Jan 10, 2025Ravie LakshmananArtificial Intelligence / CybercrimeCybersecurity researchers have shed light on a nascent artificial intelligence (AI) assisted ransomware family called FunkSec that sprang forth in late 2024, and has claimed more than 85 victims to date."The group uses double extortion tactics, combining data theft with encryption to pressure victims into paying ransoms," Check Point Research said in a new report shared with The Hacker News. "Notably, FunkSec demanded unusually low ransoms, sometimes as little as $10,000, and sold stolen data to third parties at reduced prices."FunkSec launched its data leak site (DLS) in December 2024 to "centralize" their ransomware operations, highlighting breach announcements, a custom tool to conduct distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and a bespoke ransomware as part of a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model.A majority of the victims are located in the U.S., India, Italy, Brazil, Israel, Spain, and Mongolia. Check Point's analysis of the group's activity has revealed that it may be the likely work of novice actors who are seeking to attract notoriety by recycling the leaked information from previous hacktivist-related leaks.It has been determined that some members of the RaaS group engaged in hacktivist activities, underscoring a continued blurring of boundaries between hacktivism and cybercrime, just as nation-state actors and organized cybercriminals are increasingly exhibiting an "unsettling convergence of tactics, techniques, and even objectives."They also claim to target India and the U.S., aligning themselves with the "Free Palestine" movement and attempting to associate with now-defunct hacktivist entities like Ghost Algeria and Cyb3r Fl00d. Some of the prominent actors associated with FunkSec are listed below -A suspected Algeria-based actor named Scorpion (aka DesertStorm) who has promoted the group on underground forums such as Breached ForumEl_farado, who emerged as a main figure advertising FunkSec after DesertStorm's ban from Breached ForumXTN, a likely associate who is involved in an as-yet-unknown "data-sorting" serviceBlako, who has been tagged by DesertStorm along with El_faradoBjorka, a known Indonesian hacktivist whose alias has been used to claim leaks attributed to FunkSec on DarkForums, either pointing to a loose affiliation or their attempts to impersonate FunkSecThe possibility that the group may also be dabbling in hacktivist activity is evidenced by the presence of DDoS attack tools, as well as those related to remote desktop management (JQRAXY_HVNC) and password generation (funkgenerate)."The development of the group's tools, including the encryptor, was likely AI-assisted, which may have contributed to their rapid iteration despite the author's apparent lack of technical expertise," Check Point pointed out.The latest version of the ransomware, named FunkSec V1.5, is written in Rust, with the artifact uploaded to the VirusTotal platform from Algeria. An examination of older versions of the malware suggests that the threat actor is from Algeria as well owing to references such as FunkLocker and Ghost Algeria.The ransomware binary is configured to recursively iterate over all directories and encrypt the targeted files, but not before elevating privileges and taking steps to disable security controls, delete shadow copy backups, and terminate a hard-coded list of processes and services."2024 was a very successful year for ransomware groups, while in parallel, the global conflicts also fueled the activity of different hacktivist group," Sergey Shykevich, threat intelligence group manager at Check Point Research, said in a statement."FunkSec, a new group that emerged lately as the most active ransomware group in December, blurs the lines between hacktivism and cybercrime. Driven by both political agendas and financial incentives, FunkSec leverages AI and repurposes old data leaks to establish a new ransomware brand, though real success of their activities remains highly questionable."The development comes as Forescout detailed a Hunters International attack that likely leveraged Oracle WebLogic Server as an initial entry point to drop a China Chopper web shell, which was then used to perform a series of post-exploitation activities that ultimately led to the deployment of the ransomware."After gaining access, the attackers conducted reconnaissance and lateral movement to map the network and escalate privileges," Forescout said. "The attackers used a variety of common administrative and red teaming tools for lateral movement."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

President-elect Trump has been vocal about plans to repeal the AI executive order signed by President Biden. A second Trump administration could mean a lot of change for oversight in the AI space, but what exactly that change will look like remains uncertain.I think the question is then what incoming President Trump puts in its place, says Doug Calidas, senior vice president of government affairs for Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), a nonprofit focused on policy advocacy for emerging technologies. The second question is the extent to which the actions the Biden administration and the federal agencies have already taken pursuant to the Biden executive order. What happens to those?InformationWeek spoke to Calidas and three other leaders tuned into the AI sector to cast an eye to the future and consider what a hands-off approach to regulation could mean for the companies in this booming technology space.A Move to Deregulation?Experts anticipate a more relaxed approach to AI regulation from the Trump administration.Obviously, one of Trumps biggest supporters is Elon Musk, who owns an AI company. And so that coupled with the statement that Trump is interested in pulling back the AI executive order suggest that we're heading into a space of deregulation, says Betsy Cooper, founding director at Aspen Tech Policy Hub, a policy incubator focused on tech policy entrepreneurs.Related:Billionaire Musk, along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, is set to lead Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is expected to lead the charge on significantly cutting back on regulation. While conflict-of-interest questions swirl around his appointment, it seems likely that Musks voice will be heard in this administration.He famously came out in support of California SB 1047, which would require testing and reporting for the cutting-edge systems and impose liability for truly catastrophic events, and I think he's going to push for that at the federal level, says Calidas. That's not to take away from his view that he wants to cut regulations generally.While we can look to Trump and Musks comments to get an idea of what this administrations approach to AI regulation could be, but there are mixed messages to decipher.Andrew Ferguson, Trumps selection to lead the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), raises questions. He aims to regulate big tech, while remaining hands-off when it comes to AI, Reuters reports.Of course, big tech is AI tech these days. So, Google, Amazon all these companies are working on AI as a key element of their business, Cooper points out. So, I think now we're seeing mixed messages. On the one hand, moving towards deregulation of AI but if you're regulating big tech then it's not entirely clear which way this is going to go.Related:More Innovation?Innovation and the ability to compete in the AI space are two big factors in the argument for less regulation. But repealing the AI executive order alone is unlikely to be a major catalyst for innovation.The idea that by even if some of those requirements were to go away you would unleash innovation, I don't think really makes any sense at all. There's really very little regulation to be cut in the AI space, says Calidas.If the Trump administration does take that hands-off approach, opting not to introduce AI regulation, companies may move faster when it comes to developing and releasing products.Ultimately, mid-market to large enterprises, their innovation is being chilled if they feel like there's maybe undefined regulatory risk or a very large regulatory burden that's looming, says Casey Bleeker, CEO and cofounder of SurePath AI, a GenAI security firm.Does more innovation mean more power to compete with other countries, like China?Related:Bleeker argues regulation is not the biggest influence. If the actual political objective was to be competitive with China nothing's more important than having access to silicon and GPU resources for that. It's probably not the regulatory framework, he says.Giving the US a lead in the global AI market could also be a question of research and resources. Most research institutions do not have the resources of large, commercial entities, which can use those resources to attract more talent.[If] we're trying to increase our competitiveness and velocity and innovation putting funding behind research institutions and education institutions and open-source projects, that's actually another way to advocate or accelerate, says Bleeker.Safety Concerns?Safety has been one of the biggest reasons that supporters of AI regulation cite. If the Trump administration chooses not to address AI safety at a federal level, what could we expect?You may see companies making decisions to release products more quickly if AI safety is deprioritized, says Cooper.That doesnt necessarily mean AI companies can ignore safety completely. Existing consumer protections address some issues, such as discrimination.You're not allowed to use discriminatory aspects when you make consumer impacting decisions. That doesn't change if it's a manual process or if it's AI or if you've intentionally done it or by accident, says Bleeker. [There] are all still civil liabilities and criminal liabilities that are in the existing frameworks.Beyond regulatory compliance, companies developing, selling, and using AI tools have their reputations at stake. If their products or use of AI harms customers, they stand to lose business.In some cases, reputation may not be as big of a concern. A lot of smaller developers who don't have a reputation to protect probably won't care as much and will release models that may well be based on biased data and have outcomes that are undesirable, says Calidas.It is unclear what the new administration could mean for the AI Safety Institute, a part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), but Cooper considers it a key player to watch. Hopefully that institute will continue to be able to do important work on AI safety and continue business as usual, she says.The potential for biased data, discriminatory outcomes, and consumer privacy violations are chief among the potential current harms of AI models. But there is also much discussion of speculative harm relating to artificial general intelligence (AGI). Will any regulation be put in place to address those concerns in the near future?The answer to that question is unclear, but there is an argument to be made that these potential harms should be addressed at a policy level.People have different views about how likely they are ... but they're certainly well within the mainstream of things that we should be thinking about and crafting policy to consider, Calidas argues.State and International Regulations?Even if the Trump administration opts for less regulation, companies will still have to contend with state and international regulations. Several states have already passed legislation addressing AI and other bills are up for consideration.When you look at big states like California that can have huge implications, says Cooper.International regulation, such as the EU AI Act, has bearing on large companies that conduct business around the world. But it does not negate the importance of legislation being passed in the US.When the US Congress considers action, it's still a very hotly contested because US law very much matters for US companies even if the EU is doing some different, says Calidas.State-level regulations are likely to tackle a broad range of issues relating to AI, including energy use.I've spent my time talking to legislators from Virginia, from Tennessee, from Louisiana, from Alaska, Colorado, and beyond and what's been really clear to me is that in every conversation about AI, there is also a conversation happening around energy, Aya Saed, director of AI policy and strategy at Scope3, a company focused on supply chain emissions data, tells InformationWeek.AI models require a massive amount of energy to train. The question of energy use and sustainability is a big one in the AI space, particularly when it comes to remaining competitive.There's the framing of energy and sustainability actually as a national security imperative, says Saed.As more states tackle AI issues and pass legislation, complaints of a regulatory patchwork are likely to increase. Whether that leads to a more cohesive regulatory framework on the federal level remains to be seen.The Outlook for AI CompaniesThe first 100 days of the new administration could shed more light on what to expect in the realm of AI regulation or lack thereof.Do they pass any executive orders on this topic? If so, what do they look like? What do the new appointees take on? How especially does the antitrust division of both the FTC and the Department of Justice approach these questions? asks Cooper. Those would be some of the things I'd be watching.Calidas notes that this term will not be Trumps first time taking action relating to AI. The American AI Initiative executive order of 2019 addressed several issues, including research investment, computing and data resources, and technical standards.By and large, that order was preserved by the Biden administration. And we think that that's a starting point for considering what the Trump administration may do, says Calidas.

Job DescriptionWe are actively searching for a highly skilled and experienced Engineering Manager to join our innovative team.**With a minimum of 5 years of proven expertise, you will play a crucial role in shaping our cutting-edge projects.As an integral part of our collaborative work environment, the successful candidate will work closely with the product manager to ensure the delivery of top-tier services. Exceptional communication skills are a prerequisite, and a proactive approach is essential for maintaining smooth project operations and fostering effective collaboration with all stakeholders.If you are ready for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, keep reading :)The open position is for the following team:**Plattform Usability & Growth (PUG)The primary purpose of this team is to enhance our company's product usability, improve customer satisfaction, and drive user engagement. The team will focus on optimizing the user experience across all levels of the platform, aiming to create intuitive and enjoyable interactions. Additionally, the team will implement front-end improvements and conduct split testing to ensure data-driven design decisions.**** Please only apply if you can show experience in above field "Usability & Growth"***Who is Digistore24?We are one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Europe.What drives us? We shape the digital future! Our mission is to empower people with our software and expertise to share their knowledge online, enabling them to fulfill their dream of an own business. As a result, millions of people gain access to information that helps them reach their goals. To keep pace with our growth, we aim to expand our teams sustainably. We emphasize working with experts and strong personalities who share our values regardless of their location. Your new dream jobDrive the separation of the Analytics Code Base and structure from the current Money and Analytics teamCreate a team that is autonomous and deliverers world class value for your customersBe hands-on contributor and a sparring partner to your teamTeam leadership and development: lead and develop a team of software engineers, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.Project Management: Ensure timely and successful delivery of software development projects, aligning with company objectives and quality standards.Process Improvement: Continuously evaluate and improve engineering processes and practices to enhance team efficiency and product quality.Collaboration and Coordination: Work closely with other departments, especially product management, to ensure alignment of engineering efforts with company goals.Coaching: Mentor and guide the engineering team, setting clear goals and expectations, and facilitating professional growth and development.Resource Management: Allocate resources effectively, including staffing and budgeting, to meet project timelines and objectives.Project Oversight: Oversee all aspects of software development, from planning to execution, ensuring projects are delivered on time and meet quality standards.Process Optimization: Implement and maintain efficient engineering processes, including agile methodologies, to optimize team productivity.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with product managers, designers, QA, and other stakeholders to ensure cohesive and effective development efforts.Technical Guidance: Provide technical guidance and oversight, ensuring the use of best practices and adherence to technical standards.Performance Evaluation: Conduct regular performance reviews and manage team dynamics to maintain a high-performing engineering team.Recruitment and Training: Play a key role in hiring and onboarding new team members, and in organizing training and development activities.Your benefits at Digistore24You will play a crucial role in shaping our cutting-edge projects in our collaborative work environment while enjoying flexibility in working time and location.Work in our partner's coworking spaces or in your home office, as long as you can guarantee uninterrupted internet accessRegular further educationThe stability of an extremely successful German high-tech company that is funded by its successful product and not by investorsOutcome focused teams and a culture of direct feedbackModern equipment: Thinkpad or MacBookInternational, collaborative team with strong cohesionSpectacular team events in various European countriesAutonomy from day oneWork in your team on a first-name basis, without a dress code, and at eye levelFlexible working hours from Mondays to FridaysRequirementsYour superpowers Mastery on best practices and forward lookingStrategic business thinking: You don't need to know every detail of how to solve a problem, because you understand the business case behind it and you can make pragmatic decisions.Code refactoring expertise: Simplify code and reduce complexityProblem-solving mentality: You take ownership of a task and will do whatever is necessary to finish it. Yes, you understand yourself as a problem solver via code, not a coder.Master of great code quality: You understand code quality outside of frameworks. You are a serial code improver (in small iteration)Extensive technology stack (min. 5 years):Test-driven development with unit and integration test (Jest, Jasmin & cypress) Extensive experience in Elasticsearch Previous experience in PHP with Symfony experience in working with async communication tools (example: messaging queue) Good to have Docker and K8s Proven proficiency with Angular and VueJs Expert in TypescriptSolid architecture knowledgeCommunication skills: You are fluent in both written and spoken English to communicate with our international team.Minimum 5 years of relevant experienceFluent in both written and spoken EnglishThis position is not for you ifyou have less than 5 years of experience in leadership and people managementstrategic thinking and technological vision is not your highest passioneffective communication and collaboration is not in your bloodyou are not willing to participate in industry conferences and networking events to stay abreast of technological advancements and best practices. you need constant help to find you way in someone elses code you hate maintaining a service use in other platform (constraining your refactoring possibilities and forcing you to document changes correctly) you are not a team player you are not proactive and like going the extra mile you are not comfortable learning new technologies and challenging your comfort zone you are not able to take ownership of your taskOur valuesPlease take a REALLY close look at the values. Are you ready to live them?

Overview:As a Senior Full Stack JavaScript Developer with Blockchain Experience, you will play a crucial role in developing cutting-edge blockchain-powered applications and solutions for our clients. You will be responsible for leading the development of both client-side and server-side functionalities, ensuring seamless integration and a delightful user experience across the full stack. Key Responsibilities:Design and implement user interfaces and server-side logic that interact with the backend systems.Collaborate with backend developers to integrate front-end and back-end systems, ensuring smooth data flow and functionality.Optimize web applications for performance and scalability, leveraging your expertise in modern JavaScript frameworks and tools.Write comprehensive tests and documentation for both client-side and server-side code, ensuring maintainability and reliability.Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members, contributing to the overall quality and development process.Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in the blockchain and JavaScript ecosystems, and proactively share your knowledge with the team.Key Requirements: 5 years of professional software development experience2 years of experience in the EVM ecosystem1-2 years of professional Rust experience and solidity experience3-4 years of professional TypeScript experience and Typescript libraries (Reactjs, Nextjs, Nodejs, Express.js)3-4 years of professional experiences about the SQL database (MySQL, PostgreSQL)Familiarity with Rust and Typescript Ethereum libraries (ethers, alloy, foundry, subgraph)Entrepreneurial, self-motivated, and drivenStrong work ethic and team playerBenefits: Competitive salary range of $75,000 to $85,000 USD annually, depending on experience and qualifications.Comprehensive benefits program, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.Flexible and remote work environment, allowing you to maintain a healthy work-life balance.Opportunity to work at the intersection of blockchain and cutting-edge technologies, shaping the future of decentralized applications.Professional development and growth opportunities, including access to industry events and conferences.Be part of a dynamic and innovative team that is passionate about blockchain and its transformative potential.If you meet the qualifications and are excited about the prospect of joining our team, we encourage you to apply. Together, let's push the boundaries of what's possible in the blockchain space and create innovative solutions that will redefine the way businesses operate.

Submitted by WA ContentsFlower-shaped bamboo holiday villa by NOD Studio is encased in a bamboo dome in a Mexican jungleMexico Architecture News - Jan 10, 2025 - 13:42 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"A fower-shaped bamboo holiday villa, designed by NOD Studio, is encased in a bamboo dome in a Mexican jungle. Named The Trillium Awakening, the 238-square-metre villa is located in El Cuyo, Yucatn, Mexico.The villa grows in clusters and is supported by a central bamboo system, creating rooms in separate floating volumes. Designed with concrete foundations and slabs, the structure is supported by bamboo columns to create a light and airy space.Inside, nature and design continue to interact. A bamboo-domed spiral staircase leads up to the master suite from the main foyer.An essential structural and decorative component, the dome improves the villa's connection to the outside by distributing natural light throughout the interior.Comfort and sustainability are given top priority in the design of the master and secondary bedrooms. Each room features a private bathroom, a central bed, and sweeping views of the surrounding jungle.These areas seamlessly transition into the communal area, which features a swimming pool and jacuzzi with lounge chairs overlooking the lush surroundings.Blending Organic Aesthetics with Sustainable PracticesEvery element of Awakening's design incorporates a dedication to sustainability. In addition to provide structural support, bamboo columns demonstrate the project's commitment to using renewable resources.Concrete slabs are used to create the petal-inspired roofs and floors, while local stone and plaster are used to finish the walls, resulting in long-lasting construction that blends in with the surroundings.The villa uses energy in an environmentally conscious way. Passive lighting techniques ensure a low reliance on artificial systems, while natural cross ventilation lessens the demand for air conditioning.Luxury Redefined in the Heart of NatureLuxury is reimagined by Awakening as a harmonious combination of sustainability and design. Every component of the project has been painstakingly designed to honor nature and provide a profoundly immersive experience.Awakening raises the bar for hospitality in the Yucatn and beyond by balancing modern design with environmental consciousness.Ground floor planFloor plan level 1Floor plan level 2Roof planSectionSectionProject factsProject name: The Trillium AwakeningArchitects:NOD StudioLocation:El Cuyo, Yucatn, Mexico.Client:AWAKENING SANCTUARYDesign team: Jorge Berea, Fernando Artigas, Ricardo HernandezTechnical team: Alejandro de la CruzCivil Engineer: Manuel BagundoAll images Santiago Baravalle.All drawings NOD Studio.> via NOD Studio

Source: Royal Borough of GreenwichThe built-out version of the 23-storey Mast Quay Phase II in Woolwich, compared with the consented versionA 204-home tower scheme in Woolwich which was given a demolition order after it was found to have breached its planning permission can stay but must make some design changes, the Planning Inspectorate has ruled.Comer Homes has been given three years to fix issues on the Mast Quay Phase II development, which was handed an enforcement notice by Greenwich council in September 2023 following the discovery of 26 main deviations from consented plans.The developer will also have to pay 4.4m towards affordable housing elsewhere as it was found to not have included enough in the completed scheme, and 2.3m in community infrastructure levy payments.The scheme, designed by Southwark-based Upchurch Associates, consists of three blocks including a 26-storey tower and is already occupied by residents, who have called for the buildings to be saved.Comer Homes, which completed the scheme in 2022 after its original developer went into administration, appealed the demolition order in October 2023 with the Planning Inspectorate launching an inquiry last summer.The inspector, John Braithwaite, has now told the firm to replace visually intrusive orange cladding on the scheme with a colour approved by Greenwich and install grey panelling beneath windows.Accessibility features which were supposed to have been incorporated into supposed accessible apartments will also need to be built, along with some fire safety work and improvements to public realm at the base of the buildings.The councils list of 26 planning deviations was reduced to 11 by the ruling, although Braithwaite did not overturn the demolition order, saying it should still apply if Comer did not make the changes within the three-year timeframe.The inspector said there were compelling substantial benefits to keeping the scheme despite its planning breaches, including the provision of 204 homes in a borough where there is a woeful undersupply of housing and the payment of an affordable housing contribution.A spokesperson from Comer Homes said: Were happy with the decision made by the independent inquiry and pleased that a satisfactory outcome has been reached for the good of the residents of Mast Quay Phase II.We look forward to now working closely with Greenwich Council to move forward and bring this situation to a positive end.The developer, which does not dispute the scheme breached its planning consent, has previously blamed post-Grenfell fire safety regulations as its motivation to change elements of the scheme during construction.Lawyers for the firm said in their opening statement at the inquiry that it had informed the council of plans to change the schemes cladding in 2021, arguing Comer Homes was convinced it needed to build differently to the pre-Grenfell permission.However, Greenwich argued the changes to the facade were just one element of the scheme which breached its planning permission.

Twin towers the practices fourth major project in the PhilippinesCGI showing how the towers will look when complete1/5show captionFoster & Partners has broken ground on a twin tower bank headquarters scheme in the Philippines.The BDO Unibank Inc Campus in the capital Manila will consist of two stepped towers with a series of adaptations designed to cope with the citys humid climate.Each tower will be supported by an exoskeleton infilled with woven metal mesh screens in parts of the facade which receive the most sunlight.The exterior grid of steelwork is also intended as an efficient method of protecting the structure of the building from earthquakes, which are relatively common in Manila.The towers will be linked at ground level by an open triple height public space sheltered from rainfall and direct sunlight, and filled with greenery.This leads up to an elevated reception area connecting to a business centre, public museum and a 3,000sq m event space.Foster & Partners head of studio Luke Fox said: The new BDO campus offers a new model for the next generation of highly flexible and climatically responsive workplaces in the Philippines.Our holistic approach encompasses every element of the design from the structural and environmental engineering to the landscaping and interiors allowing us to create something completely bespoke and driven by extensive environmental analysis.The headquarters is the firms fourth major project in Manila, following two residential schemes, the BWDC tower and Estate Makati, and a 24-storey office building for local clothing brand Bench.

Source: HS2HS2 announced plans to refine the Grimshaw-designed scheme last yearHS2 has submitted a planning application to Birmingham City Council for an amended design for Grimshaws new Curzon Street station.Consent for an outline scheme was secured from the council in 2020, but HS2 announced intended refinements to the scheme in September last year.The amended scheme has now been submitted for consideration, with a total of 14 changes proposed.Source: HS2 LtdWork has already begun on the Curzon Street siteThe roof cassette and roof edge, previously meant to be made from timber and concrete respectively, will now be aluminium.Five concourse areas will be reconfigured to improve accessibility and passenger experience.Curzon Street is already under construction by a joint venture of Mace and Dragados.Elsewhere on the scheme, the giant HS2 box structure under the A46 in Warwickshire is approaching the final phase of construction.Balfour Beatty Vinci has installed 120 gigantic concrete beams using three giant cranes to form a major part of the top of the structure.The box structure near Kenilworth is due for completion later this year.

Housework is such a hassle. The time spent cleaning up can always be better put to use elsewhere. That's why more and more people are opting for a robot vacuum with the technology coming a long way over the past few years. Take this Yeedi Cube robot vacuum cleaner for $300 for instance. Amazon has dropped the all-in-one vacuum and mop down to its cheapest-ever price, thanks to a $260 discount.See at AmazonA 13% discount that equates to a $70 saving has already been applied but a further $190 price drop can be gained by ticking the on-page coupon. This equates to the $260 saving, which again is a record new low for the product. What's useful about the Yeedi Cube is its auto-emptying ability that lasts for 60 days alongside its self-washing and self-drying capabilities, so you don't even need to touch it for months.Hey, did you know?CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Built with a 5,200-mAh high-capacity battery, the "super suction power" means that any tough stains or major messes can be cleaned in no time. This is particularly great for those who have pets or kids. A dual-edge brush makes sure everything is swept while the carpet suction auto-boost feature will automatically boost its suction power for deep carpet cleaning.The device learns and navigates around a living room, thanks to its last fusion navigation system. You can then customize how you want the vac to operate by using Yeedi's app to merge or divide rooms as you please. Top deals available today, according to CNET's shopping experts Curated discounts worth shopping while they last Apple AirTag, 4-pack: $70 (save $29)Costco 1-year Gold Star membership + $20 gift card: $65 (save $20)Anker 20-watt USB-C charger, 2-pack: $12 (save $7)Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum: $160 (save $40)Peloton Bike: $1,145 (save $300) Why this deal mattersIt's easy to recommend the Yeedi Cube robot vacuum cleaner with the price now dropping to its lowest ever since it launched in the latter stages of 2023. It's a huge $260 in savings and having the added perks of auto-clean and auto-empty cannot be overlooked on products like this. The end result is that you get to spend more time doing what you want instead of wasting all of your free time cleaning the house from top to bottom.Want to check out the competition? We've rounded up the best vacuum deals on the market including Roomba, Dyson, LG and more top brands.

Whether 2025 is the year you block out all the noise or that you upgrade your audio experience for your workout regime, a great pair of wireless earbuds is just the ticket. They don't come much better thanApple's AirPods Pro 2and it just so happens that these premium wireless earbuds are now available for their lowest price of the year so far. That means that you can pick these ANC-capable earbuds up for just $180 at Amazon while Best Buy is also offering the same $69 discount. You're going to need to act soon, though -- Best Buy says this deal is a one-day affair and we suspect that Amazon's price match won't last much longer.See at AmazonSee at Best BuyThe AirPods Pro 2 comes with a MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C), four silicone ear tips ranging from extra-small to large as well as a USB-C cable. Powered by Apple's H2 chip, the earbuds deliver immersive sound and active noise cancellation that removes up to two times background noise. With this enabled, the battery can last up to 6 hours by itself or 30 hours with the charging case.Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.It's also worth noting that the earbuds are IP54 dust-, sweat- and water-resistant. They also have Siri controls built in and improved call quality, thanks to the voice isolation feature.Already missed out on this bargain? There is sure to be something for everyone in our list of the verybest headphone dealsthat are still available right now. Top deals available today, according to CNET's shopping experts Curated discounts worth shopping while they last Apple AirTag, 4-pack: $70 (save $29)Costco 1-year Gold Star membership + $20 gift card: $65 (save $20)Anker 20-watt USB-C charger, 2-pack: $12 (save $7)Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum: $160 (save $40)Peloton Bike: $1,145 (save $300) Why this deal mattersCNET audio expert David Carnoy gave a hugely positive review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 complimenting the "excellent sound" and "well-designed controls". Summarizing his thoughts, Carnoy said: "The AirPods Pro 2 may not be the best at everything, but they do everything very well and are also lightweight and fit most people's ears comfortably and securely. And that's why they remain one of our CNET Editors' Choice award winners in the headphones category."The AirPods Pro 2 are worth full price to a lot of folks, though snagging them with close to $70 off is a huge win if you're in for a set.