Jan 21, 2025Ravie LakshmananCyber Attack / Windows SecurityCybersecurity researchers are calling attention to a series of cyber attacks that have targeted Chinese-speaking regions like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China with a known malware called ValleyRAT.The attacks leverage a multi-stage loader dubbed PNGPlug to deliver the ValleyRAT payload, Intezer said in a technical report published last week.The infection chain commences with a phishing page that's designed to encourage victims to download a malicious Microsoft Installer (MSI) package disguised as legitimate software. Once executed, the installer deploys a benign application to avoid arousing suspicion, while also stealthily extracting an encrypted archive containing the malware payload."The MSI package uses the Windows Installer's CustomAction feature, enabling it to execute malicious code, including running an embedded malicious DLL that decrypts the archive (all.zip) using a hardcoded password 'hello202411' to extract the core malware components," security researcher Nicole Fishbein said.These include a rogue DLL ("libcef.dll"), a legitimate application ("down.exe") that's used as a cover to conceal the malicious activities, and two payload files masquerading as PNG images ("aut.png" and "view.png").The main objective of the DLL loader, PNGPlug, is to prepare the environment for executing the main malware by injecting "aut.png" and "view.png" into memory in order to set up persistence by making Windows Registry changes and executing ValleyRAT, respectively.ValleyRAT, detected in the wild since 2023, is a remote access trojan (RAT) that's capable of providing attackers with unauthorized access and control over infected machines. Recent versions of the malware have incorporated features to capture screenshots and clear Windows event logs.It's assessed to be linked to a threat group called Silver Fox, which also shares tactical overlaps with another activity cluster named Void Arachne owing to the use of a command-and-control (C&C) framework called Winos 4.0.The campaign is unique for its focus on the Chinese-speaking demographic and the use of software-related lures to activate the attack chain."Equally striking is the attackers' sophisticated use of legitimate software as a delivery mechanism for malware, seamlessly blending malicious activities with seemingly benign applications," Fishbein said."The adaptability of the PNGPlug loader further elevates the threat, as its modular design allows it to be tailored for multiple campaigns."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

The project was first conceived in 2007, co-ordinating with the design and eventual construction of the Elizabeth Line station beneath the site. As such, the building was designed to be flexible to adapt to changing market conditions across the long project programme. Sustainability is central to the design, with rooftop photovoltaic panels, a biodiverse trellis wall planted with wildflowers and a fully electric energy system. Source:Jack HobhouseThe high-specification workspaces have generous 3m floor-to-ceiling heights with openable windows, providing natural light and fresh air. Balconies and terraces with plantings offer outdoor meeting spaces and amenities are provided to support active and sustainable commuting, including secure bicycle storage, a repair station and premium changing rooms with showers.The material palette of terracotta, stone, and bronze responds to neighbouring historic buildings. The local streetscape is enhanced by a public art installation,Anatomy of Time, by Clare Twomey, which rises six storeys up the west faade, embedded in its terracotta louvres. It depicts ancient plants that once thrived in this area of Mayfair, and traces the path of the lost River Tyburn.Advertisement Source:Jack HobhouseArchitects viewWith 65 Davies Street, we set out to blend connectivity, sustainability, and architectural heritage into a seamless expression of contemporary workplace architecture. Having started the design over 15 years ago, to integrate with the Elizabeth Line station below, our challenge was to create a building of enduring adaptability and quality while setting new standards for sustainability and wellbeing.Our design reflects the areas legacy of terracotta faades, intricate craftsmanship and natural heritage. Clare Twomeys artwork, inspired by local flora, brings life to the faade, while native wildflowers climb a biodiverse trellis, linking the building to its natural context and adjacent green spaces. Inside, the lobby design celebrates the buildings connection to its context and history, integrating shapes from former building footprints in the finishes, carpets and furniture to create a tactile link to the past in a space that all users engage with daily. The materials help to maintain a dialogue with the buildings surroundings, using complementary materials and colours, including stone and bronze.We always set out to create exceptional places to work in. Office floors feature generous terraces, high ceilings, and openable windows that flood the rooms with natural light. These spaces are supported by top-end cycle facilities and changing rooms to promote healthy lifestyles. Through all these different initiatives, we were able to achieve WELL accreditation, BREEAM Excellent, and Wiredscore Platinum certifications.In 65 Davies Street, I think we have created a building that feels truly at home in Mayfair and that will contribute to the long-term success of this vibrant urban area.Ron Bakker, founding partner, PLP Architecture Source:Jack HobhouseClients viewOne of the best-connected offices in London, 65 Davies Street is a fantastic addition to Mayfair, blending heritage and modernity to create outstanding office space that blends seamlessly into its historic environment. Its testament to its design, amenities and the quality of the space that it was fully pre-let so far ahead of its completion.Alongside South Molton, the West Ends largest mixed-used development, and our transformation of Grosvenor Square into an extraordinary urban garden, 65 Davies Street forms part of a wider series of investments to ensure Mayfair remains a pre-eminent place for visitors, residents and businesses.Tom White, senior project manager, Grosvenor Source:PLP ArchitectureProject dataStart on site October 2021CompletionNovember 2023Gross internal floor area 9,058m2Form of contract JCT Design and buildArchitect PLP ArchitectureClient GrosvenorStructural engineer ArupM&E consultant ArupQS Gardiner & TheobaldProject manager Gardiner & TheobaldEmployers agent Gardiner & TheobaldMain contractor MultiplexFaade Thornton Tomasetti

Looking for the most recent Strands answer?Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Connections puzzles.Todays NYTStrandspuzzle is a fun one, especially if, like me, you still fondly remember the 1980s and 1990s and beyond. If you need hints and answers, read on.Also, I go into depth about therules for Strands in this story.If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visitCNET's NYT puzzle hints page.Read more:NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So FarHint for today's Strands puzzleToday's Strands theme is:You don't say...If that doesn't help you, here's a clue: Awesome! Dynamite! Cool! Swell!Clue words to unlock in-game hintsYour goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle's theme. If you're stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:HOST, HOTS, PATS, HATS, BUST, BUTS, STUD, DATE, DATES, CRAB, ROAM, CRAM, CRASS, SLID, FIND, YARD, SLAM, CURT, BEARAnswers for today's Strands puzzleThese are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you've got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:BOSS, PHAT, FRESH, MAJOR, CHERRY, RADICAL, TUBULARToday's Strands spangramToday's Strands spangram isDATED SLANG.To find it, start with the D that's five letters down on the far-left row, and wind up, and then down and over. The completed NYT Strands puzzle for Jan. 21, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNET

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 hereOver the years, Fortnite has effortlessly incorporated characters from numerous cinematic universes, like Marvel superheroes to renowned DC villains, where players have been able to embrace their favorite characters while battling it out on the island. However, some of the most memorable collaborations have been with animated shows, adding fun and nostalgia to the game. Collaborations with shows like Rick and Morty and Family Guy have been extremely popular among fans. The addition of Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith to Fortnite provided gamers with not only skins but also emotes and items that embodied the shows chaotic and comic tone. Similarly, the Family Guy crossover added Peter Griffins distinct sense of humor to the game, delighting fans with unique emotes and themed challenges that reflected the shows irreverent attitude. The popularity of these animated show partnerships has paved the way for another big leak in the Fortnite community with the popular animated sitcom King of the Hill being the next big crossover.Fortnite x King of the Hill crossover will bring TVs wisest Texan Hank HillAccording to the latest leaks and rumors by popular Fortnite data miners like HYPEX, a collab with the popular TV sitcom King of the Hill is coming soon to the game. In the collab, so far the confirmed skin is Hank Hill, who is the protagonist of the show and has often been referred to as the wisest Texas resident on TV.Fortnite Hank Hill skin leak. Image credit HYPEX.The skin will be a cel-shaded outfit, similar to the Rick and Morty and Family Guy skins that have been released in the game, so fans may not be worried about the characters appearance in the game. Other speculations have revealed that players may also get a Lady Bird Pet back bling, a pickaxe themed after Hanks Golf Club, and an opening theme Jam Track from King of the Hill.To those unaware, King of the Hill is an animated sitcom about Hank Hill, a propane salesman from the imaginary town of Arlen, Texas. The comedy, created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, takes a satirical look at American suburban life through the eyes of Hanks family, which includes his wife Peggy, son Bobby, and their quirky neighbors.Fans of the show expressed their excitement hearing about the leak where one user wrote, Im genuinely hoping for a group emote where they drink slurp and the theme song plays. Another chimed in, I better get a Boomhauer skin.While fans wait for the King of the Hill collab to arrive in the game, several other leaks also hint at a crossover with Kaiju No. 8 arriving later in Fortnite Chapter 6 as well. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsFortnite Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

In the 1950s, Tunisian couturier Azzedine Alaa moved to Paris to enter the world of fashion. After design stints at Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, he opened his first atelier in 1979. Run out of his Parisian apartment, the clothes he designed for the likes of Greta Garbo were synonymous with exquisite tailoring that accented the female form.Almost 50 years later, Paris remains the capital of couture, and Maison Alaa is still one of its key players. Its only fitting for the houses new flagship would be located at 15 Rue du Faubourg Saint Honor, a winding strip in the citys 8th arrondissement affiliated with high style, which also hosts Herms, Bottega Veneta, and Alexander McQueen stores.A sculpture reminiscent of dentistry crowns a Ron Arad table.15 Faubourg Saint Honor completes a trilogy of sorts, with each of Alaas three Parisian boutiques representing a distinct facet of the brand. In collaboration with Alaas creative director Pieter Mulier, the latest store was designed by architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of Japanese architecture firm SANAA. This past year, the studio known for Grace Farms and other bold works won the prestigious 2025 Le Prix Charlotte Perriand, an honor recognizing their visionary contributions to modern architecture and design. We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with Alaa on the design of this new boutique, the duo tells AD. It is a space of soft boundaries and gentle reflections that wraps and unravels around visitors like a second skin, dissolving into a field of objects as people move up through the layers of the project.Tubular rooms in tongue-pink tones punctuate the interior.The idea of second skina barrier, a shield, something intimate, indecent, or familialis integral to Alaa, a key part of the houses design language. Soft, sculptural forms and signature curves define the couture created since the 80s. The new flagships interior evokes this concept through tongue-pink tones and other nudes in the houses repertoire of colors. On the ground floor, four transparent tubular rooms are each dedicated to a distinct range of clothes and accessories. In these glass rooms, time stands still, and products become a sort of specimen. Visitors peek in and feel almost indiscretethey are now involved in an exhibitionist display.

C-Beams - 1 Year of Development By JohnLogostini on January 21, 2025 Games C-Beams is a Space Action RPG made using Unreal and Blender.You can publicly follow its development from the team's weekly devlog videos. John Logostini reports on the project.After our first year of development, the new Distant Light Games team has finally announced our first project, C-Beams a new Space Action RPG being developed in Unreal Engine for PC SteamDeck and Linux, with more platforms yet to be decided.We have been developing C-Beams for the past year, with the project's founder, Charlie Goldberg (aka LevelCap), creating weekly dev logs. This has resulted in significant community contributions to the project even I joined as a contributor.Blender has been the primary DCC used for the project. Personally, I have been using Blender my entire life.All sculpting for the project was done in Blender, including the custom asteroid bases. These were blocked out using basic primitives, remeshed, and then detailed with custom brushes. Afterward, they were retopologized using the Exoside Quad Remesher addon. UVs were created manually and packed with UV Packmaster. While external addons were utilized, its incredible that the entire processing workflow for an asset can be completed directly within Blender. However, since the following video was posted, our workflow has evolved slightly. This video covers the primary workflow used for creating custom sculpted assets.As for other models, while not documented in as much detail, we used Blender for nearly all of the models in the game from blackout to UVs, and final game-resolution assets. Everything was done in Blender. Some data required for the engine was generated in Houdini; however, the final meshes were completed in Blender.Link C-Beams on Steam (wishlist) Dev logs playlist:

Tears and disappointment flowed Monday after newly sworn-in President Donald Trump cut off a mobile app that allowed migrants to apply to enter the U.S. legally as asylum-seekers. All pending appointments made with the app have been canceled, too. The CBP One app was set up under the Biden administration as a way to curb people crossing the southwest border illegally to request asylum. Once it went into effect, it was the only way for people to get an appointment to request asylum.Monday afternoon, Customs and Border Protection posted on its website that the app was no longer available for that purpose and existing appointments have been canceled. Some 280,000 people werelogging into the appdaily to secure an appointment as of Jan. 7, according to Reuters.In Jurez, Mexico, a woman cried, Oh God! as she wailed against a post at the border fence, Noticias Telemundo reported. Another migrant, Julio Alberto Hernndez, originally from El Salvador and waiting in Tijuana, told Noticias Telemundo that his appointment was three or four days away.I was so happy because I was going to get to enter to support my children," Hernndez said in Spanish. "But with this, were left sad because they erased it." The news was delivered to CBP One users through pop-up notifications in different languages saying CBP One appointments are no longer valid. CBP said that in December, it processed about 44,000 asylum-seekers through information submitted through the app. From January 2023 to December 2024, more than 936,500 people had scheduled appointments, CBP said.Trump had previously telegraphed his plans to end migrants use of the app. The Biden administration said the app helped organize a chaotic asylum process, marked by numerous people crossing the border illegally and surrendering to Border Patrol agents. But the app also was criticized for technical glitches and the long waits for initial screenings to determine if migrants qualified to apply for asylum. Trump and others also disliked the number of people granted entry. Christian Martinez, of Honduras, said he had sent an application and just gotten a response that applications were no longer being accepted. Right now Im feeling a sentiment as if something just vanished. That hope that I could enter legally, that just got cut off, and its very difficult, Martinez said.The wait has been a year and a half long for Melanie Mendoza, who called the cancellations unfair. "Now they tell us, 'No, your appointments are not valid," she said wiping away tears. In Matamoros, Mexico, a group of migrants from the central Mexican state of Zacatecas arrived at a legalbordercrossing at midday, but were turned back byborderauthorities who said all appointments were now void, they told Reuters.Honduran Denia Mendez, sitting in the courtyard of a migrant shelter in Piedras Negras, Mexico across from Eagle Pass,Texas stared at an email for several minutes, before her eyes welled with tears.They canceled my appointment, she said.

So, would you?Nintendo formally announced the Switch 2 last week and while some developers appear to have already locked in their support, other studios are still gauging whether or not to release certain titles on the Switch's successor.One of these developers happens to be Moon Studios, with the CEO Thomas Mahler asking on social media if fans of the studio (as well as Ori games and Nintendo platforms) would be interested in the team's new release, No Rest for the Wicked on Switch 2.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

In BriefPosted:4:53 PM PST January 20, 2025Image Credits:Michael M. Santiago / Getty ImagesPresident Trump repeals Bidens AI executive orderDuring his first day in office, President Donald Trump revoked a 2023 executive order signed by former President Joe Biden that sought to reduce the potential risks AI poses to consumers, workers, and national security.Bidens executive order directed the Commerce Departments National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to author guidance that helps companies identify and correct for flaws in models, includingbiases. The executive order also required developers of AI systems to share the results of safety tests with the U.S. government before they were released to the public. Critics allied with Trump argued that the executive orders reporting requirements were onerous and effectively forced companies to disclose their trade secrets. During his campaign, Trump promised policies that would support AI development rooted in free speech and human flourishing but declined to go into detail.Topics

Hey everyone! Ive always wanted to participate in one of these, and since I recently finished my portfolio feels like the perfect time. Although like I only really have around a week, I wont put too much pressure on myself and Ill do my best!I started thinking about ideas a few days ago and Im thinking something like ice punch from Pokemon with an asset like Iceborn gauntlet from League of Legends? Anyways for now heres a concept I quickly sketched out yesterday and Ill post more tomorrow so stay tuned!