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Wednesday, November 20th, 2024Posted by Jim ThackerChaos ships Corona 12 Update 1 for 3ds Max and Cinema 4Dhtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Chaos has released Corona 12 Update 1, the latest version of its production renderer for 3ds Max and Cinema 4D.The update adds a new live link to Vantage, Chaoss GPU ray tracing renderer, improves Coronas handling of caustics, and adds a new AI-based render upscaler.New Vantage Live Link transfers changes made in 3ds Max or Cinema 4D to VantageUpdate 1 extends Coronas integration with Vantage, Chaoss GPU-based ray tracing renderer, introduced in Corona 12 earlier this year as a way of exploring large scenes in real time.The new Vantage Live Link automatically applies changes made to a scene in 3ds Max or Cinema 4D to a Vantage viewport, providing a GPU-based alternative to Coronas native interactive rendering.However, it does not make it possible to render animations created in 3ds Max or Cinema 4D in Vantage: something originally planned for the update, but now moved back to a future release.Better, faster rendering of caustic light patternsUpdate 1 also improves Coronas handling of caustics.Caustics are now displayed more accurately through smoke and fog, since Corona now displays the reflected and refracted light rays they generate as they pass through volume materials.In addition, a new Caustics Multiplier makes it possible to adjust the brightness of caustics in renders, with the option to control the effect on surfaces and in volumes separately.Caustics also now render faster: Chaos doesnt put a figure on the speed boost, but caustics should look around twice as good, in terms of noise removed, in the same render time.New Auto Exposure and White Balance settingsOther new features include automatic Exposure and White Balance when rendering a scene.The changes made to the render settings can be baked into a scene, or the controls can be left active, adjusting renders dynamically over the course of an animation.New GPU-agnostic AI render upscaling systemThe update also introduces a AI-based image upscaling, making it possible to render images at quarter the final resolution, then upscale them, speeding up rendering four times.Although the underlying technology is developed by NVIDIA, the SDK is hardware-agnostic, and also supports AMD and Intel GPUs.However, the output is not temporally stable: in the video above, Product Manager Tom Grimes notes that it will have flicker, so its only suitable for tracked animations.Updates to Chaos Scatter and direct CXR export from Cinema 4DChanges to existing features include a new set of readymade distribution maps for object scattering system Chaos Scatter, which provide preset scattering patters.It is also now possible to save files in Corona EXR (.cxr) format directly from Cinema 4D, making it possible to generate CXR files during batch rendering.New collaboration features in Chaos CloudOutside the core application, Corona now supports the new collaboration features in Chaos Cloud, Chaoss cloud rendering service.The functionality makes it possible to share images with clients directly from the VFB, make and review text-based comments, and handle image versioning.Users can also create virtual tours of projects, using Hotspots to act as navigation points, although unlike in V-Ray 7, you have to place them manually: Corona doesnt yet set up Hotspots automatically.But shouldnt this be Corona 13?The release is a departure from the normal version numbering for Corona and indeed, when it was originally announced earlier this year, it was scheduled to be Corona 13.Chaos now plans to release a second update, Corona 12 Update 2, in the second quarter of 2025, with Corona 13 itself due later in the year.Price and system requirementsCorona 12 Update 1 is compatible with 3ds Max 2016+ and Cinema 4D R17+. The software is available subscription-only. Chaos Solo subscriptions are node-locked, and include access to the Chaos Cosmos online asset library; Chaos Premium subscriptions are floating, and also include Phoenix, Chaos Player and Chaos Scans.Corona Solo subscriptions cost $59.90/month or $394.80/year. Corona Premium subscriptions cost $72.90/month or $514.80/year. Additional Corona Render nodes cost $172.Read an overview of the new features in Corona on Chaoss websiteFind more details of the new features in Corona 12 Update 1 in the online documentationHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsChaos ships Corona 12 Update 1 for 3ds Max and Cinema 4DArchitectural renderer gets new live link to Chaos Vantage, better volumetric caustics, and new AI-based render upscaling system.Wednesday, November 20th, 20245 key features in Blender 4.3Now available: read our pick of the new features in the open-source 3D software, from Grease Pencil 3 to updates to Eevee and Cycles.Tuesday, November 19th, 2024BiteTheBytes releases World Creator 2024.3Big update to the real-time terrain generator adds new snow and debris simulation tools, and changes pricing and licensing.Tuesday, November 19th, 2024Free tool: Reallusion's Blender Auto Setup pluginNewly rebranded plugin transfers 3D characters, shaders, rigs and animation from Character Creator and iClone to Blender.Monday, November 18th, 2024Download VFX Assets' free 2D Cloud Textures PackGet 125 free cloud textures on black backgrounds for background compositing in VFX or motion graphics projects. Commercial use.Sunday, November 17th, 2024Create perfect topology for animated charactersNew Gnomon Workshop tutorial reveals how to create 3D characters with animation-friendly, production-ready topology in Maya and ZBrush.Saturday, November 16th, 2024More NewsEphere releases Ornatrix 3 for Cinema 4DMaxon releases Red Giant 2025.2 and Universe 2025.1Nekki releases Cascadeur MobileUnreal Engine 5.5: discover 10 key features for CG artistsBlackmagic Design releases Fusion Studio 19.1Blackmagic Design releases DaVinci Resolve 19.1Get the Blender Studio's free Brushstroke Tools for BlenderFoundry releases Mari 7.1 in betaScene Group releases Cavalry 2.2Maxon releases ZBrush for iPad 2025.1Foundry discontinues ModoEpic Games to share new free assets on Fab every two weeksOlder Posts

Tuesday, November 19th, 2024Posted by Jim Thacker5 key features in Blender 4.3html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The splash screen artwork for Blender 4.3, created by Blender Studio.The Blender Foundation has released Blender 4.3, the latest version of the open-source 3D software for VFX, animation, game development and visualization. Below, weve picked out five key changes, from Grease Pencil 3 a major overhaul of Blenders 2D animation toolset to updates to sculpting, materials, and the Eevee and Cycles renderers.At the end of the story, you can find a summary of whats new in Blenders other key toolsets, including 3D modeling, UV editing, character rigging and animation, and the built-in compositor.A recording of Blender Studios livestream showing the new Grease Pencil 3 toolset in Blender 4.3 in use to create the releases splash screen artwork.1. Grease Pencil 3: a major overhaul of the 2D animation toolsetThe big new feature in Blender 4.3 is Grease Pencil 3, the long-awaited overhaul of Blenders storyboarding and 2D animation toolset.Originally due in Blender 4.0 last year, its a complete rewrite of the toolset, intended to lay a solid foundation for the next 10+ years, particularly to improve performance on large projects.Although the focus of the initial release is simply to get the updated toolset to feature parity with Blender 4.2, there are a number of new features.The most significant is that Grease Pencil is now compatible with Geometry Nodes, Blenders procedural modeling, scene layout and simulation system.That makes it possible to modify Grease Pencil objects with Geometry Nodes many of the existing nodes that work with curves have been updated to work with Grease Pencil data.You can get a sense of the new workflows that this opens up in this story, which includes a demo of Geometry Nodes in use to convert a Grease Pencil animation to claymation-style 3D.Other new features include color-codable Layer Groups, making it easier to manage large projects, a new Fill Gradient tool, and updates to the exiting drawing tools.The changes arent backwards-compatible, and a few features have been deprecated, including drawing guides.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/241119_Blender43_5KeyFeaturesForCGArtists_EeveeLightLinking.mp4Light and shadow linking, now available when using Blenders Eevee renderer, makes it possible to set lights to illuminate only certain objects in a scene for greater artistic control.2. Eevee: light linking gives artistic control over lighting effectsAlthough Eevee, Blenders real-time render engine, got a major overhaul in the previous release with the rollout of Eevee Next, there are further updates in Blender 4.3.The biggest is that Eevee now supports light linking, making it possible to set light sources to affect only specific objects in a scene, providing more artistic control over lighting effects.Both conventional lights and emissive materials are supported, as is shadow linking, which makes it possible to choose which objects in the scene cast shadows created by the light.The change brings Eevee in line with Cycles, Blenders main production renderer, which got support for light linking in Blender 4.0.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/241008_Blender43_5KeyFeaturesForCGArtists_Cycles.webmCycles supports a number of new volume scattering phase functions in Blender 4.3, including the Fournier-Forand function for mimicking haze in underwater environments.3. Cycles: new volume rendering options for seas, skies and starsCycles itself gets support for new phase functions in Blenders Volume Scatter node, traditionally used to add effects like fog or smoke to a scene.Each is geared towards a particular type of real-world scattering: the Fourier-Forand function mimics underwater haze, while Rayleigh scattering is used for skies and ocean surfaces.Two are literally out of this world the Double Henyey-Greenstein function is intended for planetary atmospheres, and Draine scattering is mostly use for interstellar dust.The new Metallic BSDF shading node streamlines the process of recreating real-world metals.4. Materials: new Metallic BSDF node for realistic metalsFor material authoring, Blenders Shader Editor gets a new Metallic BSDF node.Its intended to simplify the process of creating realistic metal materials, exposing existing but hard to access shading controls in a single dedicated node.Two configurations are available: the F82 Tint Conductor Fresnel approximation used in the Principled BSDF node, and a true Conductor Fresnel configuration.The latter previously restricted to custom OSL scripts provides subtly more accurate results, but is harder to use, and is currently only supported in Cycles, not Eevee.Blender 4.3s new brush asset shelf provides an dedicated place in the UI to select brushes.5. Digital sculpting: new options for selecting and saving brushesBlender 4.3 also changes workflow for managing brushes when sculpting or painting models.Rather than being stored in the main .blend scene file, brushes are now stored in separate asset libraries, making it easier to reuse sets of brushes between projects, or share them within teams.And rather than the toolbar, brushes can now be selected from a brush asset shelf, which appears across the foot of the 3D Viewport and Image Editor when working in Sculpt Mode.Instead of being grouped by tool, brushes are now organized into asset catalogs, with users able to configure the shelf to show only the subset of catalogs needed for a particular project.There are also some quite significant improvements to sculpting performance: brush evaluation is now about 8 times faster when sculpting a 6-million-face mesh.Changes to the UI in Blender 4.3 include previews of images, movies and fonts in tooltips,Other changes: whats new in the other key toolsets?The user interface gets a number of workflow improvements in Blender 4.3, including previews of images, movies and fonts in the tooltips that appear when hovering over assets.The UI can also now be rendered using the experimental new Vulkan backend for the viewport. Its supported on Windows and Linux, on AMD, Intel and NVIDIA GPUs, but still has a number of limitations, and may currently be slower than the existing OpenGL backend.New 3D modeling and UV editing features include a new Minimum Stretch mode for UV unwrapping, based on the SLIM algorithm: you can read about it in detail in this story.For procedural modeling and scene layout, the Geometry Nodes toolset gets a number of new features, including a For Each Element zone to simplify complex workflows.It is also now possible to add gizmos to node groups, making it possible to edit their inputs directly in the 3D Viewport, rather than having to switch to the Node Editor or modifier stack.The character rigging and animation tools get smaller workflow improvements, including updates to motion paths, keyframing, and a new bone eyedropper system.Cycles finally now supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing on AMD GPUs via HIP RT on Linux: something Windows users have been able to choose since Blender 3.6.The Compositor gets support for multi-pass compositing when using Eevee.The Video Sequencer gets performance and workflow improvements, including the option to connect and disconnect strips, and support for snapping in the preview area. Pipeline integration changes include the option to export point clouds in USD format.System requirementsBlender 4.3 is compatible with Windows 8.1+, macOS 11.2+ and glibc 2.28+ Linux. There is also an experimental new build for Windows on ARM processors.Read a longer list of new features in the Blender 4.3 release notesDownload Blender 4.3Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsChaos ships Corona 12 Update 1 for 3ds Max and Cinema 4DArchitectural renderer gets new live link to Chaos Vantage, better volumetric caustics, and new AI-based render upscaling system.Wednesday, November 20th, 20245 key features in Blender 4.3Now available: read our pick of the new features in the open-source 3D software, from Grease Pencil 3 to updates to Eevee and Cycles.Tuesday, November 19th, 2024BiteTheBytes releases World Creator 2024.3Big update to the real-time terrain generator adds new snow and debris simulation tools, and changes pricing and licensing.Tuesday, November 19th, 2024Free tool: Reallusion's Blender Auto Setup pluginNewly rebranded plugin transfers 3D characters, shaders, rigs and animation from Character Creator and iClone to Blender.Monday, November 18th, 2024Download VFX Assets' free 2D Cloud Textures PackGet 125 free cloud textures on black backgrounds for background compositing in VFX or motion graphics projects. Commercial use.Sunday, November 17th, 2024Create perfect topology for animated charactersNew Gnomon Workshop tutorial reveals how to create 3D characters with animation-friendly, production-ready topology in Maya and ZBrush.Saturday, November 16th, 2024More NewsEphere releases Ornatrix 3 for Cinema 4DMaxon releases Red Giant 2025.2 and Universe 2025.1Nekki releases Cascadeur MobileUnreal Engine 5.5: discover 10 key features for CG artistsBlackmagic Design releases Fusion Studio 19.1Blackmagic Design releases DaVinci Resolve 19.1Get the Blender Studio's free Brushstroke Tools for BlenderFoundry releases Mari 7.1 in betaScene Group releases Cavalry 2.2Maxon releases ZBrush for iPad 2025.1Foundry discontinues ModoEpic Games to share new free assets on Fab every two weeksOlder Posts

Why a wildfire broke out in NYCPublished inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min read8 hours ago-- Were back!Issue #210: wildfires in unlikely places, insights from an ER triage nurse, and your brain on iconsTwo weeks ago, a wildfire broke out in the unlikeliest of places: New York City.A 2-acre fire erupted in Prospect Park, close to the geographic center of Brooklyn and probably my favorite park on earth. For the first time in history, the FDNY launched a brush fire task force to put it out (its been snuffed now!), but it was only one of 271 brush fires across the city during the first two weeks of November. Meanwhile, there are at least 11 major wildfires burning up and down the East Coast right now, from Boston to Virginia.My coast is not usually on fire, and the causes (as I understand them) seem pretty straightforward: drought + heat = flames. It hasnt rained more than a half-inch in NYC since September 29, and its been hotter than usual for November. As of a few weeks ago, a majority of U.S. states (especially in the northeast and upper Midwest) hadnt seen any rain since September. Its almost like the atmosphere dumped all its moisture on us during Helene and Milton, and now its on PTO.Wherever there are (a) trees with dried-out leaves, and (b) a stray cigarette, there may be fire. On Medium, a New Jersey resident who lives close to the Jennings Creek Wildfire in Passaic County still raging, though 90% contained is thinking of moving, following in the footsteps of millions of indigenous people whove migrated to rainier climates over thousands of years. Historically, drought is a more powerful motivator to pack your things and go than flooding and researchers predict even more drought-induced migration this century.Related to that, I appreciated this map of climate risks by census region: It combines 184 datasets to show you the specific risks (flooding, drought, blackout, etc.) associated with each location. I found a spot outside Lincoln, Nebraska, that looks pretty safe see yall there? Harris Sockel 1 sentence, 1 storyTurns out hips dont lie started as something Shakira said in the studio when a song wasnt working if it were, her hips wouldve been moving. (Kim Witten, PhD)An ER triage nurse shares lesser-known symptoms that can predict serious conditions (never ignore flashing lights in your field of vision). (Andrea Romeo RN, BN)The Apple designer responsible for only requiring one icon size on iOS shares how your brain puts simple shapes together to visualize complex icons. (Edward Sanchez) Your daily dose of practical wisdomSometimes, being punctual can be impolite especially, as Matthew Clapham explains, in communities that view time as more of a communal resource than an individual one to be hoarded. If youre late because you were helping a neighbor out, thats better than being precisely on time.

A whale attacks a boat in Frank Goodrich's 1858 novel "Man upon the sea: or, a history of maritime adventure, exploration, and discovery, from the earliest ages to the present time". Public domain via Wikimedia Commons November 20, 1820, was a bright morning in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, 1,500 nautical miles west of the Galpagos Islands. For the crew of the Essex, it was a day flecked with hope: The lookouts atop the whale-shipinspire Herman Melvilles great American novel, Moby-Dick.The Essex began its final journey in August 1819, departing its home island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, for the sperm-whale-rich Pacific Ocean. The 238-ton ship, built in 1799, was around 100 tons smaller and two decades older than the sleekest ships coming out of Nantucket. But based on the financial success of its previous voyages in search of sperm oila high-quality lighting oil derived from the spermaceti organ in the head of the sperm whaleit was considered a desirable, even lucky, ship by local whalers.But the Essexs luck didnt last. From the outset of its 1819 voyage, its crew faced difficultiesor, to a superstitious 19th-century sailor, bad omens. On the second day at sea, a squall knocked the ship completely on its side. The whole ships crew were, for a short time, thrown into the utmost consternation and confusion, first mate Owen Chase wrote in his account of the voyage, Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex. They lost two whaling boatssmaller vessels used to approach and kill whalesbut kept moving ahead. A sketch of a whale striking theEssexby sailor Thomas Nickerson, a former cabin boy on theEssex. Thomas Nickerson via Public domain via Wikimedia Commons The ships success in whale hunting was just as mercurial, with dry spells followed by successful sprees. But after rounding Cape Horn and quietly tracing the Chilean coast to little avail, its sailors found overwhelming success off of Peru in the new year, filling 450 barrels with oil from 11 whales in just two months.The pace exhausted the crew, but when a lookout spotted a shoal of sperm whales on the morning of November 20, the sailors lowered and manned the whale boats in pursuit nonetheless. Chases team harpooned a whale early on, but it thrashed its tail against the boat, and the men retreated to the Essex.There, Chase observed a very large spermaceti whale rapidly approachingand then ramming intothe ship. After an appalling and tremendous jar, the Essex brought up as suddenly and violently as if she had struck a rock, and trembled for a few seconds like a leaf.The whale convulsed on the surface of the waves for a moment before charging again. It appeared with tenfold fury and vengeance, Chase wrote. It smashed its head into the bow, completely rupturing the ships hull before swimming away. An image of a whale attacking the Essexin Mariners Chronicle, New Haven, 1834. Public Domain via Nantucket Historical AssociationThe crew made for the remaining whale boats, and together with those who had not yet returned to the Essex, spent the next few days salvaging supplies from the wreckage, rigging up new sails on the small craft and debating where to sail for salvation. They ultimately decided to head 2,000 nautical miles to the coast of South America, avoiding nearer islands.All the sufferings of these miserable men might, in all human probability, have been avoided had they immediately after leaving the wreck, steered straight for Tahiti, from which they were not very distant at the time, a young Melville jotted in his copy of Chases Narrative, which later inspired him to tell a tragic whaling tale of his own. But they dreaded cannibals.Ironically and tragically, the crew eventually succumbed to cannibalism themselves over the months that followed. As they drifted at sea and landed on deserted islands, members of the voyage were separated from one another, dying of starvation, dehydration and disease. At first, the sailors only ate comrades who had died naturally. Then, on February 1, 1821, the survivors cast lots to determine who would be sacrificed to feed the others. The unlucky victim submitted to his executions with great fortitude and resignation, Chase later wrote.Later that month, a British vessel picked up the stragglers in Chases group, who were so weak they had to be lifted onto the ship. The captains boat was rescued in mid-March117 days after the sinking. Of the 20 or 21 whalers who left Nantucket on the Essex, only eight survived.Upon Chases return to his family, who had given me up for lost, his unexpected appearance was welcomed with the most grateful obligations and acknowledgements to a beneficent Creator, who had guided me through darkness, trouble and death, once more to the bosom of my country and friends. Readers have reason for gratitude, too: Though Melvilles Essex-inspired novel was a flop upon publication, it has since become part of the canon of American literature. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

The 3D bioprinter at the Collins BioMicrosystems Laboratory at the University of Melbourne. University of MelbourneScientists have been fantasizing about the potential of precise 3D bioprinting for years. Just imagine, for example, if doctors could trial therapies on an exact replica of a kidney disease patients kidney until they found the perfect solution for that individualit would have huge implications for the medical field, especially in drug testing. But modern technology has yet to achieve this.Now, however, biomedical engineers in Australia have invented an innovative high-speed bioprinter that brings us one step closer to that ability, and it uses surprising elements: sound, light and bubbles. Their work was presented in a study published in the journal Nature late last month.Currently, scientists have only limited ways to create tissue for testing pharmaceutical therapies, such as using lab-grown samples or by relying on traditional 3D bioprinting, per Popular Sciences Andrew Paul. However, cultivating organs in a lab is complex and expensiveand printing them is currently slow and prone to errors, such as positioning cells incorrectly.Incorrect cell positioning is a big reason most 3D bioprinters fail to produce structures that accurately represent human tissue, David Collins, head of the Collins BioMicrosystems Laboratory at the University of Melbourne and a co-author of the study, says in a statement.But with our new approach, Collins and two other researchers write in an article for Pursuit, not only can we position cells with precision, we can also fabricate at a scale of single cells.So, how does it work? The new printer projects light onto a resin bubble to harden it into the desired shape, while a speaker emits sound waves that make the bubble vibrate. These waves help position the individual cells and dramatically speed up the process. In fact, this innovative printing is 350 times faster than traditional methods, per the statement.What were doing is we are shining light in a 2D pattern acrossand this is kind of what is the distinguishing feature for this technologywe are printing across a bubble, Collins explains to ABC Melbournes Raf Epstein. Were continuously changing those projections that are curing the individual layers as we go through that, he adds. The fundamental principle is that we can shine light onto a material, and we can create a solid.Because the tissue floats in resin as it is printed, the bioprinter can also create really delicate structures using really soft materials, softer than anything currently being used, Collins tells New Scientists James Woodford. Being able to accurately reproduce the consistency of human tissue is fundamental. He adds that they can even print analogs of different parts of the body, such as bone, tendons and skin.Additionally, the floating tissue doesnt need to be printed onto a solid platform, in contrast to traditional methods. Instead, it can be printed directly into a Petri dish, vial or lab plate. This increases the cells survival rate by avoiding the need to physically handle the material, which in traditional bioprinters sometimes contaminates and harms the cells.For now, the team has only printed tiny samples with a diameter of 3 centimeters, a length of 7 centimeters and a resolution of 15 micrometers, per New Scientist. And the team writes in Pursuit that completely 3D-printing organs is still a bit futuristic.But they have a bold vision for that future. This technology, researchers say, could be used to replicate human organs and tissues for more targeted and ethical drug trials, since it would eliminate the need for animal testing. Next, the team plans to work with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Melbourne to further their research.This means that the current one-size-fits-all approach to disease treatment could soon become obsolete, they write in Pursuit. The new printing innovation can help pave the way for more effective, patient-specific therapies in the fight against cancer and other diseases.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: 3D Printing, Australia, Biology, Cancer, Engineering, Health, Innovations, Medicine, New Research, Organs, Technology, Treatment

Quicksave Interactive wants to make the web interactive with WebGL technology by launching QSApp, a tool to make the web more accessible.Read More

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn MoreMultidomain attacks are on the verge of becoming a digital epidemic as nation-states and well-funded cybercrime attack groups look to exploit wide gaps in digital estates defenses. Enterprises are having to contend with widening and often unknown gaps between enterprise assets, apps, systems, data, identities and endpoints.The fast-rising pace of attacks is driving a graph database arms race across leading cybersecurity providers. Microsofts Security Exposure Management Platform (MSEM) at Ignite 2024 reflects how quickly the arms race is maturing and why its containment requires more advanced platforms.In addition to Microsofts MSEM, other key players in the graph database arms race for combating multidomain threats include CrowdStrike with its Threat Graph, Ciscos SecureX, SentinelOnes Purple AI, Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR and Trend Micros Vision One, alongside providers like Neo4j, TigerGraph and Amazon Neptune who supply foundational graph database technology.Three years ago, we were seeing 567 password-related attacks per second. Today, that number has skyrocketed to 7,000 per second. This represents a massive escalation in the scale, speed and sophistication of modern cyber threats, underscoring the urgency for proactive and unified security strategies, Vasu Sakkal, Microsofts corporate vice president of security, compliance, identity, management and privacy, told VentureBeat during a recent interview.Microsoft goes all-in on their security vision at Ignite 2024With every organization experiencing more multidomain intrusion attempts and suffering from undiscovered breaches, Microsoft is doubling down on security, pivoting its strategy to graph-based defense in MSEM. Sakkal told VentureBeat, The sophistication, scale, and speed of modern attacks require a generational shift in security. Graph databases and generative AI offer defenders the tools to unify fragmented insights into actionable intelligence.Cristian Rodriguez, CrowdStrikes Americas Field CTO, echoed the importance of graph technology in a recent interview with VentureBeat. Graph databases allow us to map adversary behavior across domains, identifying the subtle connections and patterns attackers exploit. By visualizing these relationships, defenders gain the contextual insight needed to anticipate and disrupt complex, cross-domain attack strategies, Rodriguez said.Key announcements from Ignite 2024 include:Microsoft Security Exposure Management Platform (MSEM). At the core of Microsofts strategy, MSEM leverages graph technology to dynamically map relationships across digital estates, including devices, identities and data. MSEM support for graph databases enables security teams to identify high-risk attack paths and prioritize proactive remediation efforts.Zero Day Quest. Microsoft is offering $4M in rewards to uncover vulnerabilities in AI and cloud platforms. This initiative aims to bring together researchers, engineers and AI red teams to address critical risks preemptively.Windows Resiliency Initiative. Focusing on zero trust principles, this initiative looks to enhance system reliability and recovery by securing credentials, implementing Zero Trust DNS protocols and fortifying Windows 11 against emerging threats.Security Copilot Enhancements. Microsoft claims that Security Copilots generative AI capabilities enhance SOC operations by automating threat detection, streamlining incident triage and reducing mean time to resolution by 30%. Integrated with Entra, Intune, Purview and Defender, these updates provide actionable insights, helping security teams address threats with greater efficiency and accuracy.Updates in Microsoft Purview. Purviews advanced Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) tools tackle generative AI risks by discovering, protecting and governing sensitive data in real-time. Features include detecting prompt injections, mitigating data misuse and preventing oversharing in AI apps. The tool also strengthens compliance with AI governance standards, aligning enterprise security with evolving regulations.Why now? The role of graph databases in cybersecurityJohn Lambert, corporate vice president for Microsoft Security Research, underscored the critical importance of graph-based thinking in cybersecurity, explaining to VentureBeat, Defenders think in lists, cyberattackers think in graphs. As long as this is true, attackers win.He added that Microsofts approach to exposure management involves creating a comprehensive graph of the digital estate, overlaying vulnerabilities, threat intelligence and attack paths. Its about giving defenders a complete map of their environment, allowing them to prioritize the most critical risks while understanding the potential blast radius of any compromise, Lambert added.Graph databases are gathering momentum as an architectural strategy for cybersecurity platforms. They excel at visualizing and analyzing interconnected data, which is critical for identifying attack paths in real time.Key benefits of graph databases include:Relational Context: Map relationships between assets and vulnerabilities.Fast Querying: Traverse billions of nodes in milliseconds.Threat Detection: Identify high-risk attack paths, reducing false positives.Knowledge Discovery: Use graph AI for insights into interconnected risks.Behavioral Analysis: Graphs detect subtle attack patterns across domains.Scalability: Integrate new data points seamlessly into existing threat models.Multidimensional Analysis:The Gartner heat map underscores how graph databases excel in cybersecurity use cases like anomaly detection, monitoring and decision-making, positioning them as essential tools in modern defense strategies.Emerging Tech: Optimize Threat Detection With Knowledge Graph Databases, May 2024. Source: GartnerWhat makes Microsofts MSEM platform uniqueThe Microsoft Security Exposure Management Platform (MSEM) differentiates itself from other graph database-driven cybersecurity platforms through its real-time visibility and risk management, which helps security operations center teams stay on top of risks, threats, incidents and breaches.Sakkal told VentureBeat, MSEM bridges the gap between detection and action, empowering defenders to anticipate and mitigate threats effectively. The platform exemplifies Microsofts vision of a unified, graph-driven security approach, offering organizations the tools to stay ahead of modern threats with precision and speed.Built on graph-powered insights, MSEM integrates three core capabilities needed to battle back against multi-domain attacks and fragmented security data. They include:Attack Surface Management. MSEM is designed to provide a dynamic view of an organizations digital estate, enabling the identification of assets, interdependencies and vulnerabilities. Features like automated discovery of IoT/OT devices and unprotected endpoints ensure visibility while prioritizing high-risk areas. The device inventory dashboard categorizes assets by criticality, helping security teams focus on the most urgent threats with precision.Source: MicrosoftAttack Path Analysis. MSEM uses graph databases to map attack paths from an adversarys perspective, pinpointing critical routes they might exploit. Enhanced with AI-driven graph modeling, it identifies high-risk pathways across hybrid environments, including on-premises, cloud and IoT systems.Unified Exposure Insights. Microsoft also designed MSEM to translate technical data into actionable intelligence for both security professionals and business leader personas. It supports ransomware protection, SaaS security, and IoT risk management, ensuring targeted, insightful data is provided to security analysts.Microsoft also announced the following MSEM enhancements at Ignite 2024:Third-Party Integrations: MSEM connects with Rapid7, Tenable and Qualys, broadening its visibility and making it a powerful tool for hybrid environments.AI-Powered Graph Modeling: Detects hidden vulnerabilities and performs advanced threat path analysis for proactive risk reduction.Historical Trends and Metrics: This tool tracks shifts in exposure over time, helping teams adapt to evolving threats confidently.Graph databases growing role in cybersecurityGraph databases have proven invaluable in tracking and defeating multi-domain attacks. They excel at visualizing and analyzing interconnected data in real time, enabling faster and more accurate threat detection, attack path analysis and risk prioritization. Its no surprise that graph database technology dominates the roadmaps of leading cybersecurity platform providers.Ciscos SecureX Threat Response is one example. The Cisco platform extends the utility of graph databases into network-centric environments, connecting data across endpoints, IoT devices and hybrid networks. Key strengths include an integrated incident response thats integrated across the Cisco suite of apps and tools and network-centric visibility.What we have to do is make sure that we use AI natively for defenses because you cannot go out and fight those AI weaponization attacks from adversaries at a human scale. You have to do it at machine scale, Jeetu Patel, Ciscos executive vice president and CPO, told VentureBeat in an interview earlier this year.CrowdStrikes Threat Graph was introduced at their annual customer event, Fal.Con in 2022 and is often cited as an example of the power of graph databases in endpoint security. Processing over 2.5 trillion daily events, Threat Graph excels in detecting weak signals and mapping adversary behavior. Rodriguez emphasized to VentureBeat, Our graph capabilities ensure precision by focusing on endpoint telemetry, providing defenders with actionable insights faster than ever. CrowdStrikes key differentiators include endpoint precision in tracking lateral movements and identifying anomalous behaviors. Threat Graph also supports behavioral analysis used on AI to uncover adversary techniques across workloads.Palo Alto Networks (Cortex XDR), SentinelOne (Singularity) and Trend Micro are among the notable players leveraging graph databases to enhance their threat detection and real-time anomaly analysis capabilities. Gartner predicted in the recent research note Emerging Tech: Optimize Threat Detection With Knowledge Graph Databases that their widespread adoption will continue due to their ability to support AI-driven insights and reduce noise in security operations.Graph databases will transform enterprise defenseMicrosofts Lambert encapsulated the industrys trajectory by stating, May the best attack graph win. Graph databases are transforming how defenders think about interconnected risks, underscoring their pivotal role in modern cybersecurity strategies.Multi-domain attacks target the weaknesses between and within complex digital estates. Finding gaps in identity management is an area nation-state attackers concentrate on and mine data to access the core enterprise systems of a company. Microsoft joins Cisco, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, SentinelOne and Trend Micro, enabling and continuing to improve graph database technology to identify and act on threats before a breach happens.VB DailyStay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox dailyBy subscribing, you agree to VentureBeat's Terms of Service.Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.An error occured.