Artificial intelligence has made significant strides, yet developing models capable of nuanced reasoning remains a challenge. Many existing models struggle with complex problem-solving tasks, particularly in mathematics, coding, and scientific reasoning. These difficulties often arise due to limitations in data quality, model architecture, and the scalability of training processes. The need for open-data reasoning models that perform at a high level is increasingly important, especially as proprietary models continue to lead the field.OpenThinker-32B is an open-data reasoning model developed by the Open Thoughts team to address these challenges. Fine-tuned from Qwen2.5-32B-Instruct using the OpenThoughts-114k dataset, the model demonstrates strong performance across a range of reasoning tasks, including those in mathematics, coding, and scientific inquiry.From a technical perspective, OpenThinker-32B features 32.8 billion parameters and supports a context length of 16,000 tokens, allowing it to process complex tasks requiring extended context. The model was trained over three epochs using the LLaMa-Factory framework, employing a learning rate of 1e-5 with a cosine learning rate scheduler. Training was conducted on AWS SageMaker across four nodes, each equipped with eight H100 GPUs, over approximately 90 hours. This training setup enhances the models ability to manage intricate reasoning processes efficiently.Performance evaluations show that OpenThinker-32B outperforms other open-data reasoning models across multiple benchmarks. It achieves an accuracy of 90.6 on the MATH500 benchmark and a score of 61.6 on the GPQA-Diamond benchmark, indicating strong general problem-solving capabilities. These results reflect the models ability to handle a diverse set of reasoning challenges effectively.In summary, OpenThinker-32B presents a well-rounded contribution to the field of AI reasoning models. By utilizing a carefully curated dataset and a rigorous training process, it addresses many of the limitations of earlier models. Its strong benchmark performance suggests it is a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners working in artificial intelligence. As an open-source model, OpenThinker-32B encourages further exploration and innovation in reasoning-based AI systems.Check outTwitterand dont forget to join our75k+ ML SubReddit. Sana HassanSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions.Sana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Stanford Researchers Introduce SIRIUS: A Self-Improving Reasoning-Driven Optimization Framework for Multi-Agent SystemsSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Frame-Dependent Agency: Implications for Reinforcement Learning and IntelligenceSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Advancing Scalable Text-to-Speech Synthesis: Llasas Transformer-Based Framework for Improved Speech Quality and Emotional ExpressivenessSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Google DeepMind Introduces AlphaGeometry2: A Significant Upgrade to AlphaGeometry Surpassing the Average Gold Medalist in Solving Olympiad Geometry [Recommended] Join Our Telegram Channel

This article contains spoilers for the Cobra Kai series finale.After six seasons, two different streaming services, and 65 episodes, Cobra Kai has swept the leg one last time on Netflix, closing this chapter of the Karate Kid franchise. But even with the rivalry between Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai settled in a surprising and twisty fashion, theres plenty more to come from the house that Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) built, including a movie, and some potential spinoffs. So with that in mind, you might be wondering how the Cobra Kai series finale sets up the new Karate Kid movie, Karate Kid: Legends? And whats next for Netflixs franchise?The answer, to put it up front, is: we dont know yet. Not exactly. But based on what we know about Legends, and how Cobra Kai ends, we can throw out some fairly educated speculation.Cobra Kai Series Finale Ending ExplainedBut first, a quick bit about the end of Cobra Kai, to give some context here. Split into three parts, the sixth season of Cobra Kai ended the second batch of episodes with a classic brawl-to-end-them-all karate battle that brought the Sekai Taikai tournament to a grinding halt It ended with the shocking, accidental self-inflicted murder of one of Cobra Kais competitors, Kwon (Brandon H. Lee).When things pick up in the final six episodes, everyone is pretty bummed about the Sekai Taikai getting canceled, and going about their lives as normal except Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who has become the worst boss ever due to the stress of knowing Mr. Miyagi did some Bad Things in the past. And also failing to stop Kwons death. That too.Dont worry, the Sekai Taikai gets restarted by villain Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) because hes dying of cancer and wants to go out on one last win. Also, he wants to cheat and whatever. And it looks like Miyagi-Do might win until Axel (Patrick Luwis) breaks Robbys (Tanner Buchanan) leg during a fight.To speed through the rest, while it seems like Cobra Kai wont be able to compete because the team is down to just Tory (Peyton List), in a big twist Johnny Lawrence with Daniels support becomes the new sensei of Cobra Kai, again, and Miguel (Xolo Mariduea) rejoins, again, so that they can take on the evil Iron Dragons. Sam (Mary Mouser) steps aside because she doesnt want to fight Tory, setting up Tory versus the Iron Dragons Zara (Rayna Vallandingham), and Miguel versus Axel.Cobra Kai Season 6 First Look ImagesGuess who wins? Tory beats Zara, and then Miguel beats Axel But because Cobra Kai and the Iron Dragons are tied in points, the show still has one more ludicrous twist for the finale: the adult senseis must fight to decide the winner of this children's karate competition, a real rule that definitely exists in real karate tournaments. That sets up Johnny versus the Iron Dragons Sensei Wolf (Lewis Tan).While all this is happening, Terry Silver is attacked by John Kreese (Martin Kove) in one last selfless act to protect Johnny Lawrence, as Silver has threatened Johnnys family. They battle on a boat that is for some reason loaded with explosive materials. Kreese tosses his lit cigar into the leaking fluid, and blows up the boat, killing both himself and Silver. RIP, baddies.Back at the tournament, Johnny gets Daniel to be his sensei, and they have a montage that wildly combines both the training montage from Karate Kid and the training montage from Rocky, all to the tune of Youre The Best by Joe Esposito. You may be able to predict this, but Johnny beats Sensei Wolf, not only winning the Sekai Takai but getting redemption for losing to Daniel all those many years ago in the original movie. In the process, Daniel discovers information about Mr. Miyagi that makes him realize the bad thing he did was actually not so bad, and he becomes a good boss again.The show ends with Daniel back as the sensei of Miyagi-Do, and Johnny back as the sensei of Cobra Kai However, they have an exchange program where students go to learn the other dojos techniques as part of their program. Everyone wins!So, how does this set up the movie?Does the Cobra Kai Finale Set Up the New Karate Kid Movie?There are exactly zero (0) references to whats about to transpire in Karate Kid: Legends in the finale of Cobra Kai. That includes an end credits scene that seems primed to have Daniel say something like Ive heard about a similar dojo in New York, but it does not. Instead, it includes a cheeky reference to a Back to the Future legacy project (more on that in a moment) and a callback to the Mr. Miyagi catches a fly with chopsticks scene from the original Karate Kid movie, aka the one Easter egg they couldnt fit in anywhere else.PlayTo give a little background on this, originally 2010s The Karate Kid starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith was meant as a remake. The sequel, Karate Kid: Legends, instead posits that the original movies, the 2010 movie, and Cobra Kai are all part of a shared continuity. So in the film, three years after the events of Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso heads to New York to meet Jackie Chans Mr. Han and help train a new student, Li Fong (Ben Wang).The movie also stars Joshua Jackson, Ming-na Wen, Danny McBride and more. However, other than Ralph Macchio and his stunt double, Craig Henningsen, there is no apparent overlap between the two productions. They coordinated, though, and parent company Sony even shifted the release of Karate Kid: Legends to make room for the Cobra Kai finale.There is at least one other aspect of Cobra Kai that will make its way to Karate Kid: Legends: the Miyagi-Do dojo itself. Its seen in the trailer for the movie (though the dojo looks more like it did in the original movie than in Cobra Kai), which finds Mr. Han traveling to California to reveal to Daniel he knew Mr. Miyagi and needs Daniels help back in New York with a new student.Is it possible there may be more mentions or surprise appearances? Sure. Unless something horrible has happened, Daniel will likely have to tell his wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler) that hes leaving for New York, and his son Anthony (Griffin Santopietro) is still in school . His daughter Sam is left at the end of the series heading to Okinawa with Miguel, so she could be back by the events of Legends, or not.Regardless, the main thing that the Cobra Kai finale does is settle everything thats happened over the course of six seasons (which is good, because thats its job), including the fates of all the villains, the beef between Johnny and Daniel, and the future of Miyagi-Do so that Daniel can enter Legends with a clean slate.What About The Future Of Cobra Kai? Will There Be Spinoffs?The future of Cobra Kai likely depends on the success of Legends as well as the success of these final episodes on Netflix. The streamer certainly seems high on the ending, featuring it prominently in their promo for big 2025 releases alongside mega-hits Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Squid Game. However, its hard to maintain a viewership six seasons into a show, and kickstarting a spinoff can potentially whittle off even more of those aging viewers.In addition, most of the stars of the show have become, well, stars in their own right, and are very busy with other projects. They also spent seven years of their lives (starting on YouTube Red) on Cobra Kai, and may not want to come back for another round on the mat.If they do, the producers of Cobra Kai have definitely expressed not just interest in spinoffs, but also are actively discussing them. A Cobra Kai: The Next Generation could be on the docket, as the show introduced a mix of new and old students in the finale. Alternately, with Miguel and Sam headed to Okinawa, the birthplace of Mr. Miyagis karate technique, theres a story that could be told there. Similarly, with Robby and Tory going on a karate tour of the world, we could follow that young couple, instead.As a swerve, the producers themselves cameo in that end credits scene pitching a Back to the Future revival series that takes place in an alternate Hill Valley in 1985, starring Billy Zane, directed by Crispin Glover, and more. Theyve already expressed how a BttF revival series would be their dream, though likely impossible so well see if the Miyagiverse can somehow expand to include another franchise.But all that is possibly a moot point if Legends hits at the box office. While Sony could potentially want it all TV and movies a big debut for Legends likely means Sony would want to pivot to the movie arm of the franchise (which they own completely) versus sharing with Netflix on a TV franchise. If the producers of Cobra Kai do indeed want to lock down a spinoff, they may want to strike hard, strike first, and show no mercy.Well know soon enough which way the bonsai falls, as Karate Kid: Legends hits theaters on May 30, 2025.

Amazon has finally confirmed The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 3.The Prime Video adaptation sees directors Charlotte Brndstrm, Sanaa Hamri, and Stefan Schwartz in place for the upcoming season, which is currently in pre-production at Shepperton Studios in the UK. Filming begins this spring.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the events of Season 3 will follow a "major" time jump, with Sauron crafting the One Ring. Here's the official blurb, as reported by THR:Jumping forward several years from the events of Season 2, Season 3 takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last.The War of the Elves, like the rest of The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, takes place during the Second Age of Middle-earth, which itself leads into the events depicted in J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson's adaptation."The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and we're thrilled that a third season is underway," said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios."The creative team has an extraordinary vision of whats to come with stories that have left us enchanted and enthralled. We look forward to continuing this epic journey, for our global customers, delving even deeper into the legendary tales that shaped Middle-earth.Charlotte Brndstrm, who served as co-executive producer and directed multiple episodes in Seasons 1 and 2, returns as executive producer and director for Season 3. She is joined by returning director Sanaa Hamri, who helmed several episodes in Season 2, and veteran director Stefan Schwartz. Each director will oversee multiple episodes in the upcoming season, Amazon said.Amazon said The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been an "unprecedented success," with a "broad, highly engaged, global fan base." Season 1 remains the biggest TV premiere in the history of Prime Video and Season 2 the most-watched returning season by hours watched. Overall, The Rings of Power has attracted over 170 million viewers worldwide, Amazon said, and "continues to be one of Amazon's strongest drivers for new Prime membership sign-ups."The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Finale GalleryWarning! Spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power follow.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 finally revealed the identity of the Stranger to be Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings most famous wizard. Check out IGNs The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 finale review to find out what we thought of its big finish, then our feature explaining the Season 2 ending and how it sets up Season 3. Gandalfs involvement in the coming war with Sauron seems like a sure bet.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Theres something for everyone to love this weekend with Free Play Days! Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash, NHL 25, Dying Light and For the King are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core members to play from Thursday, February 13 at 12:01am Pacific until Sunday, February 16 at 11:59 Pacific.How To Start PlayingFind and install the games on each of the individual game details page onXbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.Keep The Fun GoingPurchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.Free Play Days (Xbox Game Pass Membership Required)Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash Ultimate EditionBandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.771$99.99Get it nowJujutsu Kaisen Cursed ClashMaster the Jujutsu of your favorite Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits! Bring a friend and dive into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen in this action-packed, 2-on-2 fighting game! Enjoy action-packed co-op as you utilize each characters unique Jujutsu, hone your skills in battle, and wield ever more powerful Jujutsu and Domain Expansions to take down your foes!The SurvivalistsTeam17153$24.99Get it nowNHL 25Optimized for Xbox Series X|SEA Sports NHL 25 is powered by ICE-Q, a new gameplay intelligence system that gives you the time and space to control every inch of the ice. Experience true hockey intelligence, with a revamped Franchise Mode experience, a brand-new WOC Live Events structure, HUT Wildcard Mode, and a simplified, single-path XP progression shared across HUT kicks Chels game modes. NHL 25 is next-gen hockey.Dying LightTechland1650$19.99Get it nowDying LightDying Light is a first-person, action survival game set in a vast open world. Roam a city devastated by a mysterious epidemic, scavenging for supplies and crafting weapons to help defeat the hordes of flesh-hungry enemies the plague has created. At night, beware the Infected as they grow in strength and even more lethal nocturnal predators leave their nests to feed on their prey. Live to survive another day. Good Night, Good Luck.For The KingCurve Games295$24.99$6.24Get it nowFor The KingFor The King is a strategic RPG that blends tabletop and roguelike elements in a challenging adventure that spans the realms. Set off on a single player experience or play cooperatively both online and locally. None before you have returned from their journey. Will you put an end to the Chaos?

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Weve seen lots of rumors about new Apple products coming soon. But today Apples CEO Tim Cook confirmed the hype via a post on X. Theres a special product launch coming next week.Tim Cook announces a new product is coming next weekTim Cook took to X today to tease a special Apple product launch happening next week on Wednesday, February 19.Few specific details were shared, but Cook did include a brief video featuring the Apple logo in silver plus the following words:Get ready to meet the newest member of the family. Wednesday, February 19. #AppleLaunchClearly this means Apple will be introducing only a single new product on February 19. Its not a full-blown event, but rather a single launch.iPhone SE 4 the most likely candidate, but other product options are possibleThe most likely product is the brand new iPhone SE 4, which rumors suggest will pack a variety of powerful upgrades.Expected features include:OLED edge-to-edge displayFace ID and a notchA18 chipUSB-C charging port8GB RAMApple Intelligence support48MP Cameraand Apples new 5G modemThere are several other possibilities though. Were currently expecting at least three other products to launch in the near future:the M4 MacBook Airan M3 iPad Airand a new 11th generation base model iPadReading into the teaser, the silver color does subtly give off Mac vibes, so perhaps the M4 MacBook Air is possible.The circle design in the video has some wondering if AirTag 2 could be the focus of the launch. Bloombergs Mark Gurman, however, doesnt believe thats the case. He suggests the iPhone SE 4 will be the new product.Which Apple product do you think will launch February 19? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is availableon iTunes and Apples Podcasts app,Stitcher,TuneIn,Google Play, or through ourdedicated RSS feedfor Overcast and other podcast players.Sponsored by Roborock: Roborock takes care of the cleaning, so you can do more of what you love. This February, save $200 on the Saros10 and Saros10R vacuums during the Open Sale12.5% OFF from February 10th to 16th. Dont miss out!New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as theyre available.Stories discussed in this episode:Listen & Subscribe:Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock:Ad-free versions of every episodeBonus contentCatch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes!Dont miss out on our other daily podcasts:Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

The US State Department revealed plans to spend $400 million on "Armored Tesla" vehicles further stoking fears over the gargantuan conflict of interest of having the carmaker's CEO Elon Musk in control of government spending.A December version of the agency's procurement forecast included the line item, spanning five years, and starting in 2025, as the New York Times reports. That's after president Donald Trump was elected, but before he was sworn in.While it's unclear which exact vehicle was meant, it's not a stretch to assume it's about the Cybertruck, which Musk once described as an "armored personnel carrier from the future."The news was met with sheer outrage. Despite Musk continuously accusing the government of "fraud" evidence of he still hasn't managed to produce users on social media pointed out the clear injustice of a government insider suddenly receiving a huge government contract."Pillaging Medicaid to pay for armored Teslas," CEO of The Onion Ben Collins wrote in a Bluesky post.Others took aim at Tesla's infamously shoddy workmanship."Ah yes, who wouldn't want to be stuck inside an armored vehicle that automatically locks when its battery ignites," another user wrote.Many argued that spending this much money on armored EVs flew in the face of Musk and his DOGE Boys' alleged efforts to reduce wasteful spending."This sounds like the kind of waste and abuse we wanted to stop," one X user tweeted.The optics were seemingly terrible enough for the government to quietly and sloppily erase the evidence, simply removing Tesla's name from the document, as Bloomberg spotted this morning.But instead of nixing the line item altogether, the $400 million procurement for "armored electric vehicles" still stands and may well still end up going to Tesla.However improbably, Muskclaimed he somehow didn't know anything about the situation."Im pretty sure Tesla isnt getting $400M," he tweeted after midnight on Thursday, an unusual attempt to distance himself from the news. "No one mentioned it to me, at least."The conflict of interest involved in Musk pillaging the US Treasury, the Department of Education, and USAID, among other departments with the help of his questionable group of high school grads, has been staggering to watch.Earlier this week, news emerged that Musk's SpaceX still has massive contracts with the US Department of Defense and NASA that still stand while the Trump administration is expected to make deep cuts to healthcare.As Reuters reports, SpaceX has roughly $22 billion worth of government contracts.To be clear, the richest man in the world greatly profiting off cushy government contracts isn't anything new. SpaceX and Tesla have greatly relied on them in the past. But now that he has installed himself as the one who pulls the federal government's purse strings, the conflict of interest becomes immense."There are lies, there are damn lies, and then there are lies on the level of Elmo saying he cares about government efficiency," University of St. Andrews professor of strategic studies Phillips O'Brien tweeted."I bet the Doge gang will be all over this sleazy corruption," the Center for Economic and Policy Research's Dean Baker wrote.Share This Article

The hits just keep coming. As investigative journalists work to piece together who exactly Elon Musk has working on his DOGE team, the picture is getting more and more despicable.When news first broke that Musk's underlings had taken over the Office of Personnel Management, all we knew about one staffer was that he was of the wise, responsible age of 19. We now know that staffer's name is Edward Corstine, a recent high-school grad who signs as "Big Balls" online.Corstine brings a wealth of experience to his new State Department roll as a senior advisor, including a stint as a camp counselor and repairing bikes. More notably, he spent a small chunk of time interning at Musk's Neuralink venture no doubt the bona fide that landed him his current gig.But that's not all the teenager brings to the table. New reporting by MuskWatch, an independent publication by former Vanity Fair journalist Caleb Ecarma, has revealed a file-sharing website created by a then 16-year-old Coristinecalled tesla.sexy.According to Ecarma's reporting, numerous domains with horrifying web addresses including "child-porn.store," "child-porn.store," and "ketamine-rape.date" formerly redirected to Coristine's site, though the specific content they were pointing to no longer appears to exist.Corstine's website advertised that it was established with an eye toward "privacy." A snapshot of the site from March 2021 shows copy reading: "When you use tesla.sexy, all your images are encrypted. We do not log IP addresses, device agents, or anything else."That's all sketchy enough. But chat logs linked to Corstine suggest even worse activities. According to cybersecurity reporter Brian Krebs, Corstine has history mixing with a disparate network of deviant hackers known as "The Com"that's linked to violent social manipulation and hacking campaigns like swatting, doxing, and fake bomb threats as well as child sextortion.The Com quickly picked up news of Corstine's involvement in DOGE. "[Corstine] participated in sim swap hacks in 2018," wrote one user in a Com chatroom, referring to the practice of hijacking a victim's phone by transferring their SIM card data to a 3rd party device. "Put that on his wiki."That Corstine had any involvement with this group should have immediately raised flags with State Department, seriously factoring into his ability to obtain security clearance. While it's been reported that Musk's DOGE boys have received equivalent security clearance to federal employees who work with sensitive information, the White House has been silent on Coristine's exact status.Whether Corstine created any of the links on tesla.sexy himself, or if child porn and hate groups moved through his website isn't yet known; he wouldn't be the first 16-year-old edgelord to make degeneracy a core pillar of their identity. But the revelation calls into question the efficacy of hiring an unstable and unexperienced teen to sift through government data.This is not to say edgy kids can't grow into well-adjusted adults but that doesn't mean you have to put them in charge of budgeting for the most powerful government in history.Share This Article

Feb 13, 2025Ravie LakshmananWeb Security / Cloud SecurityA widespread phishing campaign has been observed leveraging bogus PDF documents hosted on the Webflow content delivery network (CDN) with an aim to steal credit card information and commit financial fraud."The attacker targets victims searching for documents on search engines, resulting in access to malicious PDF that contains a CAPTCHA image embedded with a phishing link, leading them to provide sensitive information," Netskope Threat Labs researcher Jan Michael Alcantara said.The activity, ongoing since the second half of 2024, entails users looking for book titles, documents, and charts on search engines like Google to redirect users to PDF files hosted on Webflow CDN.These PDF files come embedded with an image that mimics a CAPTCHA challenge, causing users who click on it to be taken to a phishing page that, this time, hosts a real Cloudflare Turnstile CAPTCHA.In doing so, the attackers aim to lend the process a veneer of legitimacy, fooling victims into thinking that they had interacted with a security check, while also evading detection by static scanners.Users who complete the genuine CAPTCHA challenge are subsequently redirected to a page that includes a "download" button to access the supposed document. However, when the victims attempt to complete the step, they are served a pop-up message asking them to enter their personal and credit card details."Upon entering credit card details, the attacker will send an error message to indicate that it was not accepted," Michael Alcantara said. "If the victim submits their credit card details two or three more times, they will be redirected to an HTTP 500 error page."The development comes as SlashNext detailed a new phishing kit named Astaroth (not to be confused with a banking malware of the same name) that's advertised on Telegram and cybercrime marketplaces for $2,000 in exchange for six-months of updates and bypass techniques.Like phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) offerings, it allows cyber crooks the ability to harvest credentials and two-factor authentication (2FA) codes via bogus login pages that mimic popular online services."Astaroth utilizes an Evilginx-style reverse proxy to intercept and manipulate traffic between victims and legitimate authentication services like Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft," security researcher Daniel Kelley said. "Acting as a man-in-the-middle, it captures login credentials, tokens, and session cookies in real time, effectively bypassing 2FA."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE