News

• A joint operation has disrupted a major pro-Russian DDoS network
• Operation Eastwood saw 2 suspects arrested and over 100 servers affected
• Major infrastructure related to the group was taken offline

A joint international operation carried out by law enforcement agencies from France, Spain, Sweden, Poland, and others, has disrupted a major pro-Russian cybercrime network NoName057(16). Operation Eastwood, supported by Europol and Eurojust, saw 12 countries take simultaneous actions against offenders and infrastructure belonging to the criminal network.

As a result of the operations, 2 suspects were arrested, 7 arrest warrants were issued, 24 houses were searched, 100 servers were disrupted, over 1,000 supporters were notified of their legal liability, and major parts of the NoName057(16) main infrastructure were taken offline.

The criminal network unsurprisingly primarily attacked targets in Ukraine, but had recently shifted its focus to Ukraine’s allies in the Russia/Ukraine war, many of which are NATO members.

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The group is allegedly responsible for distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks across Europe against organizations and critical infrastructure including banks, defense firms, transportation firms, government agencies, and energy suppliers.

“National authorities have reported a number of cyberattacks linked to NoName057(16) criminal activities. In 2023 and 2024, the criminal network has taken part in attacks against Swedish authorities and bank websites. Since investigations started in November 2023, Germany saw 14 separate waves of attacks targeting more than 250 companies and institutions” Europol confirms in a statement.

Criminal cybernetworks like these are a bit of a cat and mouse game for law enforcement, which is illustrated by the fairly regular major disruptions to criminal networks, which may temporarily subdue the attacks in one area, but barely make a dent in the number of overall attacks or offensives.

Earlier in 2025, Europol arrested 17 suspects and seized millions from a criminal banking network which allegedly provided money laundering services to criminals and evaded law enforcement by using cryptocurrency and a structured underground financial system.

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• Google Pixel Watch 4 specs have reportedly leaked
• According to Android Headlines, Watch 4 will sport a larger capacity battery
• Other improvements include a brighter screen, but the watch will wield the same Snapdragon chipset as last year

The Google Pixel Watch 4 specifications seem to have leaked, giving us an advance preview of what's sure to be one of the best Android smartwatches of the year.

As reported by Android Headlines, the Google Pixel Watch 4 will again arrive in two sizes: a 41mm and 45mm. It's said to be getting a revamp in several areas, including a brighter screen with up to 3,000 nits of brightness, and a new co-processor to handle the workload of on-device AI.

Crucially, it will apparently be getting a larger capacity battery, with the 41mm said to be able to reach 48 hours in battery saver mode and the 45mm reaching 72 hours.

Battery saver mode on Pixel Watch disables the always-on display, can delay notifications and dims brightness. We're not sure yet how it would interact with Gemini, but it's likely the power-hungry AI features would be affected too.

Wear OS 6, the operating system the Google Pixel Watch 4 will be running, is said to be battery-efficient despite the colorful Materia 3 Expressive redesign and AI functionalities, with Google stating watches running the OS get 10% more battery life. That's really encouraging, although if battery saver mode prevents users accessing Gemini features, the larger capacity battery will only serve to keep the Pixel Watch 4 at the same 24 hours between charges as its predecessor.

I've been saying it for years: health-focused watches that are designed to be worn for battery-sapping GPS workouts and sleep tracking need longer battery lives in order to be useful. There are a lot of people who hate charging their watches every day, so seeing Google equip its latest Pixel Watches with larger-capacity batteries is very encouraging.

However, there's not much point in buying an AI-equipped watch if you don't use the AI features. If battery saver mode impacts Gemini on Google watch, it's likely that we'll be stuck with the same old 24 hours or so, as we'll mostly leave battery saver off in order to make the most of Wear OS 6's advanced suite of AI-powered tools.

Whether you're asking Gemini to summarize your notifications, add something to your workout plan or text your significant other to ask for items to add to your grocery list, this is going to be the Pixel Watch 4's key selling point. I'd just love it if I could wear my Pixel Watch for 48 hours straight while using all its features, like I can the best Garmin watches.

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• Windows 11 had a change in testing to streamline the taskbar
• The tweak made the date and time display in the system tray more compact
• Microsoft ditched the idea due to negative feedback from testers, but this seems shortsighted, and I'm not sure why choices weren't provided here

Windows 11 won't be getting a simplified date and time panel in the taskbar, an idea that was introduced in preview builds in the past, and the reason is simple - testers hated this more streamlined look (apparently).

The rejig of the date and time display dropped the year, so it only showed the day and month, as well as also ditching the AM or PM label from the time. The result was a space-saving measure in the system tray - freeing up about the width of an icon - which worked quite effectively, I thought, to streamline this part of the taskbar (at the bottom-right of the desktop).

Windows Central's Zac Bowden remembered that this change had been paused in testing - and then never reintroduced - and asked on X as to when it might return, receiving a reply from Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc (senior product manager for Windows).

The feedback we got about that was not pleasant. That’s why is disappeared.July 12, 2025

As LeBlanc indicates, there was clearly quite a lot of negative feedback about this idea, and therefore it was abandoned.

There was another space-saving tweak accompanying this change, whereby the notifications bell didn't appear in the system tray when ‘Do not disturb’ mode was switched on. That, too, has been scrapped.

Do we need the year shown in the clock display in the taskbar? I'd argue very much not (though it may be handy for time travellers, perhaps - newspapers being trickier to find these days for that all-important year reveal). As for the indication of whether it's morning (AM) or afternoon (PM), there's perhaps more of a case for that, though again, I don't think it's needed (and I use the 24-hour clock anyway, rendering it redundant, of course).

I appreciate that some folks may not like the look of the new, slimmed-down clock and date info, and that's fair enough. So, my question for Microsoft is: why not just have a choice of which configuration you want? It seems like a simple enough compromise to let folks choose, and indeed an option to have the more compact affair, or the standard date and time, was present in testing way back when. (You could toggle 'Show time and day in the system tray' under the Date and Time options in the Settings app).

Choosing what you want - isn't this the best of both worlds? And if Microsoft was worried about the change confusing people, the company could have simply made the traditional form the default - and the compact mode a change you needed to opt-in for (by switching the relevant setting).

I don't see how this wasn't the path chosen, frankly, unless Microsoft thought that so few people wanted the new (abandoned) layout that it wasn't worth the effort to implement the tweak (or that it was bulking up taskbar options unnecessarily, as there are already quite a few).

Even if it was the case among testers that the change was pretty much universally hated - which I can only assume was the case - Microsoft must remember that those Windows Insiders are more hardcore enthusiasts whose views may not reflect the broader computing public. Indeed, looking at some of the reaction online, it's clear there's some feeling that the compact view for the date and time was appreciated in some quarters (and yes, still shot down in others, to be fair).

Am I just nit-picking here? Yes, to an extent, and of course this is far from the biggest problem with Windows 11 - this is comparative small fry, naturally - but it still feels odd to me that Microsoft didn't at least compromise here and provide a choice.

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• Donkey Kong Bananza doesn't offer the Nintendo Switch 2's Nvidia DLSS upscaling technology
• Digital Foundry explains in its tech review that the game only supports AMD's FSR1 tech with SMAA
• Mario Kart World also doesn't feature DLSS

One of the Nintendo Switch 2's most appealing traits is Nvidia's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), an upscaling technology that wasn't offered with the original Switch and majorly improves graphics quality and performance. However, just like Mario Kart World, this feature isn't available for Donkey Kong Bananza.

In Digital Foundry's tech review of Donkey Kong Bananza, it's noted that the latest Switch 2 exclusive title doesn't support DLSS, despite it being one of the console's major features.

While the game is still commended for its visuals, it's confirmed that it only utilizes AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 1 (FSR1) with Subpixel Morphological Antialiasing (SMAA).

"The Switch 2 supports technologies such as DLSS, and we've seen them in numerous games," said Digital Foundry's John Linneman.

"But Nintendo does not take advantage of it at all. Instead, we simply have this combination of AMD's FSR1 with SMAA, a post-process anti-aliasing. I'll admit it, the image quality is decent. But seriously, FSR1 again? Come on, Nintendo, we can do better than this."

Digital Foundry also notes that finer details are less pronounced in the game's target resolution of 1080p to 1200p using dynamic resolution, but in handheld mode, the game does seem to "produce a convincingly 1080p presentation on the internal screen".

It's unclear why Nintendo has chosen not to utilize the hardware's powerful upscaling tech for its latest first-party games. Interestingly, DLSS is available for the Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, as well as several third-party games such as Cyberpunk 2077.

In TechRadar Gaming's Donkey Kong Bananza review, hardware writer Dash Wood said the game "is the greatest Nintendo Switch 2 title to date, delivering an incredible destruction system that showcases the power of the new system."

"It’s visually impressive and, while the story isn’t anything to write home about, benefits from charming and expressive voice acting and animations. Throw in a seemingly endless stream of collectibles and secrets, and you have a meaty adventure that’s a delight to explore."

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The best free games in 2025 provide a crucial resource for those who love the pastime but don't enjoy spending large amounts of money after every new release.

Thankfully, there are tons of superb games that you can play for free. Many of these entries also grace our lists of best FPS games, the best RPGs, or the best multiplayer PC games. It just proves that if you're careful, you don't have to spend money to have fun.

However, it is important to understand that while these games are all free-to-play, some may include microtransactions or in-game purchases for optional content. This won't affect the fun, but it is worth knowing before you dive in.

So, if you're looking for something new to enjoy by yourself or with friends without cashing out any money, then check out this list, where we have gathered all the best free games that are worth playing.

Hitting its stride

"Overwatch 2 isn't quite a sequel, nor is it a patch – but it is brilliant. A whip-smart reinvention of what came before, breathing life into the franchise and reminding us why we loved it in the first place." - Patrick Dane, TechRadar Gaming reviewer.

Overwatch 2 has really course corrected since its difficult launch. The main question that Blizzard had to answer was whether Overwatch 2 was necessary, whether one of the most influential games of all time really needed a sequel. Currently, it's in the process of answering that question, and all signs point to yes being the resounding answer echoed back by the players. A shot in the arm came from Marvel Rivals, which notably took up all of the air in the hero-shooter space late in 2024. Overwatch 2 has since returned fire, with the best run of seasons yet.

As players grow tired with other ongoing live service games, it appears that Overwatch 2 is the place they always return to. It's a flawless online experience, with a huge variety of characters that still feel distinct and original. The recent addition of Perks has really freshened things up, and the ranked meta is noticeably less toxic than in the lobbies of Overwatch 2's direct competitor. Better yet, it's free to play, and fairly welcoming to new players. Give this one a try, even if you've fallen off of Overwatch in the past.

Agent under fire

Valorant continues to evolve and grow over time, managing to stay up to date thanks to new Agents, and a vibrant competitive scene. Despite being a very e-sports heavy shooter, Valorant is surprisingly friendly to new players. If you're looking to dip your toe into a tactical FPS, this is the one to try.

Valorant is a surprisingly approachable tactical FPS, at least when compared to its competitors. By offering over 25 Agents to choose from, the game does a great job at encouraging experimentation, and at rewarding a variety of play styles. Whether you want to rack up kills, protect your teammates, or seek out opponents to mark them on the map, there's an option for you.

For a game with such a heavy competitive-focus, Valorant is also a great entry point for those looking to try out a more e-sports friendly game. It's free too, and you'll unlock a handful of Agents from the get-go. Unlock more just by playing to get a wider selection, each with their own abilities and skills. If you're into shooting games, the thrilling 5v5 matches of Valorant are sure to keep you busy for a while.

Light vs. dark

Destiny 2 has really proven itself over the years, with a constant stream of updates giving players more and more reasons to keep playing. The base experience is free as well, meaning you can get a taste for yourself, before deciding to dive in further. If you do decide to play Destiny 2, there's hundreds of hours of excellent FPS gameplay to enjoy, with some of the best art-direction in the business.

Destiny 2 now features a frankly dizzying amount of content. Thanks to years and years of updates from Bungie, including 2024's excellent The Final Shape, players have been coming back again and again to continue the story. It's a real achievement when you consider just how much has been added on top of the base game, with the base experience even being free-to-play these days.

As an FPS, Destiny 2 is absolutely fantastic, providing a modernized version of what Bungie accomplished with the Halo series. Destiny 2 is a very different beast to the studio's early work, however, paving the way for games as a service and the rise of always-evolving online experiences. Destiny 2 is one of the ones to really get this new model right, using post-launch updates to further an ongoing story, and give players new reasons to play.

Team-up!

"With 33 Heroes to play as, best-in-class presentation bookending matches, and a free-to-play monetization model, Marvel Rivals is almost too good to be true. There’s balancing issues, and some core problems with the way objectives play out, sure, but given that Marvel Rivals has only just launched, the future is very bright indeed. For now, you’ll be able to jump in and have fun, whether you’re looking for competitive challenge, or casual fun." - Jake Green, TechRadar Gaming contributor.

Marvel Rivals has seen huge success since launching at the tail end of 2024. With 39 Heroes to choose from, each with distinct abilities and play-styles, there's plenty to keep you busy as you get to grips with the flow of the game. Essentially, this is a more action-packed Overwatch, with added character variety, largely in the form of melee brawlers. As you push the payload and hold objectives, you'll need to work with your team, filling your role and adapting to the other team's composition.

If that all sounds a bit much for you, worry not! Marvel Rivals is a very easy game to enjoy as a more casual gamer. Characters like Punisher are perfect for beginners, with a third-person shooting style of play. If you're not feeling one Hero, however, you can simply jump to another, and there's plenty of depth with each one for those looking for a more competitive edge.

Epic platform-fighting fun

"Brawlhalla offers a huge amount of fighters to experiment with, with many of them needing several hours to get to grips with. Others are easier to grasp immediately, with powerful and intuitive special attacks and platforming abilities. It's genuinely surprising that Brawlhalla is free to play, especially given how smooth the online experience is these days" - Jake Green, TechRadar Gaming Contributor.

Brawlhalla is a hidden gem, one that can be picked up for free on a whole host of platforms. Nowadays, there's a huge roster of characters to choose from, including tie-ins like SpongeBob, Darth Maul and even WWE resellers like Xavier Woods and John Cena. With these characters come themed stages to battle around, and an awesome soundtrack to keep things bumping.

There's real care put into each and every fighter in Brawlhalla, and several different play-styles to master. Unlike other platform fighters, Brawlhalla offers a silky smooth online experience, meaning you can easily jump in with up to eight players online. There's casual, ranked and private matches to choose from, and loads of options to cater your experience.

A fresh coat of paint

"This is essentially the same game that's been beloved by players for years at this point, but with a shiny new coat of paint. While it can be a bit tricky to get into, it's a real blast once you learn the ropes. Simple, yet surprisingly deep, Counter-Strike 2 is a shining example of why the FPS genre continues to be so popular." - Jake Green, TechRadar Gaming Contributor.

Counter-Strike 2 takes the iconic FPS and gives it a much needed spruce up. In the process, CS:GO has been shuttered, but there's still plenty to love here. If you're a newbie, it's well worth trying out CS2, given how it's been subtly modernized to be more in line with its competitors. It is an inherently difficult game to learn, however, so be aware that it may take a little while for the game to click fully.

The great thing about CS2 is that it's free to play, meaning you can try it out and see for yourself whether it's for you. Ultimately, this is a very pure FPS experience, where skilled players will excel.

Be the last one standing

Warzone has managed to stand tall above many of its competitors. Namely, this has been due to smart tie-ins with each year's major Call of Duty release, keeping things fresh even years after launch. The gunplay is tight, and the large Battle Royale maps are some of the best-designed in the business. Check it out if you're a fan of FPS games.

Warzone is still trucking along, managing to stay competitive with its major rivals Fortnite and Apex Legends (more on those later). In terms of gunplay, it's the best in the business, integrating excellent sound design, and a wide range of weaponry to choose from. While it's gone through a few different versions over the years, the main thing keeping the game fresh these days is the introduction of new modes and maps. There's also annual major updates to bring it in-line with the Call of Duty game coming out that year, the latest being Black Ops 6.

Whether you want the slow and methodical pace of the full Battle Royale mode, or something snappier in Rebirth Island, there's plenty for players to enjoy here. Unlike other Call of Duty games, it's also free to play, making it easy to try out for yourself. There are micro transactions galore, however, so be aware that there's a lot of pressure to spend your real money once you load into the game.

Off the wall fun

Rocket League is one of the best competitive games available to play right now. The skill and mechanics make this game uniquely entertaining.

Rocket League presents a combination of arcade-style soccer and vehicular chaos in a bright, frantic battle to be the best team. Putting you in a 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 battles, you will need to learn how to master the simple controls and use each environment to your advantage to score goals before the timer runs out.

With regularly changing seasons, Rocket League offers in-game cosmetic items for your vehicle to unlock as you progress, alongside several game modes to work toward. For a casual player, there are plenty of opportunities to play matches either with your friends or online, but if you're looking for more competition, ranked game modes let you put your skills to the test.

A dark fantasy action RPG

If you're a fan of epic RPGs then this is a game that you need to check out. The various skills and resources that you can access is varied and exciting.

Path of Exile is a fantastic action RPG set in a dark fantasy world. Within this title, you'll be challenged with playing as one of seven classes that you will need to master in order to fight your way through ancient Gods and evil forces.

As you battle your way through the game, you'll unlock new skills and collect randomly generated items to assist your journey through various dungeons, caves, and outdoor areas. Up to six players can play together, too, making it one of the best co-op games if you're looking for a multiplayer experience without breaking the bank.

A tense competition to come out on top

"Beneath all of the dances, the skins, and the Battle Pass, Fortnite Battle Royale is an excellently designed, ever-shifting platform of a game that respects a player's time whether they choose to spend money or not. There's enough of a learning curve to keep us coming back time and time again, while also being a fun place to play a quick game with a friend. It truly is a modern marvel." - Lloyd Coombes, TechRadar Gaming reviewer.

For players looking for a tense battle royale, Fortnite ticks every box. Esteemed as one of the best shooters, you'll battle online against up to 100 players with a variety of weapons and gear at your disposal. As the storm closes in, you'll need to protect yourself from the environment while chipping away at your competitors in order to come out on top.

Constant updates also keep the in-game content exciting, and new weapons, locations, and events are hosted to keep you engaged. Whether you want to play solo or experience the title with a squad of up to four players, Fortnite is worth picking up if you haven't already.

The next evolution of Hero Shooters

If you're looking for a mix-up between Counter Strike 2 and Overwatch 2, then look no further. Apex Legends regularly receives major updates, adding in new Legends, and even new maps. Its easy to get into, with heaps to discover as you master the game.

Apex Legends offers a tense, team-based experience if you want a more tactical shooter. Offering a variety of heroes to select from, all boasting different skills to utilize when facing your enemies, you'll need to navigate different maps and work efficiently as a team to get the most kills before the end of a round.

There are also various game modes that you can enjoy. Whether you love the chaotic violence of Battle Royale or just want an arena to show off your skills, there's Team Deathmatch, Control, and Gun Run.

Apex Legends is constantly being upgraded with quality-of-life improvements as well as various new heroes and expansions to the lore, so it's a great free-to-play game to jump into at any time.

A family-friendly slice of fun

Fall Guys is a ton of fun whether you're alone or with friends. The colorful and exciting maps provide adequate challenge without you having to break too much of a sweat.

In this charming, brightly-colored platformer, you can up to 60 players go head-to-head in a variety of obstacle courses in a frantic competition to win the crown. Throwing in a mix of team-based mini-games, fast-paced puzzles, and a lot of platforming luck, Fall Guys is a slice of friendly competition worth playing if you need a pick-me-up you don't have to pay for.

There are a variety of game modes and events to take part in, alongside a standard 'show' which you can face either alone or in a squad of up to four players, meaning there's always fresh content to enjoy with your fellow beans.

Enter the arena

The Finals is a high stakes fast-paced FPS game which allows players to change the environment to their liking, whether you want to alter, exploit, or right out destroy your surroundings, it's all up to you.

The Finals is a new multiplayer FPS games which sees groups of three enter a virtual arena which is changeable. The end goal is to make it through escalating tournaments right to the very end, with lasting fame as your prize.

The fast-paced action in The Finals, as well as various builds and destructible environments, make it an excitingly unique experience. It also encourages building gameplans and coordination amongst your playgroup, meaning you can put a unique spin on the action.

If you're looking to jump on a new FPS with your mates and don't want to commit any cash to the cause yet, then this is a fantastic option.

A space fantasy RPG for gacha fans

The vast world in Honkai: Star Rail is exciting and easy to explore. The various characters are also a bonus in this dungeon-crawling world.

Honkai: Star Rail is a gacha space fantasy RPG, with a huge variety of eclectic characters to collect, and tense, turn-based combat. There's a huge world for you to explore, and elements of dungeon-crawling keep you and your in-game companions on your toes. You'll need to make sure the characters you've chosen to accompany your journey are as strong as possible to prevent your team from getting knocked down by the enemies you're bound to meet along the way.

If you're looking for one of the best RPGs to sink your time into which typically strays from the tense competition of free games like Fortnite and Valorant, Honkai: Star Rail might be worth trying out.

A card collecting battler for Marvel fanatics

Marvel Snap is a brilliant game to have if you're always on the go. Getting to play it when you're at a lose end is refreshing and fun.

If you're hunting for an exciting mobile game, Marvel Snap is the perfect addition to any card game lovers' library. This strategic card collector offers you a deck inspired by Marvel characters with different powers and abilities you'll need to harness to outsmart your opponent to come out on top. It takes minutes to learn, yet there are hours of fun embedded in its vibrant animations and exciting mechanics.

Each match lasts three minutes, so the game is incredibly pick up and play when it suits you. In addition, success is rewarded through new cards to help bulk out your roster with the best characters in the MCU. Marvel Snap is also available on PC if you wanted a slightly larger screen to play on.

A team-based competition of defense

The countless unique characters breath incredibly life into League of Legends. The lore and stories behind the game is also one to be admired.

League of Legends takes the cake as one of the best team-based games, putting two teams of five against each other in a desperate attempt to protect their side of the map. Although the premise is pretty simple, the excitement comes through its cast of over 150 unique champions with different playstyles and abilities which help you become the most powerful team on the field.

Because of how many champions there are to choose from, you'll be able to find a character to suit how you like to play, and in-game events alongside alternative game modes will keep things fresh no matter how many hours you pour into it. The bustling community of League of Legends players means there's always a team waiting for you, too.

A social simulator for the ages

The skies the limit for The Sims 4. The customizing and ability to create whatever scenarios suit you best mean that you can have endless fun here.

The Sims 4 is one of the best social simulation games, and since October 2022, it's entirely free to play. Use your creativity to bring characters to life, build houses, develop relationships, and watch your virtual family thrive. Although the entire game is single-player, you'll quickly find yourself slipping into Willow Creek or Oasis Springs for hours on end.

Of course, if you're looking to take your experience one step further with expansion packs and DLC you'll need to start paying, but the base game still has hundreds of hours worth of content to keep you and your Sims family entertained.

There are multiple free upcoming games that are worth keeping an eye on. For one, there's a new Fortnite chapter to enjoy, as well as a series of updates to Warzone that'll tie into Black Ops 7, expected in October/November 2025.

Deciding on which free game is the best of the best is down to personal preference and which genre you're looking to pick up, really. Most free games have active communities due to offering a fantastic experience at no charge, which can be a fantastic way to tell how good a game is.

Many players would suggest that games with huge player bases like Fortnite or League of Legends are the best free games, but at the end of the day, it's down to what you like more than anything else.

Our list of the best free games is designed to show the variety of free games across all platforms, and how there are multiple games you can enjoy without having to buy any additional content.

Our team of experts at TechRadar Gaming has spent hundreds of hours testing the best free games so we know which ones to recommend, whether that's going head-to-head for the crown in Fall Guys, or pouring thousands of hours into Fortnite. We've ensured both experts and new players have been diving into different genres as well to see how the user experience is for players with all sorts of backgrounds.

Because of this, we've tried to include everything from tactical shooters to social simulators in our list of the best. In addition, we've included titles that can either be enjoyed solo or with a couple of friends for those game nights where you can't decide on what to play.

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• Researchers found evidence of Joke Screenmate malware hiding on DNS servers
• Joke Screenmate is a harmless, prank malware
• There are ways to defend against it

Hackers found a way to hide malware in the Domain Name System (DNS), cleverly evading detection and flying under the radar. This is according to security researchers from Domain Tools who, in a recent blog, detailed how they discovered the Joke Screenmate malware hiding on DNS servers.

DNS is essentially the internet’s address book, turning readable domain names (such as techradar.com) into IP addresses that computers use to locate services. DNS records come in various types, including TXT records, which are usually used to store descriptive text.

However, as Domain Tools explained, cybercriminals found a way to slice up malware into small encoded fragments, and place them into a DNS TXT record under different subdomains. It’s essentially a digital jigsaw puzzle scattered across different addresses. On its own, each part is harmless, but when reassembled, it forms a malicious file.

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By using scripting tools, threat actors query the DNS records and reconstruct the malware without triggering the usual security alarms, and since DNS traffic is typically trusted, it doesn’t raise any suspicions.

In their writeup, Domain Tools researchers described finding Joke Screenmate, a program that triggers fake system errors and causes erratic cursor behaviors. But perhaps more alarmingly, they found a PowerShell stager, a script that can download and execute more destructive malware.

While the attack technique is perfidious, there are ways to defend. Cybersecurity teams should implement DNS traffic monitoring, looking for unusual patterns and repeated TXT queries. They can also use tools that inspect DNS records beyond simple resolution functions, and should maintain threat intelligence feeds that include malicious domains and subdomains.

So far, there were very few examples of in-the-wild abuse, apparently, but since the technique seems to be rather simple to pull off, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see it become more popular in the coming months.

Via Tom's Hardware

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A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, July 17 (game #501).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Abracadabra!

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SORE
• VILE
• SPITE
• SAILED
• SLIP
• CAMP

• Spangram has 8 letters

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 1st row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

The answers to today's Strands, game #502, are…

• ESCAPE
• LEVITATE
• MULTIPLY
• DISAPPEAR
• TRANSFORM
• SPANGRAM: ITS MAGIC

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I found today’s search incredibly hard. And that’s despite the fact that the very first word I saw on the board was magic (it took me a little bit longer to spot ITS MAGIC).

Ever since Penn & Teller and more recently David Blaine, magic has changed from sheer wonder to curiosity over how a trick is done – we are far less likely to accept that some supernatural power is at play than previous generations, or to accept the mystery.

Because of this I struggled to think of any words that could be connected to magic. And then when I did take a hint and the letters were highlighted I struggled to find words within the twists and turns. Had Strands made them DISAPPEAR somehow? 

• BOXES
• MEZZANINE
• LOBBY
• BALCONY
• WINGS
• ORCHESTRA
• SPANGRAM: THEATERS

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 17 (game #767).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SEE
• SPOT
• RUN
• CATCH
• COBRA
• SLIDE
• GUITAR
• STRING
• BLANKET
• BRIDGE
• EEL
• COW
• STREAK
• NOTE
• WHEEL
• SERIES

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Order
• GREEN: I spy
• BLUE: Stretch
• PURPLE: Precede with an energetic word

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: SEQUENCE 
• GREEN: PICK UP ON 
• BLUE: YOGA BACKBENDS
• PURPLE: ELECTRIC -___

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

The answers to today's Connections, game #768, are…

• YELLOW: SEQUENCE RUN, SERIES, STREAK, STRING
• GREEN: PICK UP ON CATCH, NOTE, SEE, SPOT
• BLUE: YOGA BACKBENDS BRIDGE, COBRA, COW, WHEEL
• PURPLE: ELECTRIC -___ BLANKET, EEL, GUITAR, SLIDE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I was going great guns today until I hit a brick wall with eight words remaining.

I attend a very basic form of yoga – basically it’s for people incapable of doing real yoga – and the teacher will occasionally mention things like the warrior or BRIDGE, but I think the COBRA, COW and WHEEL must be for the more advanced stretchers. I’m still annoyed I didn’t spot the connection, though.

Instead, thinking that SLIDE and GUITAR were connected I somehow fudged a group together with EEL and BRIDGE and after getting one away got the purple group correct without knowing what the connection was. I had to google electric slide to find out it’s a line dance.

• YELLOW: MEDDLE NOSE AROUND, POKE, PRY, SNOOP
• GREEN: WORDS AFTER "NO" TO MEAN "IT'S ALL GOOD" BIGGIE, HARD FEELINGS, SWEAT, WORRIES
• BLUE: SUPER__ GLUE, MARIO WORLD, PAC, POWER
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH FISH CAMISOLE, CAPE COD, DRUM AND BASS, WU-TANG

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Fitbit users are experiencing problems. Many people are currently unable to sync their best Fitbit to the app, and those who uninstall the app are seemingly unable to get back in with their usual account details.

This is clearly a big problem, leading to Fitbit stating that it's "experiencing a major outage" on its status page. Users are effectively unable to make use of the app – an app Fitbit Premium users are paying for – leading to missed sleep and readiness scores, and failed data aggregation and interpretation.

Are you affected, or have you found a fix that works? Email me at matt.evans@futurenet.com and I'll feature your fixes and responses on this liveblog. And of course, I'll keep you updated if Fitbit announces a solution.

Our first clue something was wrong came from a huge spike in Downdetector, which you can see above. At the time of writing, we're seeing over 2,000 reports of outages, with many more users turning to other sites like Reddit to voice their displeasure.

Hopping over to the Fitbit subreddit, we found the post above with a barrage of comments all saying the same thing: their Fitbit devices wouldn't sync to the app, and when they tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app, they could no longer log in again. Here are a few examples:

status.fitbit.com confirms the app and web API alike is experiencing a "major outage", with service disruption (not a complete blackout, however) across both channels.

However, it's interesting to note that Device Sync / Pairing is listed as "Available" with a green tick, which contrasts with the reports from users on Reddit in the previous post.

A reader with the handle D.Z. emailed in to add their voice to our suspicions: "Neither my husband nor I have been able to sync our Fitbits this morning. We've tried on a phone and four different tablets."

It's interesting to note this is a problem occurring across devices: because it's affecting both mobile and web apps, something is going wrong with Fitbit on the back end.

Therefore, if you're reading this, switching devices and trying to log in on something else probably won't work: the problem is coming from your Fitbit account, not the device you're logging in on.