Malware Malware is a broad umbrella term that describes malicious software. Malware can land in many forms and be used to exploit systems in different ways. As such, malware that is used for specific purposes can often be referred to as its own subcategory. For example, the type of malware used for conducting surveillance on people’s devices is also called “spyware,” while malware that encrypts files and demands money from its victims is called “ransomware.” (See also: Infostealers; Ransomware; Spyware) Metadata is information about something digital, rather than its contents. That can include details about the size of a file or document, who created it, and when, or in the case of digital photos, where the image was taken and information about the device that took the photo. Metadata may not identify the contents of a file, but it can be useful in determining where a document came from or who authored it. Metadata can also refer to information about an exchange, such as who made a call or sent a text message, but not the contents of the call or the message. Multi-factor authentication Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the common umbrella term for describing when a person must provide a second piece of information, aside from a username and password, to log into a system. MFA (or two-factor; also known as 2FA) can prevent malicious hackers from re-using a person’s stolen credentials by requiring a time-sensitive code sent to or generated from a registered device owned by the account holder, or the use of a physical token or key.  Operational security (OPSEC) Operational security, or OPSEC for short, is the practice of keeping information secret in various situations. Practicing OPSEC means thinking about what information you are trying to protect, from whom, and how you’re going to protect it. OPSEC is less about what tools you are using, and more about how you are using them and for what purpose.  For example, government officials discussing plans to bomb foreign countries on Signal are practicing bad OPSEC because the app is not designed for that use-case, and runs on devices that are more vulnerable to hackers than highly restricted systems specifically designed for military communications. On the other hand, journalists using Signal to talk to sensitive sources is generally good OPSEC because it makes it harder for those communications to be intercepted by eavesdroppers. (See also: Threat model) Penetration testing Also known as “pen-testing,” this is the process where security researchers “stress-test” the security of a product, network, or system, usually by attempting to modify the way that the product typically operates. Software makers may ask for a pen-test on a product, or of their internal network, to ensure that they are free from serious or critical security vulnerabilities, though a pen-test does not guarantee that a product will be completely bug-free. Phishing Phishing is a type of cyberattack where hackers trick their targets into clicking or tapping on a malicious link, or opening a malicious attachment. The term derives from “fishing,” because hackers often use “lures” to convincingly trick their targets in these types of attacks. A phishing lure could be attachment coming from an email address that appears to be legitimate, or even an email spoofing the email address of a person that the target really knows. Sometimes, the lure could be something that might appear to be important to the target, like sending a forged document to a journalist that appears to show corruption, or a fake conference invite for human rights defenders. There is an often cited adage by the well-known cybersecurity influencer The Grugq, which encapsulates the value of phishing: “Give a man an 0day and he’ll have access for a day, teach a man to phish and he’ll have access for life.” (Also see: Social engineering) Ransomware Ransomware is a type of malicious software (or malware) that prevents device owners from accessing its data, typically by encrypting the person’s files. Ransomware is usually deployed by cybercriminal gangs who demand a ransom payment — usually cryptocurrency — in return for providing the private key to decrypt the person’s data. In some cases, ransomware gangs will steal the victim’s data before encrypting it, allowing the criminals to extort the victim further by threatening to publish the files online. Paying a ransomware gang is no guarantee that the victim will get their stolen data back, or that the gang will delete the stolen data. One of the first-ever ransomware attacks was documented in 1989, in which malware was distributed via floppy disk (an early form of removable storage) to attendees of the World Health Organization’s AIDS conference. Since then, ransomware has evolved into a multibillion-dollar criminal industry as attackers refine their tactics and hone in on big-name corporate victims. (See also: Malware; Sanctions) Remote code execution Remote code execution refers to the ability to run commands or malicious code (such as malware) on a system from over a network, often the internet, without requiring any human interaction from the target. Remote code execution attacks can range in complexity but can be highly damaging when vulnerabilities are exploited. (See also: Arbitrary code execution) Sanctions Cybersecurity-related sanctions work similarly to traditional sanctions in that they make it illegal for businesses or individuals to transact with a sanctioned entity. In the case of cyber sanctions, these entities are suspected of carrying out malicious cyber-enabled activities, such as ransomware attacks or the laundering of ransom payments made to hackers. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administers sanctions. The Treasury’s Cyber-Related Sanctions Program was established in 2015 as part of the Obama administration’s response to cyberattacks targeting U.S. government agencies and private sector U.S. entities. While a relatively new addition to the U.S. government’s bureaucratic armory against ransomware groups, sanctions are increasingly used to hamper and deter malicious state actors from conducting cyberattacks. Sanctions are often used against hackers who are out of reach of U.S. indictments or arrest warrants, such as ransomware crews based in Russia. Sandbox A sandbox is a part of a system that is isolated from the rest. The goal is to create a protected environment where a hacker can compromise the sandbox, but without allowing further access to the rest of the system. For example, mobile applications usually run in their own sandboxes. If hackers compromise a browser, for example, they cannot immediately compromise the operating system or another app on the same device.  Security researchers also use sandboxes in both physical and virtual environments (such as a virtual machine) to analyze malicious code without risking compromising their own computers or networks. SIM swap SIM swapping is a type of attack where hackers hijack and take control of a person’s phone number, often with the goal of then using the phone number to log into the target’s sensitive accounts, such as their email address, bank account, or cryptocurrency wallet. This attack exploits the way that online accounts sometimes rely on a phone number as a fallback in the event of losing a password. SIM swaps often rely on hackers using social engineering techniques to trick phone carrier employees (or bribing them) into handing over control of a person’s account, as well as hacking into carrier systems. Social engineering is the art of human deception, and encompasses several techniques a hacker can use to deceive their target into doing something they normally would not do. Phishing, for example, can be classified as a type of social engineering attack because hackers trick targets into clicking on a malicious link or opening a malicious attachment, or calling someone on the phone while pretending to be their employer’s IT department. Social engineering can also be used in the real world, for example, to convince building security employees to let someone who shouldn’t be allowed to enter the building. Some call it “human hacking” because social engineering attacks don’t necessarily have to involve technology.  (Also see: Phishing) Spyware (commercial, government) A broad term, like malware, that covers a range of surveillance monitoring software. Spyware is typically used to refer to malware made by private companies, such as NSO Group’s Pegasus, Intellexa’s Predator, and Hacking Team’s Remote Control System, among others, which the companies sell to government agencies. In more generic terms, these types of malware are like remote access tools, which allows their operators — usually government agents — to spy and monitor their targets, giving them the ability to access a device’s camera and microphone or exfiltrate data. Spyware is also referred to as commercial or government spyware, or mercenary spyware. (See also: Stalkerware) Stalkerware Stalkerware is a kind of surveillance malware (and a form of spyware) that is usually sold to ordinary consumers under the guise of child or employee monitoring software but is often used for the purposes of spying on the phones of unwitting individuals, oftentimes spouses and domestic partners. The spyware grants access to the target’s messages, location, and more. Stalkerware typically requires physical access to a target’s device, which gives the attacker the ability to install it directly on the target’s device, often because the attacker knows the target’s passcode.  (See also: Spyware) Threat model What are you trying to protect? Who are you worried about that could go after you or your data? How could these attackers get to the data? The answers to these kinds of questions are what will lead you to create a threat model. In other words, threat modeling is a process that an organization or an individual has to go through to design software that is secure, and devise techniques to secure it. A threat model can be focused and specific depending on the situation. A human rights activist in an authoritarian country has a different set of adversaries, and data, to protect than a large corporation in a democratic country that is worried about ransomware, for example.  (See also: Operational security) When we describe “unauthorized” access, we’re referring to the accessing of a computer system by breaking any of its security features, such as a login prompt or a password, which would be considered illegal under the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, or the CFAA. The Supreme Court in 2021 clarified the CFAA, finding that accessing a system lacking any means of authorization — for example, a database with no password — is not illegal, as you cannot break a security feature that isn’t there.  It’s worth noting that “unauthorized” is a broadly used term and often used by companies subjectively, and as such has been used to describe malicious hackers who steal someone’s password to break in through to incidents of insider access or abuse by employees.  Virtual private network (VPN) A virtual private network, or VPN, is a networking technology that allows someone to “virtually” access a private network, such as their workplace or home, from anywhere else in the world. Many use a VPN provider to browse the web, thinking that this can help to avoid online surveillance. TechCrunch has a skeptics’ guide to VPNs that can help you decide if a VPN makes sense for you. If it does, we’ll show you how to set up your own private and encrypted VPN server that only you control. And if it doesn’t, we explore some of the privacy tools and other measures you can take to meaningfully improve your privacy online. Vulnerability A vulnerability (also referred to as a security flaw) is a type of bug that causes software to crash or behave in an unexpected way that affects the security of the system or its data. Sometimes, two or more vulnerabilities can be used in conjunction with each other — known as “vulnerability chaining” — to gain deeper access to a targeted system.  (See also: Bug; Exploit) Zero-click (and one-click) attacks Malicious attacks can sometimes be categorized and described by the amount of user interaction that malware, or a malicious hacker, needs in order to achieve successful compromise. One-click attacks refer to the target having to interact only once with the incoming lure, such as clicking on a malicious link or opening an attachment, to grant the intruder access. But zero-click attacks differ in that they can achieve compromise without the target having to click or tap anything. Zero-clicks are near-invisible to the target and are far more difficult to identify. As such, zero-click attacks are almost always delivered over the internet, and are often reserved for high-value targets for their stealthy capabilities, such as deploying spyware. (Also see: Spyware) Zero-day A zero-day is a specific type of security vulnerability that has been publicly disclosed or exploited but the vendor who makes the affected hardware or software has not been given time (or “zero days”) to fix the problem. As such, there may be no immediate fix or mitigation to prevent an affected system from being compromised. This can be particularly problematic for internet-connected devices.  (See also: Vulnerability) First published on September 20, 2024.

Movie & Games Trailers Predator: Badlands By Vincent Frei - 25/04/2025 The hunt begins on a distant world. Predator: Badlands drops its first trailer — a bold new chapter set in the future, where a young Predator teams up with an unlikely ally to face the deadliest challenge of all. Watch it now! The Production VFX Supervisor is Olivier Dumont. The Production VFX Producer is Kathy Siegel.Director: Dan Trachtenberg Release Date: November 7, 2025 (USA) © Vincent Frei – The Art of VFX – 2025

Nano Dimension completed its acquisition of U.S. FDM 3D printer manufacturer Markforged Holding Corporation (NYSE: MKFG). This announcement comes weeks after the additive manufacturing electronics firm finalized a similar deal for the industrial 3D printer OEM Desktop Metal.    Nano Dimension’s deal for Markforged was first announced in September 2024. Valued at $116 million, or $5.00 per share, the transaction has been sealed following the completion of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions. As part of the agreement, Markforged’s Chief Financial Officer, Assaf Zipori, has become Nano Dimension’s new CFO.   According to a Nano Dimension press release, the acquisition gives the company a “strong foothold” in metal and composite manufacturing and marks a “leap forward” in AI-optimized production.  Ofir Baharav, Nano Dimension’s CEO, called the acquisition “a major milestone” in fulfilling the company’s vision of “building a preeminent digital manufacturing leader.” He stated that Markforged’s installed base of 15,000 systems provides a “strong platform” for expanding Nano’s global reach.  “While Markforged solutions have achieved nearly 50% gross margin, we will continue to take clear, decisive steps to drive profitability and strengthen our capital position in the quarters ahead,” Baharav added.       The Markforged FX10 3D printer. Image via Markforged. Nano Dimension’s rocky road to consolidation  Markforged’s acquisition comes after a protracted period of M&A uncertainty at Nano Dimension, marked by legal disputes and leadership upheaval. The transaction was initially valued at a 71.8 per cent premium to Markforged’s volume-weighted average price as of 24 September 2024. It formed part of an acquisition-driven strategy led by then-CEO Yoav Stern, who also initiated the $179.3M agreement to acquire Desktop Metal (DM) at $5.295 per share. Delays to both acquisitions prompted Desktop Metal to sue Nano Dimension last December, alleging that its American-Israeli buyer had failed to make “reasonable best efforts” to complete the deal. A second lawsuit named Markforged as a defendant. It accused Nano Dimension of violating its agreement with Desktop Metal and breaching its contractual obligations to the Ric Fulop-led company. Nano Dimension denied the claims, describing them as “without merit” and “inconsistent with the terms of the Merger Agreement.” Amid these legal disputes, Nano experienced a significant leadership shake-up. Yoav Stern was ousted as CEO and removed from Nano Dimension’s board of directors in December 2024. The company’s remaining directors were replaced by a new slate backed by activist shareholder Murchinson Ltd. A vocal critic of Stern and his pro-M&A stance, Murchinson previously called the agreements for DM and Markforged “overpriced” and “misguided.” The Delaware Court of Chancery later ordered Nano Dimension to fulfill its acquisition of Desktop Metal, which was finalized earlier this month.  Nano Dimension 3D printed electronics. Photo by Michael Petch Markforged’s value proposition 2024 saw Markforged generate annual revenues exceeding $85M, while non-GAAP gross margins reached approximately 50%. Previous calculations based on fiscal year 2023 figures indicated that DM and Markforged would provide a combined projected revenue of $340 million.  Nano Dimension believes that integrating the Waltham, Massachusetts-based company will strengthen its position in production-line manufacturing. It describes Markforged as an industry leader in advanced manufacturing systems, materials science, cloud-based services, and AI-driven production. For Nano, the AI advantage is pivotal. The company believes Markforged’s expertise in artificial intelligence will enable it to meet growing requirements for precision and consistency. Additionally, the business combination also looks set to extend Nano Dimension’s customer base and application reach. Markforged’s 3D printers are deployed globally across aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer electronics, industrial automation, and medical technology sectors.  Ultimately, Nano is confident it can build on Markforged’s progress in rapid manufacturing, re-shoring, supply chain resilience, intellectual property security, and sustainability. By integrating Markforged, Nano Dimension is focused on expanding its position in metal and composite 3D printing on the factory floor. It also assured investors that this new initiative will support ongoing efforts to deliver shareholder value, build a robust capital base, and improve financial performance.      Markforged HQ. Photo via Businesswire 3D printing mergers and acquisitions  Nano Dimension is not the only company executing mergers and acquisitions in additive manufacturing.  Earlier this year, US-based specialty metals expert United Performance Metals (UPM) acquired Ohio-based metal 3D printing firm Fabrisonic LLC. The deal seeks to enhance UPM’s production capabilities and expand its range of solutions. Following the acquisition, Fabrisonic will become part of UPM’s specialty processing network, which includes Thin Strip in Wallingford, CT; UPM Advanced Solutions in Cincinnati, OH; and Precision Cold Saw Cutting and Grinding in Oakland, CA. Jason Riley, General Manager of Fabrisonic, noted that the new business combination “marks an important development for Fabrisonic.” He added, “Becoming part of the United Performance Metals family will allow us to utilize additional resources and capabilities, helping us extend our reach and continue delivering solutions to our customers.”  In other news, Airtech Advanced Materials Group recently acquired the 3D printing filament business of Kimya, a former subsidiary of French industrial conglomerate Armor Group. Through the deal, Airtech has received technical filaments, production and development infrastructure, validation equipment, and associated intellectual property. The Huntington Beach-headquartered firm will incorporate these assets into its catalog of additive manufacturing materials.      Read all the 3D printing news from RAPID + TCT 2025 Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards? Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows Markforged’s HQ. Photo via Businesswire.

Brought to you by: Architect: 5468796 ArchitectureLocation: Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaCompletion Date: 2024In the Exchange District, the post-industrial core of Downtown Winnipeg, local practice 5468796 Architecture has revived the James Avenue Pumping Station, a facility that once moved water across the city. Maintaining the station’s now dormant machinery, the firm suspended office space and a restaurant from a platform within the historic structure, while also adding two new apartment buildings to the east and west end of the exterior. These additions are sheathed in a black metallic cladding that complements the site’s industrial character. Decommissioned in 1986, the pumping station underwent a series of demolition threats and failed renovation efforts until 546 Architecture came along with a plan to save the building. Working with a developer, the firm devised a renovation scheme and accompanying financial pro forma that was presented, unprompted, to the city of Winnipeg, who owns the site. A zoning amendment was ultimately passed to allow for the construction of residential units on the site, an addition that made the project financially viable. The building’s mechanical equipment was kept in place as an aesthetic feature that enhances the uniqueness of the space. (James Brittain) Inside, a network of platforms span between large steel beams that once supported overhead cranes used to lift machinery, allowing new programs to float above the station’s derelict pumping equipment. This floor now contains office space and a restaurant. Newly punched skylights bring ample illumination to both. 546 Architecture encased the upper level in glass, using black steel studs and stiffening bars to reduce the glazing thickness, decreasing both the material waste and cost. The suspended architecture of the interior is mirrored outdoors, where the two residential additions are raised off the ground by steel columns. This is particularly true for Pumphouse’s eastern apartment block, which is nearly freestanding along Winnipeg’s waterfront, save for a small retail storefront. The western building contains a below-grade parking garage, with a discrete entrance located on the ground floor. An office occupies half of the pumping station’s new floor. (James Brittain) “Nothing on this project was driven by an intention to make it look like X or Y,” Sasa Radulovic, founding partner of 546 Architecture, told AN. “It was all driven by the bottom line and the realities of the site that we encountered. One of the first challenges was maintaining visibility of the historic pumphouse and creating a public realm that’s unified with spaces between the new and old buildings. With these two design drivers, we’ve elevated both buildings, relieving some of the pressures that building up to the property line inflicts on the pedestrian,” he added. In profile, the elevated building conveys a top-heavy appearance. (James Brittain) The north and south elevations of the apartment buildings are occupied by criss-crossing outdoor staircases that connect to open-air corridors between the individual units—a bold choice for Winnipeg, which is known for its cold winters. To provide some protection from the elements, the staircases are enclosed by corrugated metal screens. A similar corrugated cladding was applied to the opaque wall segments as well. “If the old building—which is essentially a shed that covers the pump—were built today, it would be a pre-engineered steel building with a corrugated metal facade, like those that are built in the suburbs,” added Radulovic. “[Corrugated metal] is an extremely sophisticated material because of its ability to span and to act as a perforated screen to create a ventilated facade without clips or any of the other extraneous elements that we use nowadays.” Each unit features an exposed nail-laminated timber ceiling. (James Brittain) This rational approach to architecture governed the entirety of the project. For the building’s circulation, 546 Architecture experimented with a “skip-stop” scheme, where corridors occur every second floor, necessitating that each unit span two floors and contain a staircase. This arrangement reduces embodied carbon and cost, while also enabling dual exposures in each unit. On the interior of the dwellings, the firm revived nail-laminated timber technology for the unit’s floors, a structural solution that was common in 20th-century industrial warehouses. 5468796 Architecture’s multi-family portfolio is united by little else than a reverence for the color black. The firm achieves variety through a creative problem-solving approach that is tailored to the unique conditions of each site. One of the more outlandish examples is a radial apartment building elevated on stilts. For its work, the firm was awarded this year’s Architectural Practice Award from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Project Specifications Architect: 5468796 Architecture Client: Alston Properties Landscape Architect: Scatliff + Miller + Murray Structural Engineer: Lavergne Draward & Associates Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil Engineer: MCW Consultants Surveyor: Barnes & Duncan General Contractor: Brenton Construction Building Code Consultant: GHL Consultants Energy Consultant: Footprint Corrugated Steel: Vicwest Curtain Wall: U.S. Aluminum

Hilma’s Ghost, “Abstract Futures” (2025), NYC Transit 42 St-Grand Central Station, commissioned by MTA Arts & Design. All photos by Etienne Frossard, courtesy of the artists and MTA, shared with permission A Bold Metaphysical Portal by Hilma’s Ghost Stretches 600 Feet Across Grand Central Station April 25, 2025 Art Grace Ebert A glass mosaic covering 600 square feet of the 2nd Street entrance to the 7 train in Grand Central Station greets commuters with a bold, cosmic map. The work of Sharmistha Ray and Dannielle Tegeder, of the feminist collective Hilma’s Ghost, “Abstract Futures” is a vibrant, three-part portal to transformation. Named after the visionary artist and mystic Hilma af Klint(1862–1944), the collective formed in 2020 and typically pairs innovative contemporary art practices with spirituality. Their tarot deck has amassed a cult following and shares a name with this new MTA Arts & Design-commissioned project (previously), the group’s first public artwork. Abstract Futures opens with “The Fool,” a tarot card representing an embrace of new beginnings. Brilliant reds, pinks, and oranges nest together in entrancing, angular forms to invoke courageous, creative intuition at the start of a journey. In the center is “The Wheel of Fortune,” which is intended to bring this passionate, if not naive, energy back to Earth. Here, grounding greens and browns form a cyclical pattern that reflects a natural rhythm. Concentric orbs and a string of ochre diamonds propel the viewer toward the future. The last piece in the trio is also the largest, beginning with a celestial blue triangle met by an inverted plane in orange. This pairing draws on “The World,” creating a harmonious, unified relationship between the shadows and wisdom that exist within all of us. Red, horizontal bars at the far right call on tarot’s suit of wands. Generally associated with fire and primal energy, this final segment symbolizes regeneration and the ability to begin again. In a statement, the artists say they hope the work inspires a new way of looking at the city: Abstract Futures is about the connection between people, spaces, and time, and intended to provide a powerful reflection of what New York represents to us all. The city is at once a sprawling metropolis with millions of people but also a dynamic network of interconnectivity. As we make our way through a single day in New York, we connect with so many people from so many walks of life. The density of the mural’s imagery, pattern, and color is a metaphor for the endless diversity of the city that is its heartbeat. Miotto Mosaic Art Studios fabricated the work, and you can explore Hilma’s Ghost’s collaborative projects on its website. (via Hyperallergic) Next article

Sikov - stock.adobe.com News M&S suspends all online sales as cyber attack worsens M&S shuts down online sales as it works to contain and mitigate a severe cyber attack on its systems By Alex Scroxton, Security Editor Published: 25 Apr 2025 16:15 Marks and Spencer (M&S) has suspended all sales via its website and mobile application as it continues to work to contain an unspecified cyber security incident. “As part of our proactive management of a cyber incident, we have now made the decision to pause taking orders via our M&S.com websites and apps,” a spokesperson said in an update posted to social media platform X. “Our product range remains available to browse online. We are truly sorry for this inconvenience. Our stores are open to welcome customers.” Earlier in the week, M&S had said there was no need for customers to take any immediate action, and the spokesperson additionally confirmed this remains the case now. Should this change, this will be communicated. “Our experienced team – supported by leading cyber experts – is working extremely hard to restart online and app shopping,” they said. The cyber security incident began over the long Easter weekend and resulted initially in the suspension of contactless payments, and the click-and-collect online shopping service. The expansion of its scope lends weight to growing speculation that M&S is dealing with some form of ransomware or extortion incident, although this has not been confirmed. Read more about the M&S incident 22 April 2025: A cyber attack at Marks & Spencer has caused significant disruption to customers, leaving them unable to make contactless payments or use click-and-collect services. 24 April: M&S is still unable to provide contactless payment or click-and-collect services amid a cyber attack that it says has forced it to move a number of processes offline to safeguard its customers, staff and business. M&S is known to be working with third-party security providers and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to establish precisely what has happened, but as is often the case in such scenarios, in-depth information is rarely released during the initial incident investigation, as to do so can cause further problems for the victims. “This latest update highlights that the incident is now having a material impact, with all online and app sales being paused,” said William Wright, CEO of security services provider Closed Door Security. “This will create a huge inconvenience for customers and will also significantly impact M&S financially. Data shows that almost a quarter of the store’s sales happen online, so no matter how long this pause is put in place, it will hurt M&S financially.” Wright observed that although M&S’s official line is that customer data has not yet been impacted, this could easily change at any minute as new forensics findings come to light. He reiterated general advice on preventing fraudsters and scammers from taking advantage of the crisis. “M&S customers should keep an eye on their online accounts and bank statements and also be on guard,” he said. “We don’t know if criminals have accessed any customer data, but it’s always safer to be on guard. Attackers will also use the ongoing incident to conduct phishing campaigns, with lures designed to look like genuine communications from M&S – possibly even claiming to offer further information on the incident – aimed at tricking their recipients into handing over personal or financial information. “It is essential that online users take note of this threat and treat all communications with caution,” said Wright. “Avoid clicking on links and attachments from unknown senders and always check the address where an email is coming from. The best way to keep updated on information around the incident is to visit the M&S corporate website or monitor their official social channels.” In The Current Issue: What is the impact of US tariffs on datacentre equipment costs? VMware backup: Key decision points if you migrate away from VMware Download Current Issue OpenUK details ‘state’ of Kubernetes  – Open Source Insider SLM series - Agiloft: Language models in contract lifecycle management – CW Developer Network View All Blogs

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty ImagesMost of the research surrounding the risks to society of artificial intelligence tends to focus on malicious human actors using the technology for nefarious purposes, such as holding companies for ransom or nation-states conducting cyber-warfare.A new report from the security research firm Apollo Group suggests a different kind of risk may be lurking where few look: inside the companies developing the most advanced AI models, such as OpenAI and Google.Disproportionate powerThe risk is that companies at the forefront of AI may use their AI creations to accelerate their research and development efforts by automating tasks typically performed by human scientists. In doing so, they could set in motion the ability for AI to circumvent guardrails and carry out destructive actions of various kinds. They could also lead to firms with disproportionately large economic power, companies that threaten society itself. "Throughout the last decade, the rate of progress in AI capabilities has been publicly visible and relatively predictable," write lead author Charlotte Stix and her team in the paper, "AI behind closed doors: A primer on the governance of internal deployment." That public disclosure, they write, has allowed "some degree of extrapolation for the future and enabled consequent preparedness." In other words, the public spotlight has allowed society to discuss regulating AI.But "automating AI R&D, on the other hand, could enable a version of runaway progress that significantly accelerates the already fast pace of progress." If that acceleration happens behind closed doors, the result, they warn, could be an "internal 'intelligence explosion' that could contribute to unconstrained and undetected power accumulation, which in turn could lead to gradual or abrupt disruption of democratic institutions and the democratic order." Understanding the risks of AIThe Apollo Group was founded just under two years ago and is a non-profit organization based in the UK. It is sponsored by Rethink Priorities, a San Francisco-based nonprofit. The Apollo team consists of AI scientists and industry professionals. Lead author Stix was formerly head of public policy in Europe for OpenAI. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)Also: Anthropic finds alarming 'emerging trends' in Claude misuse reportThe group's research has thus far focused on understanding how neural networks actually function, such as through "mechanistic interpretability," conducting experiments on AI models to detect functionality. The research the group has published emphasizes understanding the risks of AI. These risks include AI "agents" that are "misaligned," meaning agents that acquire "goals that diverge from human intent."In the "AI behind closed doors" paper, Stix and her team are concerned with what happens when AI automates R&D operations inside the companies developing frontier models -- the leading AI models of the kind represented by, for example, OpenAI's GPT-4 and Google's Gemini.According to Stix and her team, it makes sense for the most sophisticated companies in AI to apply AI to create more AI, such as giving AI agents access to development tools to build and train future cutting-edge models, creating a virtuous cycle of constant development and improvement. "As AI systems begin to gain relevant capabilities enabling them to pursue independent AI R&D of future AI systems, AI companies will find it increasingly effective to apply them within the AI R&D pipeline to automatically speed up otherwise human-led AI R&D," Stix and her team write. For years now, there have been examples of AI models being used, in limited fashion, to create more AI. As they relate: Historical examples include techniques like neural architecture search, where algorithms automatically explore model designs, and automated machine learning (AutoML), which streamlines tasks like hyperparameter tuning and model selection. A more recent example is Sakana AI's 'AI Scientist,' which is an early proof of concept for fully automatic scientific discovery in machine learning.More recent directions for AI automating R&D include statements by OpenAI that it is interested in "automating AI safety research," and Google's DeepMind unit pursuing "early adoption of AI assistance and tooling throughout [the] R&D process." Apollo Group Apollo GroupWhat can happen is that a virtuous cycle develops, where the AI that runs R&D keeps replacing itself with better and better versions, becoming a "self-reinforcing loop" that is beyond oversight. The danger arises when the rapid development cycle of AI building AI escapes human ability to monitor and intervene, if necessary. "Even if human researchers were to monitor a new AI system's overall application to the AI R&D process reasonably well, including through technical measures, they will likely increasingly struggle to match the speed of progress and the corresponding nascent capabilities, limitations, and negative externalities resulting from this process," they write. Those "negative externalities" include an AI model, or agent, that spontaneously develops behavior the human AI developer never intended, as a consequence of the model pursuing some long-term goal that is desirable, such as optimizing a company's R&D -- what they call "emergent properties of pursuing complex real-world objectives under rational constraints." The misaligned model can become what they call a "scheming" AI model, which they define as "systems that covertly and strategically pursue misaligned goals," because humans can't effectively monitor or intervene. "Importantly, if an AI system develops consistent scheming tendencies, it would, by definition, become hard to detect -- since the AI system will actively work to conceal its intentions, possibly until it is powerful enough that human operators can no longer rein it in," they write. Possible outcomesThe authors foresee a few possible outcomes. One is an AI model or models that run amok, taking control of everything inside a company: The AI system may be able to, for example, run massive hidden research projects on how to best self-exfiltrate or get already externally deployed AI systems to share its values. Through acquisition of these resources and entrenchment in critical pathways, the AI system could eventually leverage its 'power' to covertly establish control over the AI company itself in order for it to reach its terminal goal.A second scenario returns to those malicious human actors. It is a scenario they call an "intelligence explosion," where humans in an organization gain an advantage over the rest of society by virtue of the rising capabilities of AI. The hypothetical situation consists of one or more companies dominating economically thanks to their AI automations: As AI companies transition to primarily AI-powered internal workforces, they could create concentrations of productive capacity unprecedented in economic history. Unlike human workers, who face physical, cognitive, and temporal limitations, AI systems can be replicated at scale, operate continuously without breaks, and potentially perform intellectual tasks at speeds and volumes impossible for human workers. A small number of 'superstar' firms capturing an outsized share of economic profits could outcompete any human-based enterprise in virtually any sector they choose to enter.The most dramatic "spillover scenario," they write, is one in which such companies rival society itself and defy government oversight: The consolidation of power within a small number of AI companies, or even a singular AI company, raises fundamental questions about democratic accountability and legitimacy, especially as these organizations could develop capabilities that rival or exceed those of states. In particular, as AI companies develop increasingly advanced AI systems for internal use, they may acquire capabilities traditionally associated with sovereign states -- including sophisticated intelligence analysis and advanced cyberweapons -- but without the accompanying democratic checks and balances. This could create a rapidly unfolding legitimacy crisis where private entities could potentially wield unprecedented societal influence without electoral mandates or constitutional constraints, impacting sovereign states' national security.The rise of that power inside a company might go undetected by society and regulators for a long time, Stix and her team emphasize. A company that is able to achieve more and more AI capabilities "in software," without the addition of vast quantities of hardware, might not raise much attention externally, they speculate. As a result, "an intelligence explosion behind an AI company's closed doors may not produce any externally visible warning shots." Apollo GroupOversight measuresThey propose several measures in response. Among them are policies for oversight inside companies to detect scheming AI. Another is formal policies and frameworks for who has access to what resources inside companies, and checks on that access to prevent unlimited access by any one party. Yet another provision, they argue, is information sharing, specifically to "share critical information (internal system capabilities, evaluations, and safety measures) with select stakeholders, including cleared internal staff and relevant government agencies, through pre-internal deployment system cards and detailed safety documentation." One of the more intriguing possibilities is a regulatory regime in which companies voluntarily make such disclosures in return for resources, such as "access to energy resources and enhanced security from the government." That might take the form of "public-private partnerships," they suggest. The Apollo paper is an important contribution to the debate over what kind of risks AI represents. At a time when much of the talk of "artificial general intelligence," AGI, or "superintelligence" is very vague and general, the Apollo paper is a welcome step toward a more concrete understanding of what could happen as AI systems gain more functionality but are either completely unregulated or under-regulated. The challenge for the public is that today's deployment of AI is proceeding in a piecemeal fashion, with plenty of obstacles to deploying AI agents for even simple tasks such as automating call centers.'Probably, much more work needs to be done by Apollo and others to lay out in more specific terms just how systems of models and agents could progressively become more sophisticated until they escape oversight and control. The authors have one very serious sticking point in their analysis of companies. The hypothetical example of runaway companies -- companies so powerful they could defy society -- fails to address the basics that often hobble companies. Companies can run out of money or make very poor choices that squander their energy and resources. This can likely happen even to companies that begin to acquire disproportionate economic power via AI. After all, a lot of the productivity that companies develop internally can still be wasteful or uneconomical, even if it's an improvement. How many corporate functions are just overhead and don't produce a return on investment? There's no reason to think things would be any different if productivity is achieved more swiftly with automation. Apollo is accepting donations if you'd like to contribute funding to what seems a worthwhile endeavor. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.Artificial Intelligence

Anjali Bhimani steps out of the screen and into the writer's chair with her first published adventure for D&D Beyond.

What just happened? Three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the UK has joined the European Union in a new round of sanctions targeting technology exports. The latest measures include restrictions on video game controllers and other consumer electronics, with officials stating their goal is to degrade Russia's military capabilities. While the Pentagon now uses custom-built controllers to operate its systems, Russia continues to rely on off-the-shelf video game controllers manufactured in the West. Authorities in the UK aim to block exports of these devices after reports revealed that Russian forces have repurposed them to control drones in Ukraine air strikes. The controller ban is part of 150 new trade sanctions imposed by the UK, which is now aligning with the EU's earlier strategy. Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty says Russia has exploited British consumer markets for too long by purchasing seemingly harmless gaming products and repurposing them for military use. "Video game consoles will no longer be exploited to kill people in Ukraine," he said. Officials in London say the new measures aim to clamp down on Russia's efforts to circumvent trade restrictions and acquire equipment for its military. Doughty confirmed that gaming controllers are part of a broader package of export bans designed to weaken Russia's armed forces. Other banned products include software for identifying new fuel sources such as oil and gas. The sanctions also cover exports of chemicals, electronics, metals, machinery, and software tools linked to the energy and defense sectors. Doughty said these technologies could contribute to Russia's weapons production. The UK announced the new sanctions following one of Russia's deadliest strikes on Kyiv in recent weeks. On Thursday, Russian forces launched a barrage of "dumb" missiles and 215 drones overnight, killing nine people and injuring dozens more. Russia claimed the attack targeted Ukraine's military facilities. // Related Stories After the attack, UK Foreign Minister David Lammy condemned Russia for targeting Ukrainians while Kyiv officials were in London to discuss a potential peace treaty. Even President Donald Trump, who previously expressed trust in Vladimir Putin's word regarding Ukraine's invasion, called on the Russian leader to "stop" killing civilians once and for all.