recruitment Archives

AppWizard

March 12, 2025

Virtuos is setting up shop in Seoul

Virtuos is establishing a new development studio in Seoul, South Korea, led by general manager Seunghwan “Sean” Yoon. The studio aims to build partnerships with local clients and expand its team through recruitment. Yoon highlights South Korea's significance in the gaming industry, being the world's fourth-largest games market. The studio's physical presence in Seoul will enhance collaboration with local studios. Virtuos has over 4,000 employees globally and is involved in the remake of Metal Gear Solid 3.

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

Company of Heroes 3 is free to try and 50% off, so it’s the best time to check out the beefy 2.0 overhaul

Company of Heroes 3, a World War II real-time strategy game by Relic, is free to play until Monday. The game features an Italian campaign where players command troops against the Wehrmacht. A significant 2.0 anniversary update has been released, enhancing gameplay with reworked companies, increased skirmish variety, adjusted unit costs and abilities, and expanded map selection. The community has responded positively, with recent Steam reviews rating it 'Mostly Positive.' The base game is currently 50% off until Thursday.

AppWizard

February 26, 2025

Scottish children being ‘brainwashed’ by Neo-Nazis through popular video game

Concerns have arisen about the influence of far-right ideologies on Scottish children through the video game Minecraft, with experts warning that neo-Nazi groups may exploit the game's open design to spread extremist propaganda. These groups are reportedly using Minecraft's creative tools to create avatars and environments that glorify figures like Adolf Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan, as well as disturbing representations of historical atrocities. Ian Acheson from the Counter Extremism Project highlighted the ease of recruitment within gaming environments, while Ashton Kingdon described the situation as a "Wild West" for young gamers, noting that extremist groups utilize these platforms to target vulnerable players. A report from the Royal United Services Institute found that 34% of players encountered extremist imagery, and 25% felt encouraged to join extremist groups, with Minecraft specifically mentioned for the creation of Nazi death camp depictions. In response, Microsoft stated they have a dedicated team for player safety and moderation, implementing in-game reporting tools and filters to block inappropriate content, and maintaining a strict policy against terrorist and violent extremist content.

AppWizard

February 25, 2025

How the far right recruits children: making Hitler on Minecraft

Experts have identified that Minecraft is being used as a recruitment tool by far-right extremists to radicalize young players. Neo-Nazi groups have manipulated the game's creative features to spread propaganda and create disturbing imagery related to hate. The in-game chat functions have also become a platform for racist rhetoric. Ian Acheson from the Home Office has raised concerns about the game's environment being conducive to recruitment, while Ashton Kingdon emphasized the need for awareness and intervention to protect children from extremist influences in gaming.

Tech Optimizer

February 14, 2025

XELERA Ransomware Attacking Job Seekers With Weaponized Word Documents

Job seekers are targeted by a ransomware campaign called "XELERA," which uses counterfeit job offers from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to lure victims. The campaign begins with spear phishing emails containing a malicious Word document named “FCEI-job-notification.doc.” This document hides an OLE object that extracts a compressed PyInstaller executable called “jobnotification2025.exe,” which is designed to evade antivirus detection. The malware's structure includes a core script (mainscript.pyc) and supporting libraries for system monitoring and network operations. A Discord bot serves as a Command-and-Control server, allowing remote command execution, including privilege escalation, system control, credential theft, and visual disruption. The final stage of the attack involves deploying the XELERA ransomware, which demands a ransom in Litecoin and includes functions to terminate Windows Explorer and download a tool for MBR corruption.

AppWizard

February 14, 2025

A web3 free-to-play survival game found to be a front for installing malware on your PC has finally been removed from Steam

The free-to-play web3 game PirateFi attracted over 7,000 players upon its launch on Steam but was swiftly taken down due to concerns over "malicious files." Valve warned players that their systems might be at risk after downloading the game. Users reported suspected malware in the developer's uploads, and initial mixed reviews included positive comments from accounts with minimal gameplay experience, raising doubts about their authenticity. Negative feedback followed from newly created accounts, with allegations of data theft and unauthorized spending from Steam wallets. A Telegram account reportedly offered individuals a chance to moderate the game, suggesting an effort to inflate player numbers. Despite claims of a large player base, SteamDB analytics indicated that the game's peak concurrent players never exceeded five, with estimates of downloads ranging from 800 to 1,500.

AppWizard

February 12, 2025

Russia uses messaging apps to recruit terrorists, Ukraine’s police says

Russian intelligence agencies are using digital platforms to recruit Ukrainian citizens for terrorism, targeting vulnerable individuals such as the young, unemployed, and those with antisocial lifestyles. Many recruits face death or imprisonment instead of receiving promised payments. Ukrainian authorities have recorded nine attempted terrorist attacks this year, believed to be orchestrated by Russian intelligence, aiming to destabilize Ukraine and undermine public trust in its security. Telegram is a favored platform for Russian operatives to recruit individuals for disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks. Additionally, a recent espionage initiative recruited Ukrainian teenagers under the guise of “quest games” to gather intelligence for Russian forces. In September, a local individual was arrested for setting up surveillance cameras for Russian intelligence, having been recruited via Telegram with promises of easy money.