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SecurityWeek Cyber Insights 2023 | The Geopolitical Effect – Geopolitics describes the effect of geography on politics, and usually refers to the political relationship between nations. That relationship is always mirrored in cyber. The Russia/Ukraine war that started in early 2022 has been mirrored by a major disturbance in cyber – and that disturbance will continue through 2023.

The physical conflict has forced much of the world to take sides. The US, NATO, the EU, and their allies are providing major support – short of troops – to Ukraine. China, Iran, and North Korea are all supporting Russia. The cyber conflict is similar, largely conforming to the George W Bush ‘axis of evil’ (Iran, Iraq, and North Korea, with the popular addition of Russia and China) versus the US, EU, and their allies.

Here we’re going to discuss how the current state of global geopolitics might play out in cyber during 2023.

Background

“Russia may well resort to increased cyber offensive actions as it contends with on-the-ground setbacks in Ukraine,” comments Bob Ackerman, MD and founder of AllegisCyber. This has been considered likely throughout 2022, but as Russian military setbacks have increased toward the end of 2022, so the likelihood of increasingly aggressive Russian cyber activity will rise. Such offensive actions will not simply target Ukraine – they will be aimed at all countries seen to be supporting Ukraine.

“While we haven’t seen those feared attacks materialize yet,” says Christopher Budd, senior manager of threat research at Sophos, “it would be premature to say that those risks have passed. In 2023, so long as the uncertainty of war exists, everyone should plan for the real possibility of unexpected, large-scale cyberattacks.”

Indeed, the mirror between the kinetic and cyberworlds suggests it is inevitable in 2023. Kevin Bocek, VP of security strategy and threat intelligence at Venafi, expects to see Russian cyber activity becoming more ‘feral’. “We’re increasingly seeing its kinetic war tactics becoming more untamed, targeting energy and water infrastructure with missile strikes,” he says. “We expect the same to apply to cyberwarfare.”

He is concerned that Russia’s more feral activity will have the potential to spill over into other nations, “as Russia becomes more daring, trying to win the war by any means, and Russia could look to use the conflict as a distraction as it targets other nations with cyberattacks.”

Malwarebytes believes that large-scale attacks will appear first in Ukraine, but be accompanied by attacks against European allies. “In recent weeks [Oct/Nov 2022] Russia has been launching a barrage of missiles to cripple Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure. We could expect that at some point availability of such weapons will run low and that the Kremlin will want to increase the cyber effort. We may see further successful malware attacks from the Sandworm group as we have seen previously with the blackouts caused by the BlackEnergy malware,” comments Jerome Segura, senior director of threat intelligence at Malwarebytes.

While malware used to destroy or wipe systems is likely to be used against Ukraine,” he adds, “more stealthy malware such as backdoors are likely to hit European allies as attempts to compromise key leaders, gather intelligence and possibly expose or extort via ‘kompromat’.”

In one sense, the Russia/Ukraine conflict has taken the gloves off the lower-level cyberwarfare that has existed for years. You could say that 2023 may well prove to be a new era of bare-knuckle cyberwarfare. “Nation state cyber warfare will become more openly prevalent,” suggests Chris Gray, AVP of security strategy at Deepwatch. “The Russia/Ukraine conflict has taken away much of the ‘cloak and dagger’ aspects of this area and, in doing so, has also broadened the scope of available targets. Financial impact and the ability to increase chaos due to service interruption will increasingly grow over former levels.”

While we concentrate on Russia as the primary current protagonist in offensive cyber, we should not forget that Russian ‘allies’ will take advantage of the situation. “China is likely to expand the full spectrum of its cyber initiatives targeting economic, political, and military objectives,” continues Ackerman. “Bit actors on the global stage may well exploit Great Power conflict and related global distractions to launch targeted regional cyberattacks,” he added. Such as Iran targeting Israel.

Difficulty in attribution will remain

Increased nation-state cyber activity will become more obvious, but not necessarily legally attributable. The major powers will still seek to avoid direct retribution that could escalate into additional kinetic warfare. “The reality with nation-state attacks is you might never know you’ve been hit by one until another country’s intelligence agency actively identifies it,” warns Andrew Barratt, VP at Coalfire. “The attribution of attacks to specific parties is a highly contentious area with a lot of room for error and deniability. What we really need is crossover from friendly military intelligence partners to support a reasonable conclusion.”

SecurityWeek was told years ago by Luis Corrons, now security evangelist at Gen and co-chairman of the board at AMTSO, “The only people who really know what’s going on are the intelligence agencies, who have close knowledge drawn from signals intelligence and covert agents.” Historically, the intelligence agencies have been reluctant to make too many public accusations of attribution for fear that it might expose their sources.

Direct attribution from countries with mature intelligence agencies is likely to increase in 2023 – as will the strident denials coming from the perpetrators – but it will remain difficult. “The rapid expansion of non-state affiliated cyber actors including hobbyists, hacktivists, criminals, privateers, proxies, vigilantes, or cyber response reserve units, is unlike anything ever seen in traditional warfare,” explains Marcus Fowler, CEO of Darktrace Federal. “The surge in ‘vigilante’ approaches to cyber-crime will continue to alter the course of modern warfare in 2023, introducing unprecedented adversaries and allies for nation-states.”

Zero-day stockpiles

What remains largely unknown is the potential capability of unfettered cyberwarfare – all major nations have been stockpiling zero-days for years. “I dare not speak of the unused kinetic powers available to the nation-states,” comments Brian NeuHaus, CTO of Americas at Vectra AI, “but will digress to one which has only, I believe, been partially used. Cyberwarfare is still a real threat from a broader use of known TTPs, tools tactics procedures, and an unknown equity of zero-days just waiting for the right strategic moment to deploy against one’s foes.” 

Zero-days are not used lightly, especially by nation-states. Once used, they instantly lose their value. The problem is that we have no knowledge of our adversaries’ zero-day stockpiles, nor their ability to unleash widespread destructive capabilities against critical infrastructure. Their use is likely to be one of desperation – a cyber version of nuclear weapons with the potential to escalate into open kinetic conflict. 

We must hope this day never comes, for it is worth remembering Putin’s warning on the use of nuclear weapons: “For the planet, it will be a catastrophe. But for me as a citizen of the Russian Federation and the head of the Russian State, I must ask myself the question. What is the point of a world without Russia?”

Wiperware and other destructive attacks

Our hope must therefore be that no nation-state feels so backed into a corner that it unleashes the full power of stockpiled zero-days against the opponent’s critical infrastructure. That doesn’t mean we can relax – the threat from what we could perhaps describe as conventional cyberweapons remains real and likely to increase through 2023. Wiperware is probably top of the list.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year revealed the modern digital battlefield. Most notably, we have witnessed an increased use of wiperware, a form of destructive malware against Ukrainian organizations and critical infrastructure,” comments Fleming Shi, CTO at Barracuda. “The frequency has dramatically increased as we saw WhisperGate, CaddyWiper, HermeticWiper, and others hitting the news since the war broke out.” 

Unlike the financial motivations and decryption potential of ransomware, wiperware is typically deployed by nation-state actors with the sole intent to damage and destroy an adversary’s systems beyond recovery. “In addition,” he added, in 2023, wiperware emanating from Russia will likely spill over into other countries as geopolitical tensions continue.”

Wiperware can easily be disguised as criminal ransomware with non-functioning decryption, adding deniability to destructive nation-state attacks. There are suspicions that WannaCry was a version of this. “Given the current political climate, Kaspersky experts foresee a record number of disruptive and destructive cyberattacks, affecting both the government sector and key industries,” says Ivan Kwiatkowski, senior security researcher at Kaspersky`s GReAT. 

“It is likely that a portion of them will not be easily traceable to cyberattacks and will look like random accidents. The rest will take the form of pseudo-ransomware attacks or hacktivist operations to provide plausible deniability for their real authors,” he added. “High-profile cyberattacks against civilian infrastructure, such as energy grids or public broadcasting, may also become targets, as well as underwater cables and fiber distribution hubs, which are challenging to defend.”

A particular target area for such attacks will likely be ‘dual use’ technologies; that is, those that serve both military and commercial purposes. “Satellite technologies and other advanced communication platforms come under a higher level of focus. Both intellectual property theft and disruption of data delivery to governments and militaries around the world become a stronger focus,” says Kurt Baumgartner, principal security researcher at Kaspersky.

It is noticeable that the cyberattack against Viasat by Russia just prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, designed to disrupt Ukrainian military communications, spilled out of the region to also affect some 9,000 European users. Russia seems to have ‘got away with it’ on this occasion, but it effectively remains a nation-state cyberattack against civilians outside of the war zone. We are not aware of any clandestine response from the West, but must wonder if the response would have been different if the spillover had directly affected US users.

John Pescatore, director of emerging security trends at SANS Institute, endorses Baumgartner’s view. “The war in Ukraine will have broader impacts on the commercial sector as operatives on both sides attack dual-use technologies (that is, services used by both the military and civilians) to take down communication and critical infrastructures systems.” He expects to see more attacks in 2023 that will impact business internet connections, communication, and logistics systems. 

“Increasing attacks on key dual-use technologies like cell towers, GPS, and commercial satellites – such as Star Link,” he adds, “will damage connectivity and business operations for private sector companies that depend on these technologies, even if they are not directly targeted themselves.”

Beyond Russia

While cyber eyes are trained on Russia, we should remember that it is not the West’s only cyber adversary. China, Iran, and North Korea will all increase their activity through 2023 under cover of the European war. China will likely continue concentrating on espionage rather than destruction – although this may change if the separate geopolitical tensions over Taiwan escalate into kinetic activity.

“China has high priority targets to meet in terms of economic and social development, made more pressing by continuing Covid outbreaks and a zero-tolerance stance on Covid,” warns Mike McLellan, director of intelligence at Secureworks. “Chinese intelligence collection will remain both broad and deep, as the Chinese Communist Party will not accept failure on any of its key focus areas.”

This focus will be on upgrades to its manufacturing base, food stability, housing, energy supply, and natural resources. “Organizations operating in or supplying any of those areas, particularly high­tech industries,” he continues, “are potential targets of Chinese cyberespionage.”

But he adds, “As tensions continue to rise around Taiwan and the South China Sea, and China continues to drive forward with its Belt Road Initiative (BRI), a large proportion of China’s cyber espionage apparatus will be regionally focused targeting governments and critical infrastructure projects, as well as dissidents and other individuals opposed to the Chinese state.”

Iran and North Korea are less concerned with maintaining any semblance of diplomacy with the US and EU. Iran may engage in more destructive cyberattacks, largely in the Middle East but potentially elsewhere. “Iran will exploit the blurring of state-sponsored activity with cybercrime, both against regional adversaries and more broadly,” says McLellan. 

The country will make use of offensive cyber operations under the guise of hacktivist and cybercrime personas to harass and intimidate regional adversaries, particularly Israel. This will probably extend beyond the Middle East with Iran merging state and criminal activity. Citing the IRGC-affiliated Cobalt Mirage threat group, McLellan warns, “Iran will exploit this financially motivated activity as a plausible cover for state espionage or disruption operations, which can be dismissed as part of a ‘cybercrime problem’.”

“We’re also seeing North Korea flexing its muscles by flying long range weapons over borders,” adds Venafi’s Bocek. If the mirror between kinetic and cyber activity holds true, we can expect North Korea to become more aggressive in cyber in 2023. Such cyber activity, adds Bocek, “will be replicated by North Korea as it looks to advance its economic and political goals.”

Summary

A particular concern for 2023 and beyond is that the diplomatic seal may now be permanently broken. The Russia/Ukraine war will eventually end – but tensions between the two countries and their allies will continue. Aggressive international cyber activity may never return to pre-war levels. “Nation-states will continue to cause each other digital problems amid the constant fight for power and status on the world stage,” comments Zac Warren, chief security advisor for EMEA at Tanium.

“Nations will come to the table to discuss norms; China, Russia and others will inhibit progress,” warns Mike Hamilton, founder and CISO at Critical Insight. He has two specific predictions for 2023 that might take cyber relations beyond the point of no return. Firstly, he suggests, “Russia will have its infrastructure disrupted as a demonstration of seriousness.” Secondly, he adds, “Operational technologies will be disrupted/wiped, likely in the US water sector.”

If either of these incidents occur and can be reliably attributed to a foreign state, they will not be easily forgiven.

As it is in the kinetic world, so it is in the digital. “For everything in the real world, there is a shadow on the Internet,” says Sam Curry, CSO at Cybereason. “More-and-more, we are going to see the Internet as a primary forum for geopolitical activity. The classic diplomacy, information, military and economic (or ‘DIME’) options are seeing the rise of information options and a resurgence of military options from 2022. Going into 2023, it’s to be hoped that diplomacy and economics rise to the fore, but for that to happen, the world would need to see an amenable-to-all-parties resolution to the Russia-Ukraine War or at least motion in that direction with a meaningful ceasefire; and detente in the South China Sea, which although a secondary area is another potential area of rising concern and clash of superpowers.”

Related: Wipers Are Widening: Here’s Why That Matters

Related: Economic Warfare: Attacks on CI Part of Geopolitical Conflict

Related: Security Pros Believe Cybersecurity Now Aligned With Cyberwar

Related: U.S. Issues Fresh Warning Over Russian Cyber Threats

The post Cyber Insights 2023: The Geopolitical Effect appeared first on SecurityWeek.

The last batch of drm-intel-gt-next changes have been sent in to DRM-Next ahead of next month's Linux 6.3 merge window. Notable with this week's changes are more low-level code improvements in preparation for future Intel graphics hardware platforms...

A thing I have been working on, on and off, for many years now, is a set of headers and helper routines for programming DOS machines directly on the hardware in assembly and C.

As you may recall, my earliest retro-programming blogs focused on the Amiga. And for the Amiga you have what is called the “Native Development Kit”, or NDK. It’s a collection of C header files and assembly include files, which contain all sorts of constants, type definitions and such to interface directly with the hardware. This allows you to write nicely readable and maintainable code (although there’s a bit of irony in the fact that many Amiga coders came from C64, and were used to very raw and basic assembly, and just hardcoded addresses and values. And they took that raw style of assembly programming to the Amiga).

When I started my DOS retroprogramming, there was no equivalent available. So I slowly started building my own include and header files to codify any hardware-specific stuff from the chip manuals or Ralfs Interrupt List and BOCHS’ ports.lst. The idea has always been to eventually release it. But I never got round to that, until now. I have put it on Github here:

https://github.com/Scalibq/DOS_SDK

And here is the README for a short introduction:

An SDK for developing DOS software for x86 machines, including IBM PC compatibles and NEC PC-98

This SDK (Software Development Kit) is modeled after the Amiga NDK (Native Development Kit). The Amiga NDK contains a set of header files and libraries for both assembly and C development, which provides all the required constants, flags, data structures and whatnot to interface directly with the hardware, and having readable code making use of human-readable symbols and type definitions. An equivalent for the IBM PC platform, or PC DOS/MS-DOS/compatible environments has never been available to my knowledge. This SDK attempts to fill that void. Think of it as Ralfs Interrupt List and Bochs ports.lst turned into .inc/.asm and .h/.c files ready for use in a programming environment.

There are some basic rules in how this SDK is structured. Since a PC is composed of a number of off-the-shelf chips, the SDK is structured in a way to reflect this. This means that the definitions related to specific chips such as the 6845, the 8253, 8259 etc. are separated from how they are implemented in the PC architecture (the IO addresses, memory addresses, IRQ and other resources they use). A header file for a specific chip will only contain the generic information for the chip. A separate system-specific header file (in this case IBMPC.inc/IBMPC.h or PC98.inc/PC98.h) will then contain the information specific to the implementation of that system. This allows you to use the header file for the chip for any system that implements it. This is especially useful for writing code for both IBM PC and NEC PC-98, which mostly use the same hardware, but not at the same locations. In future, it may also be expanded to other systems, such as the Tandy 2000.

For system-specific or hardware/standard-specific definitions, a prefix is used for the symbols. For example, the IBM PC-specific symbols are prefixed with PC_, and NEC PC-98-specifc symbols are prefixed with PC98_. For graphics standards, we can see MDA_, HERC_, CGA_, EGA_ and VGA_ prefixes.

This is a work-in-progress. Feel free to contribute changes, additions or suggestions to make the SDK as complete as possible.

I am tired of being cold. Unfortunately, given the fact that I live in the Pacific Northwest, I am probably going to go on being cold for at least six more weeks. Luckily, I am not tired of eating warming foods, such as soups, big piles of potatoes, and stews. Stews are especially fortifying—particularly, beef stew.

Read more...

According to games industry market research firm DFC Intelligence, Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass doesn’t appear to be a sustainable long-term business model.

That’s what the research firm writes in a new article about the gaming subscription services from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. Microsoft recently published its financial results for Q2 of FY23, but although Xbox Game Pass subscriptions have grown further, subscription numbers don't necessarily tell the entire story. The problem with Game Pass, according to the DFC, is that Microsoft is giving away too much content in order to generate its revenue. Meanwhile, although not nearly as good as Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, Nintendo appears to have found the sweet spot with Switch Online when it comes to offering decent value for consumers.

“The problem with Game Pass is the business model does not appear to work”, the research firm writes. “Comparing subscriber numbers is not necessarily fair because the services have significantly different prices.  However, what is clear is how well Nintendo’s subscription service works as an enhancement to the overall business model of selling hardware and software.  In contrast, Game Pass appears to be trying to be its own end where Xbox hardware sales are not important.”

“When one does the math, Game Pass is making probably three times the revenue Nintendo Switch Online currently generates and probably getting close to matching PlayStation+ revenue because it is priced higher.  However, Microsoft is giving away a lot to generate that revenue and it does not appear to be a sustainable long-term business model.”

The article then goes on to explain why DFC Intelligence believes that Nintendo Switch Online is compelling for both consumers and Nintendo as a company.

“The last part of giving away AAA first-party content is the kicker.  Nintendo’s online service includes extra content for Mario Kart 8 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.  However, these titles respectively sold 48 million and 40 million units at full retail price.  In other words, these two titles generated more revenue than a year of Game Pass.”

Nintendo’s Switch Online service is believed to work as an enhancement to Nintendo’s overall business model.

"The bottom line is that game subscription services seem to work well as a value-add proposition.  Nintendo has shown that with Nintendo Switch Online.  There are tens of millions of users that will pay $60+ for a game and a cheap mediocre online service.  Taking it to the level of a Game Pass requires not only significantly more expenditure but requires giving up a large established revenue stream."

Do you agree with the DFC? Is Microsoft’s business model sustainable in the long run and how about Sony’s and Nintendo’s? Hit the comments down below.

The post Xbox Game Pass Business Model Doesn’t Seem to Work While Nintendo’s Switch Online Does, Says DFC Intelligence by Aernout van de Velde appeared first on Wccftech.

After another bloodbath of an earnings report, chipmaker Intel COropration has decided to reduce salaries and cut down bonuses for its employees, the firm confirmed to Reuters late night yesterday. Intel's earnings saw the company miss Wall Street estimates and post a 28% annual drop for the quarter and a 16% drop for the full year. At its earnings call, the firm's chief executive officer (CEO), Mr. Patrick Gelsinger, admitted that Intel had slipped but reiterated that the company is taking the right steps to ensure that it will become a market leader once again.

Now, with revenues dropping and capital expenditure picking up, Intel has announced large pay cuts for several employee grades, with the highest cut of 25% being taken by Mr. Gelsinger himself.

Intel Eliminates Quarterly Bonuses, Pauses Annual Bonuses, Suspends Raises and Halves Pension Contributions

The report, initially broken by SemiAnalysis, reveals that the pay cuts are throughout most of Intel's employee grades. Intel has 14 job levels, with fresh college graduates starting in grade 3 to 4m graduate entry level workers starting in grades 5 to 6 and Ph.D. entry level workers starting at grade 7. The grade levels end at 13, and directors and senior vice presidents are ranked below this level.

According to the details from SemiAnalysis and corroborated by Reuters, employees in grades 7 to 11 will take a 5% basic pay cut, vice presidents will take a 10% pay cut, more senior executives will see their basic pay reduced by 15% and Intel's chief Patrick Gelsinger's compensation will be reduced by a quarter, or 25%. An Intel filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last year revealed that Mr. Gelsinger's base salary was $1.1 million in 2021, alongside a hiring bonus of $1.75 million.

At the same time, the executive also received a whopping $140 million in stock awards and another $29 million in options - with large portions of these also locked and only set to be awarded in case of upward share price performance.

Additionally, Intel has also paused annual bonuses for employees, removed quarterly bonuses and suspended merit pay raises. Additionally, the firm has halved its defined contribution payments to retirement plans from 5% to 2.5%.

An Intel spokesperson, in a statement made to Reuters, explained that:

changes are designed to impact our executive population more significantly and will help support the investments and overall workforce.

The ongoing economic crunch has also made Intel pause or eliminate non core strategic growth initiatives. These include slowing down equipment purchases, shutting down some facilities, and delaying the construction of new chipmaking facilities. At the same time, the firm is also building new facilities through which it aims to reenter the contract chip manufacturing industry and catch up to its Taiwanese rival, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

TSMC, which is the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, has rapidly caught up with Intel. Mr. Gelsinger admitted during his company's latest earnings call that Intel has fallen behind the Taiwanese firm, but promised that the American firm, credited by many to have invented the modern day transistor, will catch up next year.

Additionally, Intel also brought forward its manufacturing timeline for advanced technologies late last year, in a strong statement of intent from a firm that has failed to introduce new process nodes for years.

The post Intel Suspends Merit Bonuses, Cuts CEO’s $1.1 Million Paycheck By 25% by Ramish Zafar appeared first on Wccftech.

Intel’s Arc ambitions have been a dream for PC enthusiasts almost a decade in the making. While everyone realistically expected them to have teething issues in the start, the reality of the Arc launch was that a very capable silicon was combined with immature drivers that were unable to harness its true potential. In exactly what you would expect from a company dedicated to getting a piece of the GPU-market-pie, Intel has slowly but surely turned that story around. DX9 performance especially stuck out like a sore thumb on the Arc graphics and if this recent update is anything to go by – Intel has managed to completely turn that ship around.

You can download the new Intel Arc 4086/4091 driver over here.

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Not only has the company managed to improve the raw FPS number but also significantly improved the frame times as well. Here is what the company has managed to achieve in their new 4086 drivers (which should be packaged under the recently launched 4091 drivers) compared to the 3490 launch drivers:

• 1080p Avg FPS: Up to 77% improvement
• 1080p 99^th Percentile Normalized: Up to 114% improvement
• 1440p Avg FPS: Up to 87% improvement
• 1440p 99^th Percentile Normalized: Up to 123% improvement
• Aggregate DX9 FPS improvement: 43%
• Aggregate DX9 99^th Percentile improvement: 60%

It’s not just DX9 titles that are getting the love, DX11 and DX12 titles saw double digit performance improvement since launch too

Interestingly, it is not just DX9 titles that the company is improving. Titles such as Warframe – which are based on DX11 have seen up to a 57% increase since launch. Other DX11 titles that have seen significant performance increase includes Total War Warhammer III, Riders Republic and BeamNG Drive. DX11 and DX12 in general have seen roughly a 20% increase in aggregate since launch. These are truly fantastic driver-based performance uplifts and have provided a generational uplift through what is essentially software updates.

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Intel is also now boldly asking people to retest the Arc A750 GPU and is stating that their card now offers up to 52% better performance per dollar than the RTX 3060 which has an average selling price of roughly $391 as of January 26,2023. The Arc A750 at the new price point of $249 (and it is actually available at MSRP!) should now be a safe enough pick for people as it looks like Intel has solved most of the pain points at launch and closed most of the stability and performance gaps that were present. We are also sure that their performance is going to continue to increase over time and in a year, you are going to have a very mature driver stack that will be able to make the upcoming Battlemage very competitive.

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Intel has been very candid about the problems they were facing and considering this is the first commercial GPU they ever built, a lot of the problems require scope and breadth that can only be solved once you expose the product to the wider-public. It is good to see that Intel has no intention of treating Arc GPUs like abandonware and is burning the midnight oil in order to get consistent and reliable software updates to its early adopters. Kudos, Intel!

The post Intel’s New Arc GPU Driver Achieves Up To 87% Performance Uplift Since Launch, Aggregate 43% Improvement In DX9 Titles by Usman Pirzada appeared first on Wccftech.

Intel, struggling with a rapid drop in revenue and earnings, is cutting management pay across the company to cope with a shaky economy and to preserve cash for an ambitious turnaround plan. From a report: Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger is taking a 25% cut to his base salary, the chipmaker said Tuesday. His executive leadership team will see their pay packages decrease by 15%. Senior managers will take a 10% reduction and mid-level managers a 5% cut. Intel shares climbed 0.1% in premarket trading in New York Wednesday. The stock lost almost half its value last year. "As we continue to navigate macroeconomic headwinds and work to reduce costs across the company, we've made several adjustments to our 2023 employee compensation and rewards programs," Intel said in a statement. "These changes are designed to impact our executive population more significantly and will help support the investments and overall workforce needed to accelerate our transformation and achieve our long-term strategy." The move follows a gloomy outlook from Intel last week, when the company predicted one of the worst quarters in its more than 50-year history. Stiffer competition and a sharp slowdown in personal-computer demand has wiped out profits and eaten into Intel's cash reserves. At the same time, Gelsinger wants to invest in the company's future. He's two years into a turnaround effort aimed at restoring Intel's technological leadership in the $580 billion chip industry.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

As we reflect on 2022, we’ve seen that malicious actors are constantly coming up with new ways to weaponize technologies at scale to cause more disruption and devastation.

The dangers are showing up everywhere – and more frequently. The volume and variety of threats, including Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) and novel attacks on previously less conventional targets, are of particular concern to CIOs and CISOs.

Increasingly, cybercrime is big business run by highly organized groups rather than individuals. Much like the mythological hydra, cutting off the head of one of these organizations (i.e. just stopping a few low level operators in their tracks) isn’t going to solve the problem; the key is to disrupt the networks themselves. That’s a tall order – one that’s going to require widespread collaboration.

Cybercrime networks and Cybercrime-as-a-Service

We anticipated that in 2022 there would be an increase in pre-attack reconnaissance and weaponization among attackers. This would open the door for the growth of Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS) to accelerate even faster.

That prediction of cybercrime proved to be accurate. The FortiGuard Labs team documented 10,666 new ransomware variations in the first half 2022 compared to just 5,400 in the second half of 2021. That’s an almost 100% increase in the number of new ransomware variants found. The rise in popularity of RaaS on the dark web is the main cause of this sudden increase of new ransomware strains.

RaaS is mostly to blame for the explosive growth in ransomware variants, and ransomware payments are also rising. U.S. financial institutions spent close to $1.2 billion on likely ransomware payments in 2021, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the U.S. Treasury. That was more than double the prior year, and if that trend continues, results from 2022 will be even higher.

Our current predictions indicate that the CaaS market will grow dramatically through 2023 and beyond, with threat actors soon being able to subscribe to new exploits, services and structured programs.

We’re also predicting that threat actors will soon have access to more readymade, “as a service” products. This means even more cybercriminals of all levels will be able to launch more complex attacks without first devoting time and money to creating their own strategy. Additionally, producing and offering “aaS” attack portfolios is a straightforward, efficient, and repeatable way for seasoned hackers to make money, meaning the business model pays. Prepare yourself for an enhanced CaaS catalog to appear in 2023 and beyond as a result.

Collaboration is key

It can’t be emphasized enough: the key to disrupting cybercrime networks is collaboration across the private and public sector. One illustration is what the World Economic Forum’s Partnership Against Cybercrime is doing (PAC). In response to the pandemic’s unparalleled and exponential development in cybercriminal activity, PAC has concentrated on fusing the digital know-how and data of the business sector with the threat information of the government sector to help disrupt cybercrime ecosystems.

It will be simpler to overcome the restrictions that protect hackers if a worldwide strategy and coordinated effort are used to remove communication barriers. It is everyone’s duty to disrupt bad actors and destroy the attack infrastructure, and this calls for solid, reliable partnerships with other organizations. Cybercriminals run their operations like businesses; therefore, the more we can make them rebuild, change their strategies, and start over, the better off digital assets will be.

Not only do we want to stop attacks from happening, but we also want to take down cybercriminals and make them modify how they operate, which costs them effort, time and resources. Sharing actionable threat intelligence among organizations and influencing how cyberthreat mitigation will be done in the future are crucial.

Private-public collaboration in practice  

An example of how this kind of collaboration can be used to disrupt cybercrime networks is the recent African Cyber Surge Operation. The collaboration between INTERPOL, FortiGuard Labs and other INTERPOL private partners resulted in the successful Cyber Surge operation and the dissemination of intel to several law enforcement organizations in the Africa region.

Partners such as FortiGuard Labs offered actionable threat intelligence based on infrastructure research of malware, botnets and command and control (C2), including C2 and malware victims across Africa. The Africa Cyber Surge Operation, which began in July 2022, has brought together law enforcement (LE) officers from 27 nations. They collaborated for almost four months on actionable intelligence provided by INTERPOL private partners.

Through a coordinated effort between INTERPOL, AFRIPOL and the participating nations, this operation targeted both cybercriminals and compromised network infrastructure in Africa. Member nations were able to identify more than 1,000 malicious IP addresses, dark web marketplaces and specific attackers.

The Africa Cyber Surge Operation is a great example of how joint operations and sharing threat intelligence on threat actors among reliable partners can increase an entire region’s cyber resilience. It also demonstrates the need of cybersecurity education and training in bridging the cyberskills gap and effectively combating cybercrime on a large scale.

Collaboration is the key

No one combatting cybercrime knows everything, but everyone in the battle has some intelligence to contribute to the larger knowledge base. Just as cybercrime networks are getting stronger and larger, so too must collaborative strategies between private companies and law enforcement agencies. Disrupting cybercrime networks is going to take collaboration on a large scale.

The post Stop, Collaborate and Listen: Disrupting Cybercrime Networks Requires Private-Public Cooperation and Information Sharing appeared first on SecurityWeek.

A new attack campaign has been targeting the gaming and gambling sectors since at least September 2022, just as the ICE London 2023 gaming industry trade fair event is scheduled to kick off next week. Israeli cybersecurity company Security Joes is tracking the activity cluster under the name Ice Breaker, stating the intrusions employ clever social engineering tactics to deploy a JavaScript

As if we needed another reason to be excited for "Scream VI." A recently released trailer for the slasher sequel features a Ghostface shrine, a shotgun-wielding killer, and a crowded subway reminiscent of the brilliant opening scene in "Scream 2." Fans also got their first glimpse of returning fan-favorite Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere). The high school horror fan was last seen bleeding from stab wounds administered by the second killer in the criminally underappreciated "Scream 4." Audiences won over by the whip-smart young woman who's not afraid to call out gatekeeping film bros have long held onto the hope that she somehow survived this vicious attack and will someday return to the franchise. It seems we've gotten our wish and news that Kirby lives quickly spread through the horror community. She now joins an elite group of survivors who have faced the infamous Ghostface and lived to tell the tale.

Though Kirby's resurrection is exciting, she's far from the first character to return to a horror franchise. Recent years have seen a trend of legendary final girls such as Laurie Strode (Jaime Lee Curtis) and Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouéré) appearing in sequels to the films that made them icons. Scream (2022) featured the long-awaited return of beloved survivor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), and Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) will be back in the upcoming sequel. With all the excitement surrounding these homecomings, it's only natural to hope that more of our favorite characters will follow suit. To manifest these returns, we've compiled a list of fan-favorite characters we would love to see revisit the horror franchises in which they first won our hearts.

Ash Williams — The Evil Dead

"Scream" is not the only high-profile sequel dropping this year. Soon after Ghostface heads to New York, Los Angeles will see the return of the Deadites in the long-awaited "Evil Dead Rise." Abandoning the cabin in the woods for a decidedly urban setting, Lee Cronin's film will follow two sisters who find the infamous "Book of the Dead" in the basement of a cramped apartment building. The story will be entirely new, centering on the ancient book rather than returning characters. However, any mention of "The Evil Dead" always leads to one question: Will we see the return of the franchise's most famous star?

Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is the face of "The Evil Dead" franchise and one of the genre's most beloved characters. The antihero with a chainsaw for a hand has appeared in three "Evil Dead" films (and in a cameo in Fede Alvarez's blood-soaked remake) and three seasons of the Starz series "Ash vs Evil Dead." Having officially retired from the character, Campbell will not appear as his famous alter ego. However, he is serving as an executive producer along with creator Sam Raimi, and sound effects from the previous movies (and Campbell's voice) will ensure Ash has a presence in the story. With Campbell's habit of whimsical cameos, we can still hope that the actor and his famous chin will make an appearance as another character, perhaps a tenant in the ill-fated building or an early victim of the malevolent Deadites.

Ted Bowen — Friday The 13th

Of all the characters in the "Friday the 13th" franchise's many chapters, Ted (Stu Charno) might be the luckiest. In "Friday the 13th Part 2," the redheaded prankster makes waves at Camp Crystal Lake with a spear and a well-timed jump from the shadows to punctuate a campfire tale about the legend of Jason (Warrington Gillette). On the titular night, Ted goes to a bar with a few of his fellow counselors. He drinks heavily and stays out all night. Luckily, this leaves him miles away when Jason attacks the camp and massacres everyone but the intrepid Ginny (Amy Steel).

Given this miraculous escape, it would be wonderful to see Ted return for a future installment. After a protracted legal battle, the first new franchise property, a prequel series called "Crystal Lake," is headed to Peacock in the near future. Set before the events of the original film, the story will likely not include Ted, but he could pop up in a future film release. As for Charno, he has a few ideas about the end of Ted's night all those years ago. When asked what happened to this most fortunate character, Charno told Midnight Spookhouse, "I think I'm not alone when I say that dear waitress and I were made for each other ... She didn't want the bar to fall down on me, and I was collecting empties ... True love..." Perhaps a series further along in the timeline could feature this happy couple owning the bar and warning counselors away from the dangerous campground.

Alex Browning — Final Destination

Despite its outlandish premise, the "Final Destination" franchise has become one of the most popular to emerge from the teen horror cycle of the late '90s. Each of the five films begins with a character predicting and surviving a deadly disaster, then attempting to outwit Death as the mysterious force circles back around to clean up its unfinished business. Few characters survive the films, leaving little chance for repeat performances. However, fans of the nail-biting series have been clamoring for the return of Alex Browning (Devon Sawa), who saves a small group of his fellow students from an exploding plane in "Final Destination." Though he survives the first film, Alex does not appear in the sequel. When Sawa declined to reprise his role, the script was rewritten to explain his death before the events of the second film (he becomes a victim of a brick falling randomly from the sky).

Sawa is reluctant to revisit this iconic character but has recently expressed interest in returning to the franchise because of the success of the new "Halloween" trilogy, which features the return of Jaime Lee Curtis. A new film could serve as a direct sequel to the original, with Alex still alive. Or maybe, Alex faked his demise, providing a new tactic against Death's Design, allowing the four popular sequels to remain canon.

'Evil' Ed Thompson — Fright Night

Before Kirby and her predecessor, Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), there was "Evil" Ed Thompson (Stephen Geoffreys) from "Fright Night." The lovably geeky high school student is so entrenched in horror and the occult that he's known by the sinister nickname "Evil." His in-depth knowledge of monsters is a blessing for his friend Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale), who believes a vampire has moved into the spooky house next door. Simply humoring Charlie at first, Ed is eventually turned into a vampire himself and terrorizes his former friends. He suffers a horrifying death when he's staked in the heart while taking the form of a wolf. He slowly dies, and his body reverts to its human form as famed vampire killer Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) watches in horror. Fortunately, the film's final scene gives us hope for Ed's survival. A pair of glowing red eyes appear in the darkness outside Charlie's window, and we hear Evil's distinct laugh, followed by what has come to be the film's catchphrase: "Oh, you're so cool, Brewster!"

Stephen Goeffreys declined to return for the film's sequel, opting instead to star in Robert Englund's directorial debut, "976-EVIL." He is also absent from the delightful 2011 remake, though the film does feature a cameo from the original vampire, Chris Sarandon. There are currently no plans for another remake or continuation of the story, but if one is ever announced, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for Evil Ed's return.

Mike Norris — Child's Play

Chris Sarandon is known in the horror world as the voice of Jack Skelington and for portraying Jerry Dandridge, the vampire in the '80s cult favorite "Fright Night," but he has another genre feather in his cap. As Detective Mike Norris in the original "Child's Play," he has the dubious honor of killing serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) and becoming the first to investigate the killer doll known as Chucky. Norris is last seen at the end of the original film, stabbed in the leg and dealing with a concussion. Though Mike is mentioned in a few of the subsequent films, Sarandon never reprised his role as the detective who kick-started the events of the franchise.

Now may be the perfect time for Mike to come back. The new series "Chucky" has been a massive hit for SYFY and features the return of Jennifer Tilly as Chucky's murderous girlfriend, Tiffany. Season 1 concludes with the jaw-dropping revelation that she turned ratted Chucky out to the cops all those years ago, triggering a flashback in which a young version of the character specifically mentions Mike Norris. Series and franchise creator Don Mancini has not mentioned Sarandon by name, but the show is filled with easter eggs, and stunt casting could be in store for future seasons. Mancini told Bloody Disgusting, "I love those characters, and you probably haven't seen the last of them. Stay tuned." Fans of the handsome detective will be doing just that.

Brenda Bates — Urban Legend

With a few notable exceptions, the horror genre is not known for its female killers. In "Urban Legend," Rebecca Gayheart stars as Brenda Bates, a student at Pendleton University whose friends are targeted by a killer who styles their murders after various urban legends. The film's climax reveals Brenda to be the killer. She details her motives in a delightfully unhinged monologue that includes artfully smudged eyeliner, a slide projector, and a room full of candles. After an extensive chase, Brenda is thrown through a car's windshield, off a bridge, and into the rainy river below. Assuming Brenda is dead, final girl Natalie (Alicia Witt), presumably, moves on with her life and puts the horrific killing spree behind her. However, the last scene reveals Brenda (now with straightened hair) telling her version of the story to a new group of students at another university. She makes a brief appearance as a passing nurse in the sequel "Urban Legend: Final Cut," but otherwise, her fate remains unknown.

A reboot of the stylish franchise was announced in 2020, with Colin Minihan set to direct what he describes as "an iconic new slasher for the digital age in a world where internet urban legends are born and move at a terrifying pace." This new film would feature a different cast of characters falling victim to modern legends born on social media. Plans for this exciting reboot fell through but will, hopefully, be revived with the return of our favorite female killer.

Max — A Nightmare On Elm Street

"A Nightmare on Elm Street '' is one of the most beloved horror franchises of all time, but its reboot carries a different distinction. The 2010 film is often listed among the worst horror remakes of all time. Despite this dubious honor, many filmmakers would love to challenge themselves with a new iteration of the classic story. With the rights to the franchise recently reverting to Wes Craven's estate, now might just be the perfect time to relaunch the dreamy franchise. Elijah Wood has expressed interest in taking a stab at the beloved film series, and original star Heather Langenkamp would love to reprise her role as Nancy Thompson. Remaking one of the most popular films in the "A Nightmare on Elm Street'' series, "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors," would allow for the return of not only Nancy but another beloved survivor.

Max (Laurence Fishburne) is an orderly at the Westin Hills Psychiatric Hospital, treating a group of teenagers with a curious sleep disorder. Dedicated to protecting the children, Max bars Nancy from the facility's quiet room but gives her five minutes to say goodbye to her patients, allowing her to lead the group in a final assault against Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). A future reboot could see Max in charge of the institute, trying to help teens still tormented by the killer. Fishburne declined to participate in the recent "Matrix" reboot, but having never encountered Freddy in the franchise, his head-to-head battle with the iconic villain could be a tempting challenge for the actor.

Lance Bishop — Aliens

"Aliens" is widely considered one of the best horror movie sequels of all time. In addition to the Alien Queen, the bombastic film is known for introducing fan-favorite character Lance Bishop (Lance Henriksen). The kind and compassionate synthetic crew member is a far cry from his malevolent android predecessor, Ash (Ian Holm), and earnestly tries to help Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) escape the ruined colony on LV-426 — regardless of what will happen to the valuable alien specimen. Bishop is ripped in half during a showdown with the massive Queen, but Ripley salvages his parts. Bishop is further damaged in a crash-landing, and Ripley reactivates him for information stored in his memory system. She complies when he begs to be turned off for good. This may have been the last time we've seen the loveable robot, but Henrickson has appeared in several other "Alien" films and voiced characters in the adjacent game series.

A planned sequel, helmed by Neil Blomkamp, would have featured Ripley and Bishop, though it's unclear if a script was ever completed. Disney's acquisition of the rights to the franchise generated newfound interest, and there appear to be two adaptations in development. Fede Alvarez is set to begin filming "Alien: Romulus" in 2023, and Noah Hawley is currently in pre-production on an "Alien" series for FX. Neither has announced Henrickson's involvement, but as Bishop is an ageless android and there are different versions of his model potentially scattered throughout the galaxy, the possibility remains that our favorite synthetic will soon be reactivated.

Ellie Creed — Pet Sematary

Legendary author Stephen King has a knack for writing young characters, and he often revisits them once they've reached adulthood. "It" follows the Losers' Club as both children and adults, and his 2013 novel, "Doctor Sleep," catches up with Danny Torrance decades after he escaped the sinister Overlook Hotel. However, a child from one of his most famous novels remains a mystery. Ellie is the eldest child of the Creed family and the sole survivor of the terrifying novel "Pet Sematary." When her toddler brother, Gage ( is struck and killed by a truck, she is sent to her grandparents' house in Chicago while her father buries his body in the Micmac burial ground, sparking a horrific cycle of death and resurrection that kills her parents as well.

Mary Lambert, director of the original "Pet Sematary," had planned to base her sequel on an adult, Ellie returning to Maine to find out what happened to her parents. King has speculated that "Ellie Creed [is] alive and well, raised by adoptive parents, but still has nightmares ..." A prequel series to the 2019 film has been announced, but details about the production are sparse. Ellie is a child during the events of the original story, and a prequel would likely take place before her birth, but hopefully, the success of a new series would spark interest in an additional sequel. For now, Constant Readers will have to keep our fingers crossed that we will one day learn what became of the young girl with the frightening cat.

Courtney Bates — The Slumber Party Massacre

When it comes to cult horror favorites, few are as beloved as "The Slumber Party Massacre." A feminist slasher through and through, the story follows a group of teenage girls as they fight for survival when their slumber party is attacked by the notorious driller killer. One of the film's few survivors is Courtney (Jennifer Meyers), who observes the soirée from across the street. Though she has a limited role in the first film, she wins over the audience with her sassy wit and fondness for Playgirl Magazine. Courtney, now played by Crystal Bernard, returns as the star of the film's sequel, a musical version of the story in which she and her bandmates are attacked at their slumber party by the killer, who, this time, carries a drill-equipped electric guitar. Though she survives the film, her mental health may not. She's last seen in a psychiatric ward, under attack by her murderous rival, who may be a figment of her imagination.

In 2021, the story was updated in a brilliant satire by Danishka Esterhazy and Suzanne Keilly, which received a rare 100-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Keilly's script reimagines the story for a new group of young women who travel to a remote cabin, where their slumber party is crashed by the killer with the power tool. There are currently no plans for another film, but if one were to arise, it could only benefit from the sassy and empowered young woman with direct experience fighting the misogynistic killer.

Leslie Vernon— Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon

"Scream" may be the pinnacle of meta-horror, but another lesser-known gem lovingly skewers the slasher subgenre from a different angle. "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" is a mockumentary in which a film crew follows would-be killer Leslie Vernon as he plans the slasher movie-style slaughter of a group of teenagers. This clever film lovingly pokes fun at the trappings of the genre from the killer's perspective as Leslie explains his every move. From the necessity of cardio to flyby harassment of a future victim, Leslie systematically deconstructs the slasher formula with frequent nods to the horror scholar Carol J. Clover.

Played by the charismatic Nathan Baesel, Leslie is an intensely likable killer. He's so charming that our hearts break when we realize he actually plans to follow through with his murderous plans. Baesel's performance is the main reason this indie film has achieved cult status, and fans have asked for a sequel since the original's 2006 release. Creators Scott Glosserman and David Stieve reportedly fleshed out a new story but were never able to raise sufficient funding to begin production. A six-issue comic series was released in 2017, with more of the scythe-wielding killer's horrific story. There are currently no plans to begin production on a sequel. Baesel revisited the character during the COVID lockdown and hopes that innovations in filmmaking may allow for a leaner production. For now, the talented actor and teacher is flattered by the continued interest in the film.

Randy Rosen — Paranormal Activity

The "Paranormal Activity" franchise is one of the most fascinating in horror and the rare series that seems to get better with its sequels. The third film takes us back to the '80s and follows Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown) as children when they first encounter the demonic spirit that will torment them in adulthood. In addition to an inventive oscillating camcorder, "Paranormal Activity 3" also features one of the franchise's most fascinating survivors. Randy Rosen (Dustin Ingram) is a videographer and family friend who becomes fascinated by the mysterious entity caught on video.

One of the film's most terrifying sequences sees Randy play an ill-advised game of Bloody Mary with Katie while her mother is away. They don't see the fabled specter appear in the mirror behind them, but they do receive a visit from the demonic presence. The invisible entity scratches Randy and traps them in the bathroom while ransacking the girls' bedroom. Randy earns major points from the audience by calming and protecting Katie but abruptly quits his job and leaves the house once Katie's mother returns. The original script saw the demon follow Randy and kill him in another location, but his death was never filmed. The series diverges after the original trilogy, and fans have divided views on the quality of its subsequent sequels. Randy remains a wildcard in the canon, and a film following his investigation into his friends' death could help bring the "Paranormal Activity" series back to its roots.

Stu Macher — Scream

While Kirby's return is thrilling, there's another character fans of the "Scream" franchise would love to see again: Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard). Stu is the second killer in the original "Scream" and was last seen crushed under a TV dropped on his head by his intended victim, Sidney Prescott. Rumors have long persisted that Stu did not die in this attack, and Lillard has confirmed that he was supposed to be the killer in the third film, compelling high school students to continue his murderous games from behind bars. This plan was scrapped after the Columbine Shooting for fear that it would feel too similar to the real-life tragedy.

Although Stu has never returned, Lillard has had a presence in all five films, from background extra to distorted voice recording. Perhaps he will pop up in the sixth film in disguise or hiding in plain sight on one of the crowded city streets. "Scream" (2022) introduced a ghost version of Stu's original partner in crime, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), so it's possible that a ghostly version of Stu could appear as well. Lillard has been coy about his involvement, saying, "I am not in it. Unless of course I'm totally in it and I'm lying to your face." With this closely guarded secret, "Scream" fans will have to wait and see if the charming killer will grace the screen again.

Read this next: Horror Movies That Make Us Root For The Villain

The post Classic horror characters we'd love to see return to their franchises appeared first on /Film.

Rockstar has released a brand new security-focused update for the PC version of Grand Theft Auto 5. In addition, the company revealed its complete changelog which you can find below. According to the team, the February 1st PC Patch implements a new data protocol in GTA Online to improve the security of network sessions and … Continue reading Grand Theft Auto 5 gets a security-focused update on PC →

The post Grand Theft Auto 5 gets a security-focused update on PC appeared first on DSOGaming.

The digital supply chain is probably more extensive and more complicated than you realize. Upward of 98% of organizations have a relationship with at least one third party that has experienced a breach in the last two years – and these figures are almost certainly no exaggeration.

The figures come from a report by SecurityScorecard. More than 230,000 organizations were examined to discover their relationships with third parties. Third parties were investigated to examine fourth parties (on which the third parties depend before delivering services to the first party). The expansion of relationships grows so rapidly that it makes six degrees of separation likely to be a conservative estimation.

From the figures: 98% of organizations have a relationship with a third party that has been breached, while more than 50% have an indirect relationship with more than 200 fourth parties that have been breached. These figures do not suggest that the first parties have been breached, but they do indicate the extent of risk exposure via the supply chain.

It is worth reflecting on the term ‘breach’. Some commentators include data exposure within the term – so an organization with an unsecured cloud database is described as breached. This is not how SecurityScorecard uses the term in this report. 

“We define a breach as any incident where parties gain unauthorized access to computer data, applications, networks, or devices,” Mike Woodward, VP data quality and trust at SecurityScorecard, told SecurityWeek. “The parties could be intruding threat actors who bypass or penetrate security mechanisms from the internet, or they could be organization insiders who abuse their privileged access to data and resources.”

Knowledge of a breach comes from public knowledge: from government disclosures and press reports. “Every day, we scan multiple sources, including government websites and press reports, for reports of breaches. We’re careful about the sources we will accept, and we point back to our source so our users can check for themselves,” he continued.

Of course, not all organizations disclose that they have been breached, and not all organizations even know they have been breached. So, the effect of this methodology means SecurityScorecard’s statement that ‘98% of organizations have a relationship with a third (or fourth) party that has been breached’ can only be the most conservative of estimates.

“SecurityScorecard’s data demonstrates why managing cyber risk across the digital supply chain is absolutely critical as threat actors work to exploit any vulnerabilities an organization may have. Identifying and continuously monitoring all partners and customers within the digital supply chain is key to staying ahead of any potential risk,” comments Wade Baker, partner and co-founder at The Cyentia Institute (a data-driven cybersecurity research group). 

“By having full visibility into the security posture of their third and fourth parties, organizations can work with their vendors to address any cybersecurity gaps they may have in their infrastructure and, in turn, reduce their own level of cyber risk.”

The report highlights which sectors have the highest number of third party relationships, notes that more secure first parties still have relationships with the less secure third parties, points out that third parties are 5x more likely to exhibit poor security, and even enumerates the number of companies that have relationships with foreign organizations.

“Seven percent of firms have relationships with vendors in only their home country (no foreign ties),” states the report. “About 59% of organizations have connections to five or fewer countries, and roughly 14% have vendors spanning 10 or more countries.” This doesn’t necessarily increase or decrease cyber risk, but it highlights a potentially overlooked complication: compliance with international laws, security requirements, and other geopolitical issues.

The overriding conclusion of the report is that no firm can afford to be insular about its cybersecurity. It must have visibility into its own digital ecosystem, but also similar visibility into the security of its suppliers – including, perhaps, the fourth party suppliers. And if that visibility is unavailable, maybe the risk of a relationship is too great.

Related: OpenVEX Spec Adds Clarity to Supply Chain Vulnerability Warnings

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Remember when Netflix said that the true meaning of love was sharing the password to your streaming account? Well, that love is officially dead, because the streamer has announced its plans to crack down on password-sharing. In new policies currently in the testing phase, Netflix hopes to prevent widespread password-sharing by mandating that each device with a specific login be connected to the same WiFi network at least once every month. This network will be considered the primary network for every account and profile, and those that do not connect through this network will be forced to sign up for an individual account.

"When a device outside of your household signs in to an account or is used persistently," says the streamer's help center, "we may ask you to verify that device before it can be used to watch Netflix or switch your Netflix household."

If you are traveling and are not connected to your primary network, you can request a code that will grant one device seven days of usage outside of your household. However, it's unclear how often you'd be able to do this, as the streamer also warns that it detects household devices through "IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity from devices signed into the Netflix account."

A Misguided And Impractical Idea

If you're reading all of this information and are shaking your head, then good. Netflix hasn't been shy about wanting to crack down on password sharing, but these tactics seem egregious and tedious for no reason. When I was in college, I frequently used my parents' Netflix account, and even now, some members of my extended family have profiles under it. We pay for the top subscription model every month, so why is it a problem that not all of us are living under one roof? This is a question that many people online are starting to ask, and it seems completely fair.

The worst part about this is that Netflix could be shooting itself in the foot with this decision. Many of the records that the platform holds for its viewership could dwindle if they insist that everyone using the platform poney up for hefty subscription fees. Sure, there are multiple subscription tiers, but they all have drawbacks that only serve to make the most expensive tier (Premium at $19.99 per month) the "best" possible option. It could only make viewers drive away from the service, thus making viewership records held by projects like "Stranger Things" and "Wednesday" feel less impressive.

It is unknown when these policies will go into effect worldwide. However, we hope that Netflix considers reversing them soon, as the cons drastically outweigh the pros.

Read this next: The Best TV Shows Of 2022, Ranked

The post Here's How Netflix Will Try to Keep You From Sharing The Password To Your Account appeared first on /Film.

The brain has been hiding inside a fossil fish skull and it's now revealing secrets of animal evolution.

An anonymous reader shares a report: As the PC industry flounders, Intel suffered from such disastrous sales last quarter that it instituted pay cuts and other extreme measures going forward. AMD's client PC sales also dropped dramatically -- a whopping 51 percent year-over-year -- but the company managed to eke out a small profit despite the sky falling. So why aren't CPU and GPU prices falling too? In a call with investors Tuesday night, CEO Lisa Su confirmed that AMD has been "undershipping" chips for a while now to balance supply and demand (read: keep prices up). "We have been undershipping the sell-through or consumption for the last two quarters," Su said, as spotted by PC Gamer. "We undershipped in Q3, we undershipped in Q4. We will undership, to a lesser extent, in Q1." With the pandemic winding down and inflation ramping up, far fewer people are buying CPUs, GPUs, and PCs. It's a hard, sudden reverse from just months ago, when companies like Nvidia and AMD were churning out graphic cards as quickly as possible to keep up with booming demand from cryptocurrency miners and PC gamers alike. Now that GPU mining is dead, shelves are brimming with unsold chips. Despite the painfully high price tags of new next-gen GPUs, last-gen GeForce RTX 30-series and Radeon RX 6000-series graphics cards are still selling for very high prices considering their two-year-old status. Strategic under-shipping helps companies maintain higher prices for their wares.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Bill Lawrence's new comedy series "Shrinking," starring Jason Segel as a therapist who throws out the rule book after his wife dies, has been received fairly well so far. It helps that Harrison Ford's in it and seemingly having the time of his life, and that Lawrence has had plenty of experience writing shows that cover dark subject matter. His other ongoing show, "Ted Lasso," goes to some incredibly heartbreaking, depressing places; some characters have abusive fathers, some characters are dealing with the untimely death of a parent, and at one point Coach Beard looks like he's just a few seconds away from getting murdered. Despite that, "Lasso" maintains its reputation as an aggressively nice, heartwarming series.

Lawrence's original idea for "Shrinking," however, was even darker than the premise we have now, inspired by something that happened to his neighbor. As he explained to The Hollywood Reporter:

"My neighbor, who's this great dad, had been on vacation, and ... this is really bleak ... his parents, one of his children and his wife were in one car and he was in another car with his daughter, and there was an accident, and [those in the other car] passed away. He's remarried now and has a new kid, but I remember pitching this idea back then and it being received with, 'Dude, you're a comedy writer, you can't do s*** like this. This stuff's bleak.'"

Although this initial premise was shut down, the basic concept of an untimely tragedy still stuck around as the foundation for the show. You might think the higher ups at Apple TV+ would balk at such a bleak concept for a comedy series, but Lawrence has been balancing tragedy with comedy in his writing for decades now. I mean, just look at "Scrubs."

Remember How Dark Scrubs Got?

Over 20 years before "Shrinking" premiered, the first season of "Scrubs" hit the small screen, and Bill Lawrence proved that the line between tragedy and comedy was very thin, and remarkably easy for him to walk. The first episode featured JD (Zach Braff) dealing with the death of a patient, and things only got heavier from there. Basically every main character eventually had to deal with the death of a close friend, family member, or of a particularly-beloved patient, and all the relationship drama went way harder than the usual sitcom. When Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes) went through early marital struggles, at times it felt genuinely uncertain whether their marriage would survive.

And yet, it was also one of the funniest shows on TV, and sometimes the funniest episodes and the saddest episodes were one and the same. Season 6's "My Long Goodbye," which follows Carla as she struggles to cope with her good friend Laverne's untimely death, features some of the funniest jokes in the whole series, without ever undermining the tone. The fantasy sequences have always been used as a fun escape from reality, so they're especially welcome in the episodes where the reality of the situation is too much to bear.

Since "Scrubs" ended after eight (and only eight) seasons, the popularity of TV shows that thread the line between comedy and drama has only grown. The premise of "Shrinking" still feels like a risk, but with the popularity of shows like "Bojack Horseman," "The Bear," and "Barry" — all of which go to some bleak places despite being technically comedies — the so-far success of "Shrinking" makes perfect sense.

"Shrinking" is streaming on Apple TV+.

Read this next: 12 Underrated Sitcoms That You Should Check Out

The post Bill Lawrence's Original Pitch For Shrinking Was Shut Down For Being Too 'Bleak' appeared first on /Film.

John Wayne once described himself as "just the paint for the palettes" of directors like John Ford and Howard Hawks, the filmmakers who steered him in films such as "Stagecoach" and "Red River." Such modesty was characteristic of "The Duke," whom Orson Welles described as one of the best-mannered actors in Hollywood. Yet Wayne was doing himself a disservice, for while he did benefit from the tutelage of two great filmmakers, he also worked long and hard to create the persona of "John Wayne," a figure with a distinctive gait, an easy drawl, and tough morality.

To explore the career of John Wayne is to explore five decades of Hollywood history. Wayne acted opposite everyone from Barbara Stanwyck and Maureen O'Hara to Henry Fonda, James Stewart, and Kirk Douglas. The list of directors he worked with is just as impressive, too.

So, where does one start with John Wayne, both the complicated man and the cultural construct? Here are 27 films that trace the good — and some of the bad — of one of America's most enduring icons.

The Horse Soldiers

"The Horse Soldiers," a Civil War drama, pitches John Wayne against one of my favorite actors of the era, William Holden. Such a pairing is interesting at face value, but their characters share a dynamic that makes the match up even more compelling. Wayne plays Colonel John Marlowe, a hard-nosed Union soldier with a clear sense of what's right for his men. However, Holden's Major Henry Kendall, a doctor conflicted by his medical and military oaths, has no such certainty. Naturally, these sensibilities cause conflict; first, the two men trade terse words, and later punches. 

"The Horse Soldiers" is a middling entry in Wayne's career, but the production is notable for several reasons. For the film, Wayne and Holden earned $775,000 each and 20% of the box office, which was an extremely lucrative deal by the standards of the late 1950s. Another anomaly is the death of stuntman Fred Kennedy, who was killed when he fell from a horse and broke his neck. John Ford knew Kennedy for years, and was so devastated by his death that he lost all interest in the production.

McQ

In the closing months of the 1960s, high on the success of "True Grit," John Wayne turned down the lead role in "Dirty Harry," a film and a character that would become a pillar of Clint Eastwood's career. The Duke lived to regret his decision and, joining a wave of imitators, accepted the lead in "McQ," a stodgy police procedural about drugs, corruption, and a mean anti-hero cop called Lon "McQ" McHugh.

Several measures are taken to spice up McQ's anti-hero credentials. First is the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, which Wayne never looks right in. That McQ would drive something American made is unquestionable, but I think he would have chosen something better suited to his age and padded stature. Something leisurely like a Lincoln, Cadillac, or Oldsmobile.

The other, more successful anti-hero measure is the Ingram MAC-10 submachine gun, which is Lon McQ's answer to the .44 Magnum revolver. The Duke's porky fingers are a better fit on the trigger than the Trans Am steering wheel, but the gunplay does not save "McQ" from being a bit of a damp squib.

Hondo

Wayne gives another easygoing turn in "Hondo," a short film about homesteading and conflict. The latter may seem the better fit for a John Wayne vehicle, but it is actually the homesteading that charges the appeal of John Farrow's late career feature.

The 84-minute film establishes the main characters within the first ten minutes. Hondo (Wayne) and his dog Sam arrive at a homestead run by Angie (Geraldine Page) and her six year old son Johnny (Lee Aaker). You sense her fear but Hondo is another of Wayne's chivalrous gentlemen. It's a familiar and easy role, yet watching Angie fall for the Duke's amiable ruggedness makes for a watchable old fashioned romance.

A few years ago, back when the "thug life" meme was popular on social media, you may have seen a clip of John Wayne throwing a boy into a river as a very literal "sink or swim" approach to parenting. Well, that scene was taken from "Hondo," and it is a harsh but playful example of Wayne's no-nonsense philosophy.

The Long Voyage Home

"The Long Voyage Home" is about seafaring men during the early days of the Second World War. It may be a smaller title in the John Wayne and John Ford canon, but it is a very curious artifact for any student of film history.

One of the oddities is Wayne's performance as Olsen, a Swedish seaman. It was the actor's second leading role in a John Ford picture and it required the budding A-lister to drop his easy drawl and adopt a Swedish accent, which, as you can imagine, was executed with mixed results. I'm not sure what Swedes will make of it, but I think the Duke does an admirable job. His attempt relies on grammar rather than pronunciation — "I go home," "We live on farm" — but Wayne captures Olsen's youthful softness, which is an important part of the story's pathos.

Another notable element is cinematographer Gregg Toland, who implemented his deep focus technique on this film, something he'd replicate to industry-changing effect the following year in the immortal "Citizen Kane."

3 Godfathers

Another collaboration between John Wayne and John Ford, "3 Godfathers" is a western reimagining of the story of the Three Wise Men that exchanges Bethlehem for the Arizona desert (although anyone who has visited Zabriskie Point will notice that it was actually filmed in Death Valley, California). Riding through this vast milieu are criminals Bob (Wayne), Pete (Pedro Armendáriz), and William, who's better known as "The Abilene Kid" (Harry Carey Jr.). Arriving in Welcome, Arizona, the three men rob a bank and are chased out of town by Sheriff Buck Sweet (Ward Bond). Buck loses the outlaws, but not before shooting their water bag, leaving the trio dry in the desert.

Soon, Bob and his partners are caught in a struggle to survive. The scenery is classic Fordian beauty, but the film is honest about the danger of the oppressive landscape. Yet, even under this stress, the robbers prove their altruism when they find a pregnant woman dying in the back of a stranded stagecoach. After delivering the baby, the men become godfathers to the child and promise to get him to safety. "3 Godfathers" is another of Ford and Wayne's minor collaborations, but  it's still an adequate western with a benevolent, biblical heart.

The Sands Of Iwo Jima

John Wayne was keen to impress American troops during WW2. In 1943 and 1944, he toured Australia and the Pacific Islands, appearing before crowds of battle-hardened veterans, who jeered and booed the strapping young actor. Wayne may have been a star, but he had not reached the peak fame that would charm Vietnam troops two decades later. He was of fighting age, too, which can't have endeared him to his audience, no matter his excuses for deferment. Wayne's third wife, Pilar Pallette, wrote that accusations of draft dodging haunted the actor for the rest of his life, causing him to build a "super patriot" image to "atone for staying at home."

"The Sands of Iwo Jima" is an early example of Wayne's campaign to build an all-American screen persona. Wayne stars as John M. Stryker, a hard case sergeant tasked with whipping his men into shape before they storm the island of Iwo Jima. Wayne goes hard in the role, trying his best to embody the blood-and-guts toughness of George Patton and Douglas MacArthur. The troops of '43 and '44 may not have cared for Wayne, but the Academy nominated him for best actor in a leading role.

Brannigan

"Brannigan" is another of Wayne's "Dirty Harry"-inspired vehicles, but it learns from the mistakes of "McQ" by sticking to a simple formula: Wayne, a bad guy, and the streets of London. The location may be gimmicky, but these ingredients create what "McQ" should have been -- two hours of brawny, eye-winking fun. You know you're in for a good time during the gratuitously '70s credits sequence, which ogles a .38 special revolver while the soundtrack goes hard on rolling drums, brass instruments, and funky guitar chords that are, for want of a better term, all very "boom chicka wah-wah."

Now, "Brannigan" is not a shining example of the anti-hero cop genre, but it is a better time than it's given credit for. Much of that is down to the Duke, who plays it easy with a mix of machismo and playfulness, especially during a farcical pub brawl that's more Detective Frank Drebin than Inspector Harry Callahan. In addition, "Brannigan" doesn't miss an opportunity to make fun of the British, particularly their perceived arrogance and fussy manners, both of which are personified by Sir Charles Swann, a Scotland Yard commander played by a posh but plucky Richard Attenborough.

The Comancheros

"The Comancheros" is the penultimate film of director Michael Curtiz, one of the most prolific directors in cinematic history. His enormous filmography includes "Angels with Dirty Faces," the proverbial 1930s gangster flick; "The Adventures of Robin Hood," the swashbuckling Errol Flynn actioner; and "Casablanca," one of Hollywood's most celebrated films. "The Comancheros" hasn't endured like those three classics, but it is a robust farewell to the workmanlike director.

John Wayne stars in the film as Captain Jake Cutter, a Texas Ranger in 1843 who captures Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman), a fugitive wanted for the killing of a judge's son. Cutter transports Regret back to Louisiana until they run into the Comancheros, an outlaw gang who trade in weapons, liquor, and murder. It's effectively a buddy film in which men on opposite sides of the law must work together in the face of a greater adversary. In other words, it's "Midnight Run" with cowboy boots and spurs.

Big Jake

"Big Jake" premiered on May 26, 1971, John Wayne's 64th birthday. It was already his third western of the decade, and Wayne was so comfortable in felt cowboy hats that he must have known the genre by rote.

By this point, a mass of filmgoers had accused Wayne of playing the same character over and over again. The actor was fully aware of this, and mentioned it during an interview with Roger Ebert in 1969, reasoning that he played different characters in films such as "The Quiet Man" and "Yellow Ribbon." He also challenged his critics with an interesting comment on the qualities of movie stardom. "Thousands of good actors can carry a scene," Wayne said, "but a star has to carry the scene and still, without intruding, allow some of his character into it."

This point is relevant to "Big Jake." Everything about it is old hat, but through some combination of cadence, swagger, and legacy, John Wayne lifts a project that could have been thoroughly cut and paste. What is "Big Jake" about? Well, there's a hostage, a ransom, and a gunslinging posse hired to collect it. There's also a level of violence that is above that usually found in a John Wayne western, although still below that of Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah. Perhaps the most unique element of "Big Jake" is the appearance of Wayne's son, Patrick, who gives an angsty performance as Big Jake's first born.

The Sons Of Katie Elder

"The Sons of Katie Elder" is another western saga about land, feuds, and gunfights. The titular sons are John (Wayne), a notorious gunslinger; Tom (Dean Martin), a career gambler; Matt (Earl Holliman), a former shopkeeper; and Bud (Michael Anderson Jr.), an unruly student who wants to be like his siblings.

The brothers convene after the death of their mother, Katie Elder, an honorable matriarch beloved by all but the Hastings family, a cynical clan of gunsmiths who lay claim to the Elder ranch. They say that Bill, the Elder patriarch, lost the land during a game of blackjack, after which he was shot dead by an unknown killer. Smelling a rat, the Elder brothers investigate their father's death, leading them to an explosive confrontation with the Hastings men. It's a competent if unremarkable film with fair action scenes and a noticeably anxious turn from a young Dennis Hopper, who would become a counter-culture icon just four years later in "Easy Rider."

They Were Expendable

Released in December 1945, just three months after Japan's formal surrender, "They Were Expendable" takes audiences back to the Battle of the Philippines, which raged from December 8, 1941 to May 9, 1942 (via Britannica). This was a time long before Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the numerous other American victories in the Pacific war. It was a time when America, shaken by the attack on Pearl Harbor, surrendered to the advance of a swift, organized, and merciless enemy.

Dire though this context may be, the Japanese are not the only enemies in this surprisingly cynical war film. Lt. "Rusty" Ryan (John Wayne) must also contend with his complacent superiors, who dismiss his squadron's PT boats as weak and ineffective. Respect is granted only once their base falls under heavy attack, which is obviously too late.

Much of the film's driving force comes not from Wayne but from Robert Montgomery, who received top billing on the picture. Like Wayne's other roles prior to "Red River," he is an easygoing presence, particularly when contrasted with Montgomery's fiery turn.

Rio Bravo

"Rio Bravo" is a film with many admirers. The western is one of John Carpenter's five favorite films and Quentin Tarantino described it as "one of the greatest 'hang out' movies of all time." I'm happy for Carpenter and Tarantino, I really am. I hope that any new viewer will share their enthusiasm, too. But for me, the "towering" qualities of "Rio Bravo" are elusive.

Personally, I did not want to hang out with Sheriff Chance (John Wayne), Dude (Dean Martin), Colorado (Ricky Nelson), Feathers (Angie Dickinson), Carlos (Pedro Gonzales) and Stumpy (Walter Brennan). Indeed, I found their exchanges all rather strained. Dude is washed up and strung out, Carlos fizzes with neurotic panic, and Feathers flits between seduction and histrionics. I wasn't gripped by their purpose, either, which is to hole up, organize, and confront Nathan Burdette, a violent rancher. 

In case you were wondering, the similarities to "High Noon" here are intentional. Wayne and Hawks sought to counteract that film -- in which Gary Cooper must defend cowardly townsfolk alone -- by telling a story of kinship and crackpot defiance. The problem is the leisurely "hang out" pace. Both films hinge on an encroaching climactic shootout, but "High Noon" does so in real time, winding tension with much skill. "Rio Bravo," meanwhile, dilutes the prospect of conflict with about an hour of fraternizing. Still, personal reservations aside, "Rio Bravo" is an interesting landmark of the genre that must figure in any conversation about John Wayne.

The Searchers

I should get the other controversy out of the way. "The Searchers" is to John Ford what "Rio Bravo" is to Howard Hawks. It is a vaunted masterpiece that's hailed by some as not only the best film of John Wayne's career, but also the greatest example of the western genre (via AFI). Now, I like to go with the grain. I like to be engrossed by a film and connect with those who feel the same way, but "The Searchers" is another film that, while interesting, is less than the sum of its reputation.

Still, whatever you think of it, "The Searchers" is not just another mid-century western. The immediate distinction is Winton C. Hoch's painterly cinematography; the image of Wayne framed by the cabin doorway is the definitive moment of the actor's career. But what really elevates the film for many is the moral ambiguity of Ethan Edwards, John Wayne's darkest character. 

Prickly, spiteful, and bigoted, Edwards personifies the film's vision of the frontier, a place where conflict is not a matter of good and evil but a painful cycle of death and enmity. However, the word "idea" is salient, for while "The Searchers" is dark in theme, it's not dark in execution. It's dated PG fare that's toothless by comparison to "The Wild Bunch," "Soldier Blue," and numerous other revisionist westerns.

How The West Was Won

By the end of the 1950s, cinema was in trouble. Television had eroded the studios' monopoly on visual entertainment and executives were scrambling to find an edge. Their solution was to tell big stories on a huge, sweeping scale, resulting in a wave of epics such as "Ben Hur," "Spartacus," and "How the West was Won," the first narrative feature film to be presented on a curved Cinerama screen (via Britannica).

"How the West Was Won" followed a similar format to "The Longest Day," released just under a month prior on October 4, 1962. Both films employed three directors, with "West" boasting the strongest line-up: John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall. The national origin story is told in five chapters: "The Rivers," "The Plains," "The Civil War," "The Railroad," and "The Outlaws." John Wayne appears as General William Tecumseh Sherman in the Civil War section, delivering another of his gruff military performances.

"How the West Was Won" is the proverbial ensemble epic, so Wayne isn't afforded his usual star vehicle antics. However, the film is still an interesting piece of Hollywood mythmaking with gorgeous Technicolor visuals and a broadside of American A-list talent.

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" is a building block in the legacies of John Wayne and John Ford, mostly because of the scenery, which was captured on the Arizona-Utah border. It wasn't the first time that Ford had shot a film in Monument Valley, but it was the first time that he took cinematographer Winton C. Hoch to the awesome sandstone buttes. Hoch captures the landscape's sweeping vistas at all times of day, with the most arresting imagery coming at dusk, when the sky turns mauve and is streaked by an awesome yellow haze.

Hoch's camerawork made a big impression on the western genre, but "Yellow Ribbon" was also a personal, important film for John Wayne. Like in "Red River" the year before, Wayne played a character some 20 years his senior, which required him to depict all the complexities and vulnerabilities that come with that. The Duke called his work as Captain Brittles "the best acting job I've done ... It's about the only picture I've been in where I could play a character that was a little apart from the image that has developed for me over the years on the screen" (via John Wayne: The Life and Legend).

Red River

"Red River" is something of a watershed moment in Wayne's career. The actor had spent the nine years since "Stagecoach," his star-making film, building the robust but easygoing persona that he'd use for the rest of his career. However, the character of Thomas Dunson introduced viewers to a new, darker John Wayne performance.

Dunson isn't an amiable gunslinger, but rather a rancher who manages his vast livestock with all the merciless ambition of John Dutton, the gruff patriarch of "Yellowstone." Dunson lives with his herd near the Rio Grande, at the southern end of the Chisholm Trail. He figures that if he is to get the best price for his herd, he must lead a huge cattle drive along the trail to Missouri, no matter how arduous. 

Numerous people suffer Dunson's wrath on this journey, especially his adopted son, Matt (Montgomery Clift). It was the first time that Clift took his method acting from Broadway to the big screen, where it proved a sensitive counterweight to Wayne's bullying antagonist (via TCM).

The Quiet Man

In "The Quiet Man," John Wayne plays neither a cowboy nor a soldier. He instead appears as a retired boxer named Sean Thornton, who's returning home from Pittsburgh to Inisfree on the rugged west coast of Ireland.

Set in the 1920s, the film depicts Ireland as a lush land of rolling hills, stone bridges, and cheerful locals — cheerful apart from Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), that is. Danaher resents Sean's intention to buy old Thornton land, but the real trouble arises when Sean falls for Danaher's sister, Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara).

"The Quiet Man" was the second of John Wayne's films with Maureen O'Hara, a lifelong friend. Their chemistry is what makes "The Quiet Man" such an enduring classic, placing a weepy heart at the center of all the verdant beauty.

"Enduring" is not just an empty word; "The Quiet Man" made a lasting impact on the Irish village of Cong, where the film was shot. A lovely stone bridge that appears in the film is known today as "The Quiet Man Bridge," and the village center has a statue and a museum dedicated to preserving the film's memory (via Irish Post).

The Cowboys

A highlight of Wayne's later years, "The Cowboys" features the Duke at his most softly patriarchal. That's because he's responsible for leading a group of teenage boys along a 400 mile cattle drive. No sane man would choose such an endeavor, but it's the only option available to Wil Andersen (Wayne), whose ranch hands have abandoned him for a gold rush.

The notion of "softly patriarchal" is subjective, of course. As viewers of "Hondo" will know, a John Wayne figure will gladly teach a boy to swim by throwing him into a pond. A similar moment occurs in "The Cowboys," in which Andersen confronts a stuttering boy whose condition endangered a friend stranded in a river. Instead of consoling the child, Andersen accuses him of not trying hard enough to save his friend, which riles the boy to the point of repeatedly insulting Anderson, at which point the stutter stops. It's an old school moment that a certain kind of father would nod at approvingly.

The nodding won't last for long, though, because after much toil on the long and arduous cattle drive, "The Cowboys" ends in a divisively fatal fashion.

Stagecoach

"Stagecoach" is usually cited as the beginning of John Wayne's canon, but his first leading role was actually in "The Big Trail," a pre-Code western from 1930. An ambitious and expensive production, "The Big Trail" bombed on release and put its 23-year-old star out to B-movie pasture for much of the decade (via TCM). Director John Ford helped cast Wayne in that doomed picture, and when the script for "Stagecoach" came together, he was adamant that John Wayne be given another chance. "He'll be the biggest star ever," Ford observed, "because he is the perfect everyman."

Ford's instincts were canny. "Stagecoach" brought Wayne to his biggest audience yet, showcasing the easy machismo he'd developed in the cinematic wilderness. The director also proved his own talents, capturing big characters and even bigger scenery in what became one of the most influential films of all time. Orson Welles said he watched the film 40 times in preparation for "Citizen Kane" (via Irish Film Institute).

Fort Apache

John Wayne is usually the master of his domain; he calls the shots and controls the environment. However, that is not true of "Fort Apache," the first film in John Ford's "cavalry trilogy." Here, Wayne plays Captain Kirby York, a civil war veteran who is strong, flexible, and yet subordinate to Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda), a patrician West Point graduate.

Thursday is chosen to lead the western outpost of Fort Apache, which is a job that requires tactful diplomacy with local Native Americans. However, the lieutenant colonel is ignorant of their customs and rejects any notion of co-operation. Instead, he rules the fort with dogmatic arrogance, leading the regiment into violent conflict with the Apache tribe. York butts heads with Thursday at every turn, but there is no overruling him. Thursday's Custer syndrome can end only one way, and it isn't pretty.

"Fort Apache" was novel for its time because it depicted Native Americans with nuance and empathy. We see the Apache not as villains but a community capable of reason and compromise, unlike Lieutenant Colonel Thursday.

The Longest Day

John Wayne is the first big actor to appear in "The Longest Day," a sweeping account of the D-Day invasion. The film may have a bleak docudrama style with an ostensible focus on historical accuracy, but it doesn't skimp on star power. The ensemble cast of "42 international stars" includes everyone from Richard Burton and Sean Connery to Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, and Henry Fonda. 

Wayne drops his breezy charm to play Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort, delivering one of his more hard-edged performances. It's an appropriate choice, given the subject matter, but Wayne was perhaps overly serious when it came to the Second World War. For instance, when Steven Spielberg sent Wayne the script for his war comedy "1941," the aging star described it as "un-American" and telephoned the director to say, "Don't joke about World War II" (via Contact Music).

There are few laughs in "The Longest Day." The battle sequences may lack the bloody mayhem of "Saving Private Ryan," but the film still captures the terrible waste of war. There's no doubting the epic's sheer scale, either. Hordes of actors and extras storm the screen, captured overhead by some of the finest aerial photography of the period.

El Dorado

"El Dorado" is so similar to "Rio Bravo" that it's effectively a remake. However, it is an exception to the rule that all remakes are inadequate by being superior in casting, combat, and story detail. 

First, there's the intriguing pairing of John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. They had both appeared in "The Longest Day," but "El Dorado" was the only time the two Golden Era men shared the screen. Mitchum opens the film as Sheriff J.P. Harrah, who paces across the screen with a badge and broad shoulders. This doesn't last, though. Harrah is the Dude character from "Rio Bravo," so the demon liquor is waiting for him. Compared to Dean Martin, Mitchum is more anguished, although there is no rendition of "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me" here.

Washed up though he may be, Harrah has a job to do when gunslinger Cole Thornton (Wayne) returns to El Dorado. Together, they must protect an upstanding family against a greedy landowner with designs on their ranch and their water supply. Assisting them is Mississippi (James Caan), an incendiary young man who's good with a knife but can't shoot a bullet into the proverbial broad side of a barn.

I'm not sure why Howard Hawks made "El Dorado." It is a rehash of a film that wasn't even 10 years old. But I'm glad he did, because it makes up for a celebrated classic that left me cold.

Baby Face

"Baby Face" is a timeless commentary on sexuality, ambition, and greed. It also features a terrific performance from Barbara Stanwyck, who avoids the stagey manner that dates even the best films of classic Hollywood.

Lily Powers is the titular "baby face," which is a pet name given to her by Jimmy McCoy, played by a 25-year-old John Wayne. McCoy is Lily's latest conquest and one of the more disposable ones, as he doesn't have the means to support her grandiose ambitions in reaching all the avarice New York City has to offer. 

Her quest begins in a ramshackle speakeasy in Erie, Pennsylvania. She sits idly in this industrial milieu, barked at by her abusive father, who "offers" her to a local politician to avoid getting busted by prohibition agents. Lily knows how to stand up for herself, but the young woman remains adrift until Adolf, an eccentric cobbler, introduces her to Nietzsche's "will to power" philosophy. This awakens Lily's sexuality, which becomes a tool of manipulation and then outright Machiavellianism, leaving a trail of wrecked marriages and broken hearts in its wake.

Hatari!

"Rio Bravo" is the celebrated hang out film of John Wayne's career, but who would want to hang out in the Old West? Me, actually. But first I'd visit the characters of "Hatari!" for drinks, dinner, and fun in 1960s Tanganyika (present day Tanzania).

Wayne stars as Sean Mercer, a tough but amiable outdoorsman who must lead a crew of big game catchers. His team includes Kurt (Hardy Krüger), a German race car driver; Pockets (Red Buttons), a sprightly New York cabbie; and Dallas (Elsa Martinelli), an Italian photographer. The characters share a whimsical chemistry as they joke, flirt, eat, and care for the compound's exotic animals. You may not have seen "Hatari!," but you'll recognize Henry Mancini's score during the cheeky elephant sequence, which typifies the film's balmy escapism.

It's not all R&R, though. The film is punctuated by a series of hunt scenes in which the actors use trucks, lassos, and cages to capture a range of wild animals including zebras, giraffes, leopards, buffalo, and even a rhinoceros. The methods seem antiquated by contemporary standards, but "Hatari!" is less questionable than other films from the period, like Jacques Cousteau's documentary "The Silent World," in which the famed oceanographer detonates reefs, slaughters sharks, and attacks sperm whales with the bow of his ship.

True Grit

The film that won John Wayne the Oscar, "True Grit" is effectively a buddy film that pairs Rooster Cogburn (Wayne), a lumbering 6' 4" drunkard, with Mattie Ross (Kim Darby), a crusading teenager full of earnest resolve.

Their paths cross following the death of Mattie's father, Frank (John Pickard), who's shot dead by family acquaintance Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey). Dissatisfied by the sheriff's inaction, Mattie meets with Cogburn because he is said to have "true grit," which she believes to be a necessity for catching a villain like Chaney.

What follows is a power struggle between Mattie, Cogburn, and a Texas ranger named La Boeuf (Glen Campbell). This isn't all conflict and survivalism, though. Mattie may be half an orphan, but "True Grit" is fairly light in tone. Its 128 minutes breeze by thanks to the leads' charisma, the cat-and-mouse plotting, and the awesome Rocky Mountain adventurism. Glen Campbell's single is a delight, too.

The Shootist

The Duke's last film is also one of his best. In "The Shootist," Wayne plays J.B. Books, a gunfighter who, upon his arrival in Carson City, Nevada, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The diagnosis is given by Dr. Hostetler (James Stewart), an old friend of Books who speaks frankly about the pain of Book's condition and concludes one of their meetings with a bleak suggestion: "I would not die a death like I just described ... not if I had your courage." 

J.B. Books breaks no new ground for Wayne, but he brings the best of his grit and chivalry to the role, and it works well against Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall), a matronly boarding house owner who hosts Books with icy reluctance. However, it is real world circumstances that really gives "The Shootist" its poignant, funeral pathos. 

In 1964, John Wayne was diagnosed with lung cancer. He would be given the all clear, but only after losing much of his left lung (via New York Times). Wayne kept busy through the 1960s and into the new decade, but ill health loomed over the actor's psyche. "I have cancer," Wayne told his son Patrick during a bout of stomach pain. "I've had cancer before and I know how it feels and I have it now." In January 1979, the Duke was diagnosed with stomach cancer during gallbladder surgery. He died six months later.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Many point to "The Searchers" as the greatest collaboration between John Ford and John Wayne, but for me it's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," a story of violence and justice on the American frontier.

All developed governments have a monopoly on violence. Citizens grant this monopoly in return for safety and security. But how often does this arrangement fail us? How often does it enable those who may do us harm? The residents of Shinbone ask these questions as the harbingers of progress reach their town in the early 20th century, the most notable of which is Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart), a high-minded senator who speaks stridently about the rule of law. His earnest rhetoric may work on Capitol Hill, but it doesn't impress the people of Shinbone too much, especially Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), the town's worst outlaw.

Marvin is brilliant in the role. Far from being a cackling stock character, Liberty Valance is a thoroughly hateful man. If he's not committing outright violence, he behaves like a playground bully. But Valance doesn't have free rein in Shinbone; he's stopped short by Tom Doniphon, performed by a career-best John Wayne.

Swaggering and violent but not unfair, Doniphon is precisely the figure you want in the absence of government authority. But is his violence preferable to Stoddard's careerism and bureaucracy? At what point does the law stop and murky pragmatism begin? These are the compelling themes of this premier American western.

Read this next: The 20 Best Westerns Of All Time

The post The 27 Best John Wayne films, ranked appeared first on /Film.

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"Reservoir Dogs" features a number of scenes that have seared into the brains of film lovers since it was released back in 1992. I know that for me it was the opening scene at the diner that made an impression, featuring discussions of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and the merits of tipping. I rented this movie from Blockbuster when I was around 12 years old expecting some big, cool action movie, but it was that opening scene that showed me that movies could be different from what I thought they were. It was after watching "Reservoir Dogs" that I wanted to learn more about it and, subsequently, who made it. In a lot of ways, the movie is my cinematic origin story, and I don't know if I'd be writing for this website without it.

If I were to ask what scene most sticks with people from Quentin Tarantino's debut feature, it would arguably be the scene in which Michael Madsen's Mr. Blonde tortures a police officer while dancing to Stealers Wheels' supremely catchy "Stuck in the Middle with You." Most of the discussion around that scene revolves around the brutality and tension, most notably the cutting off of the cop's ear. Even though the camera deliberately pans away from the action of the cutting, we still feel the agony of that act of violence. A lesser remarked upon element of the scene is its sudden end, where Tim Roth's Mr. Orange, who has been lying on the ground and passed out from excessive bleeding, unloads an entire clip of bullets into Mr. Blonde before he can kill the cop. I've seen it countless times, and every single time, that moment startles me. I always forget he's there, but that was entirely by Tarantino's design.

Hiding In Plain Sight

With a story that mostly takes place within one big room, hiding things from your audience can be difficult. They come to know the space so well that having something suddenly appear is basically impossible. However, Mr. Orange can go so undetected by the audience for long stretches of "Reservoir Dogs" due to his lack of involvement in the action. He's this immovable puddle of blood, becoming part of the set design rather than a character. Quentin Tarantino wanted to harness that element of Mr. Orange in the story and upend it at the right time. Speaking with Film Comment back in 1994, he talked about how he didn't need to hide Mr. Orange from the movie in order to make that moment work:

"One of the things about 'Reservoir Dogs' that really came off was how after a certain point you just forgot Orange was in the room. You can see him, he's there, but his presence becomes this lump. It wasn't like we even cheated by framing him out constantly so you get the illusion of being alone — Blonde actually goes over to him and still, he doesn't make the impression. So when Orange shoots him it's a real jolt."

Not only does Mr. Orange need to leave your mind for that scene, but he also needs to leave your mind because he's the undercover cop that has caused everything to go sideways. He isn't taking part in the arguments about who the rat is and considering his wound, you immediately dismiss the idea that it's him. Ultimately, Mr. Orange is the backbone of "Reservoir Dogs," and it's rather impressive he can be that when he's out of commission for about half the movie. It seems simple, but that's just because Tarantino executes it so well.

Read this next: 13 Tarantino Projects We Never Saw But Wish We Could've

The post Quentin Tarantino Wanted You To Forget About Mr. Orange In Reservoir Dogs appeared first on /Film.

Demon and ghostly possessions are commonly seen in horror films worldwide. Here in the States, though, we’re generally used to seeing it examined from a Catholic lens. When an opportunity presents itself to explore unfamiliar cultural demons beyond that typical scope, there’s a hint of excitement to take a step in and learn something new. The past couple of years has featured a slight influx in strong Jewish possession horror. The latest addition, THE OFFERING, feels almost interchangeable with other possession films despite the potential that could have been pulled from cultural sources. While featuring a well-developed atmosphere and a strong climactic third act, the film itself suffers from a lack of identity amidst its many story threads.

THE OFFERING follows Art (Nick Blood) and Claire (Emily Wiseman), a young expecting couple who return back to Art’s father’s home in New York. Previously estranged due to his decision to marry the non-Jewish Claire, this is an unexpected reunion of blood. Surprisingly, his father, Saul (Allan Corduner), is more than happy to accept Art back into his life and is friendly with Claire. With his son back home, Saul puts him immediately to work in the family’s morgue. As luck would have it, they receive a suicide case. Art attempts to handle the body, pulling out the knife from the man’s chest. Once that knife is pulled, that’s when things start to get bumpy for this family, and by bumpy, I mean positively demonic.

A fraying middle

THE OFFERING is directed by Oliver Park. The screenplay is written by Hank Hoffman and is based on a story by Hoffman and Jonathan Yunger. The opener highlights the horrifying promise THE OFFERING has, tapping into Park’s clear grasp of horror set-up as well as his architectural background as evidenced by the set design. Unfortunately, due in part to the writing, the middle suffers from too many undeveloped ideas and characters.

As the connective tissue, the middle is frayed. Tonally, it oscillates between drama and horror but, at times, the merging of the two genre tones is unsuccessful. There’s a lot going on that isn’t explored beyond the surface. We have Art as a lapsed Hasidic Jew returning home, the still lingering grief of his mother’s passing, the selfish reasonings behind why he’s returned, and Claire, as the only non-Jew, entering into this environment.

Viewers get more of a glimpse into the selfishness and a touch on Art’s grief, but not enough to truly solidify the emotional connection that would have made THE OFFERING stand on stronger legs. If the ideas had been cut down to one or two major conflicts, it would have helped it feel less busy.

About the Hasidic elements incorporated into THE OFFERING, I’m not certain about the accuracy as portrayed in the film. Since I’m not Jewish and lack knowledge of this, I am going to refer the reader to Jason Flatt’s breakdown here.

The performances in THE OFFERING

The development of the characters also could have been stronger on the page. Again, Nick Blood’s Art is grappling with so many interesting internal conflicts but, whether due to rewrites, direction, or performance, the character mostly reads as overwhelmed. Granted, everything that gets thrown at him is overwhelming, but you lose the inherent selfish undercurrent that has driven him to finally reach out to his father. Knowing that the character was more of a bad guy in earlier drafts, I wonder if keeping those elements would have lent itself to a stronger character presence.

As for Claire, while Wiseman does her best with the role, Claire reads underdeveloped. This is a shame since the bulk of the horror scares target both her and Art, with the demon fixating on the baby in her womb. By film’s end, there’s no real grasp of who Claire is outside of damsel-in-distress.

Standouts performance-wise in THE OFFERING can be found in its supporting cast. Allan Corduner and Paul Kaye infuse their small roles with plenty of character, creating a memorable presence. When going toe-to-toe with Blood, especially later on in the film, Kaye steals the scene.

In the climax, Blood, Kaye, and Wiseman act their socks off. The climax also highlights Park’s skills in horror, making great use of the set, shadows, and lighting to pull something that feels truly high stakes. Coupled with the final moments, THE OFFERING ends well. When taking the film in as a whole, what lessens the overall impact is its middle.

Final thoughts

With a strong start and finish, THE OFFERING has such potential, and, if you don’t look too deeply, it can entertain. The horror elements and set-up throughout the film are done well, and makes me incredibly interested to see what director Oliver Park does next. I know I sound harsh regarding Blood’s performance, but his performance was okay given the material. Having seen him in previous works, I am critiquing him against that. Wiseman makes the best of what she’s been given, and the supporting performances in the film round things out.

Where THE OFFERING struggles are the various different themes and ideas it seems to want to explore, but doesn’t. Instead, ideas are left to linger in the air. The lack of development also impacts the characters, which makes it trickier to remember and understand who they are by film’s end. Based on the strong opening and the climatic third act, the writers have something special here. It’s just a matter of slimming down the middle to give a maximum punch in the end.

THE OFFERING is available now on Video On Demand.

The post [Movie Review] THE OFFERING appeared first on Nightmarish Conjurings.

A glitch has appeared after Discord's recent update, rendering certain NVIDIA graphics cards to have their memory downclocked by 200 MHz. NVIDIA is currently working to alleviate the problem, and to see confirm whether the issue was due to the recent enablement of AV1 for NVIDIA GPUs within Discord.

NVIDIA GPUs Are Having A Bad Day With Discord, Memory Downclocked on Certain Models But Fix Is On The Way

Users from the Linus Tech Tips forum and Reddit first discovered the issue, which was immediately brought to the attention of NVIDIA. The company quickly offered a workaround while attempting to fix the problem. The workaround involves downloading the GeForce 3D profile manager to initiate a solution immediately. NVIDIA is reported to send an official fix to users later for users willing to wait for the new software solution.

1. Click here to download the NVIDIA program GeForce 3D Profile Manager.
2. Open the GeForce 3D Profile Manager.
3. Click on the button Export SLI Profiles.
4. A file explorer window will pop up.  Select a location to export and save the NVIDIA Profiles text file.
5. Open the text file saved in step 4 using Notepad (or any program that does not automatically apply to format).
6. Perform a search for the section "Discord".  Add a new line and type the following text as shown in the screenshot below:
7. Setting ID_0x50166c5e = 0x00000000
8. Save the edited NVIDIA Profiles as a txt file.
9. Go back to the GeForce 3D Profile Manager and click on the Import SLI Profiles button.
10. A file explorer window will appear. Select the updated "NVIDIA Profiles.txt" file and then click on the Open button.

Users with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series graphics cards are not experiencing the same memory clock slowdowns that are happening to the previous generation's GPUs. The update was intended to offer NVIDIA users to enable AV1 encoding so they could stream at a higher quality on the social community platform. However, the new update is only helpful if you are a Discord Nitro member, which will cost users between $9.99 a month for the premium service that allows the new feature.

Any Discord users that do not have a Nitro subscription or a graphics card that can decode AV1 codecs will instead see an H.264 pr H.265 stream due to the company utilizing a peer-to-peer streaming capability, and H.264 is still currently widely used above AV1, even with the new codec gaining more ground in adoption on more devices and applications.

If you have a compatible NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series card with AV1 capability and a premium Discord Nitro account, we recently covered how to access the new ability through Discord in this article. It is recommended that users affected by the new glitch disable the AV1 support on Discord for now and download the GeForce 3D profile manager if they would like to fix the problem sooner or wait until the company has had a chance to upload an official fix for the memory clock slowdown.

The post Discord’s Recent Update Hamper Memory Clock on NVIDIA GPUs, Fix On The Way by Jason R. Wilson appeared first on Wccftech.

The development team behind the open-source password management software KeePass is disputing what is described as a newly found vulnerability that allows attackers to stealthily export the entire database in plain text. BleepingComputer reports: KeePass is a very popular open-source password manager that allows you to manage your passwords using a locally stored database, rather than a cloud-hosted one, such as LastPass or Bitwarden. To secure these local databases, users can encrypt them using a master password so that malware or a threat actor can't just steal the database and automatically gain access to the passwords stored within it. The new vulnerability is now tracked as CVE-2023-24055, and it enables threat actors with write access to a target's system to alter the KeePass XML configuration file and inject a malicious trigger that would export the database, including all usernames and passwords in cleartext. The next time the target launches KeePass and enters the master password to open and decrypt the database, the export rule will be triggered, and the contents of the database will be saved to a file the attackers can later exfiltrate to a system under their control. However, this export process launches in the background without the user being notified or KeePass requesting the master password to be entered as confirmation before exporting, allowing the threat actor to quietly gain access to all of the stored passwords. [...] While the CERT teams of Netherlands and Belgium have also issued security advisories regarding CVE-2023-24055, the KeePass development team is arguing that this shouldn't be classified as a vulnerability given that attackers with write access to a target's device can also obtain the information contained within the KeePass database through other means. In fact, a "Security Issues" page on the KeePass Help Center has been describing the "Write Access to Configuration File" issue since at least April 2019 as "not really a security vulnerability of KeePass." If the user has installed KeePass as a regular program and the attackers have write access, they can also "perform various kinds of attacks." Threat actors can also replace the KeePass executable with malware if the user runs the portable version. "In both cases, having write access to the KeePass configuration file typically implies that an attacker can actually perform much more powerful attacks than modifying the configuration file (and these attacks in the end can also affect KeePass, independent of a configuration file protection)," the KeePass developers explain. "These attacks can only be prevented by keeping the environment secure (by using an anti-virus software, a firewall, not opening unknown e-mail attachments, etc.). KeePass cannot magically run securely in an insecure environment." If the KeePass devs don't release a version of the app that addresses this issue, BleepingComputer notes "you could still secure your database by logging in as a system admin and creating an enforced configuration file." "This type of config file takes precedence over settings described in global and local configuration files, including new triggers added by malicious actors, thus mitigating the CVE-2023-24055 issue."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

GitHub on Monday disclosed that unknown threat actors managed to exfiltrate encrypted code signing certificates pertaining to some versions of GitHub Desktop for Mac and Atom apps. As a result, the company is taking the step of revoking the exposed certificates out of abundance of caution. The following versions of GitHub Desktop for Mac have been invalidated: 3.0.2, 3.0.3, 3.0.4, 3.0.5, 3.0.6,

A shellcode-based packer dubbed TrickGate has been successfully operating without attracting notice for over six years, while enabling threat actors to deploy a wide range of malware such as TrickBot, Emotet, AZORult, Agent Tesla, FormBook, Cerber, Maze, and REvil over the years. "TrickGate managed to stay under the radar for years because it is transformative – it undergoes changes periodically

A Bloomberg report published today reveals that Sony has halved its PS VR2 output for this quarter. As you may recall, in October, a previous Bloomberg article said Sony was betting on the PS VR2 launch to be large by preparing two million units to be available by March.

Since then, the disappointing pre-orders have led the Japanese company to reconsider, effectively cutting in half the planned shipments for this quarter to just one million units. For the next fiscal year running from April 2023 to March 2024, Sony forecasts shipments for another 1.5 million PS VR2 units.

Pre-orders going slow shouldn't have come as a surprise to Sony, though. PS VR2 has cutting-edge hardware, but it's also very pricey, costing way more than the first PlayStation VR and more than the PS5 itself, with a recommended price of $549.99 / €599.99 / £529.99.

The new Virtual Reality headset also doesn't exactly feature a killer launch line-up, which is yet another reason for consumers to wait and see. On February 22nd, new owners of PS VR2 will be able to choose between the following games:

• After the Fall (Vertigo Games)
• Altair Breaker (Thirdverse)
• Cities VR (Fast Travel Games)
• Cosmonious High (Owlchemy Labs)
• Demeo (Resolution Games)
• Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate (MyDearest Inc., Perp Games)
• Fantavision 202X (Cosmo Machia, Inc.)
• Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital)
• Horizon Call of the Mountain (Firesprite, Guerrilla)
• Job Simulator (Owlchemy Labs)
• Jurassic World Aftermath (Coatsink)
• Kayak VR: Mirage (Better Than Life)
• Kizuna AI – Touch the Beat! (Gemdrops, Inc.)
• The Last Clockwinder (Pontoco/Cyan Worlds)
• The Light Brigade (Funktronic Labs)
• Moss 1 & 2 Remaster (Polyarc)
• NFL Pro Era (StatusPro, Inc.)
• No Man’s Sky (Hello Games, launch window)
• Pavlov VR (Vankrupt)
• Pistol Whip (Cloudhead)
• Puzzling Places (Realities.io)
• Resident Evil Village (Capcom)
• Rez Infinite (Enhance)
• Song in the Smoke (17 Bit)
• Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition (ILMxLAB)
• Synth Riders (Kluge Interactive)
• The Tale of Onogoro (Amata K.K)
• Tentacular (Devolver)
• Tetris Effect: Connected (Enhance)
• Thumper (Drool LLC)
• Vacation Simulator (Owlchemy Labs)
• What the Bat (Triband)
• Zenith: The Last City (Ramen VR, free upgrade)

Last but not least, PS VR2 does not support backward compatibility with PS VR titles, and it won't be compatible with PC for a long time.

The post PS VR2 Output Halved by Sony After Underwhelming Pre-Orders by Alessio Palumbo appeared first on Wccftech.

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"The Last of Us" took its longest journey into uncharted territory yet with episode 3, "Long, Long Time." Anchored by the love story of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), we are given little Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in this one-episode arc. Even still, the former duo delivered a gut-punch of a performance that distilled the main themes of the game's story into a sweet little capsule.

The only exact reference from the game I could pinpoint in this episode was at the end, when Joel was laying his ground rules with Ellie, wherein she responds "What you say goes." It's the same dialogue from the game, right down to the vocal inflections both characters use. Just about every other nod to the game is similar enough to be identified but different enough to feel special to the show. For example, the final shot of this episode, containing an open window with a gentle breeze blowing the curtains, is a visual reference to the menu screen in the game.

Although it contained the least direct-to-film references from the game, this episode managed to feel the most definitively like the game of the first three episodes.

Painting A Fuller Picture

As discussed in the previous comparison outlines of episode 1 and episode 2, players of the game are given little info about the dynamics and events of the apocalyptic world outside of anything that affects Joel and Ellie directly. We were given a small amount of world-building this week that once again makes evident the bleakness of life post-Cordyceps.

Joel explained how immediately after Outbreak Day, the government forced people into quarantine zones (QZs) — but noted that there were essentially capacity limits enforced. If there was no more room in a given area, people were executed by the military. Their bodies were left to rot in open-air graves, one of which Ellie stumbles upon with Joel.

This new wrinkle makes the title of the series make that much more sense: the characters we see are lucky to be among the last of humanity. To not only escape infection, but to escape government-sanctioned murder. Fewer people means less opportunity to spread the infection. It's certainly an unsettling plot point considering the reality of the U.S. government's negligence with the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the most vulnerable (immunocompromised, disabled, poor, marginalized) people to die by barely enforcing mask mandates and other safety measures. Taking this point further, if the government in the series could act as jury and executioner with the "leftovers" outside of QZs, who would FEDRA decide to kill first? Would they perhaps resemble the people most affected by COVID-19, as well?

Similar, Not Same

But let's get to why you're really here. Was Bill gay in the game, and was Frank his lover? The answer is ... probably, yes.

Players aren't given much about Bill's backstory. He tells Joel rather memorably in the game, "Once upon a time, I had somebody that I cared about. It was a partner. Someone I had to look after. And in this world, that sort of s*** is good for one thing: gettin' ya killed." Ellie later finds a Playgirl magazine at Bill's place. These two things together seemed to be the game writers' subtle way (or not subtle, if you can imagine queer relationships in any story) of indicating that Bill and Frank were romantic partners.

Additionally, the show took Bill and Frank's relationship with Joel and Tess (Anna Torv) further than the game. The game version of Joel only knew Bill, as Frank had already left Bill on bad terms and died by suicide after becoming infected but before Joel and Ellie meet up with Bill. 

In contrast, Joel not only knew of Frank in the TV series but had spent time with him at dinners with Bill and Tess prior to going to him for the car battery. The two couples met several years into the pandemic after Frank connected with Tess over the radio.

Even with the additions to his story, Bill's demeanor is consistent across versions. He's survivalist-minded and wary of new people and went to elaborate lengths to protect himself from outside dangers with traps and surveillance. The show's writers used the skeleton of Bill's backstory from the game and gave it a whole body that viewers could resonate more with. He was originally only protecting himself, but by his end, he was protecting so much more.

The Heart Of It All

Bill serves a very specific purpose in the game and the series. He is a mirror for Joel and a cautionary tale for daring to love in the apocalypse. But I'd argue that the writing of Bill in the show does a better job of capturing the themes at the center of "The Last of Us."

Fans have heard Tess' words multiple times in trailers and previews for the series: "Save who you can save." In this episode, a dying Frank pleads to his hesitant husband Bill to euthanize him with pills in his wine, telling him, "Love me the way I want you to." Throughout this series, characters will be faced with impossible ultimatums about love and sacrifice. Bill tells Joel in his suicide note that his purpose was to save Frank, an idea that Joel will arrive at with Ellie by the end of the first season (assuming the plot aligns with the game). But really, Frank saved Bill. He salvaged within Bill the last, desperate, aching piece of love he had to give. This is why Bill chose to die with Frank rather than live without him. He would rather lose it all than go on without that missing piece. In this hollow world, you clutch at loved ones with a death grip. This love story was a touching example of that idea.

Love Over Everything

"The Last of Us" envisions a society where love is both paradise and prison to one's sense of self. It can allow you temporary respite from terror, but also may force you to make dreadful decisions in the name of self-preservation. For loners like Joel, Ellie, Bill, and others, surrendering to love also means shackling yourself to another person's emotional baggage — and the dreadful decisions they may make, too.

This episode perfectly encapsulates the unabashed tenderness that made "The Last of Us" one of the most beloved titles of all time. Even though almost nothing in the episode appeared in the game, somehow, it felt just as heartfelt as what players experienced, if not more so. "Long, Long Time" is still a faithful representation of the game because of how excellently it captured the game's essence; it gave us what the game couldn't while still respecting the source material. If there was any doubt about the merit of this story as a television series before this episode, the writing is now on the wall. This adaptation is the real deal.

Read this next: 12 Things We'd Like To See In HBO's The Last Of Us

The post How The Last of Us Episode 3 Compares to the Original Video Game appeared first on /Film.

United States Marines outsmarted artificially intelligent (AI) security cameras by hiding in a cardboard box and standing behind trees. From a report: Former Pentagon policy analyst Paul Scharre has recalled the story in his upcoming book Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. In the book, Scharre recounts how the U.S. Army was testing AI monitoring systems and decided to use the Marines to help build the algorithms that the security cameras would use. They then attempted to put the AI system to the test and see if the squad of Marines could find new ways to avoid detection and evade the cameras. To train the AI, the security cameras, which were developed by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Squad X program, required data in the form of a squad of Marines spending six days walking around in front of them. After six days spent training the algorithm, the Marines decided to put the AI security cameras to the test. "If any Marines could get all the way in and touch this robot without being detected, they would win. I wanted to see, game on, what would happen," DARPA deputy director Phil Root tells Scharre in the book. Within a single day, the Marines had worked out the best way to sneak around an AI monitoring system and avoid detection by the cameras. Root says: "Eight Marines -- not a single one got detected." According to Scharre's book, a pair of marines "somersaulted for 300 meters" to approach the sensor and "never got detected" by the camera.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

[UPDATE] Following the news of the DLSS 3 update now available in Cyberpunk 2077, NVIDIA published a blog post sharing additional information on the implementation of DLSS Frame Generation into the first-person open world RPG/FPS game.

To begin with, Jakub Knapik, Global Art Director at CD PROJEKT RED, shared the following statement:

Playing Cyberpunk 2077 with the AI-powered performance of NVIDIA DLSS 3 is the best way to access the stunning visuals the game has to offer — this technology helps us take a new step toward combining unconstrained visual fidelity with exceptional performance.

According to NVIDIA, out of the three GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs available on the market, it is the RTX 4070 Ti that gets the biggest boost from DLSS OFF (native rendering) to DLSS 3 ON (DLSS 2 Performance Mode + Frame Generation). Under these circumstances, the 4070 Ti runs 4K and max settings at an average frame rate of 84.8 FPS, up over 4x compared to the native rendering result (20.8 FPS). The RTX 4080 also receives a similar boost (3.8x), jumping from 26.5 FPS to 102.5 FPS.

Of course, Cyberpunk 2077 runs faster on the current top-of-the-line GPU, the RTX 4090, which goes from 41.8 FPS to 138 FPS, a 3.3x improvement.

The new Cyberpunk 2077 update also includes previously announced DLSS 3 improvements that ensure better UI stability and image quality during fast movement.

 

The Cyberpunk 2077 DLSS 3 update sets the stage for the upcoming Overdrive mode when the CD Projekt RED title will be updated with advanced ray tracing features such as RTXDI, multibounce indirect lighting and reflections, and full-resolution ray traced reflections.

[ORIGINAL STORY] A new Cyberpunk 2077 update is now live on PC, introducing support for NVIDIA DLSS 3 and NVIDIA Reflex to the game for increased performance and visual quality, as well as reduced latency on supported hardware.

The new update, which is around 6 GB big for the Steam version, doesn't seem to introduce much else, according to a post shared on the game's official website. For owners of NVIDIA RTX 4000 series graphics cards, however, the additions of DLSS 3 and Reflex support should be more than enough. More information about how to enable DLSS Frame Generation can be found on this support page.

An update for #Cyberpunk 2077 is out on PC. It adds support for NVIDIA DLSS 3 and NVIDIA Reflex on compatible hardware.

Support article on DLSS: https://t.co/yGoihGDVMZ

Note: If you're using GOG GALAXY, please make sure to update the app. pic.twitter.com/GiUc8XPVLW

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) January 31, 2023

Cyberpunk 2077 is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One worldwide. The game's first and only scheduled expansion, Phantom Liberty, will be released sometime this year on PC and current generation consoles only.

The post Cyberpunk 2077 PC Update Adds NVIDIA DLSS 3/Reflex Support, Enabling Massive Performance Boost [UPDATED] by Francesco De Meo appeared first on Wccftech.