Posted on : June 3, 2025 By Tech World Times Technology  Rate this post This article walks you through five practical steps to implement network segmentation effectively, backed by real-world use cases that showcase its value in different industries. Networks are constantly expanding across offices, cloud services, remote users, and connected devices. With so many moving parts, security gaps can easily form. Once attackers breach a weak point, they often move freely across the network, targeting critical systems and sensitive data. That’s where network segmentation comes in. It’s a practical approach to divide your network into smaller, manageable zones to control access, limit exposure, and isolate threats before they spread. But simply deploying VLANs or access rules isn’t enough. True segmentation needs planning, alignment with your business, and the right mix of technology. Step 1: Assess and Map Your Current Network Start by figuring out what’s on your network and how it communicates. Inventory Devices and Applications: List all system servers, user machines, IoT devices, cloud assets. Map Data Flows: Understand how applications and services interact. Which systems talk to each other? What ports and protocols are used? Identify Critical Assets: Highlight the systems that handle sensitive data, such as payment processing, health records, or intellectual property. Tip: Network discovery tools or NAC solutions can automate asset inventory and reveal communication paths you might miss. Step 2: Define Segmentation Goals and Policies Once you understand your environment, it’s time to set your objectives. Security Objectives: Do you want to reduce lateral movement, isolate sensitive systems, or meet a compliance mandate? Business Alignment: Segment by business unit, sensitivity of data, or risk profile-whatever makes the most operational sense. Compliance Requirements: PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other standards often require network segmentation. Example: A healthcare provider might create separate zones for patient records, lab equipment, guest Wi-Fi, and billing systems. Step 3: Choose the Right Segmentation Method Segmentation can be done in several ways. The right approach depends on your infrastructure goals and types: a. Physical Segmentation Use separate routers, switches, and cables. This offers strong isolation but can be costly and harder to scale. b. Logical Segmentation (VLANs/Subnets) Group devices into virtual segments based on function or department. It’s efficient and easier to manage in most environments. c. Micro segmentation Control access at the workload or application level using software-defined policies. Ideal for cloud or virtualized environments where you need granular control. d. Cloud Segmentation In the cloud, segmentation happens using security groups, VPCs, and IAM roles to isolate workloads and define access rules. Use a combination- VLANs for broader segmentation and micro segmentation for finer control where it matters. Step 4: Implement Controls and Monitor Traffic Time to put those policies into action. Firewalls and ACLs: Use access controls to manage what can move between zones. Block anything that isn’t explicitly allowed. Zero Trust Principles: Never assume trust between segments. Always validate identity and permissions. Monitoring and Alerts: Use your SIEM, flow monitoring tools, or NDR platform to watch for unusual traffic or policy violations. Common Pitfall: Avoid “allow all” rules between segments, it defeats the purpose. Step 5: Test, Validate, and Fine-Tune Even a well-designed segmentation plan can have gaps. Regular validation helps ensure it works as expected. Penetration Testing: Simulate attacks to check if boundaries hold. Review Policies: Business needs to change your segmentation strategy too. Performance Monitoring: Make sure segmentation doesn’t impact legitimate operations or application performance. Automation tools can help simplify this process and ensure consistency. Real-World Use Cases of Network Segmentation 1. Healthcare – Protecting Patient Data and Devices Hospitals use segmentation to keep medical devices, patient records, and visitor Wi-Fi on separate zones. This prevents an infected guest device from interfering with critical systems. Result: Reduced attack surface and HIPAA compliance. 2. Manufacturing – Isolating Industrial Systems Production environments often have fragile legacy systems. Segmenting OT (Operational Technology) from IT ensures ransomware or malware doesn’t disrupt manufacturing lines. Result: More uptime and fewer operational risks. 3. Finance – Securing Payment Systems Banks and payment providers use segmentation to isolate cardholder data environments (CDE) from the rest of the corporate network. This helps meet PCI DSS and keeps sensitive data protected. Result: Easier audits and stronger data security. 4. Education – Managing High-Volume BYOD Traffic Universities segment student Wi-Fi, research labs, and administrative systems. This keeps a vulnerable student device from spreading malware to faculty or internal systems. Result: Safer environment for open access campuses. 5. Cloud – Segmenting Apps and Microservices In the cloud, developers use security groups, VPCs, and IAM roles to isolate applications and limit who can access what. This reduces risk if one workload is compromised. Result: Controlled access and better cloud hygiene. Common Challenges Legacy Tech: Older devices may not support modern segmentation. Lack of Visibility: Hard to secure what you don’t know exists. Operational Hiccups: Poorly planned segmentation can block business workflows. Policy Complexity: Keeping access rules up to date across dynamic environments takes effort. Best Practices Start with High-Risk Areas: Prioritize zones handling sensitive data or vulnerable systems. Keep Documentation Updated: Maintain clear diagrams and policy records. Align Teams: Get buy-in from IT, security, and business units. Automate Where You Can: Especially for monitoring and policy enforcement. Review Regularly: Networks evolve- so should your segmentation. Final Thoughts Segmentation isn’t about creating walls it’s about building smart pathways. Done right, it helps you take control of your network, reduce risk, and respond faster when something goes wrong. It’s a foundational layer of cybersecurity that pays off in resilience, compliance, and peace of mind. About the Author: Prajwal Gowda is a cybersecurity expert with 10+ years of experience. He has built businesses and was a Business Unit Head for Compliance and Testing services. Currently, he is the Chief Technology Officer at Ampcus Cyber, leading the company’s technology strategy and innovation efforts. He has also been involved in the Payment Card Industry, Software Security Framework, ISO 27001 Controls Gap Analysis, ISMS, Risk Analysis, OCTAVE, ISO 27005, Information Security Audit and Network Security. Prajwal is a Master Trainer who has conducted 100+ cybersecurity training sessions worldwide. Tech World TimesTech World Times (TWT), a global collective focusing on the latest tech news and trends in blockchain, Fintech, Development & Testing, AI and Startups. If you are looking for the guest post then contact at techworldtimes@gmail.com

Nearly two decades ago, scientists made an alarming discovery in upstate New York: Bats, the world’s only flying mammal, were becoming infected with a new, deadly fungal disease that, in some cases, could wipe out an entire colony in a matter of months. Since then, the disease — later called white-nose syndrome — has spread across much of the country, utterly decimating North American bats that hibernate in caves and killing over 90 percent of three bat species. According to some scientists, WNS has caused “the most precipitous wildlife decline in the past century in North America.” These declines have clear consequences for human populations — for you, even if you don’t like bats or visit caves. Bats eat insect pests, such as moths and beetles. And as they decline, farmers need to spray more pesticides. Scientists have linked the loss of bats in the US to an increase in insecticide use on farmland and, remarkably, to a rise in infant deaths. Insecticide chemicals are known to harm the health of newborns. The only reason we know any of this is because of a somewhat obscure government program in the US Geological Survey (USGS), an agency nested within the Interior Department. That program, known as the Ecosystems Mission Area (EMA), is the biological research division of Interior. Among other functions, it monitors environmental contaminants, the spread of invasive species, and the health of the nation’s wildlife, including bees, birds, and bats.White-nose syndrome, a fungal disease, has caused massive declines in a handful of bat species, including the tricolored bat, shown here in flight. J. Scott Altenbach/Bat Conservation InternationalThe Ecosystems Mission Area, which has around 1,200 employees, produces the premier science revealing how animals and ecosystems that Americans rely on are changing and what we can do to keep them intact — or risk our own health and economy. This program is now at an imminent risk of disappearing.Send us a confidential tipAre you a current or former federal employee with knowledge about the Trump administration’s attacks on wildlife protections? Reach out to Vox environmental correspondent Benji Jones on Signal at benji.90 or at benji.jones@vox.com or at benjijones@protonmail.com.In the White House’s 2026 budget request, the Trump administration asked Congress to slash funding for EMA by about 90 percent, from $293 million in 2025 to $29 million next year. Such cuts are also in line with Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s conservative policy roadmap, which calls for the government to “abolish” Interior’s Biological Resources Division, an outdated name for the Ecosystems Mission Area.Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also reportedly trying to fire government employees in the Ecosystems Mission Area, though a federal judge has so far blocked those efforts. Eliminating biological research is not good. In fact, it’s very bad.For a decade now, EMA’s North American Bat Monitoring Program, or NABat, has been gathering and analyzing data on bats and the threats they face. NABat produces research using data from hundreds of partner organizations showing not only how white-nose syndrome is spreading — which scientists are using to develop and deploy vaccines — but also how bats are affected by wind turbines, another known threat. Energy companies can and do use this research to develop safer technologies and avoid delays caused by wildlife regulations, such as the Endangered Species Act. The irony, an Interior Department employee told me, is that NABat makes wildlife management more efficient. It also helps reveal where declines are occurring before they become severe, potentially helping avoid the need to grant certain species federal protection — something the Trump administration would seem to want. The employee, who’s familiar with Interior’s bat-monitoring efforts, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation by the Trump administration. A northern long-eared bat with white-nose syndrome. Steve Taylor/University of IllinoisA dead bat infected with white-nose syndrome under UV light. USGS“If they want to create efficiencies in the government, they should ask us,” another Interior employee told Vox. “The damage that can be done by one administration takes decades to rebuild.”In response to a request for comment, an Interior Department spokesperson told Vox that “USGS remains committed to its congressional mandate as the science arm of the Department of the Interior.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment. In a Senate appropriations hearing last week, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum refused to commit to maintaining funding for EMA.“There’s no question that they don’t know what EMA does,” said a third Interior employee, who has knowledge of the Ecosystems Mission Area.Ultimately, it’s not clear why the administration has targeted Interior’s biological research. EMA does, however, do climate science, such as studying how plants and animals are responding to rising temperatures. That’s apparently a no-go for the Trump administration. It also gathers information that sometimes indicates that certain species need federal protections, which come with regulations (also a no-go for President Donald Trump’s agenda).What’s especially frustrating for environmental advocates is that NABat, now 10 years old, is starting to hit its stride.“We should be celebrating the 10-year anniversary of this very successful program that started from scratch and built this robust, vibrant community of people all collecting data,” said Winifred Frick, the chief scientist at Bat Conservation International, an environmental group. “We have 10 years of momentum, and so to cut it off now sort of wastes all that investment. That feels like a tremendous loss.” Meanwhile, the cost of maintaining the program is less than 1 percent of Interior’s overall budget.The government’s wildlife monitoring programs are “jewels of the country,” said Hollis Woodard, an associate professor of entomology at University of California Riverside who works with USGS on bee monitoring. “These birds and bats perform services for us that are important for our day-to-day lives. Literally everything I value, including food, comes down to keeping an eye on these populations. The idea that we’re just going to wipe them out is just terrifying.”Update, June 2, 12:58 pm ET: This article was originally published on May 29, 2025, and has been updated to include newly public details on the 2026 White House budget request.See More:

The Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute (MxD) has released its Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for 2025-2027, presenting a detailed roadmap to bolster the competitiveness, resilience, and cybersecurity of U.S. manufacturing.  Shaped by insights from manufacturers, technology providers, academic institutions, and government partners, the plan lays out a targeted investment strategy in digital engineering, factory modernization, supply chain resilience, and workforce development.  Published on March 19, 2025, the SIP identifies core areas for MxD’s focus over the next three years: digital engineering and design, future factory systems, supply chain visibility, and cybersecurity integration. These initiatives aim to address persistent challenges within the industrial base, particularly among small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) that often lack the resources needed to adopt and scale digital manufacturing solutions. “We will continue to prioritize projects and proposals designed to meet the evolving needs of the industrial base, relying on your insights and involvement throughout. Our collaborative approach has proven to be effective during MxD’s first decade and continues to be the model driving this SIP and MxD forward,” Berardino Baratta, CEO at MxD. Illustration of the product lifecycle and how the flow of data represents a complex interconnected web among all aspects. Image via MxD. Data lifecycle framework and investment focus At the center of the SIP is a technical framework called the data lifecycle. This framework maps the flow of data across the various stages of a product’s lifecycle, from development and manufacturing to deployment and support. MxD underscores the importance of seamless data movement and high-fidelity data collection, which are vital for unlocking capabilities such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and secure information sharing throughout supply chains. MxD’s data lifecycle approach has already been applied in 189 research, cybersecurity, and workforce development projects totaling $415 million in public-private investments. One example, Project 22-06-01, titled “Proactive Worker Safety for Industry 4.0 Using AI,” employed artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to reduce worker fatigue, addressing a $136 billion annual challenge for US employers. For the 2025-2027 period, MxD plans to prioritize projects that promote technology adoption across supply chains, supported by new playbooks and guides to help manufacturers modernize, close digital gaps, and apply lessons from pilot programs. This approach aims to foster coordinated, sector-wide adoption. Another central pillar of the SIP is interoperability and data standards. MxD is working on a Machine-to-X Data Standards Playbook to consolidate and harmonize data standards used by manufacturers. This effort addresses the challenge of fragmented data formats and standards across different systems, which can hinder consistent data flows and semantic interoperability. To support digital engineering and design, MxD is updating model-based definition assessments to address the shortcomings of current evaluations and provide clearer guidance for manufacturers aiming to improve digital maturity. These updates will bolster MxD’s broader goal of enhancing collaboration and data sharing across product lifecycles, enabling better designs, improved performance, and reduced costs. Future factory development is another key emphasis of the SIP. MxD’s projects in this area aim to build digital environments that support real-time process optimization, data-driven decision-making, and production lines that can adapt quickly to disruptions and new customer demands. Initiatives around digital twins, 5G/6G integration, and cybersecurity best practices will help shape these future factories. In terms of supply chain resilience, the SIP outlines plans for new risk assessment tools and visibility platforms. These tools will rely on secure data-sharing practices and advanced analytics to reduce disruptions and improve the agility of domestic manufacturing in a volatile global landscape. Cybersecurity is also a core focus of the SIP, reflecting MxD’s role as the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing. With manufacturing identified as the most targeted sector for cyberattacks in recent years, MxD’s cybersecurity projects aim to enhance protections for both operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) environments.  Two engineers walking through a manufacturing facility. Photo via MxD. The Digital Education, Resilience, and Innovation for Supply Chain (DERISC) initiative, carried out with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), is an example of how MxD is equipping U.S. manufacturers with the tools and protocols needed to secure their supply chains against digital threats. Workforce training and capability roadmaps On the workforce development front, MxD’s Virtual Training Center (VTC) offers around 20,000 courses tailored to meet the evolving needs of manufacturers.  These courses include advanced role-based training programs in data analytics, cybersecurity, and extended reality applications. As an affordable and scalable learning platform, the VTC aims to close the gap in workforce training for SMMs that often lack access to comprehensive learning management systems. MxD’s training programs, such as the Curriculum and Pathways Integrating Technology and Learning Program (CAPITAL) and Cybersecurity for Manufacturing Operational Technology (CyMOT) initiatives, are designed to prepare workers for digital manufacturing roles while also supporting national defense efforts by delivering specialized cybersecurity training for supply chain participants. The SIP identifies these workforce initiatives as critical, noting that 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled by 2033 without targeted upskilling efforts. Beyond individual projects, the SIP features an Appendix of Capability Advancement Roadmaps. These roadmaps chart technical progress across multiple domains, emphasizing that data standards, architecture, and interoperability are essential to enabling future-ready manufacturing.  For instance, roadmaps for digital twin deployment and supply chain visibility outline clear timelines and performance milestones, providing a transparent view of how MxD plans to scale its impact. MxD’s structured approach and technical framework are designed to help manufacturers adopt secure, data-driven practices that align with broader economic and defense objectives. As digital manufacturing influences operational practices and product standards, the SIP provides a framework that supports a more adaptable and resilient US manufacturing sector. Take the 3DPI Reader Survey — shape the future of AM reporting in under 5 minutes. What 3D printing trends should you watch out for in 2025? How is the future of 3D printing shaping up? To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, don’t forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook. While you’re here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion, debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays. Featured image shows illustration of the product lifecycle and how the flow of data represents a complex interconnected web among all aspects. Image via MxD. Ada Shaikhnag With a background in journalism, Ada has a keen interest in frontier technology and its application in the wider world. Ada reports on aspects of 3D printing ranging from aerospace and automotive to medical and dental.

New FBI Data Reveals Organizations Need Deeper Technical Expertise to Detect, Contain, and Remediate Advanced Attacks INE Security, a global leader in cybersecurity training and certification, is emphasizing the urgent need

Facing huge fines, Apple on Monday began a legal challenge to the European Commission’s “unreasonable” demand that it open up its platforms to rivals, arguing any such move threatens the foundations of its platforms with a costly process that also undercuts its ability to serve customers. The company is, in a word, furious. It argued that it has cooperated with the Commission’s demands under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and points to the investments it has already made in complying with that act. What Apple said “At Apple, we design our technology to work seamlessly together, so it can deliver the unique experience our users love and expect from our products,” the company said in a statement. “The EU’s interoperability requirements threaten that foundation, while creating a process that is unreasonable, costly, and stifles innovation. These requirements will also hand data-hungry companies’ sensitive information, which poses massive privacy and security risks to our EU users.” The company also noted that there is a real risk that people’s most sensitive information could be accessed, partially because it becomes so much harder to defend. These attempts are already taking place, Apple said. “Companies have already requested our users’ most sensitive data — from the content of their notifications to a full history of every stored Wi-Fi network on their device — giving them the ability to access personal information that even Apple doesn’t see. In the end, these deeply flawed rules that only target Apple — and no other company will severely limit our ability to deliver innovative products and features to Europe, leading to an inferior user experience for our European customers. We are appealing these decisions on their behalf, and in order to preserve the high-quality experience our European customers expect.” A one-sided approach What seems to really upset Apple is that some aspects of the demands mean the company will effectively be forced to hand its innovations out to businesses with which it is in direct competition — at no charge. That means Apple does not get to draw the full benefits of its work and makes it far more difficult to introduce products in Europe. What makes matters worse is that while Apple is being forced to open up in ways that advantage competitors, quite literally at its expense, it is not being given the opportunity to do the same back. Apple is the only company that these demands have been made of, meaning it is being forced to give its intellectual property away to others who do not need to play by the same rules. Some data hungry companies are already attempting to exploit the DMA to gain unfettered access to sensitive customer data. All the while, Apple is left alone and isolated in its quest to ensure user privacy consistent with GDPR regulation. It’s attempts to protect privacy are about protecting customers. Compliance? We are compliant While critics will continue to sneer and jeer at the company in their quest to rid the world of the “Apple Tax” only the world’s largest developers actually pay, Apple would argue that it has been making serious efforts to comply with the DMA. The company has opened up a portal developers can use to request additional interoperability with hardware and software features inside iPhones and iPads. Apple consistently opens up API access to iPhone, including opening up SMS messaging to RCS, HomeKit features and messaging services support. It has also put in place numerous other enhancements in response to the DMA, and while the warning messages it places when using third-party stores may be stark, this makes them no less true. Europe seems to want customers to use third-party stores with no warning at all that this is what is going on, which seems weird. Malicious regulatory compliance There is a degree to which much of the situation seems to reflect political, rather than economic or moral pressures. The fact that Europe is using Apple as a high profile example, while also refusing to be totally transparent about what it wants before levying any fines, suggests that the Commission is not so much deciding on facts as implementing a political decision using a set of laws that seem designed almost solely to punish one company. That’s the kind of malicious regulatory compliance Apple is furious about — a compliance regime that will now be tested in the courts. Will it make a difference?  Who knows? But the existential battle will decide the future of technology in Europe, and if the market is worth doing business in when compared to the cost of doing so. It will also determine the future of Apple, which will use its considerable resources to find some way to change the nature of the game. One group it seems unlikely to help will be those of Apple’s European customers who are happy and accustomed to the Apple ecosystem, and don’t particularly want to use third-party services, as Apple’s right to offer that “pure Apple” experience seems a likely sacrifice to Europe’s politically-driven zeal. That is, unless cooler heads do curtail the Commission’s attacks. You can follow me on social media! Join me on BlueSky,  LinkedIn, and Mastodon.

Nightlords are arguably the hardest enemies in Elden Ring Nightreign — powerful, nerve-racking bosses who show up at the very end of your runs. All the preparation you go through during the first two days of a match in Elden Ring Nightreign — from farming runes to looking for ways to upgrade your weapons — is in service of one goal: getting strong enough to beat the Nightlord of your run. Each boss has their own dedicated mechanics and weaknesses, and you can tackle (most) of them in the order you see fit. In this Elden Ring Nightreign guide, we’ll go over our recommendation of the the best Nightlords order so you know which boss fights to prioritize.  Best Nightlords boss fight order in Elden Ring Nightreign  The best Nightlords order in Elden Ring Nightreign is a subjective matter, largely up to your individual class, equipment, and personal adeptness with each character. That said, we’ve assembled guide to present what would be, in our opinion, the fights you should focus on first to build up confidence and accumulate knowledge about the game. In general, the better-prepared you are for each fight, the better you’ll fare. But some Nightlords are less forgiving than others if you reach the final day under-leveled or under-equipped. Along the same lines, we consider bosses who can inflict detrimental effects more difficult to prepare for than those who you can defeat simply by mastering their mechanics. And then, of course, there’s the huge matter that all of this — as with all things Nightreign — is contingent on whether or not your teammates actually collaborate with you. With all this in mind, below, here’s our recommendation for the best Nightlords order in Elden Ring Nightreign, with their respective expedition names in parentheses. Gladius, Beast of Night (Tricephalos) Gnoster, Wisdom of Night (Sentient Pest) Maris, Fathom of Night (Augur) Adel, Baron of Night (Gaping Jaw) Caligo, Miasma of Night (Fissure in the Fog) Libra, Creature of Night (Equilibrious Beast) Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow (Darkdrift Knight) Heolstor the Nightlord (Night Aspect) Gladius, Beast of Night (Tricephalos) There isn’t much to say here because you can’t actually choose not to face Gladius, Beast of Night first. Tricephalos is the first expedition you have access to and the other expeditions won’t become available until you have defeated them. Use your first runs against this Nightlord to learn your way through Limveld. Gnoster, Wisdom of Night (Sentient Pest) It might sound contradictory to face a duo boss after beating Gladius, Beast of Night. Tracking two enemies is challenging and requires you to know the limits of your class. Even so, you should still pick Sentient Pest as your second expedition and fight Gnoster, Wisdom of Night. There are two main reasons for that. First, almost none of their attacks are capable of instantly killing you unless you’re under level 10. They don’t require you to have specific resistances or weapons either. If you’re playing a melee class, you just need to have patience until Gnoster gets closer and wait for a good window to attack.  The second reason is Gnoster’s weaknesses. Fire damage is extremely strong against it and it is easy to find a weapon that causes fire damage; throwing pots or Fire Grease, a consumable that makes your weapon cause elemental damage for a period of time. Maris, Fathom of Night (Augur) The only reason why we suggest tackling Maris, Fathom of Night (from the Augur expedition) after Gnoster is that this boss constantly applies sleep, dealing a lot of damage and leaving you exposed to follow-up attacks. Nevertheless, after enough matches, you’ll have obtained enough Relics, some of which can come with sleep resistance, removing a challenging factor of this fight.  When it comes to mechanics, there are just a couple of attacks to watch out for. Kill or dodge the small jellyfish the boss sends your way and run from the shining one, since it nukes a large area. Their main attacks are clearly telegraphed so there isn’t much to worry about on that front. Learn their patterns and defeat your third boss. Adel, Baron of Night (Gaping Jaw) Although the Gaping Jaw is the expedition Nightreign suggests tackling after Gladius, we’d suggest waiting to fight Adel, Baron of Night until you become more familiar with the game. Adel deals a lot of damage with their bite attack, which causes blood loss, a major threat if you don’t have a lot of health. In general, Adel’s attacks can really pin you down, but when the boss enters its second phase, it becomes a real nightmare. To make your life easier, you can use poison against the boss, but this is a type of elemental damage difficult to find weapons with or greases to apply. In other words, you will probably have to face the boss without relying on exploiting any weakness.  Caligo, Miasma of Night (Fissure in the Fog) Fighting a giant prehistoric dragon is never a good idea, but Caligo, Miasma of Night, the Nightlord you must fight in the Fissure in the Fog expedition, could be worse. To prepare for this fight, farm runes to reach level 12 or higher.  Once you know how to handle Caligo’s attacks, this gigantic dragon becomes less of a threat, but knowing the fight is not enough to survive. During the match, watch out for elemental resistances that might drop from minor bosses. Caligo’s attacks can inflict Frostbite and they cover large areas of the arena, so you’ll probably get hit by them. You also want to come with strong weapons capable of causing fire damage.  Libra, Creature of Night (Equilibrious Beast) The Equilibrious Beast expedition, where you must fight Libra, Creature of Night, is presents a notable step-up in difficulty compared to the previous fights. The most challenging aspect of this fight is in the preparation: Most of Libra’s attacks inflict madness and there aren’t many methods to prevent it. They are also weak to madness, but you’ll need to find the right incantation to cause that type of damage. Most importantly, there isn’t a safe spot to hide in this fight. Libra is fast, can teleport next to their target, and unleashes lengthy, quick sequences of attacks with their staff. Finding the right window to heal is difficult, because they can cast long-range area-of-effect attacks that hit many places in the arena. Beating Libra is a matter of farming, learning the fight, and luck. Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow (Darkdrift Knight) Among the bosses in Elden Ring Nightreign, very few are as punitive as Fulgor, Champion of Nightflow. This one-arm centaur is waiting for you in the Darkdrift Knight expedition and facing them will test all you’ve learned so far. Exploiting Fulghor’s weakness to lightning damage is a must, but the challenge here involves actually hitting them while avoiding their massive area attacks or quick thrusts.  You need to know how to farm well for this fight and memorize Fulghor’s attack pattern if you plan on completing this expedition. Fulghor causes a lot of damage, making you run out of flasks pretty fast if you don’t dodge at the right time. In addition, during the second phase, Fulghor becomes more brutal with a complex combination of short and long-distance attacks. Heolstor the Nightlord (Night Aspect) Just like Gladius had to go first, you can’t avoid saving the Night Aspect expedition for last since it is the last one you unlock and where you must fight Heolstor the Nightlord. Be sure to have sourced the best gear and achieved the highest level you can before facing this one. For more Elden Ring Nightreign guides, here’s how to change skins, what “memory fragment found” means, and a list of the best rune farming locations.

Qualcomm has released security patches for three zero-day vulnerabilities in the Adreno Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) driver that impact dozens of chipsets and are actively exploited in targeted attacks. [...]

Discover why Red Teaming is crucial for staying ahead of cyber threats.

There are only 69 unique new cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket's Extradimensional Crisis expansion, but it remains a cohesive and still very interesting set to collect and build decks with. This is not necessarily because of the addition of Ultra Beast types for Pokemon cards, though some of these critters do have incredibly powerful attacks and/or abilities, but rather because of the diversity the set creates. There are many good decks in the current format, even though the biggest threats seem to be decks with Buzzwole Ex and Pheromosa or Silvally and Rampardos, but one new Pokemon TCG Pocket card makes for an interesting gameplay loop that distances itself from meta builds.

Heading into Doom: The Dark Ages, I thought the game being a prequel to the 2016 series reboot would make a good entry point for the series. Despite enjoying high-octane first-person shooters, Doom and its 2020 sequel Doom Eternal somehow never landed on my radar (although I will defend the so-awful-it’s-good 2005 film and its first-person-shooter sequence). So I entered The Dark Ages, something of an origin story for the Doom guy and his crusade against the forces of Hell, ready to gorge the lore and push through the series. After completing its roughly 10-hour, 22-chapter campaign, I can definitively say: That shit doesn’t make any sense. And it doesn’t matter. We got demons to kill. The Dark Ages casts you as the Slayer, a remarkable soldier who’s so much better at murdering demons than any of the human rabble you come across. Why is he the best demon murderer? Shh, demons to kill. Doomguy is kept in reserve by some sort of alien group called the Maykrs (a tragedeigh pronounced like “makers”), chilling in a ship floating above the human-versus-demon battlefields. He’s almost like The Winter Soldier in that he’s kept as something of a prisoner in between being called upon for demon-slaying missions. In the early parts of the story, before he breaks free, he’s basically loaned out to techno-medieval humans as they battle against hordes of demons from Hell. Or are they aliens? Is this game set on Earth? Dude, there are demons to shotgun in the face. While on loan, Doomguy shows up everyone incapable of killing demons by slaying hundreds upon hundreds of them himself, sometimes just by jumping from really high up (so cool). He fights with some human kingdom in its quest to keep some MacGuffin away from some Big Bad Demon. The story takes the Slayer to Hell and also to an alien planet… maybe. Who really knows? You’ll be too busy parrying attacks with the chainsaw shield or piloting a mech suit to care. Its story won’t be receiving any honors come awards season, but Doom: The Dark Ages’ gameplay might. Parrying attacks and an emphasis on melee add welcome variety to the ways the Doom Slayer battles enemies, and by the end of the game, as you’ve upgraded his arsenal, you’ll truly feel like an unstoppable demon-killing machine, swapping between from the skullcrusher to the accelerator to more depending on what the situation calls for. Once the BFC — big fucking crossbow — winds up in your hands, it’s truly lights out for the demons. Though its plot may not matter (or make a lick of sense), by the end of The Dark Ages, you’ll at least understand the fear Doomguy instills in demons after you slaughter who knows how many of them, including their leader. Doomguy’s taken over the Maykr ship, now seemingly his base of operations for his demon-slaying exploits. He’s the demons’ nightmare, their eternal enemy, their John Wick after his puppy was killed. He’s unrelenting in his quest to rid the cosmos of demons. Why again does he need to kill demons? Hey man, just enjoy that sweet, sweet chainsaw shield.