Last Samurai Standing begins with a familiar premise. Desperate samurai dispossessed by the restoration of the emperor enter into a deadly game for a life-changing cash prize — all for the entertainment of anonymous elites. Unlike its inspirations Battle Royale and Squid Game, however, Last Samurai Standing’s violence is chaotic, fast-paced, and kinetic, though it hides a careful choreography that makes the series a more electric proposition than its predecessors.
Technology
Hackers use pirated software to hijack Mac, Android and Windows devices
Trading in cryptocurrency? You might be sitting on a pretty penny in that digital wallet of yours. Feels great, doesn’t it? But here’s the catch with digital currency: Keeping it secure isn’t a walk in the park.
Hackers are out there, working overtime to come up with new tricks to swipe your crypto, potentially emptying your wallet in one fell swoop. Yep, for these cyber thieves, your digital cash is the ultimate prize. And the worst part? Most of the time, you won’t even realize you’ve been hit until your balance is zero.
Case in point: There’s this fresh malware out there, specifically targeting macOS, Android and Windows devices. It sneaks in through pirated software, hunting for your cryptocurrency to make it its own. Here’s how it works.
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Woman working on a Mac. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What is the new malware targeting cryptocurrency users?
The cybersecurity company Kaspersky has uncovered a sophisticated new malware campaign designed to pilfer cryptocurrency from users’ wallets. This campaign leverages pirated or improperly licensed software as a vector for infection, exploiting the common practice of seeking out “free” versions of paid software online.
These cracked applications, distributed through unauthorized websites, are embedded with a Trojan-Proxy type of malware. This malware is not limited to just macOS users, as recent findings have shown; variants targeting Android and Windows platforms have also been discovered, connecting to the same Command and Control (C&C) server. These variants, like their macOS counterparts, are concealed within cracked software, illustrating the widespread risk across different operating systems.
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Once the malware is downloaded onto your device, it will immediately start checking for Bitcoin and Exodus cryptocurrency wallets. If it discovers either one (which is very unfortunate for some users who have both), the malware replaces the wallet and infects it with another version that’s able to steal the cryptocurrency. For some people, this could amount to thousands of dollars. And, it’s all because you unintentionally downloaded the malware to your macOS, Android and Windows devices.
Woman typing on Mac. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson))
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How does this malware get on your device?
Kaspersky reported that this new malware is coming through cracked software applications online. A cracked software has broken protection, thus making it easier for hackers to infiltrate it with code. With this, the malware’s creator took pre-compromised versions of the pirated software — one example being xScope, a paid macOS utility — and altered a few bytes of code to get the job done.
Then, in February, security firm Jamf found another cryptocurrency-focused macOS malware circulating through a pirated version of Apple’s Final Cut Pro software.
Attackers can use this malware to gain money or perform criminal activities using your device. It is distributed as .PKG installers, which contain scripts that execute after installation, altering system files and setting up the malware to run as a system process.
What pirated applications are being loaded with this malware?
The pirated applications are versions of software that have been modified to remove or disable features that are only available in paid versions, such as license verification. These applications are often distributed illegally and without the consent of the software creator. These are identified as being loaded with this Trojan-Proxy malware:
- 4K Image Compressor
- 4K Video Downloader Pro v4.24.3 macOS
- Aiseesoft Mac Data Recovery
- Aiseesoft Mac Video Converter Ultimate
- Allavsoft
- AnyMP4 Android Data Recovery for Mac
- AweCleaner
- Downie 4
- FonePaw Data Recovery
- INet Network Scanner
- MacDroid
- MacX Video Converter Pro
- MouseBoost Pro
- MWeb Pro
- NetShred X
- NetWorker Pro
- Path Finder
- Patternodes
- Perfectly Clear Workbench
- Print to PDF
- Project Office X
- Rocket Typist
- Sketch
- SponsorBlock
- SystemToolkit
- TransData
- Vellum
- VideoDuke
- Wondershare UniConverter 13
- SQLPro Studio
- WinX HD Video Converter for Mac
- Artstudio Pro
- Magic Sort List
- FoneLab Mac Data Retriever
- Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate for Mac
Furthermore, the malware campaign extends beyond macOS, as shown by the fact that Android and Windows platforms are also being targeted by malware that communicates with the same command and control server. The applications or files identified for these platforms are:
- Android: s276.apk, Swipis_v2.6.1[Mobile].apk
- Windows: wsclient.exe
The lesson is to avoid downloading pirated software from unauthorized sources to protect yourself from such malware infections.
A woman typing on a Mac laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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The deceptive ‘Activator’ app and its cryptocurrency heist
When you download one of these apps, it launches “Activator,” which prompts you to put in your device’s username and password to install and launch the software, when you think you’re installing an app.
When this happens successfully (or, rather — unsuccessfully to you), the hacker can spy on your device and receive commands from their server. This is when the hacker executes their dirty work: searching for cryptocurrency wallets, replacing them and looting your dough.
Activator app. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Another note that Kaspersky mentioned about this particular malware is that it has been targeting users with the macOS Ventura 13.6, which was just released in September. We don’t know for sure, but this seems to suggest that if you’re not running that, then you might be safe from this hack, this time.
Of course, if you also don’t have cryptocurrency, you’re probably okay, too. However, this unique type of malware that uses pirated software to get on your device is not all that new. Hackers have used this method of exploiting pirated software before, and they’ll do it again.
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So, how can you keep yourself safe?
Remember, for the hacker to get the malware on your device, you have to download it. This is done by clicking on a link or a file that’s generally suspicious, but not always. In the case of this threat, hackers understand that cryptocurrency users are probably more tech-savvy than the average person, and are therefore more attuned to hacks that are out there. Because of this, hackers have to find ways to trick you into downloading the malware in the first place. So here are five things you can do to protect yourself.
1) Don’t download bootleg software: It’s not worth the risk to download bootleg software. It exposes your device to potential security threats, such as viruses and spyware. Downloading software from reputable app stores is definitely the way to go to protect your devices.
2) Don’t click on suspicious links or files: If you encounter a link that looks suspicious, misspelled or unfamiliar, avoid clicking on it. Instead, consider going directly to the company’s website by manually typing in the web address or searching for it in a trusted search engine. Typically, the first or second result that appears is legitimate.
3) Update your device with software regularly: Regularly updating your device’s software is crucial for security because it ensures that you receive the latest patches, bug fixes and security enhancements. These updates help protect your device from vulnerabilities and potential threats that could be exploited by malicious actors.
4) Consider storing your cryptocurrency wallet in an external hard drive: If you do have cryptocurrency, you can always consider storing your wallet in an external hard drive. This storage method means that it’s safe from hackers on the internet.
5) Have good antivirus software: The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Mac, Windows, Android & iOS devices.
Kurt’s key takeaways
A new day comes with new malware that’s targeting those of you who use Mac, Windows and Android devices and who have cryptocurrency wallets. It’s a scary threat that could cost you a lot of money if you’re not careful. But you can protect yourself by following the steps above, so you can enjoy your cryptocurrency without worrying about losing it to hackers.
Do you believe government regulations should play a stronger role in protecting crypto users? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Technology
Trump administration bars former EU official and anti-disinformation and hate researchers from US
On Tuesday, the Trump Administration followed through on a threat of retaliation targeting foreigners who are involved in content moderation. The State Department announced sanctions barring US access for former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, as well as four researchers, while issuing an intentionally chilling threat to others, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming, “The State Department stands ready and willing to expand today’s list if other foreign actors do not reverse course.”
One of the researchers the State Department says is banned and now deportable, is Imran Ahmed, who runs the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), an organization aimed at identifying and pushing back against hate speech online that Elon Musk tried and failed to censor with a lawsuit that was dismissed in early 2024. In his decision, Judge Charles Breyer wrote that X’s motivation for suing was to “punish CCDH for CCDH publications that criticized X Corp. — and perhaps in order to dissuade others.”
The other researchers include Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, leaders of HateAid, a nonprofit that tried to sue X in 2023 for “failing to remove criminal antisemitic content,” as well as Clare Melford, leader of the Global Disinformation Index, which works on “fixing the systems that enable disinformation.”
The press release announcing the sanctions is titled “Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex,” the claimed target of Republicans like House Judiciary Committee leader Jim Jordan, as they’ve worked against attempts to apply fact-checking and misinformation research to social networks. Earlier this month, Reuters reported the State Department ordered US consulates to consider rejecting H-1B visa applicants involved in content moderation, and a few days ago, the Office of the US Trade Representative threatened retaliation against European tech giants like Spotify and SAP over supposedly “discriminatory” activity in regulating US tech platforms.
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Staying aware of your surroundings matters. That includes hearing smoke alarms, appliance beeps or a knock at the door. Still, real life gets busy. You wear headphones. You get focused. Sounds slip by. That is where Android Sound Notifications help. This built-in accessibility feature listens for key sounds and sends an alert to your screen. Think of it as a gentle tap on the shoulder when something important happens.
Although it was designed to help people who are hard of hearing, it is useful for anyone. If you work with noise-canceling headphones or often miss alerts at home, this feature can make a real difference.
Now, if you use an iPhone, here’s how Apple’s Sound Recognition can alert you to alarms and other key sounds on your device.
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Android Sound Notifications alert you when important sounds happen around you. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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What Sound Notifications do on Android
Sound Notifications use your phone’s microphone to listen for specific sounds nearby. When it detects one, it sends a visual alert. You will see a pop-up, feel a vibration and may even see the camera flash.
By default, Android can detect sounds like:
- Smoke alarms
- Fire alarms
- Sirens
- Door knocks
- Doorbells
- Appliance beeps
- A landline phone ringing
- Running water
- A baby crying
- A dog barking
That range makes the feature practical at home or at work. Even better, you control which sounds matter to you.
Why this feature is worth using
Here is the simple truth. You cannot hear everything all the time. Distractions happen. Headphones block sound. Focus takes over. Sound Notifications fill that gap. While you stay locked into a task, your phone keeps listening. When something important happens, you still get the message. As a result, you worry less about missing alarms or visitors. You gain awareness without extra effort.
How to turn on Sound Notifications
Getting started only takes a minute. Note: We tested these steps on a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra running the latest version of Android. Menu names and locations may differ slightly on other Android phones, depending on the manufacturer and software version.
- Open the Settings app
- Go to Accessibility
- Tap Hearing enhancements
- Select Sound Notifications
- Turn the feature on
Turning on Sound Notifications only takes a few taps in Android’s Accessibility settings. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
When you enable Sound Notifications for the first time, Android will ask how you want to start the feature. Choose the option that works best for you:
- Tap the button in the quick settings panel
- Tap the Accessibility button
- Press the Side and Volume Up buttons
- Press and hold the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons for three seconds
After you select a shortcut, Click Ok. Then, Sound Notifications will start listening in the background.
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If you do not see the option, install the Live Transcribe & Notifications app from the Play Store. You can enable Sound Notifications from there. Once active, your phone listens for selected sounds and alerts you when it detects one.
Choose which sounds trigger alerts
Not every sound deserves your attention. Thankfully, Android lets you fine-tune alerts.
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
- Go back to Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Click Hearing enhancements
- Tap Sound Notifications
- Click Open Sound Notifications. This opens the actual Sound Notifications control screen.
- On the Sound Notifications screen, tap Settings or the gear icon in the top corner
- Tap Sound types
You will now see the full list of detectable sounds.
- Toggle on the sounds you want alerts for, such as smoke alarms or doorbells
- Toggle off sounds you do not want, like dog barking or appliance beeps, if they are not important to you
You can choose exactly which sounds trigger alerts, helping you avoid unnecessary interruptions. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Check the sound history log
Sound Notifications keep a log of detected sounds. This helps if you were away from your phone and want to see what happened.
You can also save sounds and name them. That makes it easier to tell the difference between your washer finishing and your microwave timer.
The log adds context, which makes alerts more helpful.
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Teach your phone custom sounds
Android does not stop at presets. You can train it to recognize sounds unique to your space.
Maybe your garage door has a distinct tone. Maybe an appliance uses a nonstandard beep. You can record it once, and your phone will listen for it going forward. To add a custom sound:
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
- Open Sound Notifications
- Tap the gear icon
- Select Custom sounds
- Tap Add sound
- Hit Record
Record a clear 20-second clip. The better the audio, the better detection works later.
Customize how alerts appear
By default, Sound Notifications use vibration and the camera flash. That visual cue is helpful for urgent alerts. However, not every sound needs that level of attention. You can adjust how alerts appear based on importance.
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
- Open Sound Notifications
- Open the gear icon
- Tap Ways to be notified
- From there, choose which alerts vibrate, flash or stay subtle
This flexibility keeps the feature working for your routine.
Your privacy stays on your phone
It is reasonable to question constant listening. Here is the key detail. Sound Notifications process audio locally on your device. Sounds never leave your phone. Nothing gets sent to Google. The only exception is if you choose to include audio with feedback. That design keeps the feature private and secure.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Android Sound Notifications quietly solve a real problem. They help you stay aware when your ears cannot. Setup is fast. Controls are flexible. Privacy stays intact. Once you turn it on, you may wonder how you lived without it.
What important sound have you missed lately that your phone could have caught for you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Viewers have Junichi Okada to thank for that. As well as starring in and producing Last Samurai Standing, he serves as the series’ action planner. Many will be familiar with the results of an action planner’s work — sometimes called an action director, elsewhere a “coordinator,” and even “choreographer” — though perhaps not what the role entails. In the case of Last Samurai Standing, it’s a role that touches on nearly every aspect of the production, from the story to the action itself.
“I was involved from the script stage, thinking about what kind of action we wanted and how we would present it in the context of this story,” Okada tells The Verge. “If the director [Michihito Fujii] said, ‘I want to shoot this kind of battle scene,’ I would then think through the content and concept, design the scene, and ultimately translate that into script pages.”
The close relationship between the writer and director extends to other departments, too. Though an action planner’s role starts with managing fight scenes and stunt performers, they also liaise with camera, wardrobe, makeup, and even editorial departments to ensure fight scenes cohere with the rest of the production.
Image: Netflix
It’s a role which might appear a natural progression for Okada, who is certified to teach Kali and Jeet Kune Do — a martial art conceived by Bruce Lee — and holds multiple black belts in jiujitsu. Though the roots of his progression into action planning can be traced back further, to 1995 when he became the youngest member of J-pop group V6.
“Dance experience connects directly to creating action,” he says. “[In both] rhythm and control of the body are extremely important.” Joining V6 at the age of 15, that experience has made Okada conscious of how he moves in relation to a camera during choreography, how he is seen within the structure of a shot, and, critical to action planning, how to navigate all of that safely from a young age.
That J-pop stardom also offered avenues into acting, initially in roles you might expect for a young pop star: comic heartthrobs and sitcom sons. But he was steadily able to broaden his output. A starring turn in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Hana followed, as did voice acting in Studio Ghibli’s Tales From Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. A more telling departure was a starring role in 2007’s SP, in which he played a rookie in a police bodyguard unit, for which he trained for several years under shootfighting instructor Yorinaga Nakamura.
“What I care about is whether audiences feel that ‘this man really lives here as a samurai.’”
In the years since, Okada has cemented himself as one of Japan’s most recognizable actors, hopping between action starring roles in The Fable to sweeping period epics like Sekigahara. Those two genres converge in his Last Samurai Standing role of Shujiro, a former Shogunate samurai now reduced to poverty, working through his PTSD and reckoning with his bloodthirsty past in the game. These days, it’s less of a concern that the character butts up against his past idol image, he suggests. “What I care about is whether audiences feel that ‘this man really lives here as a samurai.’”
For Okada’s work on Last Samurai Standing, as both producer and action planner, that involved lacing high-octane but believable action with the respect for history and character studies of the period dramas he loves. “Rather than being 100 percent faithful to historical accuracy,” he adds, “my goal was to focus on entertainment and story, while letting the ‘DNA’ and beauty of Japanese period drama gently float up in the background.”
A focus on what he defines as “‘dō’ — movement,” pure entertainment that “never lets the audience get bored” punctuated — with “‘ma,’” the active emptiness that connects those frenetic moments. Both can be conversations, even if one uses words and another communicates dialogue through sword blows. This is most apparent when Shujiro faces his former comrade Sakura (Yasushi Fuchikami) inside a claustrophobic bank vault that serves as a charnel house for the game’s less fortunate contestants.
“The whole battle is divided into three sequences,” Okada says. The first starts with a moment of almost perfect stillness, a deep breath, before the two launch into battle. “A fight where pride and mutual respect collide,” he says, “and where the speed of the techniques reaches a level that really surprises the audience.” It’s all captured in one, zooming take with fast, tightly choreographed action reminiscent of Donnie Yen and Wu Jing in Kill Zone.
So intense is their duel that both shatter multiple swords. The next phase sees them lash out in a more desperate and brutal manner with whatever weapons they find. Finally, having fought to a weary stalemate, the fight becomes, Okada concludes, “a kind of duel where their stubbornness and will are fully exposed” as they hack at each other with shattered blades and spear fragments.
Image: Netflix
It’s a rhythm that many fights in Last Samurai Standing follow, driven by a string of physical and emotional considerations that form the basis of an action planner’s tool kit: how and why someone fights based on who they are and their environment. Here it is two former samurai in an elegant and terrifyingly fast-paced duel. Elsewhere we see skill matched against brutality, or inexperience against expertise.
“I define a clear concept for each sequence,” Okada says, before he opens those concepts up to the broader team. From there, he might add notes, but in Last Samurai Standing, action is a collaborative affair. “We keep refining,” he says. “It’s a back-and-forth process of shaping the sequence using both the ideas the team brings and the choreography I create myself.”
There is a third factor which Okada believes is the series’ most defining. “If we get to continue the story,” he says, “I’d love to explore how much more we can lean into ‘sei’ — stillness, and bring in even more of a classical period drama feel.”
As much of a triumph of action as Last Samurai Standing is, its quietest moments are the ones that stay with you. The charged looks between Shujiro and Iroha (Kaya Kiyohara) or their shuddering fright when confronted with specters of their past. Most of all, Shujiro watching his young ward, Futaba Katsuki (Yumia Fujisaki), dance before a waterlogged torii as mist hovers. These pauses are what elevate and invigorate the breathless action above spectacle.
The pauses are also emblematic of the balance that Last Samurai Standing strikes between its period setting and pushing the boundaries of action, all to inject new excitement into the genre. “Japan is a country that values tradition and everything it has built up over time. That’s why moments where you try to update things are always difficult,” Okada says. “But right now, we’re in the middle of that transformation.”
That is an evolution that Okada hopes to support through his work, both in front of and behind the camera. If he can create avenues for new generations of talent to carry Japanese media to a broader audience and his team to achieve greater success on a global stage, “that would make me very happy,” he says. “I want to keep doing whatever I can to help make that possible.”
The first season of Last Samurai Standing is streaming on Netflix now, and a second season was just confirmed.
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