It’s Game Awards season, y’all. That special time of the year when we gather together to celebrate video games and the people who make them… by watching expensive commercials briefly punctuated by the odd awards speech or musical performance. For better or worse, The Game Awards is the biggest night on the video game event calendar. But with the way things have been going, lately it’s been more “worse” than it has been “better.”
Technology
Is your next flight scheduled on a 737 Max 9 aircraft?
Hundreds of flight cancellations continue days after both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines cope with the mandatory grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft.
A Max 9 was involved in a midair incident when the plug covering a section designed for a door failed, leaving a gaping hole and sucking out parts of the adjacent seats.
Chances are that if a future flight is showing a 737 Max 9 aircraft type, your flight will be canceled.
As of Friday morning, there were 1,600-plus flight cancellations, according to FlightAware, although some attributed to weather conditions.
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Boeing 737 Max (Boeing)
Four ways to tell whether your flight is assigned the 737 Max 9 aircraft
Determining whether your upcoming flight is using a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft involves a few steps.
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1) Check your booking details: Start by reviewing your flight confirmation or booking details. Airlines often list the aircraft type on your ticket or itinerary. Look for terms like “Boeing 737 Max 9” or “B737 Max 9”.
Alaska Airlines itinerary showing Boeing 737-9 Max (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
2) Visit the airline’s website or app: If the aircraft type isn’t specified in your booking details, visit the airline’s website. Search for your flight by entering the flight number or your booking reference. Many airlines provide detailed information about the aircraft, including the model.
ALASKA AIRLINES CANCELS ALL FLIGHTS ON BOEING 737-9 MAX AIRCRAFT THROUGH JAN. 13 AFTER MID-AIR DOOR BLOWOUT
3) Use flight-tracking websites: Websites like FlightAware or Flightradar24 can provide detailed information about specific flights, including the type of aircraft used. Enter your flight number on these platforms to see if your flight will be operated with a Boeing 737 Max 9. My new fave Flighty app alerts you when the aircraft type changes or a flight is going to be disrupted.
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4) Check the day of the flight: Sometimes, airlines may change the aircraft type last minute due to operational needs. Check the information screens at the airport, or ask at the gate to confirm the aircraft type on the day of your flight.
Woman at the airport checking information screens (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
A Boeing 737-900 is not the same as a 737 Max 9 aircraft. In person, a 737 Max can be identified visually by the forward-mounted engines ahead of the wing and the notches on the back edge design of the engines.
Boeing 737 Max (Boeing)
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What to do when your flight on a 737 Max 9 is canceled
Both United and Alaska Airlines were affected by the FAA grounding and mandatory inspection of the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft equipped with a fuselage plug where the frame was originally designed for a door in a spot that’s about 12 rows aft of the wing.
I was scheduled to fly from LAX to Newark on Alaska Airlines this past Friday when my flight was canceled about 36 hours ahead of departure. Alaska sent me to their app to confirm or change the automatically rebooked itinerary, but it failed when I logged in, saying that change could not be made online.
Alaska Airlines app (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Alaska Airlines call center wait time eight hours, nine minutes
When I called Alaska Airlines, the recorded message said that wait times were eight hours, nine minutes on my recent trip. On another phone support line for the airline VIPs, of which I am not one, though I decided to dial in desperation, I was able to select an option to receive a callback, which did come a few hours later when I was able to speak with an Alaska representative.
By that time, I had chosen to book another flight on JetBlue at the last minute, having no confidence in their operational stability, and asked for a refund.
If I had not already rebooked on my own, I would have pushed for a direct flight on their partner American instead of the unreasonable 14-hour zigzag series of Alaska flights automatically selected for me by their recovery algorithm.
Chat to rebook is hit or miss
Alaska offers chat as an alternative to get customer support by texting 82008. But in my case, I received a text message after a considerable wait, saying that they were “unable to accept additional chats.”
Alaska Airlines text message (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
You can send a text message to United Airlines at 800-UNITED-1 (800-864-8331). This service allows you to ask questions, get assistance and manage your bookings via text.
Social media direct messaging for help
United Airlines can be contacted through its social media channels, like X (@united) or Facebook, and it is fairly responsive to customer outreach. For Alaska Airlines on X, its handle is @AlaskaAir. Be sure to provide essential details like your flight number and booking reference, but avoid sharing sensitive personal information publicly.
Know your options before you reach out for rebooking help
Consider using every path to access the airline when you need help. If your flight is canceled on United or Alaska Airlines, know your options before reaching a representative to rebook. You may have more options than are offered on the airlines’ apps or websites.
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Best sites and apps to rescue your canceled flight
- Expertflyer is my go-to favorite site to see broad seat and flight inventory between cities.
- Flightsfrom.com shows all flights out of a particular departure airport, regardless of the carrier, which can come in handy when dealing with rebooking to suggest alternatives that are better than what the airline is suggesting to rebook you on.
Remember that airlines are very conscious of passenger concerns, especially regarding specific aircraft models like the Boeing 737 Max series. If you have concerns about flying on this aircraft, you can discuss them with the airline, and it might be able to accommodate your preferences, depending on its policies and the availability of alternative flights or aircraft.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Knowledge is key to avoiding travel disruptions related to the plagued 737 Max 9 aircraft. Be ready with the right tech travel apps and tools before heading to the airport. Smart travel apps can alert you to trouble before it happens, giving you a chance to solve a problem before it becomes yours.
What are your thoughts on the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft and its safety issues? Would you fly on one if you had the choice? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
The Game Awards are back once again to showcase a metric ton of commercials, provide the gaming public with their monthly dose of Muppets, and validate gamers’ opinions on which title should be named the Game of the Year. I don’t wanna say it’s a foregone conclusion what this year’s GOTY will be — Silksong may surprise us — but it’s pretty obvious that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the frontrunner and for good reason. It’s netted 12 nominations, the most out of this year’s contenders, including all five craft awards (Direction, Art, Music and Score, Narrative, and Audio Design).
On the announcements side, Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Games are planning something related to the Tomb Raider series. Keighley also probably had plans to reveal big news about Resident Evil: Requiem, but unfortunately it got spoiled early thanks to some leaked key art on the PlayStation Store. Here’s all the news, announcements, and trailers from The Game Awards 2025.
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A long-running malware campaign quietly evolved over several years and turned trusted Chrome and Edge extensions into spyware. A detailed report from Koi Security reveals that the ShadyPanda operation affected 4.3 million users who downloaded extensions later updated with hidden malicious code.
These extensions began as simple wallpaper or productivity tools that looked harmless. Years later, silent updates added surveillance functions that most users could not detect.
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THIS CHROME VPN EXTENSION SECRETLY SPIES ON YOU
Malicious extensions spread through trusted browsers and quietly collected user data for years. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How the ShadyPanda campaign unfolded
The operation included 20 malicious Chrome extensions and 125 on the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store. Many first appeared in 2018 with no obvious warning signs. Five years later, the extensions began receiving staged updates that changed their behavior.
Koi Security found that these updates rolled out through each browser’s trusted auto-update system. Users did not need to click anything. No phishing. No fake alerts. Just quiet version bumps that slowly turned safe extensions into powerful tracking tools.
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WeTab functions as a sophisticated surveillance platform disguised as a productivity tool. (Koi)
What the extensions were doing behind the scenes
Once activated, the extensions injected tracking code into real links to earn revenue from user purchases. They also hijacked searches, redirected queries and logged data for sale and manipulation. ShadyPanda gathered an unusually broad range of personal information, including browsing history, search terms, cookies, keystrokes, fingerprint data, local storage, and even mouse movement coordinates. As the extensions gained credibility in the stores, the attackers pushed a backdoor update that allowed hourly remote code execution. That gave them full browser control, letting them monitor websites visited and exfiltrate persistent identifiers.
Researchers also discovered that the extensions could launch adversary-in-the-middle attacks. This allowed credential theft, session hijacking and code injection on any website. If users opened developer tools, the extensions switched into harmless mode to avoid detection. Google removed the malicious extensions from the Chrome Web Store. We reached out to the company, and a spokesperson confirmed that none of the extensions listed are currently live on the platform.
Meanwhile, a Microsoft spokesperson told CyberGuy, “We have removed all the extensions identified as malicious on the Edge Add-on store. When we become aware of instances that violate our policies, we take appropriate action that includes, but is not limited to, the removal of prohibited content or termination of our publishing agreement.”
Most of you will not need the full technical IDs used in the ShadyPanda campaign. These indicators of compromise are primarily for security researchers and IT teams. Regular users should focus on checking your installed extensions using the steps in the guide below.
You can review the full list of affected Chrome and Edge extensions to see every ID tied to the ShadyPanda campaign by clicking here and scrolling down to the bottom of the page.
How to check whether your browser contains these extension IDs
Here is an easy, step-by-step way for you to verify if any malicious extension IDs are installed.
For Google Chrome
Open Chrome.
Type chrome://extensions into the address bar.
Press Enter.
Look for each extension’s ID.
Click Details under any extension.
Scroll down to the Extension ID section.
Compare the ID with the lists above.
If you find a match, remove the extension immediately.
For Microsoft Edge
Open Edge.
Type edge://extensions into the address bar.
Press Enter.
Click Details under each extension.
Scroll to find the Extension ID.
If an ID appears in the lists, remove the extension and restart the browser.
183 MILLION EMAIL PASSWORDS LEAKED: CHECK YOURS NOW
Simple security steps can block hidden threats and help keep your browsing safer. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to protect your browser from malicious extensions
You can take a few quick actions that help lock down your browser and protect your data.
1) Remove suspicious extensions
Before removing anything, check your installed extensions against the IDs listed in the section above. Most of the malicious extensions were wallpaper or productivity tools. Three of the most mentioned are Clean Master, WeTab and Infinity V Plus. If you installed any of these or anything that looks similar, delete them now.
2) Reset your passwords
These extensions have access to sensitive data. Resetting your passwords protects you from possible misuse. A password manager makes the process easier and creates strong passwords for each account.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com.
3) Use a data removal service to reduce tracking
ShadyPanda collected browsing activity, identifiers and behavioral signals that can be matched with data already held by brokers. A data removal service helps you reclaim your privacy by scanning people-search sites and broker databases to locate your exposed information and remove it. This limits how much of your digital footprint can be linked, sold or used for targeted scams.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.
4) Install strong antivirus software
An antivirus may not have caught this specific threat due to the way it operated. Still, it can block other malware, scan for spyware and flag unsafe sites. Many antivirus tools include cloud backup and VPN options to add more protection.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
5) Limit your extensions
Each extension adds risk. Stick with known developers and search for recent reviews. If an extension asks for permissions it should not need, walk away.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
ShadyPanda ran for years without raising alarms and proved how creative attackers can be. A trusted extension can shift into spyware through a silent update, which makes it even more important to stay alert to changes in browser behavior. You protect yourself by installing fewer extensions, checking them from time to time and watching for anything that feels out of place. Small steps help lower your exposure and reduce the chances that hidden code can track what you do online.
Have you ever found an extension on your browser that you didn’t remember installing or one that started acting in strange ways? How did you handle it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Between host and industry hypeman Geoff Keighley’s two video game vanity projects, The Game Awards is older and ostensibly more mature than Summer Game Fest. Conceived in 2014 as a way to celebrate both the people who make and play games, the show has always been part awards ceremony, part commercial product. That idea has been executed with varying degrees of success. (Remember the Schick Hydrobot?) But for the last few years, it’s felt like the awards part was increasingly getting in the way of the commercial part.
That was felt most acutely during the 2023 Game Awards. Developers accepting statues were often drowned out by music or cut off by teleprompters asking them to “please wrap it up” after their roughly 30 seconds of allotted time. Muppets and Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, though, had no such time limits enforced on them, with Aftermath calculating that 13 acceptance speeches could have fit inside the five minutes Kojima took to explain his game / not-game OD.
2023 was also the first full year into the now endemic video game labor crisis that saw developers laid off by the tens of thousands while studios of popular games got shut down. That crisis went by that year’s game awards with no acknowledgement, angering developers further. “I’m incredibly disappointed in Geoff Keighley for his silence on the state of the industry this year,” Monomi Park senior environment artist Dillon Sommerville told The Verge in 2023.
How to watch The Game Awards
On Thursday, December 11th at 5PM PT / 8PM ET the TGAs will be streamed on Twitch and YouTube. This year, Keighley has also signed a deal to beam the show live via Prime Video where it’ll be free to watch for Prime subscribers.
Keighley, perhaps responding to the bad optics, acknowledged the continuing labor issue in 2024. The Game Awards also introduced a new category, Game Changer, with its inaugural award going to Amir Satvat, a business development director at Tencent who created a resource to help laid-off developers find jobs.
But in the months since the 2024 awards, Keighley has once again been accused of poor treatment of the people he’s supposed to be celebrating. In 2020, The Game Awards announced a new initiative called The Future Class, designed to celebrate game makers, “who represent the bright, bold and inclusive future of video games.” Inductees are honored during the broadcast and provided with networking opportunities, mentorship programs, and other resources throughout the following year. However, there have been reports alleging that Keighley has ignored Future Class concerns and that resources from the program have been materially lacking.
In 2023, the Future Class wrote an open letter to The Game Awards and Keighley demanding recognition of the war in Gaza. This wasn’t without precedent. In 2022, the awards show acknowledged the war in Ukraine. But Keighley didn’t respond to the letter, nor has he mentioned the Future Class that much either. The Game Awards hasn’t named a Future Class in the last two years and won’t be naming anymore according to Future Class organizer Emily Weir. “At this time, we are not planning a new Future Class for this year and do not have any active programming plans for Future Class,” she said in a statement to Game Developer.
Like a lot of diversity and inclusion-minded programs, Future Class got started in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. But as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become publicly verboten in the rise of the Trump Administration and the online right, many companies, including game publishers, have diminished or jettisoned their DEI programs. While there has been no explicitly stated reason for the seeming shut down of the Future Class, it seems like The Game Awards is just doing what it always does — whatever’s popular at the time.
For as much as The Game Awards has lost the veneer of respectability among some of the people whose work it’s meant to celebrate, rest assured, it ain’t going anywhere. The Game Awards broadcast nets millions of viewers with a record-breaking 154 million livestreams in 2024. That’s a lot of eyeballs that developers pay a lot of money to get in front of. And even for those who don’t buy airtime, having your game featured at all during the presentation can net a big boost in sales. After Balatro was nominated for and won multiple awards last year including best debut indie, its publisher PlayStack shouted out the awards specifically for contributing to a huge increase in players.
More generally, the awards also provide a nice focal point for the disparate online gaming communities to gather around… and bitch about. E3 is long gone, and the other big events (not also run by Keighley) are the publisher-specific direct livestreams. With everything so fractured now, yelling with your friends or colleagues about how Hades was robbed for game of the year (an event I will never get over) is fun and something TGAs are singularly suited to provide. It is not the Oscars of gaming — DICE, the BAFTAs, and the International Game Development Awards (IGDA) pretty well take care of that. But if you want popularity, production values, and Flute Guy, there’s nothing like The Game Awards — even though some of the shine is starting to wear off.
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