Nuclear Monster

  • Many HP laptops have a built-in keylogger in their audio drivers according to computer security firm Modzero AG (via Ars’ Dan Goodin). Keyloggers record what you type, typically covertly, for the purposes of someone else getting access to that text data later on. In this case the researches did not find any malicious capability in the driver that uploads the recorded text to a remote location, but it is very easy to access the data coming out of the driver by anyone who has access to your computer.

    It would make it very easy for a piece of malware on your computer to track what you type without jumping through extra steps.

    That HP shipped this audio driver on their laptops to thousands or millions of customers since 2015 is very worrying.

    You can test your HP laptop for this vulnerability by checking the list of affected models after the break or just delete these files if they’re installed on your computer:
    C:\Users\Public\MicTray.log
    C:\Windows\System32\MicTray64.exe
    C:\Windows\System32\MicTray.exe

    (more…)

  • This neighborhood building sim, Block’hood, from Plethora Project and Devolver, looks like it could be good. Just now out of Steam’s Early Access program with a story mode and promises of more to come.

    If you want to build a neighborhood in a sandbox mode or build and grow old with your boar friend in the story mode, you can do so on Windows, Mac, and Linux on Steam. It’s supposed to be $15 but the price hasn’t been updated yet and is still showing as $10 (before the launch 25% discount) for me.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-K_M4i2Bbs

    The Hot Wheels expansion looks like fun and is out for Forza Horizon 3. It’s absolutely ridiculous that the game’s expansion pass that includes Hot Wheels and the earlier Blizzard Mountain expansion aren’t bundled in any edition of Forza Horizon 3, even the one-hundred dollar Ultimate Edition.

  • In your latest sign that VR software development is totally unsustainable as a standalone business, Owlchemy Labs has been bought by Google:

    Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Owlchemy Labs to Google. They’ve created award-winning games like Job Simulator and Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality which have really thoughtful interactive experiences that are responsive, intuitive, and feel natural. They’ve helped set a high bar for what engagement can be like in virtual worlds, and do it all with a great sense of humor!

    This doesn’t bode well for Owlchemy’s future output. I look forward to their shares vesting and the developer’s inevitable exit back to independent companies who actually make games again.

  • Square-Enix put out the amazing Hitman (2016) last year, I love that game and it’s disappointing to hear that Square-Enix is dropping IO and probably will end up keeping IO’s creations:

    To maximize player satisfaction as well as market potential going forward, we are focusing our resources and energies on key franchises and studios. As a result, the Company has regrettably decided to withdraw from the business of IO INTERACTIVE A/S, a wholly?owned subsidiary and a Danish corporation, as of March 31, 2017. This decision has resulted in booking of the extraordinary loss amounting to 4,898 million yen, including disposition of the content production account related to the business and impairment loss of intangible assets, in the financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017.

    As a result of this the Company started discussions with potential new investors and is currently in negotiations to secure this investment. Whilst there can be no guarantees that the negotiations will be concluded successfully, they are being explored since this is in the best interests of our shareholders, the studio and the industry as a whole.

    That loss is almost 43 million in US dollars. To paraphrase Moe Szyslak, you don’t leave the lid off of a pickle-jar like IO Interactive.