• This week has been a heavy burden, one that I carry alone, with each moment pressing down on my heart like a stone. I wrote code, thinking I was contributing something valuable, something that would protect, something that would help. Yet here I am, faced with the haunting reality that I caused a 9.5 CVSS CVE. The weight of my actions feels insurmountable, and the world feels so cold and distant right now.

    How did I let it come to this? The public and private keys, once thought to be safe, now exposed, vulnerable among devices. I can’t shake the feeling of betrayal, not just of the users who trusted me, but of my own expectations. It’s as if I’m standing in a room full of people, yet I feel utterly alone. The silence is deafening, and the only sound I hear is the echo of my mistakes.

    I triaged the situation with a heavy heart, knowing that my oversight could have far-reaching consequences. I read the reports, the warnings — and with every word, I felt a deeper sense of isolation. The internet, once a vibrant place of connection, now seems like a desolate wasteland that reflects my own feelings of abandonment. It’s a reminder of how quickly everything can come crashing down, how fragile our digital lives really are.

    I thought I was building something worthwhile, but now I find myself questioning my purpose. Did I truly understand the weight of my responsibilities? Did I consider the lives entwined with the code I wrote? The guilt gnaws at me, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever find redemption.

    In this age of interconnectedness, I feel more disconnected than ever. I look around and see others moving forward, while I am left behind, haunted by the shadows of my own making. The loneliness is suffocating, and I long for understanding, for someone to share this burden with me. Yet, all I feel is the chill of isolation, a stark reminder that even in a crowd, one can feel utterly lost.

    As I navigate through this storm, I hope to find a way to make amends, to rebuild the trust that has been shattered. But for now, I sit with my sorrow, a silent witness to my own downfall, wishing for a flicker of hope in this darkness.

    #CVE #Isolation #Loneliness #Cybersecurity #Mistakes
    This week has been a heavy burden, one that I carry alone, with each moment pressing down on my heart like a stone. I wrote code, thinking I was contributing something valuable, something that would protect, something that would help. Yet here I am, faced with the haunting reality that I caused a 9.5 CVSS CVE. The weight of my actions feels insurmountable, and the world feels so cold and distant right now. How did I let it come to this? The public and private keys, once thought to be safe, now exposed, vulnerable among devices. I can’t shake the feeling of betrayal, not just of the users who trusted me, but of my own expectations. It’s as if I’m standing in a room full of people, yet I feel utterly alone. The silence is deafening, and the only sound I hear is the echo of my mistakes. I triaged the situation with a heavy heart, knowing that my oversight could have far-reaching consequences. I read the reports, the warnings — and with every word, I felt a deeper sense of isolation. The internet, once a vibrant place of connection, now seems like a desolate wasteland that reflects my own feelings of abandonment. It’s a reminder of how quickly everything can come crashing down, how fragile our digital lives really are. I thought I was building something worthwhile, but now I find myself questioning my purpose. Did I truly understand the weight of my responsibilities? Did I consider the lives entwined with the code I wrote? The guilt gnaws at me, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever find redemption. In this age of interconnectedness, I feel more disconnected than ever. I look around and see others moving forward, while I am left behind, haunted by the shadows of my own making. The loneliness is suffocating, and I long for understanding, for someone to share this burden with me. Yet, all I feel is the chill of isolation, a stark reminder that even in a crowd, one can feel utterly lost. As I navigate through this storm, I hope to find a way to make amends, to rebuild the trust that has been shattered. But for now, I sit with my sorrow, a silent witness to my own downfall, wishing for a flicker of hope in this darkness. #CVE #Isolation #Loneliness #Cybersecurity #Mistakes
    This Week in Security: That Time I Caused a 9.5 CVE, iOS Spyware, and The Day the Internet Went Down
    Meshtastic just released an eye-watering 9.5 CVSS CVE, warning about public/private keys being re-used among devices. And I’m the one that wrote the code. Not to mention, I triaged and …read more
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  • Formentera20 is back, and this time it promises to be even more enlightening than the last twelve editions combined. Can you feel the excitement in the air? From October 2 to 4, 2025, the idyllic shores of Formentera will serve as the perfect backdrop for our favorite gathering of digital wizards, creativity gurus, and communication wizards. Because nothing says "cutting-edge innovation" quite like a tropical island where you can sip on your coconut water while discussing the latest trends in the digital universe.

    This year’s theme? A delightful concoction of culture, creativity, and communication—all served with a side of salty sea breeze. Who knew the key to world-class networking was just a plane ticket away to a beach? Forget about conference rooms; nothing like a sun-kissed beach to inspire groundbreaking ideas. Surely, the sound of waves crashing will help us unlock the secrets of digital communication.

    And let’s not overlook the stellar lineup of speakers they've assembled. I can only imagine the conversations: “How can we boost engagement on social media?” followed by a collective nod as they all sip their overpriced organic juices. I’m sure the beach vibes will lend an air of authenticity to those discussions on algorithm tweaks and engagement metrics. Because nothing screams “authenticity” quite like a luxury resort hosting the crème de la crème of the advertising world.

    Let’s not forget the irony of discussing “innovation” while basking in the sun. Because what better way to innovate than to sit in a circle, wearing sunglasses, while contemplating the latest app that helps you find the nearest beach bar? It’s the dream, isn’t it? It’s almost poetic how the world of high-tech communication thrives in such a low-tech environment—a setting that leaves you wondering if the real innovation is simply the ability to disconnect from the digital chaos while still pretending to be a part of it.

    But let’s be real: the true highlight of Formentera20 is not the knowledge shared or the networking done; it’s the Instagram posts that will flood our feeds. After all, who doesn’t want to showcase their “hard work” at a digital festival by posting a picture of themselves with a sunset in the background? It’s all about branding, darling.

    So, mark your calendars! Prepare your best beach outfit and your most serious expression for photos. Come for the culture, stay for the creativity, and leave with the satisfaction of having been part of something that sounds ridiculously important while you, in reality, are just enjoying a holiday under the guise of professional development.

    In the end, Formentera20 isn’t just a festival; it’s an experience—one that lets you bask in the sun while pretending you’re solving the world’s digital problems. Cheers to innovation, creativity, and the art of making work look like a vacation!

    #Formentera20 #digitalculture #creativity #communication #innovation
    Formentera20 is back, and this time it promises to be even more enlightening than the last twelve editions combined. Can you feel the excitement in the air? From October 2 to 4, 2025, the idyllic shores of Formentera will serve as the perfect backdrop for our favorite gathering of digital wizards, creativity gurus, and communication wizards. Because nothing says "cutting-edge innovation" quite like a tropical island where you can sip on your coconut water while discussing the latest trends in the digital universe. This year’s theme? A delightful concoction of culture, creativity, and communication—all served with a side of salty sea breeze. Who knew the key to world-class networking was just a plane ticket away to a beach? Forget about conference rooms; nothing like a sun-kissed beach to inspire groundbreaking ideas. Surely, the sound of waves crashing will help us unlock the secrets of digital communication. And let’s not overlook the stellar lineup of speakers they've assembled. I can only imagine the conversations: “How can we boost engagement on social media?” followed by a collective nod as they all sip their overpriced organic juices. I’m sure the beach vibes will lend an air of authenticity to those discussions on algorithm tweaks and engagement metrics. Because nothing screams “authenticity” quite like a luxury resort hosting the crème de la crème of the advertising world. Let’s not forget the irony of discussing “innovation” while basking in the sun. Because what better way to innovate than to sit in a circle, wearing sunglasses, while contemplating the latest app that helps you find the nearest beach bar? It’s the dream, isn’t it? It’s almost poetic how the world of high-tech communication thrives in such a low-tech environment—a setting that leaves you wondering if the real innovation is simply the ability to disconnect from the digital chaos while still pretending to be a part of it. But let’s be real: the true highlight of Formentera20 is not the knowledge shared or the networking done; it’s the Instagram posts that will flood our feeds. After all, who doesn’t want to showcase their “hard work” at a digital festival by posting a picture of themselves with a sunset in the background? It’s all about branding, darling. So, mark your calendars! Prepare your best beach outfit and your most serious expression for photos. Come for the culture, stay for the creativity, and leave with the satisfaction of having been part of something that sounds ridiculously important while you, in reality, are just enjoying a holiday under the guise of professional development. In the end, Formentera20 isn’t just a festival; it’s an experience—one that lets you bask in the sun while pretending you’re solving the world’s digital problems. Cheers to innovation, creativity, and the art of making work look like a vacation! #Formentera20 #digitalculture #creativity #communication #innovation
    Formentera20 anuncia los ponentes de su 12ª edición: cultura digital, creatividad y comunicación frente al mar
    Del 2 al 4 de octubre de 2025, la isla de Formentera volverá a convertirse en un punto de encuentro para los profesionales del entorno digital, creativo y estratégico. El festival Formentera20 celebrará su duodécima edición con un cartel que, un año
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  • Oh, IMAX, the grand illusion of reality turned up to eleven! Who knew that watching a two-hour movie could feel like a NASA launch, complete with a symphony of surround sound that could wake the dead? For those who haven't had the pleasure, IMAX is not just a cinema; it’s an experience that makes you feel like you’re inside the movie—right before you realize you’re just trapped in a ridiculously oversized chair, too small for your popcorn bucket.

    Let’s talk about those gigantic screens. You know, the ones that make your living room TV look like a postage stamp? Apparently, the idea is to engulf you in the film so much that you forget about the existential dread of your daily life. Because honestly, who needs a therapist when you can sit in a dark room, surrounded by strangers, with a screen larger than your future looming in front of you?

    And don’t get me started on the “revolutionary technology.” IMAX is synonymous with larger-than-life images, but let's face it—it's just fancy pixels. I mean, how many different ways can you capture a superhero saving the world at this point? Yet, somehow, they manage to convince us that we need to watch it all in the world’s biggest format, because watching it on a normal screen would be akin to watching it through a keyhole, right?

    Then there’s the sound. IMAX promises "the most immersive audio experience." Yes, because nothing says relaxation like feeling like you’re in the middle of a battle scene with explosions that could shake the very foundations of your soul. You know, I used to think my neighbors were loud, but now I realize they could never compete with the sound of a spaceship crashing at full volume. Thanks, IMAX, for redefining the meaning of “loud neighbors.”

    And let’s not forget the tickets. A small mortgage payment for an evening of cinematic bliss! Who needs to save for retirement when you can experience the thrill of a blockbuster in a seat that costs more than your last three grocery bills combined? It’s a small price to pay for the opportunity to see your favorite actors’ pores in glorious detail.

    In conclusion, if you haven’t yet experienced the wonder that is IMAX, prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions and a potential existential crisis. Because nothing says “reality” quite like watching a fictional world unfold on a screen so big it makes your own life choices seem trivial. So, grab your credit card, put on your 3D glasses, and let’s dive into the cinematic abyss of IMAX—where reality takes a backseat, and your wallet weeps in despair.

    #IMAX #CinematicExperience #RealityCheck #MovieMagic #TooBigToFail
    Oh, IMAX, the grand illusion of reality turned up to eleven! Who knew that watching a two-hour movie could feel like a NASA launch, complete with a symphony of surround sound that could wake the dead? For those who haven't had the pleasure, IMAX is not just a cinema; it’s an experience that makes you feel like you’re inside the movie—right before you realize you’re just trapped in a ridiculously oversized chair, too small for your popcorn bucket. Let’s talk about those gigantic screens. You know, the ones that make your living room TV look like a postage stamp? Apparently, the idea is to engulf you in the film so much that you forget about the existential dread of your daily life. Because honestly, who needs a therapist when you can sit in a dark room, surrounded by strangers, with a screen larger than your future looming in front of you? And don’t get me started on the “revolutionary technology.” IMAX is synonymous with larger-than-life images, but let's face it—it's just fancy pixels. I mean, how many different ways can you capture a superhero saving the world at this point? Yet, somehow, they manage to convince us that we need to watch it all in the world’s biggest format, because watching it on a normal screen would be akin to watching it through a keyhole, right? Then there’s the sound. IMAX promises "the most immersive audio experience." Yes, because nothing says relaxation like feeling like you’re in the middle of a battle scene with explosions that could shake the very foundations of your soul. You know, I used to think my neighbors were loud, but now I realize they could never compete with the sound of a spaceship crashing at full volume. Thanks, IMAX, for redefining the meaning of “loud neighbors.” And let’s not forget the tickets. A small mortgage payment for an evening of cinematic bliss! Who needs to save for retirement when you can experience the thrill of a blockbuster in a seat that costs more than your last three grocery bills combined? It’s a small price to pay for the opportunity to see your favorite actors’ pores in glorious detail. In conclusion, if you haven’t yet experienced the wonder that is IMAX, prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions and a potential existential crisis. Because nothing says “reality” quite like watching a fictional world unfold on a screen so big it makes your own life choices seem trivial. So, grab your credit card, put on your 3D glasses, and let’s dive into the cinematic abyss of IMAX—where reality takes a backseat, and your wallet weeps in despair. #IMAX #CinematicExperience #RealityCheck #MovieMagic #TooBigToFail
    IMAX : tout ce que vous devez savoir
    IMAX est mondialement reconnu pour ses écrans gigantesques, mais cette technologie révolutionnaire ne se limite […] Cet article IMAX : tout ce que vous devez savoir a été publié sur REALITE-VIRTUELLE.COM.
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  • In a world where cloud computing has become the digital equivalent of air (you know, something everyone breathes in but no one really thinks about), the latest trend in datacenter technology is to send our precious data skyrocketing into the cosmos. Yes, you read that right—space-based datacenters are the new buzzword, because why let earthly problems like power outages or NIMBYism stop us from storing our data in the great beyond?

    Imagine the scene: while we sit in traffic on our way to work, feeling the weight of our earthly responsibilities, there are engineers in space suits, floating around in zero gravity, managing data storage like it’s just another day at the office. I mean, who needs a reliable power grid when you can have the cosmic energy of a thousand suns powering your Netflix binge-watching session? Talk about an upgrade!

    Of course, this leap into the stratosphere isn't without its challenges. What happens if there’s a little too much space debris? Will our precious selfies come crashing back down to Earth? Or worse, will they be lost forever among the stars? But fear not! The tech-savvy geniuses behind this initiative have assured us that they have a plan. Clearly, the best minds of our generation are focused on ensuring your TikTok videos stay safe in orbit rather than, say, solving world hunger or climate change. Priorities, am I right?

    Let’s not forget about the cost. Space travel isn’t exactly cheap. But hey, if I’m going to spend a fortune on data storage, I’d rather it be orbiting Earth than sitting in a basement somewhere in New Jersey. Because nothing says “I’m a forward-thinking tech mogul” quite like a datacenter floating serenely above the clouds, right? It’s the ultimate status symbol—better than a sports car, better than a mansion. “Look at me! My data is literally out of this world!”

    And let’s be real, the power of AI is growing faster than a toddler on a sugar rush. Our current datacenters are sweating bullets trying to keep up. So, the solution? Just toss them into orbit! Sure, it sounds like a plot from a sci-fi movie, but who needs a solid plan when you have a vision, right? The next logical step is to start launching all our problems into space. Traffic jams? Launch them! Your ex? Into orbit they go!

    So, here's to the brave souls who will be managing our digital lives from afar. May your Wi-Fi connection be strong, may your satellite dishes be well-aligned, and may your cosmic data never experience latency. Because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it's that our data deserves a first-class ticket to space, even if it means leaving the rest of the world behind.

    #SpaceBasedDatacenters #CloudComputing #DataInOrbit #TechTrends #AIFuture
    In a world where cloud computing has become the digital equivalent of air (you know, something everyone breathes in but no one really thinks about), the latest trend in datacenter technology is to send our precious data skyrocketing into the cosmos. Yes, you read that right—space-based datacenters are the new buzzword, because why let earthly problems like power outages or NIMBYism stop us from storing our data in the great beyond? Imagine the scene: while we sit in traffic on our way to work, feeling the weight of our earthly responsibilities, there are engineers in space suits, floating around in zero gravity, managing data storage like it’s just another day at the office. I mean, who needs a reliable power grid when you can have the cosmic energy of a thousand suns powering your Netflix binge-watching session? Talk about an upgrade! Of course, this leap into the stratosphere isn't without its challenges. What happens if there’s a little too much space debris? Will our precious selfies come crashing back down to Earth? Or worse, will they be lost forever among the stars? But fear not! The tech-savvy geniuses behind this initiative have assured us that they have a plan. Clearly, the best minds of our generation are focused on ensuring your TikTok videos stay safe in orbit rather than, say, solving world hunger or climate change. Priorities, am I right? Let’s not forget about the cost. Space travel isn’t exactly cheap. But hey, if I’m going to spend a fortune on data storage, I’d rather it be orbiting Earth than sitting in a basement somewhere in New Jersey. Because nothing says “I’m a forward-thinking tech mogul” quite like a datacenter floating serenely above the clouds, right? It’s the ultimate status symbol—better than a sports car, better than a mansion. “Look at me! My data is literally out of this world!” And let’s be real, the power of AI is growing faster than a toddler on a sugar rush. Our current datacenters are sweating bullets trying to keep up. So, the solution? Just toss them into orbit! Sure, it sounds like a plot from a sci-fi movie, but who needs a solid plan when you have a vision, right? The next logical step is to start launching all our problems into space. Traffic jams? Launch them! Your ex? Into orbit they go! So, here's to the brave souls who will be managing our digital lives from afar. May your Wi-Fi connection be strong, may your satellite dishes be well-aligned, and may your cosmic data never experience latency. Because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it's that our data deserves a first-class ticket to space, even if it means leaving the rest of the world behind. #SpaceBasedDatacenters #CloudComputing #DataInOrbit #TechTrends #AIFuture
    Space-Based Datacenters Take The Cloud into Orbit
    Where’s the best place for a datacenter? It’s an increasing problem as the AI buildup continues seemingly without pause. It’s not just a problem of NIMBYism; earthly power grids are …read more
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  • Laptops are everywhere, and for CAD work, you really just need something that runs the software without crashing. So, there are these three laptops that are supposedly perfect for CAD. They’re on sale, which is nice, I guess. But honestly, who has the energy to care that much about discounts?

    The first one is just a standard model, nothing fancy. It has a decent processor and enough RAM to handle basic CAD tasks. It’s probably fine for most people, though I can’t say it’s exciting. The screen is okay, I mean, it shows things. So, if you need to do some drafting, it might get the job done. But really, it’s just another laptop.

    Then there’s the second option, which is slightly better, I think. It has a bit more power, which might make it more suitable for heavier CAD applications. But honestly, if you’re just sketching out ideas, do you really need that? The battery life isn’t terrible, but you’ll probably still find yourself looking for an outlet halfway through the day.

    Lastly, there’s the third laptop, and it’s kind of a mixed bag. It’s got some features that are nice, like a touchscreen or whatever. But again, who actually uses that? The performance is solid if you’re into that sort of thing. But if you’re just doing the basics, you might not even notice the difference.

    So, yeah, these three laptops are marked as perfect for CAD. They’re discounted, which might be a reason to look at them. But honestly, if you’re not super into CAD or just need something to get by, any random laptop will probably do. Just pick one, and let’s move on with life.

    #CAD #Laptops #DiscountedPrices #TechBoredom #ProductRecommendations
    Laptops are everywhere, and for CAD work, you really just need something that runs the software without crashing. So, there are these three laptops that are supposedly perfect for CAD. They’re on sale, which is nice, I guess. But honestly, who has the energy to care that much about discounts? The first one is just a standard model, nothing fancy. It has a decent processor and enough RAM to handle basic CAD tasks. It’s probably fine for most people, though I can’t say it’s exciting. The screen is okay, I mean, it shows things. So, if you need to do some drafting, it might get the job done. But really, it’s just another laptop. Then there’s the second option, which is slightly better, I think. It has a bit more power, which might make it more suitable for heavier CAD applications. But honestly, if you’re just sketching out ideas, do you really need that? The battery life isn’t terrible, but you’ll probably still find yourself looking for an outlet halfway through the day. Lastly, there’s the third laptop, and it’s kind of a mixed bag. It’s got some features that are nice, like a touchscreen or whatever. But again, who actually uses that? The performance is solid if you’re into that sort of thing. But if you’re just doing the basics, you might not even notice the difference. So, yeah, these three laptops are marked as perfect for CAD. They’re discounted, which might be a reason to look at them. But honestly, if you’re not super into CAD or just need something to get by, any random laptop will probably do. Just pick one, and let’s move on with life. #CAD #Laptops #DiscountedPrices #TechBoredom #ProductRecommendations
    3 laptops perfect for CAD – and they're all discounted
    Recommendations straight from the experts.
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  • With technical improvements, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are utterly transformed on Nintendo Switch 2

    PERFORMANCE ART

    With technical improvements, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are utterly transformed on Nintendo Switch 2
    What a difference a frame rate makes. On more powerful hardware, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are practically different games

    Article

    by Alex Donaldson
    Assistant Editor

    Published on June 4, 2025

    I can scarcely think of a game as hampered by its performance as the original Nintendo Switch release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. I can think of loads of games that perform worse, of course - broken, shattered releases - but I struggle to think of a great game so thoroughly compromised just from how it runs.
    That was the log behind my 2022 review of the games, where I called the games a “super-effective new vision” for the series but bemoaned how it ran. The game became famous for stop-motion windmills and distant cliffsides that looked like they’d fallen out of a Nintendo 64 game. The truth is, Scarlet & Violet’s brilliant design and peppy attitude deserved better.
    Now, three years on from release, Scarlet & Violet is about to get better with a Switch 2 update that I’m going to go ahead and call a total
    I was invited by The Pokemon Company to take an early look at the patched Switch 2 version of the game - which is always a sign of confidence, given I was quite a noisy detractor of the original game’s performance.
    I’m honestly not sure what to say other than: wow, what a difference. It is absolute night and day stuff. To the sort of people who say that frame rate doesn’t really matter, I challenge them to play Scarlet & Violet on Switch 2 and then go back to the original. I dare you. As friend of the site Joe says in Serebii's video preview embedded below, it ain’t doable.

    Watch on YouTube
    With a crisp presentation at a higher resolution and with a frame rate that as far as I can tell sits at a rock solid 60fps for the vast majority of the time, this is a world apart from the stomach-turning rollercoaster highs and lows of the original release. Distant Pokemon and world elements are no longer slideshows - yes, those infamous windmills are fixed!
    This isn’t just about technical bragging rights. The difference in how this game now runs is profound enough that it changes the flow and feel of the game. Scarlet & Violet were by design the most footloose and expansive Pokemon games of all time, channeling the open world chops of everything from Skyrim to Breath of the Wild into a Pokemon setting and setup. The performance was a drag on that - if the frame rate tanks every time you whip the camera around to see a nearby approaching threat or take in a distant vista, you’re ripped right out of the game. By stabilising everything, the performance is utterly transformed.
    Aside from the nebulous concept of ‘game feel’ being improved by the technical advancements, there are also real boons in terms of gameplay. Wild Pokemon spawn in and swarm across the rolling fields and the like in greater numbers. The subtle delay that you’d perceive, that hitch when encountering a wild Pokemon, is eliminated. Menus that were sluggish are now snappier and more responsive. Pokemon Box sprite icons now spring to life instantly.

    These are small quality of life changes that add up to something greater. Perhaps most importantly battles are now less plodding in their pace, which was frequently obliterated by certain move animations could send the frame rate crashing.
    It has to be said, it’s not all perfect. The level of detail settings remain pretty aggressive - which means as you’re galloping along at a glorious 60 frames atop your trusty Poke-steed, flowers and other micro detail pop in around you. It’s not ideal. Also, to be honest, the game now being technically accomplished does help to expose the art style for what it is - which is in need of a bit of tightening, I feel. The addition of HDR does really help the colorful exuberance of Paldea to shine, though.
    In all it’s a triumph, anyway. This is the game Scarlet & Violet should’ve been. Moreover, it feels like the most technically accomplished main-line Pokemon game… possibly ever? Certainly of the 3D era. As with 120fps mouselook Metroid, playing 3D Pokemon at 60fps feels like you’re doing something illegal, frankly. But this is now the way to play these excellent games - and with good-performing Pokemon games now on the table, my excitement for this year’s Pokemon Legends Z-A has skyrocketed.
    #with #technical #improvements #pokemon #scarlet
    With technical improvements, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are utterly transformed on Nintendo Switch 2
    PERFORMANCE ART With technical improvements, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are utterly transformed on Nintendo Switch 2 What a difference a frame rate makes. On more powerful hardware, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are practically different games Article by Alex Donaldson Assistant Editor Published on June 4, 2025 I can scarcely think of a game as hampered by its performance as the original Nintendo Switch release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. I can think of loads of games that perform worse, of course - broken, shattered releases - but I struggle to think of a great game so thoroughly compromised just from how it runs. That was the log behind my 2022 review of the games, where I called the games a “super-effective new vision” for the series but bemoaned how it ran. The game became famous for stop-motion windmills and distant cliffsides that looked like they’d fallen out of a Nintendo 64 game. The truth is, Scarlet & Violet’s brilliant design and peppy attitude deserved better. Now, three years on from release, Scarlet & Violet is about to get better with a Switch 2 update that I’m going to go ahead and call a total I was invited by The Pokemon Company to take an early look at the patched Switch 2 version of the game - which is always a sign of confidence, given I was quite a noisy detractor of the original game’s performance. I’m honestly not sure what to say other than: wow, what a difference. It is absolute night and day stuff. To the sort of people who say that frame rate doesn’t really matter, I challenge them to play Scarlet & Violet on Switch 2 and then go back to the original. I dare you. As friend of the site Joe says in Serebii's video preview embedded below, it ain’t doable. Watch on YouTube With a crisp presentation at a higher resolution and with a frame rate that as far as I can tell sits at a rock solid 60fps for the vast majority of the time, this is a world apart from the stomach-turning rollercoaster highs and lows of the original release. Distant Pokemon and world elements are no longer slideshows - yes, those infamous windmills are fixed! This isn’t just about technical bragging rights. The difference in how this game now runs is profound enough that it changes the flow and feel of the game. Scarlet & Violet were by design the most footloose and expansive Pokemon games of all time, channeling the open world chops of everything from Skyrim to Breath of the Wild into a Pokemon setting and setup. The performance was a drag on that - if the frame rate tanks every time you whip the camera around to see a nearby approaching threat or take in a distant vista, you’re ripped right out of the game. By stabilising everything, the performance is utterly transformed. Aside from the nebulous concept of ‘game feel’ being improved by the technical advancements, there are also real boons in terms of gameplay. Wild Pokemon spawn in and swarm across the rolling fields and the like in greater numbers. The subtle delay that you’d perceive, that hitch when encountering a wild Pokemon, is eliminated. Menus that were sluggish are now snappier and more responsive. Pokemon Box sprite icons now spring to life instantly. These are small quality of life changes that add up to something greater. Perhaps most importantly battles are now less plodding in their pace, which was frequently obliterated by certain move animations could send the frame rate crashing. It has to be said, it’s not all perfect. The level of detail settings remain pretty aggressive - which means as you’re galloping along at a glorious 60 frames atop your trusty Poke-steed, flowers and other micro detail pop in around you. It’s not ideal. Also, to be honest, the game now being technically accomplished does help to expose the art style for what it is - which is in need of a bit of tightening, I feel. The addition of HDR does really help the colorful exuberance of Paldea to shine, though. In all it’s a triumph, anyway. This is the game Scarlet & Violet should’ve been. Moreover, it feels like the most technically accomplished main-line Pokemon game… possibly ever? Certainly of the 3D era. As with 120fps mouselook Metroid, playing 3D Pokemon at 60fps feels like you’re doing something illegal, frankly. But this is now the way to play these excellent games - and with good-performing Pokemon games now on the table, my excitement for this year’s Pokemon Legends Z-A has skyrocketed. #with #technical #improvements #pokemon #scarlet
    WWW.VG247.COM
    With technical improvements, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are utterly transformed on Nintendo Switch 2
    PERFORMANCE ART With technical improvements, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are utterly transformed on Nintendo Switch 2 What a difference a frame rate makes. On more powerful hardware, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are practically different games Article by Alex Donaldson Assistant Editor Published on June 4, 2025 I can scarcely think of a game as hampered by its performance as the original Nintendo Switch release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. I can think of loads of games that perform worse, of course - broken, shattered releases - but I struggle to think of a great game so thoroughly compromised just from how it runs. That was the log behind my 2022 review of the games, where I called the games a “super-effective new vision” for the series but bemoaned how it ran. The game became famous for stop-motion windmills and distant cliffsides that looked like they’d fallen out of a Nintendo 64 game. The truth is, Scarlet & Violet’s brilliant design and peppy attitude deserved better. Now, three years on from release, Scarlet & Violet is about to get better with a Switch 2 update that I’m going to go ahead and call a total I was invited by The Pokemon Company to take an early look at the patched Switch 2 version of the game - which is always a sign of confidence, given I was quite a noisy detractor of the original game’s performance. I’m honestly not sure what to say other than: wow, what a difference. It is absolute night and day stuff. To the sort of people who say that frame rate doesn’t really matter, I challenge them to play Scarlet & Violet on Switch 2 and then go back to the original. I dare you. As friend of the site Joe says in Serebii's video preview embedded below, it ain’t doable. Watch on YouTube With a crisp presentation at a higher resolution and with a frame rate that as far as I can tell sits at a rock solid 60fps for the vast majority of the time, this is a world apart from the stomach-turning rollercoaster highs and lows of the original release. Distant Pokemon and world elements are no longer slideshows - yes, those infamous windmills are fixed! This isn’t just about technical bragging rights. The difference in how this game now runs is profound enough that it changes the flow and feel of the game. Scarlet & Violet were by design the most footloose and expansive Pokemon games of all time, channeling the open world chops of everything from Skyrim to Breath of the Wild into a Pokemon setting and setup. The performance was a drag on that - if the frame rate tanks every time you whip the camera around to see a nearby approaching threat or take in a distant vista, you’re ripped right out of the game. By stabilising everything, the performance is utterly transformed. Aside from the nebulous concept of ‘game feel’ being improved by the technical advancements, there are also real boons in terms of gameplay. Wild Pokemon spawn in and swarm across the rolling fields and the like in greater numbers. The subtle delay that you’d perceive, that hitch when encountering a wild Pokemon, is eliminated. Menus that were sluggish are now snappier and more responsive. Pokemon Box sprite icons now spring to life instantly. These are small quality of life changes that add up to something greater. Perhaps most importantly battles are now less plodding in their pace, which was frequently obliterated by certain move animations could send the frame rate crashing. It has to be said, it’s not all perfect. The level of detail settings remain pretty aggressive - which means as you’re galloping along at a glorious 60 frames atop your trusty Poke-steed, flowers and other micro detail pop in around you. It’s not ideal. Also, to be honest, the game now being technically accomplished does help to expose the art style for what it is - which is in need of a bit of tightening, I feel. The addition of HDR does really help the colorful exuberance of Paldea to shine, though. In all it’s a triumph, anyway. This is the game Scarlet & Violet should’ve been. Moreover, it feels like the most technically accomplished main-line Pokemon game… possibly ever? Certainly of the 3D era. As with 120fps mouselook Metroid, playing 3D Pokemon at 60fps feels like you’re doing something illegal, frankly. But this is now the way to play these excellent games - and with good-performing Pokemon games now on the table, my excitement for this year’s Pokemon Legends Z-A has skyrocketed.
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  • The ‘Wicked: For Good’ Trailer Teases the ‘Wizard of Oz’ Cast

    The Wicked movie was only half of the story from the hit Broadway musical. The conclusion — literally the entire second act of the show — is the basis for Wicked: For Good, featuring the same castand directed once again by Jon M. Chu.The first trailer for the movie features the song that gives the film its subtitle, and teases a larger role for Dorothy and the rest of her friends from The Wizard of Oz than existed in the first Wicked movie. It’s also got even more beautiful costumes for Glinda and Elphaba — Elphaba’s new cloak with those big lapels is really sharp.You can watch the trailer below:READ MORE: Why Are Trailers For Musicals Afraid of Their Music?There’s a new trailer for the film as well.UniversalUniversalloading...Here is the film’s official synopsis:Elphaba, now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard. Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible, Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard. As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyeroin a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boqand Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose, when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.Well that was quite extensive. Wicked: For Good is scheduled to open in theaters on November 21.Get our free mobile appThe Best Food and Drink at Epic UniverseIf you visit Universal’s Epic Universe theme park, here are the foods and drink you have to try.
    #wicked #good #trailer #teases #wizard
    The ‘Wicked: For Good’ Trailer Teases the ‘Wizard of Oz’ Cast
    The Wicked movie was only half of the story from the hit Broadway musical. The conclusion — literally the entire second act of the show — is the basis for Wicked: For Good, featuring the same castand directed once again by Jon M. Chu.The first trailer for the movie features the song that gives the film its subtitle, and teases a larger role for Dorothy and the rest of her friends from The Wizard of Oz than existed in the first Wicked movie. It’s also got even more beautiful costumes for Glinda and Elphaba — Elphaba’s new cloak with those big lapels is really sharp.You can watch the trailer below:READ MORE: Why Are Trailers For Musicals Afraid of Their Music?There’s a new trailer for the film as well.UniversalUniversalloading...Here is the film’s official synopsis:Elphaba, now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard. Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible, Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard. As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyeroin a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boqand Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose, when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.Well that was quite extensive. Wicked: For Good is scheduled to open in theaters on November 21.Get our free mobile appThe Best Food and Drink at Epic UniverseIf you visit Universal’s Epic Universe theme park, here are the foods and drink you have to try. #wicked #good #trailer #teases #wizard
    SCREENCRUSH.COM
    The ‘Wicked: For Good’ Trailer Teases the ‘Wizard of Oz’ Cast
    The Wicked movie was only half of the story from the hit Broadway musical. The conclusion — literally the entire second act of the show — is the basis for Wicked: For Good, featuring the same cast (including Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande) and directed once again by Jon M. Chu.The first trailer for the movie features the song that gives the film its subtitle, and teases a larger role for Dorothy and the rest of her friends from The Wizard of Oz than existed in the first Wicked movie (and maybe even the Wicked stage play). It’s also got even more beautiful costumes for Glinda and Elphaba — Elphaba’s new cloak with those big lapels is really sharp.You can watch the trailer below:READ MORE: Why Are Trailers For Musicals Afraid of Their Music?There’s a new trailer for the film as well.UniversalUniversalloading...Here is the film’s official synopsis:Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard. As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.Well that was quite extensive. Wicked: For Good is scheduled to open in theaters on November 21.Get our free mobile appThe Best Food and Drink at Epic UniverseIf you visit Universal’s Epic Universe theme park, here are the foods and drink you have to try.
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  • A Fungal Disease Ravaged North American Bats. Now, Researchers Found a Second Species That Suggests It Could Happen Again

    A Fungal Disease Ravaged North American Bats. Now, Researchers Found a Second Species That Suggests It Could Happen Again
    White-nose syndrome caused millions of bat deaths, and scientists are sounding the alarm that a second fungus could be disastrous if it reaches American wildlife

    Lillian Ali

    - Staff Contributor

    May 30, 2025

    A little brown batis seen with white fuzz on its nose, a characteristic of the deadly white-nose syndrome.
    Ryan von Linden / New York Department of Environmental Conservation

    In February 2006, a cave explorer near Albany, New York, took the first photograph of bats with a mysterious white growth on their faces. Later, biologists studying the mammals in caves and mines discovered piles of dead bats in the state—also with the fuzzy white mold.
    The scientists were floored. For years, no one knew what was causing the mass die-offs from this “white-nose syndrome.” In early 2007, Albany residents called local authorities with reports of typically nocturnal bats flying in broad daylight.
    “They were just dying on the landscape,” wildlife biologist Alan Hicks told the Associated Press’ Michael Hill in 2008. “They were crashing into snowbanks, crawling into woodpiles and dying.”
    At last, scientists identified a culprit: The bats had succumbed to an infection caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Since its initial discovery, white-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats across 40 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces, making it “the most dramatic wildlife mortality event that’s ever been documented from a pathogen,” DeeAnn Reeder, a disease ecologist at Bucknell University, tells the New York Times’ Carl Zimmer.
    Now, nearly two decades later, scientists have developed some promising ways to fend off the disease, including an experimental vaccine. But a new study published this week in the journal Nature warns of a newly discovered second species of fungus that, if it reaches North America, could set all that progress back.
    “We thought we knew our enemy, but we have now discovered it is twice the size and potentially more complex than we had imagined,” lead author Nicola Fischer, a biologist at the University of Greifswald in Germany, says in a statement.

    Little brown bats are susceptible to white-nose syndrome in North America.

    Krynak Tim, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    The team analyzed 5,479 fungus samples collected by hundreds of citizen science volunteers across North America, Asia and Europe. They found that white-nose syndrome is caused by two distinct fungal species native to Europe and Asia, with only one species having reached North America so far. If the second species hits the continent, it could look like a “reboot” of the epidemic, Reeder tells the New York Times.
    Study co-author Sébastien Puechmaille, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Montpellier in France, knew bats in Europe had also been seen with white fuzz on their noses, as he tells the New York Times. But those populations didn’t die off like American bats.
    Charting the disease across Europe and Asia, he noticed that the fungus was able to live alongside those bats, while it ravaged American ones. In its native range, the fungus grows in the bodies of hibernating bats as their internal temperature drops, then it’s shed in the spring when they awaken. But in American bats, the fungus causes their immune systems to activate and burn fat reserves as they hibernate. The bats then wake up periodically, causing irregular activity and eventual starvation.
    The researchers suggest the damaging fungal spores were first brought to North America by cavers that traveled from Europe—potentially western Ukraine—to the United States without completely disinfecting their boots or rope.
    White-nose syndrome poses a threat not just to bats, but to whole ecosystems. Bats are vital parts of many food chains, eating insects and pollinating plants. However, they reproduce fairly slowly, only having one or two pups at a time. Rebuilding a bat population, then, could take decades.
    And since cave ecosystems are similarly delicate, biologists are wary of trying to kill off the fungus preemptively.
    “Cave ecosystems are so fragile that if you start pulling on this thread, what else are you going to unravel that may create bigger problems in the cave system?” said University of Wisconsin–Madison wildlife specialist David Drake to the Badger Herald’s Kiran Mistry in December.
    The discovery also occurs as the original wave of white-nose syndrome continues to spread across North America, having just crossed the Continental Divide in Colorado.
    Just one spore of the new species could be devastating to American bat colonies. Puechmaille tells the New York Times that policies should be put in place to make sure the second fungus does not spread to more continents, and that cavers should not move equipment between countries and should disinfect it regularly.
    “This work … powerfully illustrates the profound impact a single translocation event can have on wildlife,” he adds in the statement.

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    #fungal #disease #ravaged #north #american
    A Fungal Disease Ravaged North American Bats. Now, Researchers Found a Second Species That Suggests It Could Happen Again
    A Fungal Disease Ravaged North American Bats. Now, Researchers Found a Second Species That Suggests It Could Happen Again White-nose syndrome caused millions of bat deaths, and scientists are sounding the alarm that a second fungus could be disastrous if it reaches American wildlife Lillian Ali - Staff Contributor May 30, 2025 A little brown batis seen with white fuzz on its nose, a characteristic of the deadly white-nose syndrome. Ryan von Linden / New York Department of Environmental Conservation In February 2006, a cave explorer near Albany, New York, took the first photograph of bats with a mysterious white growth on their faces. Later, biologists studying the mammals in caves and mines discovered piles of dead bats in the state—also with the fuzzy white mold. The scientists were floored. For years, no one knew what was causing the mass die-offs from this “white-nose syndrome.” In early 2007, Albany residents called local authorities with reports of typically nocturnal bats flying in broad daylight. “They were just dying on the landscape,” wildlife biologist Alan Hicks told the Associated Press’ Michael Hill in 2008. “They were crashing into snowbanks, crawling into woodpiles and dying.” At last, scientists identified a culprit: The bats had succumbed to an infection caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Since its initial discovery, white-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats across 40 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces, making it “the most dramatic wildlife mortality event that’s ever been documented from a pathogen,” DeeAnn Reeder, a disease ecologist at Bucknell University, tells the New York Times’ Carl Zimmer. Now, nearly two decades later, scientists have developed some promising ways to fend off the disease, including an experimental vaccine. But a new study published this week in the journal Nature warns of a newly discovered second species of fungus that, if it reaches North America, could set all that progress back. “We thought we knew our enemy, but we have now discovered it is twice the size and potentially more complex than we had imagined,” lead author Nicola Fischer, a biologist at the University of Greifswald in Germany, says in a statement. Little brown bats are susceptible to white-nose syndrome in North America. Krynak Tim, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The team analyzed 5,479 fungus samples collected by hundreds of citizen science volunteers across North America, Asia and Europe. They found that white-nose syndrome is caused by two distinct fungal species native to Europe and Asia, with only one species having reached North America so far. If the second species hits the continent, it could look like a “reboot” of the epidemic, Reeder tells the New York Times. Study co-author Sébastien Puechmaille, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Montpellier in France, knew bats in Europe had also been seen with white fuzz on their noses, as he tells the New York Times. But those populations didn’t die off like American bats. Charting the disease across Europe and Asia, he noticed that the fungus was able to live alongside those bats, while it ravaged American ones. In its native range, the fungus grows in the bodies of hibernating bats as their internal temperature drops, then it’s shed in the spring when they awaken. But in American bats, the fungus causes their immune systems to activate and burn fat reserves as they hibernate. The bats then wake up periodically, causing irregular activity and eventual starvation. The researchers suggest the damaging fungal spores were first brought to North America by cavers that traveled from Europe—potentially western Ukraine—to the United States without completely disinfecting their boots or rope. White-nose syndrome poses a threat not just to bats, but to whole ecosystems. Bats are vital parts of many food chains, eating insects and pollinating plants. However, they reproduce fairly slowly, only having one or two pups at a time. Rebuilding a bat population, then, could take decades. And since cave ecosystems are similarly delicate, biologists are wary of trying to kill off the fungus preemptively. “Cave ecosystems are so fragile that if you start pulling on this thread, what else are you going to unravel that may create bigger problems in the cave system?” said University of Wisconsin–Madison wildlife specialist David Drake to the Badger Herald’s Kiran Mistry in December. The discovery also occurs as the original wave of white-nose syndrome continues to spread across North America, having just crossed the Continental Divide in Colorado. Just one spore of the new species could be devastating to American bat colonies. Puechmaille tells the New York Times that policies should be put in place to make sure the second fungus does not spread to more continents, and that cavers should not move equipment between countries and should disinfect it regularly. “This work … powerfully illustrates the profound impact a single translocation event can have on wildlife,” he adds in the statement. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. #fungal #disease #ravaged #north #american
    WWW.SMITHSONIANMAG.COM
    A Fungal Disease Ravaged North American Bats. Now, Researchers Found a Second Species That Suggests It Could Happen Again
    A Fungal Disease Ravaged North American Bats. Now, Researchers Found a Second Species That Suggests It Could Happen Again White-nose syndrome caused millions of bat deaths, and scientists are sounding the alarm that a second fungus could be disastrous if it reaches American wildlife Lillian Ali - Staff Contributor May 30, 2025 A little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) is seen with white fuzz on its nose, a characteristic of the deadly white-nose syndrome. Ryan von Linden / New York Department of Environmental Conservation In February 2006, a cave explorer near Albany, New York, took the first photograph of bats with a mysterious white growth on their faces. Later, biologists studying the mammals in caves and mines discovered piles of dead bats in the state—also with the fuzzy white mold. The scientists were floored. For years, no one knew what was causing the mass die-offs from this “white-nose syndrome.” In early 2007, Albany residents called local authorities with reports of typically nocturnal bats flying in broad daylight. “They were just dying on the landscape,” wildlife biologist Alan Hicks told the Associated Press’ Michael Hill in 2008. “They were crashing into snowbanks, crawling into woodpiles and dying.” At last, scientists identified a culprit: The bats had succumbed to an infection caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Since its initial discovery, white-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats across 40 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces, making it “the most dramatic wildlife mortality event that’s ever been documented from a pathogen,” DeeAnn Reeder, a disease ecologist at Bucknell University, tells the New York Times’ Carl Zimmer. Now, nearly two decades later, scientists have developed some promising ways to fend off the disease, including an experimental vaccine. But a new study published this week in the journal Nature warns of a newly discovered second species of fungus that, if it reaches North America, could set all that progress back. “We thought we knew our enemy, but we have now discovered it is twice the size and potentially more complex than we had imagined,” lead author Nicola Fischer, a biologist at the University of Greifswald in Germany, says in a statement. Little brown bats are susceptible to white-nose syndrome in North America. Krynak Tim, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The team analyzed 5,479 fungus samples collected by hundreds of citizen science volunteers across North America, Asia and Europe. They found that white-nose syndrome is caused by two distinct fungal species native to Europe and Asia, with only one species having reached North America so far. If the second species hits the continent, it could look like a “reboot” of the epidemic, Reeder tells the New York Times. Study co-author Sébastien Puechmaille, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Montpellier in France, knew bats in Europe had also been seen with white fuzz on their noses, as he tells the New York Times. But those populations didn’t die off like American bats. Charting the disease across Europe and Asia, he noticed that the fungus was able to live alongside those bats, while it ravaged American ones. In its native range, the fungus grows in the bodies of hibernating bats as their internal temperature drops, then it’s shed in the spring when they awaken. But in American bats, the fungus causes their immune systems to activate and burn fat reserves as they hibernate. The bats then wake up periodically, causing irregular activity and eventual starvation. The researchers suggest the damaging fungal spores were first brought to North America by cavers that traveled from Europe—potentially western Ukraine—to the United States without completely disinfecting their boots or rope. White-nose syndrome poses a threat not just to bats, but to whole ecosystems. Bats are vital parts of many food chains, eating insects and pollinating plants. However, they reproduce fairly slowly, only having one or two pups at a time. Rebuilding a bat population, then, could take decades. And since cave ecosystems are similarly delicate, biologists are wary of trying to kill off the fungus preemptively. “Cave ecosystems are so fragile that if you start pulling on this thread, what else are you going to unravel that may create bigger problems in the cave system?” said University of Wisconsin–Madison wildlife specialist David Drake to the Badger Herald’s Kiran Mistry in December. The discovery also occurs as the original wave of white-nose syndrome continues to spread across North America, having just crossed the Continental Divide in Colorado. Just one spore of the new species could be devastating to American bat colonies. Puechmaille tells the New York Times that policies should be put in place to make sure the second fungus does not spread to more continents, and that cavers should not move equipment between countries and should disinfect it regularly. “This work … powerfully illustrates the profound impact a single translocation event can have on wildlife,” he adds in the statement. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.
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  • New Linux Flaws Allow Password Hash Theft via Core Dumps in Ubuntu, RHEL, Fedora

    May 31, 2025Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / Linux

    Two information disclosure flaws have been identified in apport and systemd-coredump, the core dump handlers in Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Fedora, according to the Qualys Threat Research Unit.
    Tracked as CVE-2025-5054 and CVE-2025-4598, both vulnerabilities are race condition bugs that could enable a local attacker to obtain access to access sensitive information. Tools like Apport and systemd-coredump are designed to handle crash reporting and core dumps in Linux systems.
    "These race conditions allow a local attacker to exploit a SUID program and gain read access to the resulting core dump," Saeed Abbasi, manager of product at Qualys TRU, said.

    A brief description of the two flaws is below -

    CVE-2025-5054- A race condition in Canonical apport package up to and including 2.32.0 that allows a local attacker to leak sensitive information via PID-reuse by leveraging namespaces
    CVE-2025-4598- A race condition in systemd-coredump that allows an attacker to force a SUID process to crash and replace it with a non-SUID binary to access the original's privileged process coredump, allowing the attacker to read sensitive data, such as /etc/shadow content, loaded by the original process

    SUID, short for Set User ID, is a special file permission that allows a user to execute a program with the privileges of its owner, rather than their own permissions.
    "When analyzing application crashes, apport attempts to detect if the crashing process was running inside a container before performing consistency checks on it," Canonical's Octavio Galland said.
    "This means that if a local attacker manages to induce a crash in a privileged process and quickly replaces it with another one with the same process ID that resides inside a mount and pid namespace, apport will attempt to forward the core dumpinto the namespace."
    Red Hat said CVE-2025-4598 has been rated Moderate in severity owing to the high complexity in pulling an exploit for the vulnerability, noting that the attacker has to first the race condition and be in possession of an unprivileged local account.
    As mitigations, Red Hat said users can run the command "echo 0 > /proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable" as a root user to disable the ability of a system to generate a core dump for SUID binaries.
    The "/proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable" parameter essentially controls whether SUID programs can produce core dumps on the crash. By setting it to zero, it disables core dumps for all SUID programs and prevents them from being analyzed in the event of a crash.
    "While this mitigates this vulnerability while it's not possible to update the systemd package, it disables the capability of analyzing crashes for such binaries," Red Hat said.
    Similar advisories have been issued by Amazon Linux, Debian, and Gentoo. It's worth noting that Debian systems aren't susceptible to CVE-2025-4598 by default, since they don't include any core dump handler unless the systemd-coredump package is manually installed. CVE-2025-4598 does not affect Ubuntu releases.

    Qualys has also developed proof-of-conceptcode for both vulnerabilities, demonstrating how a local attacker can exploit the coredump of a crashed unix_chkpwd process, which is used to verify the validity of a user's password, to obtain password hashes from the /etc/shadow file.
    Canonical, in an alert of its own, said the impact of CVE-2025-5054 is restricted to the confidentiality of the memory space of invoked SUID executables and that the PoC exploit can leak hashed user passwords has limited real-world impact.
    "The exploitation of vulnerabilities in Apport and systemd-coredump can severely compromise the confidentiality at high risk, as attackers could extract sensitive data, like passwords, encryption keys, or customer information from core dumps," Abbasi said.
    "The fallout includes operational downtime, reputational damage, and potential non-compliance with regulations. To mitigate these multifaceted risks effectively, enterprises should adopt proactive security measures by prioritizing patches and mitigations, enforcing robust monitoring, and tightening access controls."

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    New Linux Flaws Allow Password Hash Theft via Core Dumps in Ubuntu, RHEL, Fedora
    May 31, 2025Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / Linux Two information disclosure flaws have been identified in apport and systemd-coredump, the core dump handlers in Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Fedora, according to the Qualys Threat Research Unit. Tracked as CVE-2025-5054 and CVE-2025-4598, both vulnerabilities are race condition bugs that could enable a local attacker to obtain access to access sensitive information. Tools like Apport and systemd-coredump are designed to handle crash reporting and core dumps in Linux systems. "These race conditions allow a local attacker to exploit a SUID program and gain read access to the resulting core dump," Saeed Abbasi, manager of product at Qualys TRU, said. A brief description of the two flaws is below - CVE-2025-5054- A race condition in Canonical apport package up to and including 2.32.0 that allows a local attacker to leak sensitive information via PID-reuse by leveraging namespaces CVE-2025-4598- A race condition in systemd-coredump that allows an attacker to force a SUID process to crash and replace it with a non-SUID binary to access the original's privileged process coredump, allowing the attacker to read sensitive data, such as /etc/shadow content, loaded by the original process SUID, short for Set User ID, is a special file permission that allows a user to execute a program with the privileges of its owner, rather than their own permissions. "When analyzing application crashes, apport attempts to detect if the crashing process was running inside a container before performing consistency checks on it," Canonical's Octavio Galland said. "This means that if a local attacker manages to induce a crash in a privileged process and quickly replaces it with another one with the same process ID that resides inside a mount and pid namespace, apport will attempt to forward the core dumpinto the namespace." Red Hat said CVE-2025-4598 has been rated Moderate in severity owing to the high complexity in pulling an exploit for the vulnerability, noting that the attacker has to first the race condition and be in possession of an unprivileged local account. As mitigations, Red Hat said users can run the command "echo 0 > /proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable" as a root user to disable the ability of a system to generate a core dump for SUID binaries. The "/proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable" parameter essentially controls whether SUID programs can produce core dumps on the crash. By setting it to zero, it disables core dumps for all SUID programs and prevents them from being analyzed in the event of a crash. "While this mitigates this vulnerability while it's not possible to update the systemd package, it disables the capability of analyzing crashes for such binaries," Red Hat said. Similar advisories have been issued by Amazon Linux, Debian, and Gentoo. It's worth noting that Debian systems aren't susceptible to CVE-2025-4598 by default, since they don't include any core dump handler unless the systemd-coredump package is manually installed. CVE-2025-4598 does not affect Ubuntu releases. Qualys has also developed proof-of-conceptcode for both vulnerabilities, demonstrating how a local attacker can exploit the coredump of a crashed unix_chkpwd process, which is used to verify the validity of a user's password, to obtain password hashes from the /etc/shadow file. Canonical, in an alert of its own, said the impact of CVE-2025-5054 is restricted to the confidentiality of the memory space of invoked SUID executables and that the PoC exploit can leak hashed user passwords has limited real-world impact. "The exploitation of vulnerabilities in Apport and systemd-coredump can severely compromise the confidentiality at high risk, as attackers could extract sensitive data, like passwords, encryption keys, or customer information from core dumps," Abbasi said. "The fallout includes operational downtime, reputational damage, and potential non-compliance with regulations. To mitigate these multifaceted risks effectively, enterprises should adopt proactive security measures by prioritizing patches and mitigations, enforcing robust monitoring, and tightening access controls." Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE     #new #linux #flaws #allow #password
    THEHACKERNEWS.COM
    New Linux Flaws Allow Password Hash Theft via Core Dumps in Ubuntu, RHEL, Fedora
    May 31, 2025Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / Linux Two information disclosure flaws have been identified in apport and systemd-coredump, the core dump handlers in Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Fedora, according to the Qualys Threat Research Unit (TRU). Tracked as CVE-2025-5054 and CVE-2025-4598, both vulnerabilities are race condition bugs that could enable a local attacker to obtain access to access sensitive information. Tools like Apport and systemd-coredump are designed to handle crash reporting and core dumps in Linux systems. "These race conditions allow a local attacker to exploit a SUID program and gain read access to the resulting core dump," Saeed Abbasi, manager of product at Qualys TRU, said. A brief description of the two flaws is below - CVE-2025-5054 (CVSS score: 4.7) - A race condition in Canonical apport package up to and including 2.32.0 that allows a local attacker to leak sensitive information via PID-reuse by leveraging namespaces CVE-2025-4598 (CVSS score: 4.7) - A race condition in systemd-coredump that allows an attacker to force a SUID process to crash and replace it with a non-SUID binary to access the original's privileged process coredump, allowing the attacker to read sensitive data, such as /etc/shadow content, loaded by the original process SUID, short for Set User ID, is a special file permission that allows a user to execute a program with the privileges of its owner, rather than their own permissions. "When analyzing application crashes, apport attempts to detect if the crashing process was running inside a container before performing consistency checks on it," Canonical's Octavio Galland said. "This means that if a local attacker manages to induce a crash in a privileged process and quickly replaces it with another one with the same process ID that resides inside a mount and pid namespace, apport will attempt to forward the core dump (which might contain sensitive information belonging to the original, privileged process) into the namespace." Red Hat said CVE-2025-4598 has been rated Moderate in severity owing to the high complexity in pulling an exploit for the vulnerability, noting that the attacker has to first the race condition and be in possession of an unprivileged local account. As mitigations, Red Hat said users can run the command "echo 0 > /proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable" as a root user to disable the ability of a system to generate a core dump for SUID binaries. The "/proc/sys/fs/suid_dumpable" parameter essentially controls whether SUID programs can produce core dumps on the crash. By setting it to zero, it disables core dumps for all SUID programs and prevents them from being analyzed in the event of a crash. "While this mitigates this vulnerability while it's not possible to update the systemd package, it disables the capability of analyzing crashes for such binaries," Red Hat said. Similar advisories have been issued by Amazon Linux, Debian, and Gentoo. It's worth noting that Debian systems aren't susceptible to CVE-2025-4598 by default, since they don't include any core dump handler unless the systemd-coredump package is manually installed. CVE-2025-4598 does not affect Ubuntu releases. Qualys has also developed proof-of-concept (PoC) code for both vulnerabilities, demonstrating how a local attacker can exploit the coredump of a crashed unix_chkpwd process, which is used to verify the validity of a user's password, to obtain password hashes from the /etc/shadow file. Canonical, in an alert of its own, said the impact of CVE-2025-5054 is restricted to the confidentiality of the memory space of invoked SUID executables and that the PoC exploit can leak hashed user passwords has limited real-world impact. "The exploitation of vulnerabilities in Apport and systemd-coredump can severely compromise the confidentiality at high risk, as attackers could extract sensitive data, like passwords, encryption keys, or customer information from core dumps," Abbasi said. "The fallout includes operational downtime, reputational damage, and potential non-compliance with regulations. To mitigate these multifaceted risks effectively, enterprises should adopt proactive security measures by prioritizing patches and mitigations, enforcing robust monitoring, and tightening access controls." Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    
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