artifacts Archives

AppWizard

April 13, 2026

Todd Howard says Starfield’s NG+ was misunderstood and defends Bethesda’s new U-turn on how it works: ‘You can tell us if we’re done our job right’

Starfield's Free Lanes update enhances the New Game Plus (NG+) mode by allowing players to retain up to 50 items when entering The Unity, a multiverse nexus that resets the game while keeping character skills and abilities. This change addresses player concerns about losing hard-earned possessions, which was previously seen as a daunting sacrifice. The update also introduces X-Tech for further upgrades to existing gear, aiming to reward players without frustrating them by losing progress. Bethesda's director, Todd Howard, and creative producer, Tim Lamb, emphasize the importance of evolving the gameplay experience and encouraging players to engage with the game's NG+ features.

Winsage

April 9, 2026

This fake Windows support website delivers password-stealing malware

A phishing campaign has been identified that uses a counterfeit Microsoft support website, microsoft-update[.]support, to trick users into downloading a malicious Windows update disguised as WindowsUpdate 1.0.0.msi. This file, created on April 4, 2026, appears legitimate but contains malware designed to steal sensitive information. The campaign targets French-speaking users, leveraging recent data breaches in France to create convincing scams. The malware, once executed, installs an Electron application that runs a Python interpreter, which then deploys various data theft tools. It employs two persistence mechanisms: modifying the Windows registry and creating a shortcut in the Startup folder. The malware connects to external sites for reconnaissance and data exfiltration, using domains like datawebsync-lvmv.onrender[.]com and store8.gofile[.]io. The malware's components have evaded detection by antivirus tools, with VirusTotal reporting zero detections for the main executable and its launcher. Users are advised to check their registry, remove suspicious files, change passwords, and run a full system scan if they suspect installation of the malicious update. Safe updating practices include using the built-in Windows update feature and being cautious of phishing attempts. Indicators of compromise include specific file hashes, domains associated with the phishing campaign, and file system artifacts related to the malware's installation.

AppWizard

April 3, 2026

This new climbing game is a bit like Darkest Dungeon on a mountain: Sometimes you have to cut the rope, and not everyone on the team is going to take it well when you do

Climbing games are gaining popularity, with titles like White Knuckle, Peak, Cairn, and the lesser-known Jusant. Ascenders: Beyond the Peak introduces a collaborative gameplay element, where players act as team leaders making difficult decisions, including who may not survive the journey. The game focuses on collecting artifacts and hints at a deeper mystery involving Lovecraftian threats. Developer Ludogram states that each expedition aims to reach the summit, understand the mountain's forces, and return alive with knowledge and artifacts. Ascenders features a roguelite progression system and strategic gameplay, differing from the serene experience of Jusant. It is set for early access launch in Q3 2026 on PC via Steam.

Winsage

April 1, 2026

Microsoft issues emergency update for Windows 11 — fixes broken March preview update rollout from last week

Microsoft released an optional non-security update for Windows 11, identified as KB5079391, which caused significant installation issues for users, marked by error code 0x80073712. In response, Microsoft issued an emergency update, KB5086672, to address these problems for affected Windows 11 systems, including versions 25H2 and 24H2. This new update supersedes previous updates and includes protections and improvements from the March 2026 Windows security and non-security preview updates, along with an installation fix. The update also offers enhancements such as refresh rates exceeding 1000 Hz, improved auto-rotation and HDR reliability, and enhanced power efficiency for USB 4-connected monitors during sleep. Earlier in the year, the January security update, KB5074109, caused issues for gamers with Nvidia GPUs, leading to frame rate drops and system instability, with some users experiencing boot failures and errors like “UNMOUNTABLEBOOTVOLUME.” Additionally, users reported problems with shutting down or hibernating their PCs and disruptions in cloud-based applications like Outlook, OneDrive, and Dropbox.

Winsage

March 23, 2026

Microsoft announces changes to Windows 11: movable taskbar, less Copilot and improved update control

Microsoft is rolling out enhancements for Windows 11 in test builds for Windows Insider members during March and April of 2026. Key updates include: - Users can now reposition the taskbar to the top or sides of their screens and access more personalization settings. - The integration of the Copilot feature will be reassessed across applications like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad, focusing on specific use cases. - Windows Update will allow users to skip updates during initial setup, shut down or restart without mandatory updates, pause updates for extended periods, and reduce the frequency of automatic restarts and notifications. - File Explorer will see performance upgrades, including faster startup times, fewer visual artifacts, and enhanced stability. - The Feedback Hub will have an updated interface for easier feedback submission and improved visibility of user messages. - Future developments for Windows 11 will focus on enhancing system performance, stability, and predictability, reducing resource consumption, boosting application speed, improving driver stability, minimizing crashes, enhancing peripheral connectivity, and ensuring reliable updates. - There will be ongoing improvements to the Windows Subsystem for Linux to enhance file operations between Windows and Linux environments.

AppWizard

March 21, 2026

I’ve spent over 100 hours in Crimson Desert—here are my top 20 quick tips to triumph in Pywel

1. Ring the bell in each city to unlock the regional map and reveal points of interest. 2. Spend your first Abyss Artifacts on health and stamina, prioritizing stamina for early boss encounters. 3. Complete Requests from the notice board to gain more inventory space or purchase extra slots at shops. 4. The Force Palm ability is effective for puzzles and boss fights, especially with the Level 3 upgrade. 5. You can heal your horse by using the Force Palm ability. 6. Petting and feeding your horse unlocks new skills, such as double jumping. 7. Refine your gear at the Smithy using copper and iron ore, and look for Bloodstone for maximum refinement. 8. Kicking is an effective tactic against humanoid bosses and enemies. 9. Mysterious Energy areas on the map often hide fast travel points or puzzles. 10. Completing Sealed Abyss Artifact challenges yields Abyss Gears and Faded Abyss Artifacts for respecs. 11. Hold up your lantern to locate Sealed Abyss Artifacts, which shine with a white circle. 12. Sell learned recipes for profit and participate in various contests for quick cash. 13. Use CTRL (or LB on controller) to investigate vendor inventories for hidden items. 14. Steal carefully to avoid losing Contribution points, which are needed for better gear. 15. Use grindstones and anvils to temporarily increase weapon damage and armor protection. 16. Cook and equip food for quick healing access during battles. 17. The Blinding Flash ability can burn obstacles and reveal powered cables for puzzles. 18. Observe enemies and bosses to learn new skills for free. 19. Keep your guard up and upgrade Keen Senses to Level 2 for better dodging and parrying. 20. Palmar Pills found during main quests restore 30% HP upon death instead of forcing a respawn.

AppWizard

March 19, 2026

New Perseus Android Banking Malware Monitors Notes Apps to Extract Sensitive Data

Cybersecurity researchers have identified a new family of Android malware called Perseus, designed for device takeovers and financial fraud. It utilizes Accessibility-based remote sessions for real-time monitoring and interaction with infected devices, particularly targeting Turkey and Italy. Perseus monitors user notes to extract personal or financial information and is distributed through dropper applications via phishing websites. It expands on the codebase of previous malware like Phoenix and employs disguises as IPTV services to reduce user suspicion. Once operational, it performs overlay attacks and captures keystrokes to steal credentials from financial applications. The malware allows operators to issue commands through a command-and-control panel, enabling various malicious actions, including capturing note content and initiating remote visual streams. Perseus also conducts environment checks to evade detection and ensure it operates on legitimate devices.

Winsage

March 6, 2026

Microsoft Reveals ClickFix Campaign Using Windows Terminal to Deploy Lumma Stealer

Microsoft revealed a social engineering campaign named ClickFix that exploits the Windows Terminal application to deploy Lumma Stealer malware. Detected in February 2026, this campaign instructs users to access Windows Terminal using the Windows + X → I shortcut, enhancing its perceived legitimacy. Attackers evade detection by manipulating users into executing harmful commands through deceptive prompts. The attack chain involves pasting a hex-encoded command into Windows Terminal, which opens additional Terminal and PowerShell instances, leading to a PowerShell process that decodes a script. This process downloads a ZIP payload containing a renamed 7-Zip binary, which extracts files and initiates a multi-stage attack, including retrieving payloads, establishing persistence, configuring Microsoft Defender exclusions, exfiltrating data, and deploying Lumma Stealer by injecting it into "chrome.exe" and "msedge.exe." Lumma Stealer targets browser artifacts to harvest credentials. A secondary attack pathway involves downloading a batch script that writes a Visual Basic Script to the Temp folder and connects to Crypto Blockchain RPC endpoints, also using QueueUserAPC() for code injection into browsers to extract data.

AppWizard

March 6, 2026

Building realistic Minecraft worlds with Open Data on AWS: How Arnis uses elevation datasets at scale

Arnis is an open-source tool that transforms real-world locations into Minecraft experiences using geospatial data from Amazon Web Services (AWS). It recently migrated to Terrain Tiles, a global elevation dataset, which has reduced data retrieval costs and improved accessibility for nearly 300,000 users. Users can select geographic regions and customize parameters to generate locations in Minecraft, with the conversion process occurring locally on their machines. The integration of elevation data was a key feature, achieved through a processing pipeline designed by contributors after consulting GIS specialists. This pipeline allows accurate terrain rendering globally, even in areas with significant elevation variations. The transition to Terrain Tiles eliminated the need for a commercial provider, simplifying the codebase and removing account-bound authentication for data access. Previously, users made around 2,000,000 elevation tile requests over three months, incurring substantial costs. Now, users benefit from free access to the Terrain Tiles dataset, enhancing the elevation feature's reliability and accessibility. The Arnis processing pipeline operates on the client’s machine without backend services or API keys, involving steps such as calculating tile coordinates, fetching terrain tiles from AWS, decoding them, applying smoothing, and voxelizing the map data. A local cache is used to minimize redundant reads, and the system defaults to flat terrain if the endpoint is temporarily unavailable. Future developments include a public Minecraft server for exploring generated worlds without downloading the application, automatic region selection for optimized data retrieval, expanded landform detection for better representations, and a terrain-only mode for custom city planning and adventure map creation.

Tech Optimizer

February 24, 2026

Fake Huorong Site Delivers ValleyRAT Backdoor in Targeted Malware Campaign

A cyber operation is targeting users of Huorong Security antivirus software through a typosquatted domain, huoronga[.]com, which mimics the legitimate site huorong.cn. Users who mistakenly visit the counterfeit site may download a file named BR火绒445[.]zip, which contains a trojanized installer that leads to the installation of ValleyRAT, a remote access trojan. The malware employs various techniques to evade detection, including using an intermediary domain for downloads, creating Windows Defender exclusions, and establishing a scheduled task for persistence. The backdoor facilitates activities such as keylogging and credential access while disguising its operations within legitimate processes like rundll32.exe. Attribution points to the Silver Fox APT group, and there has been a significant increase in ValleyRAT samples documented in recent months. Security measures include ensuring software downloads are from the official site and monitoring for specific malicious activities.