Google’s upcoming Chrome release could be good for Windows on ARM devices taking on MacBooks and Chromebooks

Google Chrome is coming to Windows 11 devices running on ARM processors. A new version of the browser has been released through the Canary release channel which will allow users with ARM-based devices to run Chrome natively - rather than having to use an emulator (which brings its own complexities and performance issues). 

ARM-based mobile devices are very common already, and ARM processors and ARM-based chips (like Apple’s M1, M2, and M3 silicon chips) are becoming more commonplace in devices like PCs. Unfortunately, those running Windows on a device with an ARM chip couldn’t use Chrome natively and would have to use a workaround like running Chrome in emulation mode. 

This isn’t the end of the world, but if you’re emulating a virtual device within your device, you’re relying on the processing constraints of the virtual device. This limited how well Chrome performed on ARM-64 processor devices, until now, thanks to the latest release in the Canary channel, which is for very early and potentially unstable versions of Google Chrome, and which users can download and test at their discretion.

(Image credit: Arm)

Chromium, an open-source web browser project mainly developed and maintained by Google, has supported ARM-64’s architecture for many years. Oddly enough, Google Chrome itself (which is based on Chromium) has been available for most ARM-oriented operating systems – except Windows. It’s uncertain why Google Chrome has taken this much time to support Windows on ARM-based computers. Google has two operating systems that are designed to run on ARM hardware – Android for mobile devices and ChromeOS for Chromebooks – and Windows on ARM is a direct competitor, which could be one (rather cynical) reason.

MSPowerUser investigated for itself if this Canary version actually worked on a machine with an ARM processor that runs a recent version of Windows 11, and found that it worked on at least one such device that had an older Snapdragon 835 SoC processor. 

(Image credit: Unsplash)

What to consider before downloading and installing 

It’s worth remembering that even if you have an ARM-based Windows 11 device, this is a Canary channel build that you should carefully consider before downloading and installing. It's prone to instability and is specifically intended to be the first round of external testing by Google for Chrome. It will probably make its way down through the slightly less frequent, but more tested and more stable, release channels. If you have an ARM-based Windows 11 device, and you're not a tester or developer, it’s probably worth waiting for one of these later releases. 

This release is not far from Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon X Elite chip debut and this is forecasted to significantly step up the performance of ARM64-based devices, which could see a resurgence in Windows on ARM devices to take on Apple’s ARM-based MacBooks.

With more devices on offer with ARM processors that run Windows, we could see ARM processors continue to play an important part in PCs and laptops - and challenging the dominance of Intel and AMD. Google extending Google Chrome support to these devices could help make this happen, and I'm betting that other processor manufacturers (cough, Intel) are paying attention.  

You might also like

• Google Chrome is using AI to make surfing the web even easier and safer
• Navigating a Google Chrome conundrum - what you can do to fix recent problems in macOS Sonoma
• Google Chrome is getting Microsoft Edge's best feature

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/MgCsf9W
via IFTTT

Exclusive: Samsung to launch Petabyte SSD subscription — PBSSD-as-a-service is definitely not your usual cloud storage service, at least not for now

Samsung has announced it is exploring a new business model that’s likely to get a lot of attention from partners and rivals alike. 

PBSSD as a service is what the company calls a high capacity SSD subscription service that it says, “goes beyond capacity limits”. So it is neither a cloud storage service nor a cloud backup solution, at least not for now.

In a blog post on the company’s website, Yongcheol Bae, Executive Vice President of Memory Product Planning at Samsung Electronics, disclosed that it is envisioned as a business structure where customers use services instead of purchasing a server configured with SSDs. That sounds a lot like what other vendors like Pure Storage are offering.

Samsung petabyte SSD

As a high-capacity SSD subscription service, Bae continues, it “is expected to contribute to lowering the initial investment cost of customers’ storage infrastructure as well as maintenance costs by providing customers with a petabyte-scale box that functions as memory expansion”.

The Petabyte SSD architecture was unveiled back in August 2023 and aimed back them to provide a “petabyte-scale ultra-high capacity solution that provides high scalability by varying the capacity depending on the application.”

A few days ago, we learnt that Solidigm, one of Samsung's rival, was selling its 61.44TB SSD for around $60 per TB, which would put the price of 1PB at approximately $60,000 (although you'd need to add the cost of the server etc).

Cloud SSD backup on the cheap

Flash is expensive, and what Samsung is trying to do is offer a way for those looking for superfast storage to reduce their capital expenditure. Whether or not Samsung will sell these as barebones or with an additional layer of software and services (courtesy of third party partners) remains to be seen.

What we do know though is that this is not a 1PB SSD, instead it is a box that contains several SSDs (probably four of the 256TB SSDs it revealed during Flash Memory Summit 2023). If you want the real deal, then you will have to wait a bit longer. In March 2023, VP and General Manager of NAND Product Planning Group, Kyungryun Kim, revealed the company wanted to launch a 1PB (1000TB) SSD “in the next decade”.

We don’t know when it will be released but it will be interesting to see how it compares to Pure Storage’s DFM (Direct Flash Module), currently on 75TB capacities and likely to delivery 300TB in 2026. A Purestorage FlashBlade//E AFA storage system packs 55 DFM to deliver 4PB storage in a 6U rack. That’s now. In two years, that’s going up to 16PB or about 2.5PB per 1U and Samsung knows that.

And just as a comparison, provisioning 1PB of local SSD space from one of the hyperscalers (e.g. Google Cloud) cost a cool $43,000 per month when taking on a three-year commitment.

More from TechRadar Pro

• We've rounded up the best portable SSD options around
• Petabyte for the masses: DNA storage could come as cartridges by 2030
• Petabyte tapes are on the horizon - but don’t hold your breath

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/qecA9YF
via IFTTT

France vs Sweden live stream: watch men's EHF Euro 2024 handball semi-finals online

The EHF Euro 2024 tournament is coming to a crescendo and four big hitters have made it to the semi-final stage. The first match-up is France vs Sweden, who will battle it out on Friday for a place in Sunday's final. Read on as we explain how to watch a FREE Handball EURO 2024 live stream – no matter where you are in the world.

• Just want to get watching? Watch FREE on EHFTV (may require a VPN)

Watch EHF EURO 2024 France vs Sweden live stream

Time: 5.45pm CET / 4.45pm GMT, January 26

Venue: Lanxess-Arena Cologne

Live stream: watch FREE on EHFTV

Watch anywhere: try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free

Sweden are the defending champions of this tournament, having beaten Spain last year. It was the fifth time they had won and it's underlined their resurgence.

France are a serious challenge, though. They made it to the semi-final stage last time around, eventually finishing fourth. More notably, the French are the defending Olympic champions, and have picked up the gold medal at three of the last four Olympic Games. However, they have not lifted the EHF Euro title since 2014 and will be keen to put that right.

There will be plenty of talent on display in both sides. Look out for France star Fabregas Ludovic and Sweden’s Wanne Hampus. The French have scored 239 goals in their last seven matches, compared to 218 from their opponents.

There are scores to be settled and this should be a high-octane clash. Read on to find out how you can watch all of the EHF Euro 2024 action live and for FREE.

• More superb sport: here's how to watch the Australian Open tennis 2024

---

How to watch Handball European Championships: live stream FREE of charge

While the TV rights to EHF Euro 2024 have been sold to paid-for streaming services in many countries, it's worthing noting that a few lives streams are available, notably:

• RTVE (Spain)
• RTS / SRF (Switzerland)

We have the full list of other EHF 2024 broadcasters below. If your country isn't listed, though, you can watch FREE on EHF TV. Full details just here:

The EHF has made it super easy to tune into the European Handball Championships by offering live streams of all the EHF EURO 2024 tournament games on FREE EHFTV streaming service.

All you need to do is register with EHFTV and away you go.

EHFTV is completely free to watch. Just head over to the EHFTV website and you can live stream all the games through the browser on your laptop, tablet or mobile phone.

However, the free EHFTV live stream is not available in Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, France, US, UK and other regions where a broadcaster has picked up the rights. Fans in Ireland, for example, can watch free on EHFTV.

If you're an Irish handball fan abroad, you will need to use a VPN to log into your EHFTV account while away from home.

NB: If you have any problems logging in, you may need to empty the cache on your browser.

How to watch EHF EURO 2024 from outside your country

EHFTV is easily accessible in many countries around the world. However you may find yourself geo-blocked from EHFTV free live streams when travelling abroad. If you'd like to access EHFTV, or any of your regular home streaming service as normal, then use a good VPN.

A good VPN can let you get around these digital borders legally, while also offering robust protection from cybercriminals and government snooping, making everyday tasks like online shopping and banking much safer.

Use a VPN to live stream 2024 Handball European Championships from anywhere:

ExpressVPN is the world's top VPN right now
We've taken the time to try out all the biggest VPN providers and we found ExpressVPN to be the pick of the bunch. It works with lots of devices and offers super fast connections across its many servers. 

Throw in its robust set of security features and ExpressVPN is the best all-round VPN for streaming - and perhaps best of all, it has a 30-day money back guarantee when you subscribe for a year.

Access ExpressVPN via your laptop, iPhone, tablet, Android phone, PlayStation, Xbox and plenty more. Express is a do-it-all service that also benefits from 24/7 customer support.

- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days

How to use a VPN

Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...

1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN.

2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location, eg: Ireland, Spain or Switzerland.

3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home – so that could be EHTV or RTVE or SRF.

2024 European Handball Championships TV rights

You can find the 2024 European Handball Championships matches streamed on the following TV services and platforms according to the TV rights listed below.

You can also watch all of the games for FREE on EHTV although geo-blocks for certain regions may apply. Anyone travelling abroad can use a VPN to avoid this and access their regular streaming service as usual. Full details in the VPN section above.

• Albania: Arena Sport
• Austria: ORF, DYN
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Arena Sport 
• Canada: DAZN
• Croatia: RTL, Arena Sport 
• Czechia: AMC, Czech TV
• Denmark (incl. Faroe Islands): TV2 Denmark
• Faroe Islands: KVF
• France: beIN Sports, TF1
• Finland: Viaplay
• Georgia: Silknet
• Germany: ARD, ZDF, DYN
• Greece: Cosmote
• Hungary: MTVA
• Iceland: RUV
• Israel : Charlton 
• Italy: pallamano.tv
• Japan: DAZN
• Montenegro: RTCG, Arena Sport
• Netherlands: Ziggo
• North Macedonia: MKRTV, Arena Sport
• Norway: Viaplay
• Poland: Eurosport 
• Portugal: RTP
• Romania: PrimaTV, Digi
• Serbia: RTS, Arena Sport 
• Slovakia: AMC, RTVS
• Slovenia: RTVSLO, Arena Sport
• South and Central America: ESPN
• Spain: RTVE
• Switzerland: SRG, DYN 
• Sweden: Viaplay
• Türkiye: beIN Sports
• UK: Viaplay
• Ukraine: Poverkhnost 
• USA beIN Sports

EHF EURO 2024 schedule

Friday, January 26

• France vs Sweden - 5.45pm CET / 4.45pm GMT / 11:45pm ET / 3.45am AEDT
• Germany vs Denmark - 8.30pm CET / 7.30pm GMT / 2.30pm ET / 6.30am AEDT

Sunday, January 28

• Final - 5.45pm CET / 4.45pm GMT / 11:45pm ET / 3.45am AEDT

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/rcFIN52
via IFTTT

A Dungeons & Dragons VR game has been announced

Developer Resolution Games has announced it's making a Dungeons & Dragons VR game.

In collaboration with Wizards of the Coast, the studio best known for its digital fantasy tabletop adventure title Demeo will be creating the first officially licensed Dungeons & Dragons game in virtual reality.

"As anyone who’s played Demeo can guess, we’re incredibly huge fans of tabletop role-playing games,” Tommy Palm, founder and CEO of Resolution Games, said in a press release. "They have an unparalleled power to bring people together to create shared experiences, and that’s something we’ve tried to capture, too, with nearly every release in our library. 

"Dungeons & Dragons offers one of the richest fantasy worlds that has ever been created, and it only gets bigger with every new sourcebook and adventure. We’re beyond humbled to have the opportunity to work with such an incredible IP and look forward to sharing the first details of this new project in the future."

The award-winning Demeo, which is inspired by the popular tabletop game and draws from other games like Magic: The Gathering, launched in 2021 for PlayStation 5 and the Oculus Quest and later arrived on PlayStation VR2 in early 2023.

 Its 2023 sequel, Demeo Battles, a competitive turn-based strategy game, is also available right now for PC via Meta Quest 2, and will also be coming to PS5 and PSVR2 in 2024.

As of writing, Resolution Studios hasn't provided any details on what platforms the new Dungeons & Dragons game will launch on. We also don't have any official artwork or teaser trailers, so it'll be a while before we'll know for certain.

"Resolution Games has a clear understanding of how to bring players together and capture the fun of tabletop gaming on digital platforms in an accessible way,” said Eugene Evans, senior vice president of digital strategy and licensing at Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro. 

"They are an ideal partner to bring a new Dungeons & Dragons video game to life in VR and beyond. Dungeons & Dragons and our other world class gaming brands continue to attract amazing partners as we execute our strategy to grow our digital games portfolio through licensing and internal development."

Dungeons & Dragons has seen a rise in popularity in the past year, receiving an adaptation in the form of the Honour Among Thieves movie, as well as the massively successful game from Larian Studios, Baldur's Gate 3.

For more, check out our picks for the best RPGs, as well as our list of the best co-op games. 

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/hdUTm5p
via IFTTT

One of the best OLED TVs you can buy is $1,000 off for the Super Bowl

Samsung's gorgeous and bright S95C is one of the best OLED TVs you can buy, and thanks to the upcoming Super Bowl, you can score a massive discount from the retailer. Samsung has the 65-inch S95C OLED TV on sale for a new record-low price of $2,299.99 ($3,299.99), thanks to a whopping $1,000 discount.

In our Samsung S95C review, we awarded the OLED TV five out of five stars thanks to its groundbreaking picture quality, incredible brightness, vibrant colors, and spectacular contrast. The OLED display also packs Dolby Atmos and Samsung's Object Tracking Sound system for a cinematic sound experience. You also get fantastic gaming support, an impressive Tizen operating system, and a paper-thin design.

The Samsung S95C OLED is a fantastic display to watch the big game and today's deal brings the price down to a new record low. If you're looking for more Super Bowl TV deals, you can see more of today's best bargains further down the page.

Super Bowl TV deal: Samsung S95C OLED TV 

Samsung 65-inch S95C Smart UHD 4K OLED TV: was $3,299.99 now $2,299.99 at Samsung
Samsung's S95C is one of the best OLED TVs you can buy, and just ahead of the Super Bowl, you can get the 65-inch model on sale for $2,299.99. That's a whopping $1,000 discount and the lowest price we've ever seen. It's still pricey, but our Samsung S95C review awarded the gorgeous display five stars out of five thanks to its exceptional brightness, color volume, superb gaming support, and sleek paper-thin design.View Deal

More Super Bowl TV deals and sales

• Amazon: smart TVs from $99.99 
• Best Buy: 65-inch 4K TVs from $369.99
• OLED TVs: from $599.99 at Best Buy
• Samsung: $2,000 off 4K, OLED & QLED TVs
• Target: 20% off Samsung, LG TVs & soundbars
• Walmart: big-screen 4K TVs from $398 

Samsung 65-inch S90C OLED TV: was $2,599.99 now $1,549 at Walmart
The Samsung S90C OLED is TechRadar's best TV of the year, and Walmart has the 65-inch model on sale for a record-low price of $1,549. While it's not as bright as the S95C,  we still gave the TV five stars in our Samsung S90C review, praising its gorgeous picture, extensive gaming features, and super slim design, making it an excellent display to watch the big game.View Deal

LG C3 65-inch OLED TV (2023): was $2,499.99 now $1,599.99 at Best Buy
You can get the top-rated 65-inch LG C3 OLED TV on sale for $1,599.99 at Best Buy. The stunning OLED TV features a brilliant picture with bright colors and powerful contrast, thanks to LG's latest Alpha9 Gen6 chip. Plus, you're getting four HDMI 2.1 ports for the best gaming experience on next-gen consoles, a sleek, thin design, and an updated webOS experience - all for under $2,000, which is fantastic value for a 2023 OLED display.View Deal

Samsung 85-inch CU8000 Crystal 4K Smart TV: was $1,599 now $1,199.99 at Samsung
If you don't need a QLED display but still want a premium picture experience, Samsung's CU8000 Crystal series is a fantastic option, and you can grab this 85-inch model for $1,199.99. Your content will be upgraded to 4K resolution with Samsung's Crystal processor; plus, a super-slim design and an easy-to-use Tizen operating system make this a great deal for a big-screen TV.View Deal

LG C2 65-Inch 4K Smart TV (2022): was $1,899.99 now $1,426.99 at Amazon
The LG C2 OLED was rated as last year's best TV, and Walmart has the 65-inch model on sale for an incredible price of $1,426.99 - the best deal you can find right now. The gorgeous display is praised for its intense brightness and vivid colors in our LG C2 OLED review. The 65-inch TV also packs an a9 Gen5 AI Processor, Dolby Atmos, and voice control - all for under $1,500, which is incredible value for this highly-rated OLED TV.

Price check:  Walmart: $1,696.99View Deal

Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV (2022): was $1,499.99 now $1,199.99 at Samsung
Impress everyone at your Super Bowl party with Samsung's bet-selling Frame QLED TV which is on sale for $1,199.99 for the 55-inch model. The gorgeous Samsung The Frame TV transforms into a beautiful piece of art to seamlessly blend into your home's decor and includes customizable bezels, a QLED screen, and smart capabilities.View Deal

You can see more of the best cheap TV deals and OLED TV deals happening right now.

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/MXbuZ4a
via IFTTT

MacOS users are being targeted with dangerous malware once again

Here is another reason why you shouldn’t download cracked or pirated software to your macOS devices - there’s malware hiding within.

Cybersecurity researchers from Kaspersky are warning of a new piece of malware, built for the Apple ecosystem, being distributed on websites claiming to offer cracked applications. 

Victims would download a PKG file, thinking they were getting an activator for a cracked app they previously downloaded. They would place the PKG in the /Applications/ folder, as part of the instructions to “activate” the cracked piece of software.

macOS malware strikes again

On the surface, the malware works as “intended” - the victim will get a bogus Activator window, asking for the administrator password. Granted, the malware proceeds to contact its command and control (C2) server and get a script capable of running arbitrary commands on the target endpoint.

An interesting thing about this malware is how it contacts the C2 server at the correct URL - it pulls words from two hardcoded lists and adds a random sequence of five letters as its third-level domain name. That way, the malicious activity is hidden inside normal traffic.

"With this URL, the sample made a request to a DNS server as an attempt to get a TXT record for the domain”, Kaspersky explained. 

The final payload grants the attackers all kinds of advantages, from backdoor access, to information about the compromised system, and more. Among other things, the malware will look for Bitcoin Core and Exodus wallets on compromised devices, and if it finds them, replaces them with backdoored copies. Once the victim tries to log into their wallets again, they could have their funds drained almost instantly. 

Kaspersky also said that while it was investigating the malware, the C2 came back with an upgraded version of the backdoor script, signaling continuous development. However, command execution was not yet available, Kaspersky said, suggesting that the malware is still work-in-progress.

Via BleepingComputer

More from TechRadar Pro

• MacOS devices are being hit by new malware strains - and they're able to quickly evolve to avoid detection
• Here's a list of the best firewalls around today
• These are the best endpoint security tools right now

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/Wq8ziGA
via IFTTT

Google search might be getting worse - and AI threatens to ruin it entirely

A study by German researchers has confirmed what many of us have long suspected: Google search really is getting worse.

A team of researchers led by Leipzig University, Bauhaus-University Weimar, and the Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, have conducted a year-long research experiment to answer the question "Is Google Getting Worse?", and the answer was essentially a resounding ‘yes’. The study wasn’t specifically confined to Google, also analyzing results from the Bing and DuckDuckGo search engines.

The researchers specifically examined product review search terms, meaning that we shouldn’t immediately panic: searches for short questions with factual answers still return accurate results, for example. However, the study did find that across all search engines, “higher-ranked pages” frequently showed “signs of lower text quality” - specifically, SEO spam.

Seek, Engage, Obliterate

For the uninitiated, SEO stands for ‘search engine optimization’: the process of optimizing the content of a web page to secure better rankings in search engine results. This process has evolved significantly over the years; gone are the days when you could simply slap the product name into an article 100 times and lock in the top search result spot. Google works tirelessly to optimize its own search algorithms to combat spam and deliver the best results for users, so the demands of SEO are constantly changing.

SEO has become a dirty word among many online media outlets - trying to keep up with Google’s ever-shifting algorithms often sees sites throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks, and sometimes results in low-quality content being ‘rewarded’ by search engines because it manages to tick the right boxes. SEO has become a cottage industry of sorts, with companies promising (sometimes falsely) to ensure that your site will be the top-ranked result for the relevant search terms. The need for good SEO can come at the expense of content quality itself, a frustrating paradox since high-quality content should naturally rise to the top of search results.

Trying to keep up with SEO best practices is a constant game of cat-and-mouse for anyone producing content online. (Image credit: Pexels | pixelcreatures)

Google isn’t entirely to blame here, of course. The study did note that Google performed better than Bing and DuckDuckGo in several key areas, and when we reached out for comment, a Google spokesperson concurred that “the study itself points out that Google has improved over the past year and is performing better than other search engines”. They also claimed that Google has “launched specific improvements to address these issues”, and highlighted that other third-party studies have found that “Google consistently surfaces higher quality results”, including this New York Times study from 2022.

However, there may be deeper problems at play than mere SEO spam attempts. The advent of generative AI tools such as the immensely popular ChatGPT has seen a marked increase in low-quality content specifically targeted to Google’s algorithm, and we’re only at the start of it.

The machines are coming… for your search results

The German team behind the study noted “a trend toward simplified, repetitive, and potentially AI-generated content”, and Bing and Google themselves are already introducing AI-produced search results, via the ChatGPT-powered Bing AI and Google’s own Google Bard. After all, why bother writing content and trying to optimize it for a search engine if a machine can do it for you?

There’s been a veritable avalanche of AI-generated content online since the dawn of ChatGPT, with many turning to machine learning tools to try to make a quick buck off the back of Google search traffic. Sites like the aptly named Robots.net are designed to churn out articles that target popular search terms, trying to draw traffic away from legitimate reviewers and journalists. These articles are assembled from the actual work of product reviewers and buying guide editors, scraped from dozens of reputable sites, and smashed together into something the AI thinks will please Google. Algorithms trying to satisfy algorithms… it’s a weird world, isn’t it?

You’ll notice I haven’t linked Robots.net despite our usual practice of linking directly to other news sites when we reference them, which is - somewhat amusingly - for SEO reasons. I don’t particularly want Google’s all-seeing algorithm to think we here at TechRadar are in any way associated with that sort of AI-authored drivel, but you can check it out for yourself if you’d like; it’s dismal stuff.

Spoiler: the 'journalists' credited on AI-powered shovel-news sites like Robots.net don't actually exist. (Image credit: Robots.net)

As the reach of AI expands, the researchers warn that many internet users have already noticed “a torrent of low-quality content” that “keeps drowning any kind of useful information in search results.” I can’t say I disagree, and AI programs arguably have far greater capacity than human writers and editors to ‘game the system’ when it comes to SEO, so there’s a definite danger things are only going to get worse.

Of course, Google isn’t going to take this lying down. Combating AI spam is a major priority for the tech giant right now, although some have questioned Google’s sincerity on the matter - understandable, given Google’s own forays into AI use for search results. But I’d like to believe the powers that be at Google know that people don’t want content written by bots, for bots. Hopefully, the near future will hold changes that ensure the articles you get when you search for ‘best budget gaming PC’ are written by humans, for humans.

You might also like

• The end of Google Assistant? Google prepares to launch rebranded Bard AI on Android
• Apple secretly working on Google Search killer for 'years,' probably won't ever launch
• Google turns 25: How it changed everything about the web, and why you're stuck with it

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/3bRC8Dr
via IFTTT

Dangerous TA866 malware returns with devious new phishing campaign

After a nine month hiatus, the infamous TA866 threat actor is back, a new report from cybersecurity researchers Proofpoint has claimed, having recently observed a large phishing campaign targeting people in North America.

As per its report, Proofpoint says TA866 sent “several thousand emails” with subjects such as “Project achievements”, and similar. 

The emails carried a PDF attachment with names like “Document_[10 digits].prf” and similar. These documents contained a OneDrive URL which, if clicked, launched a multi-step infection chain that ultimately deployed a variant of the WasabiSeed malware.

Organized actor

This malware downloads and runs additional payloads, including the Screenshotter custom toolset. Screenshotter, as the name suggests, takes screenshots of the compromised desktop and sends them to the command & control (C2) server. Should the attackers like what they see on the screenshots, they would proceed to deliver additional payloads. The researchers are unsure which malware that would be, but said that in previous campaigns, the attackers dropped AHK Bot and Rhadamanthys Stealer.

Proofpoint attributed the campaign to TA866 due to the similarities it had to another campaign by the threat actor, observed in March last year. In both examples, the researchers claim, the TA571 spam service was used, the WasabiSeed downloader was delivered, and the Screenshotter script was ultimately deployed. There are some notable changes compared to the March campaign, though. For example, the group decided to use PDF attachments with OneDrive links, which wasn’t previously the case. Earlier campaigns used macro-enabled Publisher attachments, or 404 TDS URLs, directly in the email body. 

The researchers describe TA866 as an “organized actor able to perform well thought-out attacks at scale”, based on their availability of custom tools, and the ability to acquire additional tools from other threat actors (such as the spam tool from TA571). The group runs both crimeware and cyberespionage campaigns, the researchers further elaborated, saying that this specific campaign was financially motivated. The recipients of the phishing emails were not named. 

More from TechRadar Pro

• This new "custom" malware hits your device with specially-designed attacks
• Here's a list of the best firewalls around today
• These are the best endpoint security tools right now

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/8VQ31YG
via IFTTT

You can now run Windows 11 seamlessly on Apple silicon Macs with Microsoft's stamp of approval

You can now virtually run Windows 11 on the newest Apple Mac devices (those with Apple’s own ARM-based M1, M2, or M3 chips) using Microsoft-authorized methods.

The MacBook maker switched from Intel processors in its devices to its own new line of Apple silicon ARM  processors in 2020, and that change meant Mac users who wanted to use Microsoft’s Windows operating systems (or Windows-only apps) were left out in the cold..

For Mac devices with Intel processors, users could turn to the multi-boot utility program, Boot Camp, which enabled users to install and run Windows on their Macs as their chosen operating system (OS) - rather than the default macOS. 

Users with Apple silicon processor devices can’t use Boot Camp, as it’s incompatible and would have to turn to other ways of running Windows operating systems, such as emulators and virtualization programs. There are many virtualization programs out there, but now, Microsoft has chimed in on which ones it thinks are best for this.

Microsoft's blessing

Microsoft published a post on its support website giving its official backing to two methods that can enable a user with Mac devices that have M1, M2, or M3 chips to use Windows 11 on their machine: Windows 365 Cloud PC (a service offered by Microsoft itself) and Parallels. 

Microsoft has authorized Parallels’ desktop versions 18 and 19 to run the ARM-specific versions of Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Enterprise. 

Users can do this by installing Parallels Desktop version 18 or version 19 and create a virtual machine that lives within your existing OS (probably macOS in this case). It explains that the ARM versions of Windows 11 OS do have limitations that impact a user’s ability to run certain hardware, games, and apps (a long-standing issue with Windows 11 on ARM devices, sadly). This workaround does, however, give users access to most Windows 11 features such as hardware acceleration, many multimedia technologies, and more. 

Some limitations of Parallels include features that make use of Windows’ nested virtualization capabilities like Windows Subsystem for Android, Windows Subsystem for Linux, Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), and Windows Sandbox (this allows users to run isolated apps without affecting or harming your main OS installation). Parallels Desktop for Mac is also not able to run 32-bit Windows ARM versions, as Microsoft cut off support for 32-bit UWP apps for ARM in January of last year. 

Apple also dropped support for 32-bit apps a while ago, with no known workarounds to make them work in modern macOS versions. If you’d like to try the listed features, Neowin recommends Microsoft’s other highlighted service, Windows 365 Cloud PC (which runs in a web browser window, making it much easier to set up), or getting a Windows laptop instead. 

The standard edition of Parallels Desktop 19 will cost you $99.99 a year and the Pro version usually costs $119.99 a year, but Amazon is currently offering it with a 25% discount at $89.99 for a 1-year subscription.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft’s in-house solution, Windows 365 Cloud PC, will enable Mac silicon-chip users to stream a fully-fleshed-out and personalized Windows 11 version. Microsoft describes this as a “software-as-a-service solution for organizations of all sizes,” so this isn’t for individual users (yet). 

It offers many of the features Parallels lacks like nested virtualization for testing, support for emulators within the virtual Windows 11 OS, and more. Perhaps we could see Microsoft introduce an individual model akin to the commercial version like it has recently for the premium version of its new flagship digital assistant, Copilot Pro. 

Of course, Microsoft wants you to run Windows 11 on a PC meant specifically for it, (it even mentions this in the first line of the support post). However, many users like experimenting and personalizing their computing experiences and I think Microsoft’s willingness to accommodate that with its products fosters a positive impression among users and professionals. 

While some Mac and MacBook users may baulk at the idea of running Windows on their devices, there are some useful benefits for people who want to test out Windows 11 programs, or use applications that don’t currently have native Mac support, so it’s good to see Microsoft acknowledge this and offer support and advice, even if it’s through gritted teeth.

You might also like

• We try gaming in Parallels Desktop again with an M1 Pro MacBook
• Windows 11 update proves Microsoft is afraid of Apple
• If Windows 11 really wants to compete with iOS and Android, it’s doing it wrong

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/g5LYQGr
via IFTTT