Sora Shimazaki / Pexels In another stark reminder of the constant threats online, cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler recently uncovered a massive, unsecured database containing over 184 million login credentials from Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Discord, Google, PayPal and others. The trove amounted to approximately 47.42 GB of data, was discovered on a misconfigured cloud server and is believed to have been amassed using infostealer malware – malicious software designed to extract sensitive information from compromised devices. Recommended Videos A global breach with far-Reaching implications According to Jeremiah, the database also contained over 220 email addresses associated with government domains from at least 29 countries, such as the United Stated, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. The breadth underscores the potential national security risks posed by such breaches. Fowlers analysis of a 10,000-record sample revealed that the data included plaintext usernames and passwords, with some entries linked to financial terms like “bank” and “wallet,” indicating a heightened risk of financial fraud. The presence of such sensitive information in an unprotected database amplifies concerns about identity theft, unauthorized access and other malicious activities. Hackread.com has some images from the database provided by Jeremiah. The role of infostealer malware Infostealer malware operates by infiltrating devices through phishing emails, malicious websites, or comes bundled with pirated software. Once installed, it can harvest a variety of data, including login credentials, cookies, autofill information and even cryptocurrency wallet details. The data is then transmitted to command-and-control servers operated by cybercriminals. The discovery of this database suggests a coordinated effort to collect and potentially exploit vast amounts of personal and institutional data. The lack of identifiable ownership or metadata within the database further complicates efforts to trace its origins or intended use. Hosting companies likely do not know that they are fostering these databases to begin with. Immediate actions and recommendations Upon discovering the database, Fowler promptly notified the hosting provider, World Host Group, which subsequently took the server offline. However, the duration for which the data remained exposed and wither it was accessed by unauthorized parties before its removal remains uncertain. I would advise users to: Change your passwords, yet again: Immediately update your passwords for all online accounts, especially if the same passwords are being re-used across multiple platforms Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): This generally requires a text verification code to your phone, or a secondary email address Monitor your accounts: Regularly check your financial accounts and other sensitive accounts for suspicious activity Use reputable security software: Anti-virus and malware software from reputable companies usually help, make sure they are updated. You can check out our antivirus and malware reviews Be cautious with emails and downloads: Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown sources

Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive have officially dated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Horde-like mode. It’s called Siege Mode and debuts on June 26th, free for all players, though public test servers will become available on June 4th for PC. Check out the teaser trailer below. The goal of Siege is simple: Survive against waves and waves of Tyranid and Chaos enemies. You’ll earn points with each wave and can spend them on Medicae Stimms, equipment charges, ammo, or AI-controlled Astartes. The Dreadnought is also available to help you wreak havoc. At least until a Hierophant Bio-Titan shows up to ruin your life. Up to three players can jump into Siege, though a solo option will likely be available. It’s unknown if multiple difficulty tiers or rewards are available, so stay tuned for more details. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition, a remaster of the original, is also out next month on June 10th for $39.99.

This is dangerous.No Rules, No ExceptionsThe latest version of the Republicans' Budget Reconciliation Bill — the "one big, beautiful bill," as President Trump has called it — includes a clause that would ban all AI regulation in the US at the state level for a full decade. Over 100 organizations, CNN reports, are calling for lawmakers not to pass it.According to CNN, 141 policy groups, academic institutions, unions, and other organizations have signed a letter demanding that legislators in Washington walk back the sweeping deregulatory provision, urging that the bill would allow AI companies to run wild without safeguards or accountability — regardless of any negative impact their technology might have on American citizens.The letter warns that under the proposal, Americans would have no way to institute regulatory safeguards around and against AI systems as they "increasingly shape critical aspects of Americans' lives," including in areas like "hiring, housing, healthcare, policing, and financial services."There aren't any exceptions outlined in the bill, which declares instead that "no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the ten year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act," as 404 Media was first to flag last week."The AI preemption provision is a dangerous giveaway to Big Tech CEOs who have bet everything on a society where unfinished, unaccountable AI is prematurely forced into every aspect of our lives," Emily Peterson-Cassin of the nonprofit Demand Progress, whose organization wrote the letter, told CNN.Forseeable HarmIn the letter, the groups emphasize that such a drastic moratorium on regulatory action would mean that even in cases where a company "deliberately designs an algorithm that causes foreseeable harm — regardless of how intentional or egregious the misconduct or how devastating the consequences — the company making that bad tech would be unaccountable to lawmakers and the public."Transformational new technologies can be riddled with unknown, chaotic, and sometimes quite destructive outcomes. And as the writers of the letter note, regulation can serve to fuel innovation, and not stifle it by way of a thousand Silicon Valley lobbying-dollar-funded cuts."Protecting people from being harmed by new technologies," reads the letter, "including by holding companies accountable when they cause harm, ultimately spurs innovation and adoption of new technologies.""We will only reap the benefits of AI," it continues, "if people have a reason to trust it."More on the bill: New Law Would Ban All AI Regulation for a DecadeShare This Article

Macworld Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler reported on Thursday about finding a “publicly exposed database [that] was not password-protected or encrypted” and contained over 184 million unique usernames and passwords for services from Facebook, Instagram, Microsoft, Roblox, Snapchat, and more. A report by Wired on Fowler’s findings states that login information for Apple, as well as Amazon, Nintendo, Snapchat, Spotify, Twitter, WordPress, Yahoo, banks, health services, government portals, and more was also found in the database. Folwer was unable to determine the purpose of the database, and he reported it to the hosting provider, which then restricted public access to it. He was also unable to determine how long the database was publicly available or who had used it. Fowler was able to authenticate the information in the database by using some email addresses that he found and identifying himself as a researcher investigating a data breach. As Fowler explains, the breach exhibits “multiple signs” that the exposed data was harvested by some type of infostealer malware, which “usually targets credentials (like usernames and passwords) stored in web browsers, email clients, and messaging apps.” As for how the data was collected, Fowler stated that “cybercriminals use a range of methods to deploy infostealers.” How to protect yourself Never open links in emails or texts you receive from unknown and unexpected sources. If you get a message that looks like it is from an entity that you do business with, check the sender’s email address and inspect the URL carefully. If you see a link or button, you can Control-click it, select Copy Link, and then paste it into a text editor to see the actual URL and check it. Phishing attacks often involve a user inadvertently visiting a website with a mistyped URL. So verify the URL you have typed into your browser. Bookmark the sites you visit frequently so you don’t have to type in the URL every time. In some instances, you can use a search engine, type the name of the place you want to visit, and then click on the link after looking at the URL it goes to. For example, type “Macworld” into the search engine you use, and then click on the link that’s designated at www.macworld.com. This way isn’t as efficient, but if you make a typo, you’ll see it in the search and Google will steer you in the right direction. To protect yourself from malware, avoid downloading software from repositories such as GitHub and other download sites. Apple has vetted software in the Mac App Store and is the safest way to get apps. If you prefer not to patronize the Mac App Store, then buy software directly from the developer and their website. If you insist on using cracked software, you will always risk malware exposure. Apple releases security patches through OS updates, so installing them as soon as possible is important. It’s also important to update the apps on your Mac, which you can do through the App Store or through the app’s settings. Macworld has several guides to help, including a guide on whether or not you need antivirus software, a list of Mac viruses, malware, and trojans, and a comparison of Mac security software.

Owlcat Games of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader fame has announced a new CRPG in the 40K universe. Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and though a release date is unknown, you can check out the first trailer below. Players control as Inquisitor tasked with investigating heresy in the Calixis Sector. You’ll look into conspiracies, interrogate individuals and ultimately root out corruption. However, the developer teases the possibility of going too far for the sake of your mission, and since every decision has weight, things could take a dark turn. That’s not even accounting for the Tyrant Star in the sky and the impending Long Night spawning all kinds of horrors. Fortunately, you won’t be alone, instead commanding a band warband of different companions, including Epione Spes, a medicae specialist; Haymar Devos, an Astra Militarum member; Conscript 0-118-B or COGG, an Ogryn who also served the Astra Militarum; Ra’akhti, a Kroot tracker; and Laarthyr Cairnareth, an Aeldari Corsair. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Video Game TesterUbisoftBucharest Bucharest ro19 seconds agoApplyJob DescriptionYour life at Ubi:As a member of Ubisoft’s Quality Control Department, you will be part of an awesome team focused on identifying and reporting bugs on specific areas of a game. Doing so, you will put your attention to detail and creativity to test. Here in Bucharest, we have a ton of experience when it comes to game testing, so you will be learning everything there is to know about game testing from the best. And this will happen while having fun. If you’ve heard stories about the cool atmosphere at our studio, they are true.What’s also cool is the fact that you will perform your testing activities on the latest hardware and with powerful in-house software and more. Yes, you will get to try out new consoles before they reach the market and test amazing games way, way before anyone else sees them. And you’ll do this sitting in a comfy chair in front of a large desk on one of the amazing floors of Jiului 8. The quality of life at work is very important to us and our new building reflects that.Grow with us:When we invite you to take your first step in the gaming industry, we mean it. You should be thinking about a career in gaming, not just a summer job as a game tester.The opportunities in our studio are literally endless. Based on your talents you can evolve and lead teams of testers, become a test specialist in our QC Technical Standards Department (ex. Sony Compliance), get into software development as a product owner or automation analyst through our QC Tech Department or jump ship and join a production team as a dev tester, level designer or whatever you dream about in our Production families (Art, Design, Programming).The best part is that we will offer support and help your plans become reality through various courses and programs meant to prepare you for your future role in Ubisoft.How can you join us?Apply with an Updated CVSubmit your most recent CV through our careers page. Make sure it reflects your latest experience and skills relevant to the role.Phone Screen with RecruitersIf your profile matches our requirements, one of our recruiters will reach out for a short phone conversation. This is a chance for us to learn more about your background and for you to ask initial questions about the role and company.Online TestSelected candidates will be invited to complete an online assessment. This helps us evaluate your technical or role-specific knowledge in a fair and standardized way.Interview with HR & Hiring ManagerThe final step is a comprehensive interview with our HR representative and the Hiring Manager. We’ll discuss your experience, motivation, and how you’d fit into our team and culture.Your responsibilities:You are the key factor in ensuring that millions of end-users will enjoy high quality gamesWork for the development team by using your keen eye for details and express your creativity and intuition by identifying and reporting bugsUse computers, video game consoles and controllers as your main toolsBe ambitious and ready to learn from the best in a studio with a long history of creating and testing gamesQualificationsProfessionally, all you need to bring:Good English skills (written and spoken)We are looking for Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)No previous work experience is necessaryLearning appetite to become the best at your tradeMinimum requirement - Baccalaureate diplomaThe Personal Value you bring:Passion for gamesKnowledge of different game genres, consoles, and platforms is also nice to have, but you can also build it herePatience and persistence are key when performing meticulous testing while always ensuring accuracyAs part of the team, you need to interact with other colleagues and have good social and communication abilitiesYou are also a fast learner, creative and proactiveYou are reliable, punctual and you come with a positive attitudeAdditional InformationWhat about our benefits?Meal tickets with value of 30 ron/dayAccess to private medical system and special subscription rates for family membersOn site medical supportWorld Class Bronze subscriptionComprehensive wellbeing program (including physical fitness, mental health, financial education and internal communities)Life insuranceUbisoft bikes, free rentalParking spaces for cars, bikes, motorbikesHybrid: We are committed to promoting a flexible working policy, as we value in-person interaction and collaboration. Our hybrid work model includes a minimum of 3 days a week in the office and the remaining 2 days working from home.Video games and consoles to borrowAccess to Ubisoft games via own Uplay accountBookster (borrow books for free, delivered at home or in the office)On-site cafeteria with special discountsFree fruits and coffee in the officeStudio offered free days, confirmed on an annual basis for different eventsStudy leaveChristmas/ Easter celebration with a special giftPartners’ discountsAbout usUbisoft’s 19,000 team members, working across more than 30 countries around the world, are bound by a common mission to enrich players’ lives with original and memorable gaming experiences. Their commitment and talent have brought to life many acclaimed franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, Just Dance, Rainbow Six, and many more to come. Ubisoft is an equal opportunity employer that believes diverse backgrounds and perspectives are key to creating worlds where both players and teams can thrive and express themselves. If you are excited about solving game-changing challenges, cutting edge technologies and pushing the boundaries of entertainment, we invite you to join our journey and help us create the unknown.Find us on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn, see how we do things, how we like to have fun and join us!Company DescriptionSince 1992, Ubisoft Romania has been a driving force in Romania’s gaming industry. Our passionate team has contributed to some of the world’s biggest franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Watch Dogs, and Just Dance. Today, we continue to push boundaries, creating unforgettable experiences that captivate players worldwide.At Ubisoft Romania, we believe in the power of creativity and collaboration. You'll work alongside talented teams from across the globe, grow your skills, and be part of shaping the future of gaming. If you’re passionate about gaming and ready for exciting challenges, this is the place for you.Join us and create the unknown! Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Adélie penguins walking along the Antarctic coastline.   CREDIT: Matthew Boyer. Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. If you have ever stood in front of a penguin enclosure at an aquarium–or better yet traveled to Antarctica, New Zealand, or parts of southern Africa to see them in the wild–one reality really sticks out about these flightless birds. The smell. Their guano (aka poop) is pungent and plentiful, and dark stains of guano sticking out on white ice have even helped scientists find previously unknown penguin colonies. The ammonia released from their poop also might help reduce some of the devastating effects of climate change. This gas helps influence cloud formation, which can cool down surface temperatures. The findings are detailed in a study published May 22 in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment. A group of Adelie penguins standing on guano-covered snow. CREDIT: Matthew Boyer. Why ammonia? Antarctic ecosystems are under serious threat due to human-driven climate change, with some penguin colonies failing to breed altogether. Warmer temperatures means less critical sea ice for penguins, sea birds, seals, and whales. Penguins are a key species in this ecosystem at the bottom of the world and also are major emitters of ammonia in the region.  Ammonia is an atmospheric gas that can increase cloud formation by reacting with gases containing sulphur. In turn, this increases the creation of aerosols–the particles that give water vapour a surface to condense upon. All of that condensation leads to cloud formation. “Aerosol particles are necessary for cloud formation; liquid water will not condense to form cloud droplets without the presence of aerosol particles,” Matthew Boyer, a study co-author and atmospheric scientist at the University of Helsinki in Finland, tells Popular Science. “Clouds influence the surface radiation budget, which affects surface temperature. Therefore, clouds impact climate change. This is true across the entire planet, not just in Antarctica.”  First author Matthew Boyer piloting a drone for data collection in Antarctica. CREDIT: Zoé Brasseur. Since higher concentrations of aerosol particles creates clouds that are more reflective of the sun’s rays, the strength of an area’s aerosol particle sources matters. “In general, the Antarctic atmosphere is a pristine environment,” says Boyer. “It’s located far away from human pollution sources, and the background aerosol particle concentrations are low as a result. New particle formation, occurring from gases emitted from natural sources (e.g., penguins and the ocean), is therefore an important source of aerosol particles in the region.” The resulting clouds can act as insulating layers in the atmosphere and those layers often help lower surface temperatures and can affect the amount of sea ice coverage. However, the specific interaction between penguins and their ammonia filled poop and the Antarctic climate is not well understood. Standing downwind In this new study, Boyer and his colleagues measured the concentration of ammonia in the air at a site located near Marambio Base, Antarctica between January 10 and March 20, 2023. When the wind blew from the direction of a colony of 60,000-individual Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) about five miles away, the ammonia concentration increased to as high as 13.5 parts per billion. That figure is over 1,000 times higher than the baseline value that is naturally found in Antarctica (less than 10.5 parts per trillion). The ammonia enhanced the particle concentrations in the clouds up to 30 times than the background, according to Boyer. Around the end of February, the penguins migrated from the area. The ammonia concentration was still more than 100 times higher than the baseline, because the penguin guano left at the colony site still emitted the gas.  “The most surprising part for me was the strength of ammonia emissions from the penguin guano for a month after the penguins were no longer present at the colony,” says Boyer. “They left for their annual migration, but the guano they left behind in the soils continued to emit gas ammonia at ~100 times higher than the baseline.” Thousands of Adélie penguins pictured from a distance at the studied Adelie penguin rookery, located on the southeastern coast of Seymour Island on the Antarctic Peninsula. CREDIT: Matthew Boyer. This indicates that the cloud-building ammonia emissions from penguins may cover even more of coastal Antarctica. To confirm that the increase in ammonia concentration eventually affected the cloud formation, the team recorded several additional atmospheric measurements during a single day. When the wind blew from the penguin colony, the number and size of the aerosol particles recorded at the site sharply increased. Approximately three hours after the wind changed, the team saw a period of fog. The team believes that this fog was likely a result of that increased aerosol particle concentration and cloud formation.  According to the team, the data suggests that penguin poop may be helping reduce some of climate change’s effects on an ever-warming Antarctica.  “Our measurements demonstrate that these environmental and ecosystem changes will subsequently impact the atmosphere and the climate of the region,” says Boyer. “This matters, because changes to the climate/ecosystem in Antarctica can have consequences for global climate.”

May 22, 2025Ravie LakshmananCybersecurity / Vulnerability A privilege escalation flaw has been demonstrated in Windows Server 2025 that makes it possible for attackers to compromise any user in Active Directory (AD). "The attack exploits the delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) feature that was introduced in Windows Server 2025, works with the default configuration, and is trivial to implement," Akamai security researcher Yuval Gordon said in a report shared with The Hacker News. "This issue likely affects most organizations that rely on AD. In 91% of the environments we examined, we found users outside the domain admins group that had the required permissions to perform this attack." What makes the attack pathway notable is that it leverages a new feature called Delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSA) that allows migration from an existing legacy service account. It was introduced in Windows Server 2025 as a mitigation to Kerberoasting attacks. The attack technique has been codenamed BadSuccessor by the web infrastructure and security company. "dMSA allows users to create them as a standalone account, or to replace an existing standard service account," Microsoft notes in its documentation. "When a dMSA supersedes an existing account, authentication to that existing account using its password is blocked." "The request is redirected to the Local Security Authority (LSA) to authenticate using dMSA, which has access to everything the previous account could access in AD. During migration, dMSA automatically learns the devices on which the service account is to be used which is then used to move from all existing service accounts." The problem identified by Akamai is that during the dMSA Kerberos authentication phase, the Privilege Attribute Certificate (PAC) embedded into a ticket-granting ticket (i.e., credentials used to verify identity) issued by a key distribution center (KDC) includes both the dMSAs security identifier (SID) as well as the SIDs of the superseded service account and of all its associated groups. This permissions transfer between accounts could open the door to a potential privilege escalation scenario by simulating the dMSA migration process to compromise any user, including domain administrators, and gain similar privileges, effectively breaching the entire domain even if an organization's Windows Server 2025 domain isn't using dMSAs at all. "One interesting fact about this 'simulated migration' technique, is that it doesn't require any permissions over the superseded account," Gordon said. "The only requirement is to write permissions over the attributes of a dMSA. Any dMSA." "Once we've marked a dMSA as preceded by a user, the KDC automatically assumes a legitimate migration took place and happily grants our dMSA every single permission that the original user had, as though we are its rightful successor." Akamai said it reported the findings to Microsoft on April 1, 2025, following which the tech giant classified the issue as moderate in severity and that it does not meet the bar for immediate servicing due to the fact that successful exploitation requires an attacker to have specific permissions on the dMSA object, which suggests an elevation of privileges. However, a patch is currently in the works. Given that there is no immediate fix for the attack, organizations are advised to limit the ability to create dMSAs and harden permissions wherever possible. Akamai has also released a PowerShell script that can enumerate all non-default principals who can create dMSAs and list the organizational units (OUs) in which each principal has this permission. "This vulnerability introduces a previously unknown and high-impact abuse path that makes it possible for any user with CreateChild permissions on an OU to compromise any user in the domain and gain similar power to the Replicating Directory Changes privilege used to perform DCSync attacks," Gordon said. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

With Tetsuya Nomura finally breaking a three-year silence to drop new Kingdom Hearts 4 details, what better time to revisit the series’ most iconic weapon? The Keyblade has long sparked debate — is it a sword? Should it be included in Cool Sword Day celebrations? Or is it simply a giant key-shaped billy club? Regardless of classification, the Keyblade stands as one of the most revolutionary one-handed fictional weapons, alongside the lightsaber — not just for its bold, genre-defying design, but for how deeply it’s woven into the lore, with each unique Keyblade symbolizing each wielder’s alignment with light or darkness. While the Kingdom Key remains the franchise’s most recognizable blade, thanks largely to its constant presence in marketing, no Keyblade has captured fan devotion quite like Oblivion. Oathkeeper trails closely behind, earning a strong third place. The designers at Square Enix surely know the popularity of these Keyblades in the fandom, as all three appear in every major installment. But beyond their striking designs, it’s Oblivion and Oathkeeper that best embody Kingdom Hearts’ core theme: the eternal clash between light and dark. That makes them far more than just cool weapons; they’re narrative anchors. In the original Kingdom Hearts, most new Keychains — items that transform the appearance and abilities of your Keyblade — are earned by completing Disney-themed worlds. These worlds have usually offered loose retellings of their respective films, often feeling like standalone adventures with minimal connection to the overarching storyline of Kingdom Hearts. However, Oathkeeper and Oblivion came from Traverse Town and Hollow Bastion, respectively, which are two original worlds — meaning, they’re not worlds based on Disney movies. What’s more, the  Keychains for each weapon have a strong significance for Kingdom Hearts’ protagonist Sora; one is deeply tied to Kairi, his love interest, and the other to his best frenemy, Riku.  Kairi gives Sora the Oathkeeper after he awakens her from her slumber and brings her to Traverse Town for safety. She offers him her “lucky charm” as a promise that they’ll be reunited. The charm resembles a Paopu Fruit from their home, Destiny Island — a fruit said to bind the destinies of two people who share it, ensuring they’ll always be connected, no matter what. Meanwhile, Oblivion is found in a chest in Hollow Bastion, mere feet away from Sora’s final confrontation with Riku — a confrontation that mirrors their playful sparring match at the beginning of the game. Oathkeeper and Oblivion have always shared a yin-and-yang dynamic, reflected in everything from how they’re acquired to the two characters they’re tied to; that’s even before we factor in their stark white and black color schemes. Oblivion’s in-game ability focuses on strength, while Oathkeeper prioritizes magic. Oathkeeper’s appearance emphasizes the elegance of a Keyblade, while Oblivion highlights the destruction. They’re a terrific pair; they went together like lamb and tuna fish.  What has truly cemented the importance of these two Keyblades is their prominent appearance in the game’s secret ending, Deep Dive / Another Side, Another Story. It features a hooded figure in an unknown location, dual-wielding both Oblivion and Oathkeeper in a fight with another mysterious silver-haired figure, who ends up taking and wielding Oblivion during the confrontation. Little did we know then that the hooded figure was Roxas, another version of Sora, and that Riku was the silver-haired man who took Oblivion for himself. At the time, fans couldn’t fully grasp the implications of this final scene, but that moment instantly elevated the significance of both weapons. The secret ending was shrouded in mystery, yet the presence of Oathkeeper and Oblivion strongly hinted that the hooded figure had a deep connection to Sora, Riku, and Kairi. It’s clear Nomura had grand plans for Oathkeeper and Oblivion, deliberately threading them deeper into the series’ overarching narrative than most other Keyblades. Still, he probably didn’t expect them to eclipse the franchise’s default weapon: the iconic Kingdom Key. Despite its central role and compelling history as the light counterpart to King Mickey’s Kingdom Key D, not to mention that it initially chose Riku before ultimately selecting Sora, it’s Oathkeeper and Oblivion that has came to embody the emotional core of the franchise, capturing the hearts (pun intended) of millions of fans along the way.

With Tetsuya Nomura finally breaking a three-year silence to drop new Kingdom Hearts 4 details, what better time to revisit the series’ most iconic weapon? The Keyblade has long sparked debate — is it a sword? Should it be included in Cool Sword Day celebrations? Or is it simply a giant key-shaped billy club? Regardless of classification, the Keyblade stands as one of the most revolutionary one-handed fictional weapons, alongside the lightsaber — not just for its bold, genre-defying design, but for how deeply it’s woven into the lore, with each unique Keyblade symbolizing each wielder’s alignment with light or darkness.While the Kingdom Key remains the franchise’s most recognizable blade, thanks largely to its constant presence in marketing, no Keyblade has captured fan devotion quite like Oblivion. Oathkeeper trails closely behind, earning a strong third place. The designers at Square Enix surely know the popularity of these Keyblades in the fandom, as all three appear in every major installment. But beyond their striking designs, it’s Oblivion and Oathkeeper that best embody Kingdom Hearts’ core theme: the eternal clash between light and dark. That makes them far more than just cool weapons; they’re narrative anchors.In the original Kingdom Hearts, most new Keychains — items that transform the appearance and abilities of your Keyblade — are earned by completing Disney-themed worlds. These worlds have usually offered loose retellings of their respective films, often feeling like standalone adventures with minimal connection to the overarching storyline of Kingdom Hearts. However, Oathkeeper and Oblivion came from Traverse Town and Hollow Bastion, respectively, which are two original worlds — meaning, they’re not worlds based on Disney movies. What’s more, the Keychains for each weapon have a strong significance for Kingdom Hearts’ protagonist Sora; one is deeply tied to Kairi, his love interest, and the other to his best frenemy, Riku. Image: Square EnixKairi gives Sora the Oathkeeper after he awakens her from her slumber and brings her to Traverse Town for safety. She offers him her “lucky charm” as a promise that they’ll be reunited. The charm resembles a Paopu Fruit from their home, Destiny Island — a fruit said to bind the destinies of two people who share it, ensuring they’ll always be connected, no matter what. Meanwhile, Oblivion is found in a chest in Hollow Bastion, mere feet away from Sora’s final confrontation with Riku — a confrontation that mirrors their playful sparring match at the beginning of the game.Oathkeeper and Oblivion have always shared a yin-and-yang dynamic, reflected in everything from how they’re acquired to the two characters they’re tied to; that’s even before we factor in their stark white and black color schemes. Oblivion’s in-game ability focuses on strength, while Oathkeeper prioritizes magic. Oathkeeper’s appearance emphasizes the elegance of a Keyblade, while Oblivion highlights the destruction. They’re a terrific pair; they went together like lamb and tuna fish. What has truly cemented the importance of these two Keyblades is their prominent appearance in the game’s secret ending, Deep Dive / Another Side, Another Story. It features a hooded figure in an unknown location, dual-wielding both Oblivion and Oathkeeper in a fight with another mysterious silver-haired figure, who ends up taking and wielding Oblivion during the confrontation. Little did we know then that the hooded figure was Roxas, another version of Sora, and that Riku was the silver-haired man who took Oblivion for himself. At the time, fans couldn’t fully grasp the implications of this final scene, but that moment instantly elevated the significance of both weapons. The secret ending was shrouded in mystery, yet the presence of Oathkeeper and Oblivion strongly hinted that the hooded figure had a deep connection to Sora, Riku, and Kairi.It’s clear Nomura had grand plans for Oathkeeper and Oblivion, deliberately threading them deeper into the series’ overarching narrative than most other Keyblades. Still, he probably didn’t expect them to eclipse the franchise’s default weapon: the iconic Kingdom Key. Despite its central role and compelling history as the light counterpart to King Mickey’s Kingdom Key D, not to mention that it initially chose Riku before ultimately selecting Sora, it’s Oathkeeper and Oblivion that has came to embody the emotional core of the franchise, capturing the hearts (pun intended) of millions of fans along the way.See More: