While WandaVision featured a smorgasbord of digital VFX, the series’ clever practical effects were a huge part of what established it as one of Marvel’s most imaginatively crafted projects. The show’s use of old-school Hollywood tricks made each episode feel like a different kind of classic sitcom, all while teasing out its major magical twists.
Technology
Illegal movie downloads could be hiding dangerous new malware
Illegal movie sites are not the best places to visit on the internet. The fact that they are illegal should tell you that. While the legal consequences of pirating content are a big concern, you also risk getting malware, and not just any malware. Security researchers have identified a type of malware targeting illegal movie downloaders, known as Peaklight, classified as next-stage malware.
Its ultimate goal is to infect Windows systems with information stealers and loaders. Below, you’ll find more details about Peaklight, along with tips to stay protected.
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A person about to watch a movie on their laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What is Peaklight
Peaklight is a new type of malware that works only in your computer’s memory and doesn’t leave a trace on your hard drive. It’s designed to secretly download other harmful software, according to Mandiant, a cybersecurity company owned by Google.
“This memory-only dropper decrypts and executes a PowerShell-based downloader,” Mandiant said. “This PowerShell-based downloader is being tracked as PEAKLIGHT.”
Mandiant explains that Peaklight uses a hidden PowerShell script to download more malware. Some of the dangerous programs spread this way include Lumma Stealer, Hijack Loader and CryptBot, which are sold as services that hackers can rent to steal information or control computers.
A woman watching movies on her laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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How does it infect your computer?
The attack starts when someone downloads a Windows shortcut file (LNK), often while searching for pirated movies. These files are hidden inside ZIP folders that pretend to be movie downloads.
When the LNK file is opened, it connects to a content delivery network (CDN) that hides harmful JavaScript code, which runs only in your computer’s memory. This code then runs a PowerShell script called PEAKLIGHT, which connects to a remote server to download more harmful software.
Peaklight is designed to run entirely in your computer’s memory, which makes it much harder for antivirus software to detect. Since it doesn’t leave traces on storage, the antivirus would need to scan the memory (RAM) to catch it.
“PEAKLIGHT is an obfuscated PowerShell-based downloader that is part of a multi-stage execution chain that checks for the presence of ZIP archives in hard-coded file paths,” Mandiant researchers Aaron Lee and Praveeth D’Souza said.
“If the archives do not exist, the downloader will reach out to a CDN site and download the remotely hosted archive file and save it to disk.”
Illustration of a scammer using malware (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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6 ways to protect yourself from malware
1) Avoid downloading pirated content: Stick to legal platforms for movies, music and software. Pirated sites are high risk because they often disguise malware as legitimate content. Even searching for a movie on search engines can lead you to dangerous sites that trigger drive-by downloads.
2) Keep your operating system and software updated: Regularly update your Windows OS, antivirus software, browsers and other applications. Security patches are released to fix vulnerabilities that malware like Peaklight can exploit. Enabling automatic updates is the best way to stay ahead of these threats.
3) Use strong antivirus software: A strong antivirus program is your first line of defense. Choose one that includes real-time scanning, memory scanning and behavioral analysis. Many modern antiviruses scan not only files but also your computer’s memory (RAM), which is where Peaklight hides.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have 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 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
4) Be cautious of suspicious links and files: Don’t click on unknown links, especially if they offer free movies, games or other attractive content. Similarly, avoid downloading files from untrusted websites, even if they seem to be harmless ZIP folders.
5) Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication: Secure your online accounts by using strong, unique passwords for each account and enabling two-factor authentication. This ensures that even if some malware like information stealers try to grab your login data, they can’t access your accounts without the extra verification step. You can also use a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely.
6) Be wary of compressed files (ZIP, RAR): Compressed files are a common method for hiding malware. Even if they appear to be pirated movies, they could contain LNK files or other malicious scripts. Always scan these files with your antivirus before opening them.
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Kurt’s key takeaway
The idea of pirating content can be tempting. With so many streaming services and subscriptions out there, it’s impossible to have them all, which makes piracy seem like an option worth considering. But it’s better to pay up or watch something else. You don’t want your computer to be infected by malware and risk losing your money and personal data.
Have you ever been tempted to use illegal streaming or download sites? What stopped you (or didn’t)? 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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Social media is a minefield of dangers for teens, exposing them to extreme content like anorexia “thinspiration,” drug culture, hardcore pornography, suicide glorification and even predatory grooming. Algorithms push the darkest corners of the internet right onto their screens, sometimes with devastating consequences.
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With increasing pressure from Washington, D.C., and outraged parents, social media platforms are finally starting to act. They’re rolling out much-needed tools to help monitor kids’ online activity, offering control over what teens are exposed to so you, as parents or guardians, can watch out for their mental health and safety.
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Know the Instagram settings
From Family Center, you can see how much time your teen spends in the app (but not what they’re doing). You can set daily time limits and establish times to put the app in “sleep mode” so they won’t get notifications.
It starts with an invite: In the Instagram app, tap your profile picture (bottom right), followed by the menu button (top right) and then Family Center to connect to your teen. They can do it from their end, too, by choosing Supervision from the same menu.
Social media applications are seen on an iPhone screen in this illustration photo (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Two-way street: You can put hard rules in place or just have Instagram show warnings when your kid has gone beyond their limit. They can also request more time in the app, so be prepared for some negotiation.
Put the ‘you’ in YouTube
You can’t see what your teen is watching on YouTube or set time limits, but you can get alerts when they start a livestream or upload a new video. You can also see who’s subscribing to and commenting on their videos.
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Get connected: Open the YouTube app on your phone, tap your profile picture (bottom right), followed by the gear icon (top right), and pick Family Center. Tap Invite a teen to ask to supervise your kid’s YouTube account.
Keep communicating: This won’t work unless you talk to your teen about it and explain how it keeps them safe. They can kick you out of their account any time they like, so you might have to rely on your diplomacy skills pretty regularly.
Related: Watch extended interviews and get more tech tips at our YouTube Channel.
In this photo illustration, the Snapchat logo is displayed on an iPhone in the Apple App Store. (Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Restrict the chats on Snapchat
You can’t see your teen’s Snapchat messages or private photos and videos (which is probably for the best), but you can see who they’re making friends with and who they’ve chatted with the most over the past seven days.
Team up with your teen: From the Snapchat app on your phone, make sure you’re friends with your teen. Then, tap your profile picture (top left), followed by the settings gear icon (top right) and Family Center to set up the parent-to-kid link.
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Taking more control: There’s also a toggle switch for restricting your teen’s access to content labeled “sensitive” in Stories and the Spotlight part of Snapchat. Additionally, you can disable your teen’s access to the AI bot inside Snapchat.
Action plan for parents
Remember when you had a fake driver’s license or told a little white lie to get what you wanted? Kids have ways around parental controls and know how to spin the birth year wheel when signing up to get around age restrictions.
- Have the passcode to their phone: You need access to everything, at any time. Make this a non-negotiable if you pay for their phone. Even if you don’t check, your kid knowing you could is a good deterrent for risky behavior.
- Set limits: Use the built-in app controls to monitor their time spent in the apps and tools like content filters to limit their exposure to inappropriate material.
- “Friend” or “Follow” them: Stay connected on social media to see their circle and interactions. Without open dialogue, they’ll find ways around you.
- Learn about “finstas”: “Finsta” is slang for a fake Instagram account, and more than 50% of high schoolers have them. It’s a space where kids post unfiltered photos and opinions.
The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, Oct. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Talk to your kid
I was open and honest with my son about the dangers of social media and the internet from a young age. I didn’t do that to scare him, but to explain why I had certain rules in place. Knowing the why made it feel more like we were on the same team. If you need help, get our free Tech Contract for Kids.
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/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25639264/MPY_102_05890_R2.jpg "Agatha All Along’s practical effects were key to bringing its magic to life")
Instead of WandaVision’s references to sitcoms like I Love Lucy and Bewitched, Disney Plus’ new follow-up series, Agatha All Along, pays homage to supernatural horrors like Rosemary’s Baby and The Craft. It tells the story of how parasitic witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) sets out to regain her powers with the help of an unlikely team of friends and enemies. After being freed from a years-long hex that convinced her she was living in a gritty crime drama, Agatha realizes that her one hope of getting back on top is to put together a new coven and walk the Witches’ Road — a magical dimension only accessible (by song, naturally) to covens of magic users.
The show’s premise makes it seem like the sort of Marvel joint that would involve a lot more of the (at times very iffy) CGI that the studio’s live-action projects have become known for. But during the series’ recent press junket, showrunner Jac Schaeffer and executive producers Mary Livanos and Brad Winderbaum said that, in order to make Agatha All Along feel distinct and like a deep dive into the MCU’s mystical underbelly, they wanted to lean even more heavily into practical effects.
Much of WandaVision’s emphasis on practical effects stemmed from the show’s need to evoke the visual styles of shows from specific decades throughout the 20th century. But Schaeffer saw Agatha All Along as an opportunity to pay homage to the big-screen fantasies that shaped her storytelling sensibilities — many of which were known for their intricate sets and use of puppetry.
“On WandaVision, it was very precise which shows we were [mimicking,’] but [Agatha All Along] is really kind of broken open. It’s a lot of my personal influences. I’m a NeverEnding Story, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth kind of gal,” Schaeffer said.
There are flashes of witchiness sprinkled all throughout Agatha All Along’s premiere, but you can see the otherworldly whimsy Schaeffer’s talking about most clearly in the show’s third episode. “Through Many Miles of Tricks and Trials” transports Agatha’s coven from a New Jersey basement to the Witches’ Road where it’s perpetually twilight and the ground comes to life, ready to swallow people up if they aren’t careful about where they step.
Though the Witches’ Road — a realm that features largely in James Robinson and Vanesa Del Rey’s 2016 Scarlet Witch comic series — feels like the sort of glowy, metaphysical place Disney would usually create using Volume VFX sets, Livanos said that Agatha All Along’s effects were “almost wholly practical.” Winderbaum added that, for the Road itself, where much of Agatha All Along takes place, “there wasn’t a single green screen in sight on that set.”
Marvel’s past use of green screens and other digital effects has prompted some of the studio’s stars to speak out about how difficult it can be to deliver solid performances while acting in a neon void. WandaVision’s Elizabeth Olsen recently opened up about her own frustrations performing inside the physical nothingness required to bring Marvel’s big-budget projects together in post-production. But Hahn pointed to the Witches’ Road set as one of the big reasons why working on Agatha All Along felt like an immersive acting experience that didn’t require her “to shake off the outside world.”
“You felt so implanted in this magical place, and because it was mostly practical, it wasn’t something you had to imagine,” Hahn said. “It was like right there, which was very helpful and unexpectedly trippy.”
Because it’s a Marvel show about people casting spells and fighting demons, Agatha All Along still features its fair share of digital wizardry that works to make some of its more action-packed scenes pop. As a fan of stories that highlight characters’ physical transformations, though, Schaeffer jumped on every opportunity to put her witches through a crucible that left them literally “filthy, scarred, and scratched” by the show’s end.
“The cast were such troopers because all of that was real. There’s no adding digital blood and digital mud. These ladies were messed up for a long time. Cold; wet; muddy. Chocolate pudding all over their heads.”
Technology
Ukraine shows off capabilities of new drone-dropped, flamethrowing robotic war dogs: video
The Ministry of Defense in Ukraine took the opportunity this week to highlight the capabilities of its newest assets to help in the fight against Russia: robotic dogs with the option of adding flamethrowers to their arsenal.
The robotic “war dogs” were provided to Ukraine by the United Kingdom, and according to manufacturer Brit Alliance, the dogs have already exhibited exceptional mobility and agility crucial for traversing complex and hostile environments.
The dogs have the ability to navigate through debris, climb obstacles and move stealthily across open ground.
In a video posted to X on Monday by UkraineNewsLive, a drone is shown delivering a “combat robot scout” to a field in an undisclosed location. Once on the ground, the robotic dog rises onto its feet and walks in place.
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Ukraine shared video of its newest asset, a robotic war dog. (Ukraine Ministry of Defense)
Another video shared by the Ministry of Defense in Ukraine and posted by the armed forces Khortytsia unit shows a dog accompanying a Ukrainian soldier. The soldier is then seen using the dog’s thermal imaging camera to conduct surveillance in a wooded area.
The dogs in both videos are part of Ukraine’s combat unit dubbed “Medoid.”
In August, Ukraine unveiled the British second-generation Brit Alliance Dog (BAD2), which took to the battlefield, utilizing remote-sensing technology and a thermal-infrared camera to navigate the tricky landscape and perform a wide range of wartime tasks, such as delivering equipment or reconnaissance.
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Ukraine shared video of its newest asset, a robotic war dog. (Ukraine Ministry of Defense)
Ukrainian troops have taken over 30 of the dogs, which are effectively sophisticated land drones. Each unit costs around $9,000 to produce, and Brit Alliance has promised to update the units based on feedback from the Ukrainian troops.
Brit Alliance said in August that it believes the battlefield demonstration of the BAD2 unit will help turn it into a “cornerstone of modern military logistics.” The unit can move at just over 9 mph and move for five hours to a distance of over two miles, according to East2West.
Cleveland, Ohio-based Throwflame sells a version of the robotic dog called the Thermonator, which is outfitted with a flamethrower. The dog sells for about $9,420.
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According to the company, the dog can be used for things like controlling and preventing wildfires and removing snow and ice.
Drones have increasingly played a pivotal role in the conflict for Ukraine, which has found drones a means of getting better return on its investment as the conflict drags on, and each side needs to prove more resourceful.
Ukraine deployed the “Sea Baby” drone earlier this year to try to destroy the Crimean Bridge, causing structural damage with the naval drone that has a one-ton payload and can travel up to 62 mph, according to Ukrainian outlet EuroMaiden Press.
Russia has responded in kind with its own land-based drones, but those models resemble remote-controlled cars. The drone, known as Scorpion-M, also has kamikaze capabilities and has seen increased use in the Donetsk region over the summer.
The Scorpion-M can carry up to 55 pounds of explosives and has been used to destroy underground hideouts and other facilities that conventional bombing has had trouble hitting. Experts touted the drone’s maneuverability, but they noted that the real advantage is the difficulty in jamming the units.
In that sense, the BAD2 will have similar advantages, plus better maneuverability: Christopher Alexander, a U.S. Army vet with experience in Strategic Operations Command, previously told Fox News Digital that he found it difficult to imagine “anyone in the current state of technology or deploying these things at the company/battalion level.”
Fox News’ Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
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