Jan 16, 2025Ravie LakshmananActive Directory / VulnerabilityCybersecurity researchers have found that the Microsoft Active Directory Group Policy that's designed to disable NT LAN Manager (NTLM) v1 can be trivially bypassed by a misconfiguration."A simple misconfiguration in on-premise applications can override the Group Policy, effectively negating the Group Policy designed to stop NTLMv1 authentications," Silverfort researcher Dor Segal said in a report shared with The Hacker News.NTLM is a still widely used mechanism particularly in Windows environments to authenticate users across a network. The legacy protocol, while not removed due to backward compatibility requirements, has been deprecated as of mid 2024.Late last year, Microsoft officially removed NTLMv1 starting in Windows 11, version 24H2, and Windows Server 2025. While NTLMv2 introduces new mitigations to make it harder to perform relay attacks, the technology has been besieged by several security weaknesses that have been actively exploited by threat actors to access sensitive data.In exploiting these flaws, the idea is to coerce a victim to authenticate to an arbitrary endpoint, or relay the authentication information against a susceptible target and perform malicious actions on behalf of the victim."The Group Policy mechanism is Microsoft's solution to disable NTLMv1 across the network," Segal explained. "The LMCompatibilityLevel registry key prevents the Domain Controllers from evaluating NTLMv1 messages and returns a wrong password error (0xC000006A) when authenticating with NTLMv1."However, Silverfort's investigation found that it's possible to circumvent the Group Policy and still use NTLMv1 authentication by taking advantage of a setting in the Netlogon Remote Protocol (MS-NRPC).Specifically, it leverages a data structure called NETLOGON_LOGON_IDENTITY_INFO, which contains a field named ParameterControl that, in turn, has a configuration to "Allow NTLMv1 authentication (MS-NLMP) when only NTLMv2 (NTLM) is allowed.""This research shows on-prem applications can be configured to enable NTLMv1, negating the Highest Level of the Group Policy LAN Manager authentication level set in Active Directory," Segal said."Meaning, organizations think they are doing the right thing by setting this group policy, but it's still being bypassed by the misconfigured application."To mitigate the risk posed by NTLMv1, it's essential to enable audit logs for all NTLM authentication in the domain and keep an eye out for vulnerable applications that request clients to use NTLMv1 messages. It also goes without saying that organizations are recommended to keep their systems up-to-date.The disclosure comes as HN Security researcher Alessandro Iandoli detailed how various security features in Windows 11 (prior to version 24H2) could be bypassed to achieve arbitrary code execution at the kernel level.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Carrie Pallardy, Contributing ReporterJanuary 16, 20255 Min ReadPresident Joe Biden meets with White House staff in the Oval Office, 2022, to review remarks he will give at an executive order signing. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) American Photo Archive via Alamy Stock PhotoOn. Jan. 16, just days before leaving office, President Biden issued an executive order on improving the nations cybersecurity. The extensive order comes on the heels of the breaches of US Treasury and US telecommunications providers perpetrated by China state-sponsored threat actors.Adversarial countries and criminals continue to conduct cyber campaigns targeting the United States and Americans, with the Peoples Republic of China presenting the most active and persistent cyber threat to United States Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks, the order states.This new executive order, building on the one Biden issued in 2021, is extensive. It addresses issues ranging from third-party supply chain risks and AI to cybersecurity in space and the risks of quantum computers.Could this executive order shape the federal governments approach to cybersecurity? And how uncertain is its impact under the incoming Trump administration?The Executive OrderThe executive order outlines a broad set of initiatives to address nation state threats, improve defense of the nations digital infrastructure, drive accountability for software and cloud providers, and promote innovation in cybersecurity.Like the 2021 executive order, the newly released order emphasizes the importance of collaboration with the private sector.Related:Since it's an executive order, it's mainly aimed at the federal government. It doesn't directly regulate the private sector, Jim Dempsey, managing director of the Cybersecurity Law Center at nonprofit International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), tells InformationWeek. It indirectly aims to impact private sector cybersecurity by using the government's procurement power.For example, the order directs software vendors working with the federal government to submit machine-readable secure software development attestations through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Repository for Software Attestation and Artifacts (RSAA).If CISA finds that attestations are incomplete or artifacts are insufficient for validating the attestations, the Director of CISA shall notify the software provider and the contracting agency, according to the order.The order also calls for the development of guidelines relating to the secure management of cloud service providers access tokens and cryptographic keys. In 2023, China-backed threat actor stole a cryptographic key, which led to the breach of several government agency Outlook email systems, Wired reports. A stolen key was behind the compromise of BeyondTrust that led to the recent US Treasury breach.Related:AI, unsurprisingly, doesnt go untouched by the order. It delves into establishing a program for leveraging AI models for cyber defense.The Biden administration also uses the executive order to call attention to cybersecurity threats that may loom larger in the future. The order points to the risks posed by quantum computers and space system cybersecurity concerns.Bidens Cyber LegacyThe Biden Administration made cybersecurity a priority. In addition to the 2021 executive order on cybersecurity, the administration released a National Cybersecurity Strategy and an implementation plan in 2023.The current administration also took sector-specific actions to bolster cybersecurity. For example, Biden issued an executive order focused on maritime cybersecurity.Kevin Orr, president of RSA Federal at RSA Security, a network security company, saw a positive response to the Biden Administrations efforts to improve cybersecurity within the government.I was surprised at how many agencies have leaned in the last 18 months, especially within the intelligence community, have really adopted basic identity proofing, coming forward with multifactor authentication, and really strengthening their defenses, Orr shares.Related:While the Biden Administration has worked to further cybersecurity, there are questions about adoption of new policies and best practices. Some stakeholders call for more regulatory enforcement.Much like any regulation, people are only going to follow it if there's some type of regulatory teeth to it, Joe Nicastro, field CTO at software security firm Legit Security, argues.Others argue for incentives are more likely to drive adoption of cybersecurity measures.Cybersecurity is an ongoing national security concern, and the Biden administration is soon passing the torch.I think this administration can leave extremely, extremely proud, says Dempsey. Certainly, they are handing over the nations cybersecurity to the incoming Trump administration in far better shape than it was four years ago.A New AdministrationWhile the order could mean big changes in the federal governments approach to cybersecurity, the timing makes its ultimate impact uncertain. Many of its directives for federal agencies have a long runway, months or years, for compliance. Will the Trump administration enforce the executive order?Cybersecurity has largely been painted as a bipartisan issue. And there has been some continuity between the first Trump Administration and the Biden Administration when it comes to cyber policies.For example, the Justice Department recently issued a final rule on Bidens Executive Order 14117 Preventing Access to Americans Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern. That order charges the Justice Department with establishing a regulatory program to prevent the sale of Americans sensitive data to China, Russia, Iran, and other foreign adversaries. That order and subsequent ruling stem from an executive order signed by Trump in 2019.Bidens 2025 cybersecurity executive order puts a spotlight on cyber threats from China, and President-Elect Trump has been vocal about his intention to crack down on those threats. But that does not preclude changes to or dismissal of provisions in Bidens final cybersecurity executive order.There may be some things that the incoming administration will ignore or deprioritize. I'd be a little surprised if they repealed the order, says Dempsey.CISA was a major player in the Biden administrations approach to cybersecurity, and it will continue to play a big role if this new executive order rolls out as outlined. But the federal agency has been criticized by several Republican lawmakers. Some have called to limit its power or even shut it down, AP News reports.The incoming Trump administration is also expected to take a more hands-off approach to regulation in many areas. Critical infrastructure is consistently at the heart of national cybersecurity conversations, and the majority of critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector.In terms of new regulation aimed at the private sector, I think we probably will not see anything out of the Trump administration, Dempsey predicts.Cybersecurity policy could look different under the Trump administration, but it is likely it will remain at the forefront of national security discussions.I'm hoping that threat of what China is doing with their cybersecurity programs and how they're facilitating attacks against BeyondTrust and US treasury et cetera, will help continue the progress that we've made within cybersecurity, says Nicastro.About the AuthorCarrie PallardyContributing ReporterCarrie Pallardy is a freelance writer and editor living in Chicago. She writes and edits in a variety of industries including cybersecurity, healthcare, and personal finance.See more from Carrie PallardyNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

When David Lynch died this week at the age of 78, the world lost one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of the medium. But Lynchs filmography is not going anywhere.His ten feature films andone TV series (two TV series? One big multipart movie?Twin Peaks is impossible to define)are widely available at home, both on streaming and on demand. Most are also available in a variety of top-notch physical editions on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K.Lynch made movies for the big screen, of course, but his filmsplay surprisingly well at home too.While his grandly bizarre visuals are best appreciated in a theater,his surreal ideas and complex themes always reward repeat viewings. In that regard, David Lynch is one of the great directors of our streaming video era.Mulholland Driveis different every single time you watch it. The same goes forLost HighwayorEraserheador even Dune.Twin Peaks on an endless loop (except perhaps a concerned spouse).If youre looking to do a Lynch deep dive inhonor of the late masterspassing, heres where you can currently find all of his features, plus Twin Peaks. (Spoiler alert: If thats your intention, you better haveeither Max or the Criterion Channel, or a plan to sign up for one or both of them. Thats where most of these titles live right now.)Where to Watch David Lynch MoviesThe late David Lynch made ten features, plus one of the greatest TV shows in history. Heres where you can find them at home.READ MORE: Once-Beloved Restaurants That No Longer ExistsGet our free mobile app25 Movie Turning 25 In 2025These 25 titles all turn 25 years old in the year 2025. Time is not a flat circle. It just never stops moving.

Whats the role?As a Sales Manager, you will be responsible for hiring, training, coaching, and leading a team of new and established representatives in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment. We are looking for someone who is passionate about transforming sales, service and marketing and is a team builder and coaches sellers - You not only motivate individuals but a team towards a collective vision and manifest a team atmosphere.What will I do?Attract, recruit and retain top talentSupport salespeople in all aspects of the sales process and keep their team members accountable to KPIs that drive the business growthHave excellent time management and organizational skillsHave an analytical mindset and leverage data across all interactionsContinue to build a track recording of coaching reps for successEffectively communicate and motivate across multiple mediums both externally and internallySupport the business in cross-functional projects to drive organizational advancementWho are you:At least 4-5 years of leading and coaching a quota carrying team in either Mid-Market Segments or similarExperience in successfully mentoring and/or leading others effectivelyPassionate about transforming sales, service and marketing and whose values align with HubSpots culture.High emotional intelligence - you have genuine empathy for others, and maximize your impact through understanding the motivations of your team, and adapting your communication accordinglyA positive change agent - you have a track record of leading and empowering groups towards driving improvement while navigating change and simultaneously winning. You create a culture of transparency and focused improvement while having fun and fostering a strong team environment.Committed to overachievement - you have a never quit attitude, and get buy-in to overachieve against targets regardless of the adversity being faced.Data-driven - you leverage and can communicate using data to improve core KPIs that matter to the individuals on our team and to help drive HubSpots strategic plays.Experience managing or being managed in a structured sales environment. These could include managing via a sales methodology, a forecast methodology, and structured deal management by sales stage.Uses good judgment - especially when tasked with difficult decisions. You are a person who exudes good judgment in decision making.Accountable - you have honest, transparent, and authentic communication with your colleagues, regardless of personal ramifications.A team builder and coaches reps - you not only motivate individuals but a team towards a collective vision and manifest a team atmosphere.What are the benefits?Generous remuneration + uncapped commissions + HubSpot RSUsWork From Home options available. You choose Home, Office or Flex!World Class New Hire TrainingESPP - so that you can share in HubSpots future successAn education allowance up to USD$5,000 per annumUnlimited Time Off PolicyPrivate health insurance allowanceFree books programAnnual fitness reimbursementFive-year sabbatical - Paid 4 week sabbaticalA clear career advancement path, with potential for global mobility opportunitiesPrimary Caregiver Leave of 16 weeks and Secondary Caregiver Leave for 6 weeks

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.I got a kick out of a couple of the categories in today's NYT Connections puzzle. That purple one is a toughie again. Don't think of words with similar meanings, think of words that are hiding similar words within them. Yep, that's how the purple category works. Read on for today's Connections hints and answers.The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. And players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.Read more:Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every TimeHints for today's Connections groupsHere are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest, yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.Yellow group hint: Hot dogGreen group hint: PunchBlue group hint: Used to browsePurple group hint: Raise a glassAnswers for today's Connections groupsYellow group: FrankfurterGreen group: StrikeBlue group: Web browsersPurple group: Ending with beer brandsRead more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English WordsWhat are today's Connections answers? The completed NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 17, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is frankfurter. The four answers are banger, brat, link and sausage.The green words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is strike. The four answers are bop, hit, knock and tap.The blue words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is web browsers. The four answers are Chrome, Edge, Opera and Safari.The purple words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is ending with beer brands. The four answers are autoharp, contrabass, pepperoni and rosebud.

Games Done Quick unveils full charity speedrunning schedule for this year's Frost Fatales eventRaising money for National Women's Law Center.Image credit: Games Done Quick News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 16, 2025 With this year's Awesome Games Done Quick (and its impressive Elden Ring sax attacks) officially over, preparations are well underway for Games Done Quick's Frost Fatales charity speedrunning event - and organisers have now revealed its full schedule in the run up to March.Frost Fatales, if you're unfamiliar, is the annual winter version of Games Done Quick's all-women and femmes charity speedrunning event (Flame Fatales is its toastier summer equivalent), and this year's week-long show runs from 9th-16th March.More specifically, things kick off at 5pm BST on Sunday 9th March with a Cuphead Any% No Major Glitches speedrun by Vicky_spleen. Seven days and more than 60 speedruns later, things wrap up with a one-handed Celeste Any% speedrun by SawaYoshi - at 3.23am on 16th March. And between all that, there's a tantalisingly varied selection of other games to look forward to, ranging from big ol' blockbusters and retro classics to indie favourites and leftfield oddities.A quick scan of the newly released schedule reveals, for instance, the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Cult of the Lamb, DuckTales: Remastered, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, Clock Tower 3, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, Pokmon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, Hylics, and more - as well as a three-way "girl squad" Final Fantasy X-2 race using all female characters.Frost Fatales 2025 is once raising money for the National Women's Law Center, a US non-profit that fights for women's and LGBTQ rights through initiatives that change laws, policy, and culture. And if all that's left you suitably intrigued, you can watch the event live on Twitch.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThe second half of The First Descendant Season 2 is here! This is the big update 1.2.4 introducing Ines Raya along with an assortment of new skins. Unfortunately, the maintenance downtime has been extended due to an unforeseen, critical incident, and, as an apology to fans, Nexon is gifting The First Descendant players free rewards.Nexon is gifting The First Descendant players free rewards as compensationOn X, Nexon has announced that the maintenance downtime for update 1.2.4 has been extended. This means the release time for Ines Raya is now 10AM PT/1PM ET/6PM GMT on January 16th.As for why maintenance has been extended, Nexon identified a critical issue. Theres no elaboration from the developer, but its ultimately better for Nexon to delay the release of 1.2.4 rather than launch it buggy.Nexon has apologized for the maintenance extension, as well as the inconvenience caused to in-game event participation after the update. As compensation for the delay, Nexon is gifting players the following free rewards:Gold Boost (30%)Kuiper Shard Boost (30%)Descendant EXP Boost (30%)Weapon Proficiency Boost (30%)40 2025 TokensNexon will provide details regarding the compensation schedule in a separate notice once the maintenance is complete. Its likely the above rewards will be sent to your in-game inbox once or soon after maintenance ends, but make sure to follow the games official account on X for the necessary details.Image credit: @FirstDescendant on XIn more The First Descendant news, players can check out the 2025 roadmap, and the new Season 3 character promises to be hot in first official details.The First DescendantPlatform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Adventure, RPG5VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

One might assume that Mark Zuckerbergs houses consist primarily of sleek Silicon Valley mansions. Thats not wrongthe Facebook (now known as Meta) founder does own a compound not far from his officebut as his fortune has grown over the years, so has his real estate portfolio, encompassing additional properties in California as well as a much-talked-about Hawaiian compound. The worlds third richest man, according to Forbes, Zuckerberg ranks just behind Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos and boasts a net worth of around $214 billion.In classic Zuckerberg fashion, every house he owns is massive, considerably upgraded, and oftentimes saddled with complaints from the general public. Furthermore, Zuckerberg has been known to buy up neighboring homes to make sure that he and his family have the utmost privacy. Below, we recap all the places the Zuck, his wife, Priscilla Chan, and their two young children now call home.Tricked-out Palo Alto compoundAbout a year before he and Chan said I do in 2012, Zuckerberg set down roots in Palo Alto with the purchase of a 5,617-square-foot home just a short 10-minute drive from Facebooks Menlo Park campus. The tech maven reportedly paid $7 million for the five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion, and then paid a pretty penny to have it outfitted with some nifty technological upgrades, including a custom-made artificially intelligent assistant called Jarvis, according to CNBC. (Among its tasks: helping Zuckerbergs daughter with her Mandarin lessons, identifying visitors at the door, and supplying clean gray T-shirts from a rigged-up T-shirt cannon.) Other features of the home include a saltwater pool, a glass-enclosed sunroom, and a huge backyard pavilion.The following year, the couple began buying up the four homes surrounding their original Palo Alto house. In all, they reportedly spent an estimated $43 million on those properties. The Wall Street Journal reported that the couple initially leased the homes back to their former owners, with plans to eventually demolish all four to build something new in 2016. The city voted against Zuckerbergs plans, however, so he had to settle for just renovating two of the four homes in order to create a compound situated on a lot measuring 1.83 acres.San Francisco pied--terreIn late 2012, the Facebook founder spent $10 million on a pied--terre town house in the Dolores Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, reportedly shelling out an additional $1.8 million to renovate the brick and stucco home. SF Gate reported that renovations included the addition of a first-floor office, a media room, a laundry room, a wine room, and a wet bar. Reportedly, there was also a $65,000 bathroom and kitchen remodel and the addition of a greenhouse on the premises. Not much else is known about the property, except that it presently measures 7,368 square feet. Zuckerberg and Chan sold the place for $31 million in an off-market deal, according to the New York Post, in July of 2022.Kauai, Hawaii, estateZuckerberg began what has now been a years-long love affair with Hawaii in 2014, when he snapped up 707 acres on the island of Kauai for about $116 million. His first purchase, according to local newspaper Garden Island, included most of Pilaa Beach and the Kahuaina Plantation, and posed an issue for locals who complained about the walls the tech magnate put up around his property, which ultimately blocked beach access. According to the paper, Zuckerbergs first Hawaii purchase included plans for a 6,100-square-foot main house with a 16-car garage and a structure that would serve as security headquarters for his $23 million security team.

Save me from rich, white men who insist they and their kind are being discriminated against. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, majority owner (not the founder) of SpaceX, Tesla, and numerous other leading companies, insists that DEI [Diversity, equity, and inclusion] is just another word for racism. He screams, DEI must DIE.The point was to end discrimination, not replace it with different discrimination.Really? Im an older, relatively well-off, straight white man, and I know darn well that I owe a lot of my success to the fact that, except for my age, everything in the US economy has been set up to benefit me.In baseball terms, I started the game on first base. Black men have to get a hit to get on base. Black women step to home plate for their at-bat with two strikes against them.Musk and his ilk? He grew up with a millionaire, emerald-mine-owning father in South Africa and started on third base.It used to be worse in this country. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, while the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 laid the groundwork for equal employment opportunities and non-discrimination in the workplace.The laws were one thing. Making it a workplace reality was another.Over the next few decades, dedicated diversity professionals began emerging within organizations, often holding titles like Chief Diversity Officer. As businesses became more diverse, companies also started recognizing that diversity is good for business.While DEI is also about basic fairness, it turns out that businesses that adopt it tend to do better than their rivals. Dont believe me? How aboutGoldman Sachs would you believe it?The global investment banking giant decidednot to take companies public without diverse board representationin 2000. The financial powerhouse did so because evidence showed that companies with diverse boards outperformed those with all-male boards. Specifically, Goldman Sachs noted that companies with at least one woman on their board performed significantly better in their IPOs than those without women. Since then, the company has increased its minimum number of women board members to two. The company has also continued tosupport black women business ownersfor solid business reasons, not warm fuzzy feelings.This is nothing new. In 2012, the global management companyMcKinseyfoundthat US companies with diverse boards had a 95% higher return on equity.Get the picture? DEI helps businesses do well, and the results are right there in the balance sheets.Facts, even accounting facts, count for little asAmerican technology leaders bow to Donald Trump. For some, like Musk and Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, its all about rising to power on the right-wing wave. For others, its simply about preserving their billions. Preserving the gains of blacks, gays, older workers whoever is not on their priority list.So,Amazon has halted some of its DEI programs,Meta is killing them, andMicrosoft has quietly shuttered its DEI efforts. While this trend has become more obvious since Donald J. Trump won the 2024 election, its been coming for a while now.Google and Meta have both shut their doors to diverse employeessince 2023.That year, theSupreme Courts Trump-friendly majority struck down affirmative action in college admissions. That decision prompted Republican activists and some state attorneys general to target corporate DEI initiatives as discriminatory. Given a choice between fighting a political battle and quietly shutting down their diversity efforts, all too many businesses have folded their DEI tents.Others, such as Meta where Zuck is suffering from a middle-aged crisis with his gold chain, newly curled hair, and sudden weird fascination with masculine energy appear to be on their way to getting rid of their existing diverse workforce. He says he wants to move out low performers faster. I expect the upcoming 5% cut to come mostly from people of color, older workers, and LGBTQ+ staffers.You get the picture.What it all comes down to is that if youre not a straight white guy, the job market is going to become a lot harder for you. As for companies? Theyll suffer as well. I fear, though, that were stuck with this trend until cold, hard financial facts convince corporate leadership that right-wing politics leads to poor business decisions.

Gad DamnOlaf was iced so brutally in the original Frozen 2 cut that Disney CEO Bob Iger was scared of unlocking a fear of death in children everywhereIt destroyed adults and kids alike.Image credit: Disney News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on Jan. 16, 2025 I gotta be honest with you: I barely remember anything that transpired in Frozen 2 even though I really enjoyed the original. I do remember Olaf temporarily dying and the scene being very sad though. Well, it turns out it could've been much worse, especially for the youngest members of the audience.Via Entertainment Weekly, we've learned about a major creative rework that took place after some test screenings ended with kids "very confused and very, very sad." This new bit of information arrived through Josh Gad's memoir and collection of essays In Gad We Trust.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. According to the actor, Olaf's original death scene was more hard-hitting: "Jenn and I started recording the dialogue and I couldn't get through it without sobbing. Those first recordings were brutal, and I remember feeling that we were doing something that was going to pack a serious punch," he recalled. That's usually a good feeling to have while working on fiction that millions of people are gonna experience, but it's also good to be mindful of the limits of Disney movies aimed at kids.In Avengers: Infinity War, a movie that grossed over $2 billion worldwide, the final 5 minutes or so are spent killing off half the main cast (as well as half the universe), including a confused and genuinely scared Peter Parker who'd just joined the party. Much like Parker's, Olaf's death scene in Frozen 2 has him slowly fading away. However, he's at peace... in the cut that everyone saw. It wasn't always like that."In the first version, Olaf himself was scared and confused by what was happening... We had made our intended audience (children) scared for Olaf, rather than emotional." Disney CEO Bob Iger, who at the time hadn't left yet (only to return after Bob Chapek fumbled the bag), hit the nail on the head according to Gad and writer and co-director Jennifer Lee: "Olaf is a child. You can't just willy-nilly kill a scared child, because the children watching will see themselves in him." Iger might be more of a ruthless, effective executive, but considering he made Disney the biggest it's ever been during the 2010s, he knows a thing or two about what audiences want and reject.In the end, the scene went through rewrites and was re-recorded, though it sounds like Disney's top brass asked for Olaf not to be killed. According to Gad, Lee "fought to do an altered version in which Olaf isn't scared, but instead is at peace and comforts Anna before he leaves. It was one of the lightbulb moments and creatively brilliant pivots that Jenn and the Frozen team are known for at this point." The movie went on to make nearly $1.5 billion worldwide, topping the original's already massive haul.Frozen 3 is now on the way, but still a ways off: It will arrive on November 24, 2027.