#Keyboard Spy Hackers

[headlinehorizon]

Beware of Keyboard Spy Hackers: Protect Yourself with These Tips

Discover the latest news about a troubling vulnerability in iOS that allows hackers to spy on you through your keyboard. Find out how they bypass Apple's security measures and learn how to protect your personal information from being compromised.

[romerona]

Ethera Operation!!

You're the government’s best hacker, but that doesn’t mean you were prepared to be thrown into a fighter jet.

Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Awkward!Hacker! FemReader

Part I

This was never supposed to happen. Your role in this operation was simple—deliver the program, ensure it reached the right hands, and let the professionals handle the breaching.

And then, of course, reality decided to light that plan on fire.

The program—codenamed Ethera—was yours. You built it from scratch with encryption so advanced that even the most elite cyber operatives couldn’t crack it without your input. A next-generation adaptive, self-learning decryption software, an intrusion system designed to override and manipulate high-security military networks, Ethera was intended to be both a weapon and a shield, capable of infiltrating enemy systems while protecting your own from counterattacks in real-time. A ghost in the machine. A digital predator. A weapon in the form of pure code. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could disable fleets, and ground aircraft, and turn classified intelligence into an open book. Governments would kill for it. Nations could fall because of it.

Not that you ever meant to, of course. It started as a little experimental security measure program, something to protect high-level data from cyberattacks, not become the ultimate hacking tool. But innovation has a funny way of attracting the wrong kind of attention, and before you knew it, Ethera had become one, if not the most classified, high-risk program in modern times. Tier One asset or so the Secret Service called it.

It was too powerful, too dangerous—so secret that only a select few even knew of its existence, and even fewer could comprehend how it worked.

And therein lay the problem. You were the only person who could properly operate it.

Which was so unfair.

Because it wasn’t supposed to be your problem. You were just the creator, the brain behind the code, the one who spent way too many sleepless nights debugging this monstrosity. Your job was supposed to end at development. But no. Now, because of some bureaucratic nonsense and the fact that no one else could run it without accidentally bricking an entire system, you had been promoted—scratch that, forcibly conscripted—into field duty.

And your mission? To install it in an enemy satellite.

A literal, orbiting, high-security, military-grade satellite, may you add.

God. Why? Why was your country always at war with others? Why couldn’t world leaders just, you know, go to therapy like normal people? Why did everything have to escalate to international cyber warfare?

Which is how you ended up here.

At Top Gun. The last place in the world you wanted to be.

You weren’t built for this. You thrive in sipping coffee in a cosy little office and handling cyber threats from a safe, grounded location. You weren’t meant to be standing in the halls of an elite fighter pilot training program, surrounded by the best aviators in the world—people who thought breaking the sound barrier was a casual Wednesday.

It wasn’t the high-tech cyberwarfare department of the Pentagon, nor some dimly lit black ops facility where hackers in hoodies clacked away at keyboards. No. It was Top Gun. A place where pilots use G-forces like a personal amusement park ride.

You weren’t a soldier, you weren’t a spy, you got queasy in elevators, you got dizzy when you stood too fast, hell, you weren’t even good at keeping your phone screen from cracking.

... And now you were sweating.

You swallowed hard as Admiral Solomon "Warlock" Bates led you through the halls of the naval base, your heels clacking on the polished floors as you wiped your forehead. You're nervous, too damn nervous and this damned weather did not help.

"Relax, Miss," Warlock muttered in that calm, authoritative way of his. "They're just pilots."

Just pilots.

Right. And a nuclear warhead was just a firework.

And now, somehow, you were supposed to explain—loosely explain, because God help you, the full details were above even their clearance level—how Ethera, your elegant, lethal, unstoppable digital masterpiece, was about to be injected into an enemy satellite as part of a classified mission.

This was going to be a disaster.

You had barely made it through the doors of the briefing room when you felt it—every single eye in the room locking onto you.

It wasn’t just the number of them that got you, it was the intensity. These were Top Gun pilots, the best of the best, and they radiated the kind of confidence you could only dream of having. Meanwhile, you felt like a stray kitten wandering into a lion’s den.

Your hands tightened around the tablet clutched to your chest. It was your lifeline, holding every critical detail of Ethera, the program that had dragged you into this utterly ridiculous situation. If you could’ve melted into the walls, you absolutely would have. But there was no escaping this.

You just had to keep it together long enough to survive this briefing.

So, you inhaled deeply, squared your shoulders, and forced your heels forward, trying to project confidence—chin up, back straight, eyes locked onto Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson, who you’d been introduced to earlier that day.

And then, of course, you dropped the damn tablet.

Not a graceful drop. Not the kind of gentle slip where you could scoop it back up and act like nothing happened. No, this was a full-on, physics-defying fumble. The tablet flipped out of your arms, ricocheted off your knee, and skidded across the floor to the feet of one of the pilots.

Silence.

Pure, excruciating silence.

You didn’t even have the nerve to look up right away, too busy contemplating whether it was physically possible to disintegrate on command. But when you finally did glance up—because, you know, social convention demanded it—you were met with a sight that somehow made this entire disaster worse.

Because the person crouching down to pick up your poor, abused tablet was freaking hot.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with a head of golden curls that practically begged to be tousled by the wind, and, oh, yeah—a moustache that somehow worked way too well on him.

He turned the tablet over in his hands, inspecting it with an amused little smirk before handing it over to you. "You, uh… need this?"

Oh, great. His voice is hot too.

You grabbed it back, praying he couldn't see how your hands were shaking. “Nope. Just thought I’d test gravity real quick.”

A few chuckles rippled through the room, and his smirk deepened like he was enjoying this way too much. You, on the other hand, wanted to launch yourself into the sun.

With what little dignity you had left, you forced a quick, tight-lipped smile at him before turning on your heel and continuing forward, clutching your tablet like it was a life raft in the middle of the worst social shipwreck imaginable.

At the front of the room, Vice Admiral Beau Cyclone Simpson stood with the kind of posture that said he had zero time for nonsense, waiting for the room to settle. You barely had time to take a deep breath before his voice cut through the air.

“Alright, listen up.” His tone was crisp, commanding, and impossible to ignore. “This is Dr Y/N L/N. Everything she is about to tell you is highly classified. What you hear in this briefing does not leave this room. Understood?”

A chorus of nods. "Yes, sir."

You barely resisted the urge to physically cringe as every pilot in the room turned to stare at you—some with confusion, others with barely concealed amusement, and a few with the sharp assessing glances of people who had no clue what they were supposed to do with you.

You cleared your throat, squared your shoulders, and did your best to channel even an ounce of the confidence you usually had when you were coding at 3 AM in a secure, pilot-free lab—where the only judgment you faced was from coffee cups and the occasional system error.

As you reached the podium, you forced what you hoped was a composed smile. “Uh… hi, nice to meet you all.”

Solid. Real professional.

You glanced up just long enough to take in the mix of expressions in the room—some mildly interested, some unreadable, and one particular moustached pilot who still had the faintest trace of amusement on his face.

Nope. Not looking at him.

You exhaled slowly, centering yourself. Stay focused. Stay professional. You weren’t just here because of Ethera—you were Ethera. The only one who truly understood it. The only one who could execute this mission.

With another tap on your tablet, the slide shifted to a blacked-out, redacted briefing—only the necessary information was visible. A sleek 3D-rendered model of the enemy satellite appeared on the screen, rotating slowly. Most of its details were blurred or omitted entirely.

“This is Blackstar, a highly classified enemy satellite that has been operating in a low-Earth orbit over restricted airspace.” Your voice remained even, and steady, but the weight of what you were revealing sent a shiver down your spine. “Its existence has remained off the radar—literally and figuratively—until recently, when intelligence confirmed that it has been intercepting our encrypted communications, rerouting information, altering intelligence, and in some cases—fabricating entire communications.”

Someone exhaled sharply. Another shifted in their seat.

“So they’re feeding us bad intel?” one of them with big glasses and blonde hair asked, voice sceptical but sharp.

“That’s the theory,” you confirmed. “And given how quickly our ops have been compromised recently, it’s working.”

You tapped again, shifting to the next slide. The silent infiltration diagram appeared—an intricate web of glowing red lines showing Etherea’s integration process, slowly wrapping around the satellite’s systems like a virus embedding itself into a host.

“This is where Ethera comes in,” you said, shifting to a slide that displayed a cascading string of code, flickering across the screen. “Unlike traditional cyberweapons, Ethera doesn’t just break into a system. It integrates—restructuring security protocols as if it was always meant to be there. It’s undetectable, untraceable, and once inside, it grants us complete control of the Blackstar and won’t even register it as a breach.”

“So we’re not just hacking it," The only female pilot of the team said, arms crossed as she studied the data. “We’re hijacking it.”

“Exactly,” You nodded with a grin.

You switched to the next slide—a detailed radar map displaying the satellite’s location over international waters.

“This is the target area,” you continued after a deep breath. “It’s flying low-altitude reconnaissance patterns, which means it’s using ground relays for some of its communication. That gives us a small window to infiltrate and shut it down.”

The next slide appeared—a pair of unidentified fighter aircraft, patrolling the vicinity.

“And this is the problem,” you said grimly. “This satellite isn’t unguarded.”

A murmur rippled through the room as the pilots took in the fifth-generation stealth fighters displayed on the screen.

“We don’t know who they belong to,” you admitted. “What we do know is that they’re operating with highly classified tech—possibly experimental—and have been seen running defence patterns around the satellite’s flight path.”

Cyclone stepped forward then, arms crossed, his voice sharp and authoritative. “Which means your job is twofold. You will escort Dr L/N’s aircraft to the infiltration zone, ensuring Ethera is successfully deployed. If we are engaged, your priority remains protecting the package and ensuring a safe return.”

Oh, fantastic, you could not only feel your heartbeat in your toes, you were now officially the package.

You cleared your throat, tapping the screen again. Ethera’s interface expanded, displaying a cascade of sleek code.

“Once I’m in range,” you continued, “Ethera will lock onto the satellite’s frequency and begin infiltration. From that point, it’ll take approximately fifty-eight seconds to bypass security and assume control."

Silence settled over the room like a thick cloud, the weight of their stares pressing down on you. You could feel them analyzing, calculating, probably questioning who in their right mind thought putting you—a hacker, a tech specialist, someone whose idea of adrenaline was passing cars on the highway—into a fighter jet was a good idea.

Finally, one of the pilots—tall, broad-shouldered, blonde, and very clearly one of the cocky ones—tilted his head, arms crossed over his chest in a way that screamed too much confidence.

“So, let me get this straight.” His voice was smooth, and confident, with just the right amount of teasing. “You, Doctor—our very classified, very important tech specialist—have to be in the air, in a plane, during a mission that has a high probability of turning into a dogfight… just so you can press a button?”

Your stomach twisted at the mention of being airborne.

“Well…” You gulped, very much aware of how absolutely insane this sounded when put like that. “It’s… more than just that, but, yeah, essentially.”

A slow grin spread across his face, far too entertained by your predicament.

“Oh,” he drawled, “this is gonna be fun.”

Before you could fully process how much you already hated this, Cyclone—who had been watching the exchange with his signature unamused glare—stepped forward, cutting through the tension with his sharp, no-nonsense voice.

“This is a classified operation,” he stated, sharp and authoritative. “Not a joyride.”

The blonde’s smirk faded slightly as he straightened, and the rest of the pilots quickly fell in line.

Silence lingered for a moment longer before Vice Admiral Beau Cyclone Simpson let out a slow breath and straightened. His sharp gaze swept over the room before he nodded once.

“All right. That’s enough.” His tone was firm, the kind that left no room for argument. “We’ve got work to do. The mission will take place in a few weeks' time, once we’ve run full assessments, completed necessary preparations, and designated a lead for this operation.”

There was a slight shift in the room. Some of the pilots exchanged glances, the weight of the upcoming mission finally settling in. Others, mainly the cocky ones, looked as though they were already imagining themselves in the cockpit.

“Dismissed,” Cyclone finished.

The pilots stood, murmuring amongst themselves as they filed out of the room, the blonde one still wearing a smug grin as he passed you making you frown and turn away, your gaze then briefly met the eyes of the moustached pilot.

You hadn’t meant to look, but the moment your eyes connected, something flickered in his expression. Amusement? Curiosity? You weren’t sure, and frankly, you didn’t want to know.

So you did the only logical thing and immediately looked away and turned to gather your things. You needed to get out of here, to find some space to breathe before your brain short-circuited from stress—

“Doctor, Stay for a moment.”

You tightened your grip on your tablet and turned back to Cyclone, who was watching you with that unreadable, vaguely disapproving expression that all high-ranking officers seemed to have perfected. “Uh… yes, sir?”

Once the last pilot was out the door, Cyclone exhaled sharply and crossed his arms.

“You realize,” he said, “that you’re going to have to actually fly, correct?”

You swallowed. “I—well, technically, I’ll just be a passenger.”

His stare didn’t waver.

“Doctor,” he said, tone flat, “I’ve read your file. I know you requested to be driven here instead of taking a military transport plane. You also took a ferry across the bay instead of a helicopter. And I know that you chose to work remotely for three years to avoid getting on a plane.”

You felt heat rise to your cheeks. “That… could mean anything.”

“It means you do not like flying, am I correct?”

Your fingers tightened around the tablet as you tried to find a way—any way—out of this. “Sir, with all due respect, I don’t need to fly the plane. I just need to be in it long enough to deploy Ethera—”

Cyclone cut you off with a sharp look. “And what happens if something goes wrong, Doctor? If the aircraft takes damage? If you have to eject mid-flight? If you lose comms and have to rely on emergency protocols?”

You swallowed hard, your stomach twisting at the very thought of ejecting from a jet.

Cyclone sighed, rubbing his temple as if this entire conversation was giving him a migraine. “We cannot afford to have you panicking mid-mission. If this is going to work, you need to be prepared. That’s why, starting next week you will train with the pilots on aerial procedures and undergoing mandatory training in our flight simulation program.”

Your stomach dropped. “I—wait, what? That’s not necessary—”

“It’s absolutely necessary,” Cyclone cut in, his tone sharp. “If you can’t handle a simulated flight, you become a liability—not just to yourself, but to the pilots escorting you. And in case I need to remind you, Doctor, this mission is classified at the highest level. If you panic mid-air, it won’t just be your life at risk. It’ll be theirs. And it’ll be national security at stake.”

You inhaled sharply. No pressure. None at all.

Cyclone watched you for a moment before speaking again, his tone slightly softer but still firm. “You’re the only one who can do this, Doctor. That means you need to be ready.”

You exhaled slowly, pressing your lips together before nodding stiffly. “Understood, sir.”

Cyclone gave a small nod of approval. “Good. Dismissed.”

You turned and walked out, shoulders tense, fully aware that in three days' time, you were going to be strapped into a high-speed, fighter jet. And knowing your luck?

You were definitely going to puke.

Part 2???

[pupsmailbox]

TECHNOLOGY ID PACK

NAMES︰ admin. ajax. alexa. am. atari. audio. auto. bailey. binary. blank. blu. blue. bluesse. browser. browsette. bug. byte. cache. calware. chip. circe. click. clicker. clickie. clicky. cloud. coda. code. codette. codie. cody. computette. crypt. cursor. cy. cyber. cybernet. cybernetica. cyberweb. cypher. cypherre. data. dell. digi. digitalia. digitelle. digitesse. disc. dot. electronica. electronique. emoticon. emoticonnie. fax. file. gig. gizmo. glitch. glitche. glitchesse. glitchette. graphique. hacker. hal. halware. hijack. index. informationne. intelligette. internette. interweb. java. javascript. juno. key. link. linuxe. lotus. lovebytes. mac. mal. malakai. malware. malwaria. memorette. memorie. meta. mic. micah. mickey. morphe. mouse. mousette. myspace. nano. neo. net. netette. nett. netty. paige. pascal. payton. peyton. pixel. programatha. programette. programme. pulse. reboot. rom. router. ruby. sam. sammy. screene. screenette. sean. shock. solitaire. spy. static. stutter. talia. tap. tecca. tech. techette. tessa. tetris. trojan. troubleshoot. ts. user. vir. virus. virusse. volt. vyrus. webbe. wheatley. whirr. widget. will. wirehead. wiresse. zap. zett. zetta. zip.

PRONOUNS︰ ai/ai. alt/alt. anti/antivirus. arc/archive. audio/audio. bat/battery. beep/beep. beep/boop. bit/bit. bit/byte. blue/blue. board/board. bright/bright. brow/browser. browser/browser. brr/brr. bu/bug. bug/bug. buzz/buzz. byt/byte. byte/byte. c/cpu. charge/charger. cir/circuit. cli/click. click/clack. click/click. click/scroll. co/code. code/code. color/color. com/com. com/computer. comp/computer. compute/computer. computer/computer. cor/corrupt. corrupt/corrupt. CPU/CPU. crash/crash. cre/creeper. crtl/crtl. cy/cyber. cyb/cyber. cyber/cyber. da/data. data/data. delete/delete. di/disk. dig/digital. digi/digi. digi/digital. digital/digital. dra/drag. e/exe. electronic/electronic. enter/enter. er/error. err/error. error/error. exe/exe. fi/file. file/file. gi/gif. gli/glitch. glit/glitch. glitch/glitch. graphic/graphic. hac/hacker. hack/hack. hard/hardware. head/phone. hij/hijacker. ho/home. info/info. information/information. int/internet. intelligent/intelligence. intelligent/intelligent. inter/net. internet/internet. it/it. jpg/jpg. key/board. key/cap. key/key. key/keyboard. key/keylogger. lag/lag. lap/laptop. ligh/light. linux/linux. load/load. log/login. main/mainframe. mal/malware. me/media. memory/memorie. mon/monitor. mou/mouse. nano/nano. net/net. net/network. org/org. over/overwrite. page/page. pix/pix. pix/pixel. pixel/pixel. plu/plug. png/png. pop/popup. port/port. pow/power. pro/program. program/program. ram/ram. ran/ransom. reboot/reboot. reload/reload. res/restore. ret/retro. route/router. sca/scan. scr/scroll. scre/screen. scre/screencap. scree/screen. screen/screen. scri/script. script/script. sentient/sentience. shift/shift. site/site. skip/skip. soft/software. spa/spam. space/space. spy/spyware. stop/stop. te/tech. tech/nology. tech/tech. technology/technology. tou/touchpad. txt/txt. typ/type. upload/upload. user/user. vi/viru. vi/virus. vir/virtual. web/page. web/web. whir/whir. wi/wire. win/dow. win/window. wire/wire. wire/wired. zip/zip . ⌨ . ☣ . ⚙ . ⚠ . 🎞 . 🎨 . 🎭 . 🎮 . 🎵 . 👀 . 👁 . 💔 . 💡 . 💢 . 💣 . 💳 . 💵 . 💻 . 💽 . 💾 . 💿 . 📀 . 📱 . 🔇 . 🔈 . 🔉 . 🔊 . 🔋 . 🔌 . 🔎 . 🖥 . 🖱 . 🗡 . 🗯 . 🛠 . 🧿 .

[thegildedbee]

Family/Laugh: May 12 & 13 Prompts from @calaisreno

The exterior nowheres that Sherlock inhabits can be charted by his footfalls as he wends his way through the precincts of temporary cities. The silent drift of assimilating interior nowheres, however, seems to leave no traces, even as he feels unseen changes taking hold. His suspension in the January North of a darkness that persists until late morning, and then quickly returns in the afternoon, intensifies his perception that he lives in a shadow-world, a lone dark figure extracted from the frozen rain that curtains his days. 

The patterns he seeks to capture as he hunts amidst the ones and zeros of cyberspace are likewise intangible – extended solitary vigils as his fingers command the keyboard to winnow through the tangle of codes – as well as tangible, of meetings with the technological mix of people here at Tallinn’s crossroads: software developers seeking the leading edge at corporate labs, security experts at NATO’s Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, the underground hackers who traverse the landscape of the digital realm’s hollow earth. Both the intangible and the tangible are intense efforts to spy glimpses of Moriarty’s covert presence in the spaces between the ones and zeros, summoning up the networks and nodes of the intersecting spheres of finance, and energy, and communications, as made manifest in trafficking, and counterfeiting, and hijacking, across the physical and human worlds.

He’s accumulated an abundance of leads, some he’s near-certain he understands, and others he’s yet to decipher – but it’s enough to reveal to him his next move on the chessboard: St. Petersburg. He’ll take the train from Tallinn, without needing to step out for border control, which is handled en route. He’ll be leaving Estonia under a new identity; he hopes to keep Lukas Sigerson in his back pocket for later uses, but it’s time to make his presence difficult to trace: it's time to step away from Mycroft’s grid. He’s left seemingly inadvertent clues to allow Mycrofts’s people to (think that they’re) following him, along a pathway that connects the nefarious doings of Mexican cartels involved in establishing meth labs in Nigeria for the Asian market. Their pursuit of him will be turned to good account in dismantling that nexus, even when they realize he is elsewhere. 

St. Petersburg is a hive of hacking activity, the physical site of the infamous Russian Business Network, which catered to the needs of cyber criminals. It’s not surprising that it is the city where Vladimir Putin lived, received his education, and joined the KGB, as an agent in its foreign intelligence wing, before tunneling his way to Moscow. Sherlock doesn’t believe that there are many degrees of separation between Moriarty and the dark internet of Putin’s hellscape. 

He arrives at the end of Tallinn’s usefulness on a Friday evening. As he packs up his kit in the office space he’s made homebase through a courtesy loan in deference to his Norwegian technology credentials, some of the younger workers have swept him up into their murmurating flock as they celebrate the coming weekend in search of alcohol, bar food, and music. In London, Sherlock would have begged off such a request, were anyone intrepid enough to suggest it, and he would have been unperturbed at whatever anyone might think. But he’s not Sherlock, he’s Lukas, at least for a short while longer, and although his persona is reserved, businesslike and uninclined to make small talk, Lukas possesses an average quantity of affability; and remaining unobtrusive is best accomplished by being amidst the motions of others, rather than making himself conspicuous by setting himself off from the norms of sociality. 

He did not, however, anticipate the karaoke session, which is putting a severe strain on the bonhomie he is channeling to Lukas, as it’s clear that he’s going to need to accede to accepting a turn in the spotlight, lest he put a damper on the good spirits of his companions. He nevertheless protests with a smile, holding out his hands, but any input he might have been able to exert on the decision-making disappears, when two of his impromptu friends conspire to tug him toward the microphone, explaining that all three of them will venture forth together, with a song they insist is dead simple to sing, and that the well-lubricated crowd will be delighted to join in with them in belting out the familiar refrain. Which is how he finds himself being carried along within a punchy, melodic stream that turns out to be excruciating emotionally, as the verses unfurl. He listlessly despairs, marooned, a hollowed-out laugh echoing inside his head in response.

. . . When I'm lonely, well, I know I'm gonna be I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you And when I'm dreamin', well, I know I'm gonna dream I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you. When I go out (when I go out), well, I know I'm gonna be I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you And when I come home (when I come home), I know I'm gonna be I'm gonna be the man who comes back home with you I'm gonna be the man who's comin' home with you . . .

He’s exasperated at the universe conspiring to keep him unsettled, to deny him the solace of alone protecting him. He fears that he is fated to have any social contact whatsoever somehow conjure home and reminders of John. The song ends to raucous cheers, and the enthusiasm surges on, and he’s being importuned to name a new song of his own choice before being allowed to return to the table. He looks at the smiling faces helplessly, immobilized by the churning cacophony playing hide-and-seek inside his guts, incapable of conjuring up the simplest of answers. Undeterred, they jolly him along, prompting him to think of a film he’s recently seen, or club he’s been to, or a favorite television show. At the latter suggestion, his mind does slightly slip free, and there is John again, teasing Sherlock into watching another of his favorite shows, Sherlock pretending to be annoyed at being consigned to such a fate. He turns to the young people, and raises his voice to speak into the nearest person’s ear to be heard over the noisy crowd, and says with a question in his voice, Peaky Blinders? He seems to have pleased them, as they fiddle around to pull the selection, bouncing in high spirits and punching their fists into the air, as the music starts, a bell ringing out, and the slithering deep tones speaking of the edge of town, of secrets in the border fires, of a gathering storm -- and a tall handsome man, in a dusty black coat, with a red right hand. 

As Sherlock listens to the song unspool, his mind wanders back to the show's themes, reminding him of a line of thought he’d been considering the last few days – that to focus singularly on Moriarty and faceless confederates is not quite the right way to conceptualize the dead man's web: that there must have also been family members in leading positions, positions of trust. One of the deep divides between himself and Mycroft originated in Sherlock’s refusal in uni to agree to work for SIS. Mycroft knew that he would never be able to trust completely any of the professionals who worked for him – after all they are spies working for money. To be sure, he wanted Sherlock to sign on to be able to appropriate his intelligence, but even more compelling was the fact that never having to question the loyalty of a brother would have made him an asset par excellence. Mycroft considers getting what he wants to be an inviolable law of the universe, and Sherlock doesn't think his brother will ever be able to truly forgive him for the rejection . . . especially given Sherlock's devotion to the inferior endeavors of dedicating himself to a life of metropolitan crime-solving. Family; family is what matters. A Moriarty is gone; but there are other Moriarties yet to be unearthed. ........................................................ @calaisreno @totallysilvergirl @friday411 @peanitbear @original-welovethebeekeeper @helloliriels @a-victorian-girl @keirgreeneyes @starrla89 @naefelldaurk

@topsyturvy-turtely @lisbeth-kk @raina-at @jobooksncoffee @meetinginsamarra @solarmama-plantsareneat @bluebellofbakerstreet @dragonnan @safedistancefrombeingsmart @jolieblack

@msladysmith @ninasnakie @riversong912 @dapetty

.............................................................................

[rueitae]

I've just come back into the fandom after a few years and I stumbled onto your player teacher au and I am Obsessed and in fact I love everything you've written but teacher player lives in my head rent free. And I just wanted you to know that.. have a good day 💜

Thank you so much. I meant to answer this a long time ago but the family got hit with colds.

From the bottom of my heart thank you. Teacher AU has a place in my heart forever. As a thanks, here’s a teaser for the direction I want to go with it:

“What?”

Twin shrieks in a distinct Boston accent echo through Player’s surround sound, so much so that the hacker winces and presses the hotkey on his keyboard to turn down the volume just a notch or five. Zack sounds utterly confused and Ivy carries the intense rage of a cat denied its morning meal.

Maybe Player should not have started out so bluntly.

“They have no idea who I am,” Player emphasizes to the team on the other end of the video call. Ashamedly, he briefly looks away. “At least, I don’t think they do. Otherwise they never would have let me leave, right?” he finishes with nervous laughter.

Immediately upon arriving home, he’d texted Carmen to organize a team meeting. Urgent. Then spent the next hour combing every square inch of his apartment, looking for bugged mics or cameras. Part of him worries his rudimentary skills in that department might have caused him to miss something. He wishes Carmen were here. In person.

There is a long, long sigh from Shadowsan’s section of the screen. The man closes his eyes tightly as if attempting to will away a headache. “My former colleagues have never been the kind to quit.” He opens his eyes and he looks already ten years older. Tired. “VILE has remained successfully hidden for eight centuries, until now. The Faculty will not be content to be known as the ones who saw its downfall.”

“Which is why this situation is perfect,” Player adds animatedly. He holds his hands in front of him, where they itch to do…something. Anything for those kids. For his team. To take down VILE for good before they can do any more harm. “VILE doesn’t know my face. They don’t even know I exist. I’m literally the perfect spy.”

A light cough takes Player’s attention to the other ACME agents on this call.

“Spies undergo years of intense training for dangerous situations such as this one,” Julia says carefully. She wears her business casual today rather than her ACME uniform. Not on official business, yet, Player supposes. She looks as if she’s at her desk at home.“I did not teach you any of it in your graduate classes.”

“We have enough simply knowing Tigress is there,” Devineaux adds. He attempts to casually lean over Julia’s shoulder. “Should we not just…go get them?” the agent shrugs his arms to the left as if ready to go get the keys and go to the car.

“I’m with Devineaux,” Ivy pipes up. The rage contained within her eyes looks as if a volcano is about to erupt. “VILE’s done enough. Let’s nab ‘em quick. Like you said, Player. They wouldn’t even know we’re coming.”

Player sighs, settling deeper into his chair, feeling defeated already that the team is not on his side. “Because it’s not just the academy students this time around. VILE’s starting them earlier. I’ll be teaching fourteen year olds. If I stay undercover, we can find out for sure who all from VILE is there, lure them into a trap for ACME, all without risking the students getting hurt.”

The call goes silent, then. Player wonders if the others can feel it too, the proverbial elephant in the room. The one person who hasn’t spoken yet is the one person who Player values the opinion of over all else. If Carmen shoots down this idea, then that’s it.

She sits in her mother’s office, Player can tell. The full set of her Russian nesting dolls is on the bookshelf behind her, along with several mother-daughter pictures, and one father-daughter picture. Carmen leans back in the chair, as if deep in thought. There are wrinkles under her eyes as well, looking far too tired. Player’s heart hurts for her. She doesn’t deserve this.

Finally, she looks him in the eye. “I don’t like this, Player.” It isn’t a firm answer, but it's an honest one. Her voice feels more like a plea, one for him not to convince her that this is their best option.

Player can’t oblige. “I don’t like it either, but it really is our best shot, Red. We’ve been given an in. We really can’t ignore it.”

“Jules is right,” Carmen comes back with. “You’re a hacker, Player. This is a whole different kind of spy work.”

“All I have to do is teach geography,” Player states clearly.

“For VILE,” Carmen states just as clearly. But her eyes quickly become overcast, building into a storm. “You’d be teaching for VILE.”

[mariacallous]

Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, has long had a reputation as one of the world's most aggressive practitioners of sabotage, assassination, and cyber warfare, with hackers who take pride in working under the same banner as violent special forces operators. But one new group within that agency shows how the GRU may be intertwining physical and digital tactics more tightly than ever before: a hacking team, which has emerged from the same unit responsible for Russia's most notorious physical tactics, including poisonings, attempted coups, and bombings inside Western countries.

A broad group of Western government agencies from countries including the US, the UK, Ukraine, Australia, Canada, and five European countries on Thursday revealed that a hacker group known as Cadet Blizzard, Bleeding Bear, or Greyscale—one that has launched multiple hacking operations targeting Ukraine, the US, and other countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America—is in fact part of the GRU's Unit 29155, the division of the spy agency known for its brazen acts of physical sabotage and politically motivated murder. That unit has been tied in the past, for instance, to the attempted poisoning of GRU defector Sergei Skripal with the Novichok nerve agent in the UK, which led to the death of two bystanders, as well as another assassination plot in Bulgaria, the explosion of an arms depot in the Czech Republic, and a failed coup attempt in Montenegro.

Now that infamous section of the GRU appears to have developed its own active team of cyber warfare operators—distinct from those within other GRU units such as Unit 26165, broadly known as Fancy Bear or APT28, and Unit 74455, the cyberattack-focused team known as Sandworm. Since 2022, GRU Unit 29155's more recently recruited hackers have taken the lead on cyber operations, including with the data-destroying wiper malware known as Whispergate, which hit at least two dozen Ukrainian organizations on the eve of Russia's February 2022 invasion, as well as the defacement of Ukrainian government websites and the theft and leak of information from them under a fake “hacktivist” persona known as Free Civilian.

Cadet Blizzard's identification as a part of GRU Unit 29155 shows how the agency is further blurring the line between physical and cyber tactics in its approach to hybrid warfare, according to one of multiple Western intelligence agency officials whom WIRED interviewed on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak using their names. “Special forces don’t normally set up a cyber unit that mirrors their physical activities,” one official says. “This is a heavily physical operating unit, tasked with the more gruesome acts that the GRU is involved in. I find it very surprising that this unit that does very hands-on stuff is now doing cyber things from behind a keyboard.”

In addition to the joint public statement revealing Cadet Blizzard's link to the GRU's unit 29155, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency published an advisory detailing the group's hacking methods and ways to spot and mitigate them. The US Department of Justice indicted five members of the group by name, all in absentia, in addition to a sixth who had been previously charged earlier in the summer without any public mention of Unit 29155.

“The GRU’s WhisperGate campaign, including targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure and government systems of no military value, is emblematic of Russia’s abhorrent disregard for innocent civilians as it wages its unjust invasion,” the US Justice Department's assistant attorney general Matthew G. Olsen wrote in a statement. “Today’s indictment underscores that the Justice Department will use every available tool to disrupt this kind of malicious cyber activity and hold perpetrators accountable for indiscriminate and destructive targeting of the United States and our allies.”

The US State Department also posted a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of members of the group, along with their photos, to its Rewards for Justice website.

Beyonds its previously known operations against Ukraine, Western intelligence agency officials tell WIRED that the group has also targeted a wide variety of organizations in North America, Eastern and Central Europe, Central Asia, and Latin America, such as transportation and health care sectors, government agencies, and “critical infrastructure” including “energy” infrastructure, though the officials declined to offer more specific information. The officials told WIRED that in some cases, the 29155 hackers appeared to be preparing for more disruptive cyberattacks akin to Whispergate, but didn't have confirmation that any such attacks had actually taken place.

The US Department of State in June separately revealed that the same GRU hackers who carried out Whispergate also sought to find hackable vulnerabilities in US critical infrastructure targets, “particularly the energy, government, and aerospace sectors.” The DOJ's newly unsealed indictment against the 29155 hackers alleges they probed the network of a US government agency in Maryland 63 times—though without revealing whether any such probes were success—as well as searching for vulnerabilities in the networks of targets in no fewer than 26 NATO countries.

In many cases, the 29155 hackers' intention appeared to be military espionage, according to Western intelligence agency officials. In a Central European country, for instance, they say the group breached a railway agency to spy on train shipments of supplies to Ukraine. In Ukraine itself, they say, the hackers compromised consumer surveillance cameras, perhaps to gain visibility on movement of Ukrainian troops or weapons. Ukrainian officials have previously warned that Russia has used that tactic to target missile strikes, though the intelligence officials who spoke to WIRED didn't have evidence that 29155's operations specifically had been used for that missile targeting.

The Western intelligence agency sources say that GRU Unit 29155's hacking team was formed as early as 2020, though until recent years it primarily focused on espionage rather than more disruptive cyberattacks. The creation of yet another hacking group within the GRU might seem superfluous, given that the GRU's preexisting teams units such as Sandworm and Fancy Bear have long been some of the world's most active and aggressive players in cyber warfare and espionage. But Western intelligence agency officials say that Unit 29155 was likely driven to seek its own specialized hacking team due to internal competition within the GRU, as well as the group's growing clout following the perceived success of its operations—even the botched Skripal assassination attempt. “The Skripal poisoning gave them a lot of attention and a lot of mandate,” one official says. “We assess it’s very likely that’s resulted in them getting a lot of more funds and the resources to attract the capability to start a cyber unit. Success is measured differently in the Western world and Russia.”

According to the Western intelligence officials who spoke to WIRED, the 29155 hacking group is composed of just 10 or so individuals, all of whom are relatively young GRU officers. Several individuals participated in hacking “Capture the Flag” competitions—competitive hacking simulations that are common at hacker conferences—prior to joining the GRU, and may have been recruited from those events. But the small team has also partnered with Russian cybercriminal hackers in some cases, the officials say, expanding their resources and in some instances using commodity cybercriminal malware that has made its operations more difficult to attribute to the Russian state.

One example of those criminal partnerships appears to be with Amin Timovich Stigal, a Russian hacker indicted by the US in absentia in June for allegedly aiding in Cadet Blizzard's Whispergate attacks on the Ukrainian government. The US State Department has also issued a $10 million reward for information leading to Stigal's arrest.

In addition to reliance on criminal hackers, other signs of Cadet Blizzard's level of technical skill appear to fit with intelligence officials' description of a small and relatively young team, according to one security researcher who has closely tracked the group but asked not to be named because they weren't authorized by their employer to speak about their findings. To gain initial access to target networks, the hackers largely exploited a handful of known software vulnerabilities and didn't use any so-called zero-day vulnerabilities—previously unknown hackable flaws—according to the researcher. “There’s probably not a lot of hands-on experience there. They’re following a very common operating procedure,” says the researcher. “They just figured out the exploit du jour that would give them the most mileage in their chosen domains, and they stuck with it.” In another instance of the group's lack of polish, a map of Ukraine that had been included in their defacement images and posted to hacked Ukrainian websites included the Crimean peninsula, which Russia has claimed as its own territory since 2014.

Sophistication aside, the researcher also notes that the 29155 hackers in some cases compromised their targets by breaching IT providers that serve Ukrainian and other Eastern European firms, giving them access to victims' systems and data. “Instead of kicking the front door down, they’re trying to blend in with legitimate trusted channels, trusted pathways into a network,” the researcher says.

The security researcher also notes that unlike hackers in other GRU units, Cadet Blizzard appears to have been housed in its own building, separate from the rest of the GRU, perhaps to make the team harder to link to the Unit 29155 of which they're a part. Combined with the group's command structure and criminal partnerships, it all suggests a new model for the GRU's approach to cyber warfare.

“Everything about this operation was different,” the researcher says. “It’s really going to pave the way for the future of what we see from the Russian Federation.”

[solemn-siren]

Deception - villain!Huntedskelly drabble

I’m going to be honest, I have no idea what possessed me to write this.

I guess I just felt like it?

I also decided to write a more fight oriented story to practice for upcoming stuff and since I recently watched the bad guys, I decided to go for a spy AU to not only balance out Siren’s powers but because.. why not.

“The golden dolphin is right here in this room. Do you copy, Agent Amulet?”

“Copy.” Was my answer as I descended into the dark room. Agent Viper had already disabled the traps that were placed in the room, and hacked the security system down. Even if by a miracle one was working, they would only see the shadows of a humanoid shape with two pairs of cat ears on their head, descending down into the hall that had our target.

“And how is the distraction going, Agent King?” Nephya, our digital assistant and our leader, asked, her soft calm voice dancing through my ear via an earpiece. I’ve known both Agent Viper and Agent Storm even before the whole spy mission thing, and we made one epic trio.

Agent Viper, or Kenpo, was our hacker. He was our safety net, although a kind of safety net you throw first. He made sure all our plan went smoothly, by shutting down camera after camera, altering data, and being our eyes. There was nothing that could hide from him and his snake like eyes.

Then there was Agent King, or Storm, who was not only our charisma master, but for missions where distraction isn’t needed, he was my partner in crime, and trust was placed in us. He could pull off various disguises, stay undetected and when the stakes are high, mentally mess with the mind to keep them off my trail. His purple gaze was calming to the ally, but haunting to the villain.

And then there was me. The action lady, the daredevil, Agent Amulet. But all I’m doing is the fancy, action focused stuff in an environment altered to the best condition in the background by Viper and King. They’re the ones who deserve the recognition, I’m the person they see when the golden dolphin is stolen.

“Oh wonderful.” Storm answered as I landed inside the room, pulling down the purple tinted goggles over my eyes. With a single button press on the side, the purple gradually transitioned to a lime green, and the room became clear as day.

In front of my eyes, meters away on a pedestal, stood the golden dolphin, a shimmering gold statue in the shape of a dolphin that was famous for being the top target of criminals and spies alike, every one failing to steal the valuable treasure. We were going to be the first to successfully steal it, and we would be famous for it.

“Oh imagine the riches when we sell it to the black market!” Nephya beamed as I silently dashed through the trap less room to the dolphin. Picking it up, it felt like a dream come true. Immediately I smuggled it inside a bag that was slung around my shoulders, and I celebrated in silence.

“Boys, we did it.” I whispered, resting my hands on the pedestal. “Viper, how’s escape looking?”

“All clear.” Kenpo answered, and Siren could faintly hear the clatter of a keyboard behind his excited voice. “Stick to the plan and you’re good to go. We’re gonna be rich in no time-“

There was an explosion ringing through our ears. I turned around, where there was a cloud of dust and debris from the explosion falling down in the other end of the hall.

“Viper, we’re not alone.” I told Kenpo, flicking my wrist to bring out a sword. In the darkness of the shadows, the blade glimmered in a faint purple, with the handles shining brighter than the golden dolphin. “Specifically, I’m not,”

From the dust, our unwanted visitor emerged. They were tall, taller than Storm towering over the much shorter me even from a distance. They wore an all black jacket with a hint of blue hidden in the shadows, with steel toed boots and what looked like a sword on their back. Their face was concealed by a hood, but when they pulled it back I immediately recognized who it was,

“Huntedskelly?” I gasped, lowering the sword down just a little.

“Oh it’s you, Siren.” Hunted growled, spinning a knife in his hands. His Storm grey eyes stared back at me, piercing a bolt of lightning through anyone that looked directly at him. The weight of the golden dolphin didn’t bother me, I was more worried about what he was doing here. “A nice surprise to see you here. I think you have what I want. The golden dolphin.”

“Amulet? What’s going on?” Kenpo asked as Hunted drew his dark sword. I was still trying to process what was going so answering Kenpo was the least of my worries.

Hunted cackled in the dark of the room, his insane face illuminated by the glow of his sword. His eyes shined silver, showing signs that he was crazy for violence. With the glowing sword in hand he charged forward, his cackling laughter echoing in the hallway.

“Amulet?” Storm asked as I dashed away from Hunted’s sword as it was brought down, the point of impact unleashing a spark of cyan that lit up the dark room. “What’s going on? Who’s attacking? Do you need assistance?”

“It’s Hunted!” I answered in panic as Hunted pulled out his sword from the ground, glaring back at me. My sword was still in my hands, and as he charged forward to strike again, I blocked the strike with my sword, a spark of blue and purple clashing in the night. I dashed backwards, pulling back a hidden mechanism on my right glove, revealing a hidden hand crossbow in enchanting blacks and purples.

”Agent Amulet, I’m sending King to you as backup.” Nephya commanded as I fired several shots from the crossbow. “Viper, continue monitoring the guards. We may need to escape.”

Kenpo didn’t answer. Hunted dodged majority of the shots but one of them landed dead center on his arm, forcing him to drop the sword. Taking the chance I lunged forward, tipping my balance off enough to swing under his arm to grab the still ignited sword. Before I could fully grab the sword, Hunted suddenly grabbed the ends of my hood, throwing me to the side.

“Backup would be appreciated.” Was all I could manage to say, and I heard Storm make a sound of reassurance. Before I could stand up a hand slammed me back into the wall, holding me there. A quiet hum of a laser shut me up, as Hunted’s eyes pierced through the veil of darkness.

“What do you want the dolphin for anyways? Profit?” I asked, flicking the glove again, revealing a set of crystalline knives embedded into the scales. The shining pointed ends stood inches away from Hunted’s neck, and I was ready to strike whenever.

Hunted smiled, drawing the sword closer. “What do you think I want it for? Fame? Hah that’s stupid.” He answered, tightening his grip on his sword. “There’s something mystical about it, and it’s not just some gold dolphin. There is power inside it. Now where have you hid it-“

He was interrupted by a hidden force tackling into him, knocking him into the ground. A second punch by a clocked figure sent a sharp bolt of lightning that shocked him, sending his screams across the room.

The cloaked figure took off his hood, revealing a set of familiar calming eyes and silver grey hair with a small braid at the end.

Storm.

“Can’t believe Hunted would just attack you like that…” He muttered as he helped me back up. I nodded in agreement. “Come on let’s get out of he-“

“Not so fast.”

Hunted, using every last of his strength to stand up, glared at us, his sword in his hands. Storm pulled out a trident, pointing it at his brother.

“We can end this peacefully.” He growled as he circled Hunted like a lion and a cheetah. “We can leave in silence, because I’m not going to hurt any of my brothers.”

“Well I’m not going to back down without the dolphin.” Hunted answered, staring back at his own brother. “I’m not going back, until the world is mine.”

There was a second of silence, before the brothers charged at each other and began the never ending fight of death, while I just stood there doing nothing. The bright blue of Hunted’s sword and the azure cyan of Storm’s trident clashed in the darkness, as I only watched from the distance.

During the fight I finally noticed why Hunted was so quick to attack, and why he raised his sword against his own family. In the silver pool of his eye, there was a glint of red.

There was something altering him.

Hunted slashed his sword, leaving a long scar across Storm’s eye as he screamed in pain. The room was illuminated in a bright red, and I tapped a single finger on the earpiece to connect to Kenpo. “Viper, don’t tell me this is-“

“A real alarm? Yup.” Kenpo answered, as Storm scrambled away from Hunted, covering his injured eye with his hand. Grabbing his free arm, I hit another button on my gloves, revealing a different hand crossbow that fired a grappling hook that pierced the ceiling, hooking onto whatever random pipe was there. Another button press and the grappling hook did its marvels, and we were on our way out.

Hunted’s red eye was clearly visible, as he hissed at the sight of our escape. Something told me this wouldn’t be the last time we’ll be seeing him.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #614

Top Ten Scenes of People Using Computers in Movies

This week is one of those lists that I’ve had bubbling away for quite a while. Initially it was just going to be “scenes of people typing” but then I realised that most of them were funny because it was a visual thing that didn’t really translate very well into me writing them out into a list. So it has evolved into what you see before you.

I think before we begin there are two very big and obvious “people on computers” movies that aren’t here: Wargames and Hackers. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen both of them but so long ago now I don’t really remember. But I’m always up for cheesy computer scenes, as this list ably demonstrates.

So what do I think makes a good “someone’s using a computer” scene? Well, essentially, I think it has to be really, really daft. That’s what most of these have in common; they just don’t look at all like somebody really using a for-real computer. Usually it’s an actor who you feel has never even been in the same room as a keyboard jabbering away at the keys whilst talking gobbledegook whilst some kind of pseudo-magical thing entirely unrelated to the computer takes place at the same time. Done right, these scenes are gold dust; hilarity of the highest order. Sometimes you sense the filmmakers are in on the joke. Sometimes not.

One thing that I was pretty keen on here, though, was that this was people using computers in a more-or-less recognisable way. So, for instance, I’ve avoided something like the Stellar Cartography scene in Star Trek: Generations as, whilst Picard and Data are technically using a computer, to all intents and purposes it’s two people sat in a planetarium. Similarly, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner create Ultron in Age of Ultron, but it basically amounts to a holographic lightshow. Very reluctantly, I also vetoed Harrison Ford’s photo analysis in Blade Runner; I want to see people typing, y’know? So whilst very few of these are “realistic”, at least they’re – more or less – recognisable.

Right, it’s already late, so let’s type “run” and get on with this.

Hugh Jackman in Swordfish (2001): “The best crackers can do this in sixty minutes. I need someone who can do it in sixty seconds.” So speaks John Travolta as a weirdo bell-end crypto-terrorist (or something) who forces ex-con computer hacker Jackman to diddle with a laptop whist receiving, er, downstairs assistance from a lady. It’s so shitting stupid. It’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen almost every Michael Bay film. And, I dunno, “crackers”? Do people say “crackers”? I mean, it is crackers, so there’s that. It’s so camp, so silly, so unrealistic, they’ve got to have been in on the joke? Surely?

Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): what Pryce is actually doing here – creating newspaper front pages – isn’t really that ridiculous. It’s just how he types. He’s got a tiny laptop and he seems to just randomly jerk his fingers around in the direction of the keyboard. It’s the most fascinating typing in human history.

Whoopi Goldberg in Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986): we’re staying Pryce-adjacent but it’s Whoopi who’s the star here, in this beautiful celebration of 1980s VD-Usage. Big monitors, chunky keyboards, low-res fonts: it’s lovely. It’s also, interestingly, quite a good way of visualising somebody in a chatroom, as Goldberg inexplicably ends up in convo with spy-in-hiding Pryce, their relationship playing out entirely via cursor but always seeming dynamic and interesting with some good direction and a lovely, vibrant performance from Goldberg herself.

James Doohan in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986): Scotty and Bones inventing “transparent aluminium” in 1986 is very funny in and of itself, but it’s Doohan’s attempts to use a 20th Century computer that elevates this scene. Dismissing as primitive the inability to just spit instructions into thin air, he picks up the mouse to use as a microphone. Trust me, it’s funny.

Ariana Richards in Jurassic Park (1993): “A Unix system! I know this!” Yes, teenage computer hacker Lex saves the day and gets Jurassic Park back online without Dennis Nedry, thanks to her ability to very slowly navigate a painful first-person interface by holding a mouse incredibly strangely. Look, it was the nineties; everyone just assumed some sort of bad VR was how we were going to interact with computers in the future.

Jeff Goldblum in Independence Day (1996): this is one of the most famous (infamous?) scenes of computer misuse in a movie, and the only reason it’s so low is because the actual use of the computer isn’t that bad, it’s more the implications of it. Because, yes, Goldblum hacks into an advanced alien mothership using (if I recall) a mid-nineties MacBook, and is able to transmit a virus. He gives them a cold! Don’t ask any questions.

Vanessa Redgrave in Mission: Impossible (1996): the most famous scene of computer use in this movie is undoubtedly the bit where Tom dangles off the ceiling at Langly and barely drops a bead of sweat. But I prefer the moment later on, when Redgrave’s Max is trying to upload the NOC list to the internet, via a mobile connection, on a train, in 1996. Wow! What’s kinda great is, in a semi-fantastical spy-adventure-action series (that, moments later, has Cruise jumping off a crashing helicopter onto a train inside a tunnel), the actual use of the computer here is relatively realistic, shockingly so back in the day when accurate depictions of operating systems were few and far between. Even Redgrave’s frustration seems believable.

Richard Pryor in Superman III (1983): another superb, sublime bit of silicone silliness, the only reason this is so low is because I really don’t like this movie. Or, rather, I don’t like any of the stuff with the villains – the film is almost saved by Clark’s new relationship with Lana Lang, and the big where he goes all Tyler Durden in a junkyard. But! Pryor is an unemployed guy who’s never used a computer who – the first time he uses one – discovers to his shock that he’s a savant who can program and hack anything. His hands move with a will of their own. He literally does not know how he knows what to do. It’s still less stupid than Swordfish.

Harrison Ford in Clear and Present Danger (1994): this is one of the sorta-realistic ones, as Ford’s Jack Ryan is trying to get evidence of Henry Czerny’s naughtiness, looking at his files on the computer but hoping his snooping is undiscovered. The OS looks real, it feels genuine, and the most tense moment comes when Ford realises he’s out of printer paper. I’m not even kidding, this draws true stress from whether Ford’s secretary popped to Staples that morning.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail (1998): outside of the relatively nice quirk that big corporate dude Hanks uses an IBM PC laptop and flowery arty Ryan uses a MacBook, this is another one that has to represent email and chatroom dialogue visually. And it does an okay job, even if it is rather mawkish and schmaltzy. But more or less it does look like they’re using computers, even if they verbalise and visualise their email writing more than most.

I’ve just realised I’ve got two 1986 films and then two 1996 films back-to-back. What can I say? We didn’t know how to use computers back then.

[theccpress]

Lazarus Group Launders Stolen Cryptocurrency via Black U Mixer 🕵️‍♂️💸

Could this be the future of laundering? 🤔

The Lazarus Group is back in the headlines, and this time they’re not just chilling in a state-sponsored lair. According to ZachXBT, the notorious hackers have successfully laundered a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion through the infamous Black U mixer! 💀🔥 Like an episode of a bad spy movie, North Korean state actors are stirring the pot and making it rain in the crypto world.

Their tactics have stirred up quite the commotion in DeFi, and let’s be real, we all know that meme coins are about to go through some wild mood swings! 🐶🎢 Analysts have already noticed bizarre trading spikes—because why wouldn’t they? Who wouldn’t rush to pump their favorite meme coin when there’s stolen cash in the pantry?

“Laundering groups and small OTC brokers have easily managed to launder stolen crypto funds from the Lazarus Group.” — ZachXBT, On-Chain Investigator

Key Takeaways:

Over $200 million tracked from 25 hacks since August 2020! 😱

FBI’s all ears! 🎧 They’re singing the crypto surveillance blues!

Time for enhanced AML protocols, folks! 📈📉

The funds are snaking their way through OTC brokers, mixers, and P2P exchanges, and while the FBI is raising the alarm, the immediate effects on major DeFi protocols remain stealthy. But fear not—keyboard warriors are calling for drastic measures to tighten the leash on mixers and exchanges. We all know how that goes—more regulations could mean market chaos! 😬

Want to dive deeper into the crypto underworld? Check out the full story and get your popcorn ready! 🍿 Read the original article on The CCPress! Let’s get the convo rolling in the comments! 💬

#Crypto #Blockchain #LazarusGroup #DeFi #AML #CyberSecurity #MemeCoins #CryptoNews #InvestSmart #Hodl

[newtecheras]

How These Dangerous Hacking Gadgets Work In this eye-opening video, we reveal how the most dangerous hacking gadgets work—real-world tools used by cybercriminals, hackers, and even surveillance agencies to bypass security, steal private data, and hijack digital systems. These aren’t fantasy—they're real hacking devices like the WiFi Pineapple, USB Rubber Ducky, Flipper Zero, RFID cloners, IMSI catchers, and more. You’ll learn how these physical cybersecurity threats are used to execute silent cyberattacks in coffee shops, airports, corporate offices, and even your home. We explain the inner workings of each gadget and show how they manipulate systems, intercept data, and exploit human trust. ⚠️ Featuring top hacker tools in 2025: ● WiFi Pineapple: Creates fake WiFi networks to steal your data ● USB Rubber Ducky: Looks like a flash drive, acts like a malicious keyboard ● Flipper Zero: A hacker’s Swiss Army knife—RFID, NFC, Bluetooth exploits ● RFID/NFC Cloners: Steal contactless card info in seconds ● Bash Bunny: Smart USB payload delivery tool ● LAN Turtle: Creates a stealthy backdoor into networks ● Hardware Keyloggers: Record every keystroke without software ● Hidden Camera Pens: Discreet surveillance in a writing pen ● IMSI Catcher (Fake Cell Tower): Hijacks mobile signals, intercepts calls and texts 🔐 Whether you're into ethical hacking, penetration testing, or just want to stay safe in the modern world, this is your ultimate guide to understanding the hardware behind real cyber threats. 📌 Learn: ● How hacking gadgets bypass firewalls and antivirus ● How cybercriminals deploy tools in public spaces ● How to detect and defend against these hacker devices ● What tools red teamers and black hat hackers use 💬 Tell us in the comments: Which device shocked you the most? 👍 Like this video if it opened your eyes to the dark side of tech. 📲 Subscribe for deep dives into banned gadgets, spy devices, and real hacking tools used in today’s digital espionage. #HackingGadgets #Cybersecurity #FlipperZero #WiFiPineapple #USBRubberDucky #PenetrationTesting #InfoSec #RedTeam #RFIDCloning #IMSIcatcher #EthicalHacking #SpyGadgets #DarkWebTools #Hackers #TechExplained #GadgetReview #HowHackersWork #2025Tech 🔗 Stay Connected With Us. 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@NewTechEras/?sub_confirmation=1 📩 For business inquiries: docordoyahii@gmail.com ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1ScCL3i1L4 ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPnDfL8BREo ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5pXurOg_DE ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89khi9VSlik ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAH4eNh_YrQ ================================= 🔎 Related Phrases: 5 Robotic Animals That Will Revolutionize The Future Of Robotics, Robotic Animals, Future Robotics, MIT Mini Cheetah, Mxphoenix Hexapod, Stickybot, Titanoboa Robotic Snake, Robotic Pets, Underwater Robots, AI Companions, Robot Design, AI Robots, Future Technology, DIY Robots, MIT Robots, Harvard Robots, Robot Mobility ADD HASHTAG HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvIEjWXqV40 via New Tech Eras https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSE8xrlzKeYtXIUS2aeV1Lw June 11, 2025 at 04:53AM

[lunarcharacters]

hacked

Imogen and Killian had a lot of computers in their house. They had their "personal" computers (the computers they used while "under cover" that wouldn't show anything out of the ordinary if they were hacked). Then they had their work computer (the ones they used to spy on their targets, and they were so heavily guarded that they were nearly impossible to hack into). Plus a few more that Immy used for her own hacking side quests.

Tonight Immy was using Killian's under cover personal computer for some online shopping. She would've used hers, but it was upstairs charging and she didn't feel like going to get it. This computer was only encrypted with the basic spy protection software. The type of software that was easily penetrated by hackers who knew what they were doing. It hadn't happened yet, but considering the type of shady people they were dealing with, they could get hacked at any time. Imogen just hadn't anticipated that "any time" would be a random Wednesday evening while Killian was making them dinner.

"Woah…" She said, raising her hands from the keyboard when her screen suddenly went black. "Oh fuck, somethings happening…" Killian turned the stove down low so their food wouldn't burn and hurried around the island to look at the screen.

Imogen recognized the coding on the screen but it probably looked like gibberish to most people. But she could see that someone had accessed this computer through the wifi connection and had easily broken through the firewalls (as predicted). She read through the coding, growing more confused by the second. Whoever was on the other side of this wasn't looking for anything.

They kept watching as more code came up and then, after almost a minute, the outline of a rubber duck appeared on the screen followed by the words "Duck… duck… duck…" Imogen was just as confused as ever but Killian was laughing.

"What is this?" She asked, moving to the side when Killian reached over to start typing. He typed out the word "Goose" and hit enter.

"It's Tobias…" He said. "My brother." Immy raised a brow at him. "His nickname is Ducky." They both looked back at the screen to see what else Tobias had to say. The words appeared in Hungarian and Imogen had never been happier to know the language. She hadn't seen Killian interact with his family much besides Ambrose.

Hi. Call mom. Said tonight at dinner it had been too long. Also. Why are you shopping for women's shoes? …….

Killian reached over again and typed "Imogen is shopping", chuckling again.

Oh. Okay. Bye, then.

They waited for a few long moments, both just staring at the screen. Before, finally, more words appeared.

Love you. Miss you.

A few more code sequences followed before the screen went black again. A few seconds later the website that Imogen had been browsing popped up again as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Killian chuckled one last time before returning to their dinner.

"Tobias has never heard of texting?" Imogen asked.

"He's impossible to text," Killian replied, shaking his head. "He hardly ever replies. Hacking into a computer is way easier for him." Imogen nodded. She kept watching Killian as he prepared their food and couldn't help but smile each time a little grin graced his face. He clearly loved and missed his brother, too.

"You should call your mom after dinner," Immy mused after she found the shoes she wanted. Unfortunately, they had to limit calls to their family (or, well, Killian's family since Imogen wasn't calling anyone from hers) and it had been a few weeks since he'd called home. From what Imogen knew about his mother, she was the type who liked to talk to her boys often.

"Oh, no doubt," Killian agreed. "I've been meaning to anyway." He took the food off the stove and Imogen grabbed some plates. Killian took her arm when she passed and she looked up at him. "We can Facetime her, she'd love to see you, too." Immy smiled shyly and nodded. Even if they weren't technically and legally married, it was nice to feel included in family chats. She found it was easier to keep up the act that way.

[atplblog]

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[fromdevcom]

In recent years, Facebook has become a popular place for many to exchange private messages and sometimes even manage secret relationships. Therefore, it is no wonder that many people want to hack accounts of their loved ones and partners or at least want to find out FB passwords.Maybe you are in a similar situation or for other reasons you just want to find out the password from the other Facebook account - in any case, this article can certainly help you.Every day on the Internet a lot of fake websites appear with erroneous promises about password hacking away from the Facebook account, for free, secret etc. These sites often ask people to take part in a survey to find out the password of desired Facebook accounts.This is just a trick to make quick money by forcing users to share their personal information. But after completing the survey, no Facebook password is given, but private data stolen from these people. So I always warn my readers against such scam sites and their false promises. You cannot hack Facebook.With the tool I'm describing in this article, you'll be able to read the Facebook messages without the supervised person noticing. Very good for worried parents who do not want to leave their children without supervision. Find Facebook password: Possible waysWith lots of years of experience I can tell you that there are only two ways to get FB password:Phishing: Hard WayOne of the common hacking methods is called phishing. In order to find a password from another account, this method uses a fake login page (spoofed website), which looks exactly like the original Facebook login page.Such a website is actually created by a hacker and hosted on his own server. As soon as the victim enters his / her password on such website, the login details of the victim are stolen.Phishing requires special knowledge and high implementation skills. Therefore, it would not be possible for a newbie (maybe like you) to use this trick. In addition, such acts are punishable so I would not recommend this type of method.Easiest Hacking possibility: With a Spy SoftwareSpyware is a type of software that monitors user activity. Although they cost you money, you can be sure spyware will be successful with spyware - these companies get over a million new customers every month and have the refund policies - just like any trusted company.As an example of such monitoring serve keyloggers - reading (intercepting) typed on the keyboard symbols. In other words, after the spyware is installed, just any key press, any word, any username and password that your target person enters on the monitored computer at Facebook or otherwise will be monitored and passed on to the email address of the hacker. Yes, exactly - that's how easy it is to find out the FB password.Since the installation of the spy software does not require any special skills, this hacking way is easiest. I only recommend one program for this purpose Wolfeye Keylogger:Why Use Wolfeye Keylogger?Almost real-time monitoring from every corner of the world100% untraceable for the monitored userExtremely easy to install as no special knowledge is requiredCompatibility with all Windows versionsThe most stable running Keylogger on the market consuming almost no pc resourcesYou can use it despite antivirus software, read this tutorial to know how:How It WorksTo make your choice easier, let me introduce these two short video tutorials with features overview (more below): Keylogger - Intercepting Symbols Entered via The Keyboard: Words, Login Emails, PasswordsTo hack a Facebook password, all you have to do is install this Software on a target computer. But do not panic! The software vendors can help you to install the software via a remote control program.After everything is done, the spyware sends the intercepted login information to your Email address. In addition, the Facebook messages will also be sent to the email address, so you can always have a steady copy of all Facebook messages if your target users delete something in their account.

All words, login emails, passwords will be recorded and send to your email. Even screenshots will be made.Facebook Hack Methods That Do Not WorkAny software programs or websites that can spy on Facebook passwords are nonsense. Other than many scammers claim on the Internet, Facebook Server / Facebook login pages do not contain bugs that let passwords be found/hacked. The two hack types mentioned above (phishing and spyware) are the only methods to get the Facebook password from others.

[theflixdiaryproject]

"we gotta take this case. only we can do it" - Mi-young

Mi-Young (Ra Mi-ran), a former top cop now handling civil complaints, teams up with her sister-in-law Ji-Hye (Lee Sung-kyung), a hot-headed detective, to investigate a disturbing case involving spy cam footage and online threats. despite their constant bickering, the two women set aside their differences to chase justice.

read my review below (may contain spoilers):

watched November 27th, 2024 on netflix

Korean movies really are on another level when it comes to blending drama, action, and comedy. this movie is the perfect example of this. from the start to the end, the movie is a fun ride filled with high-stakes drama and hilarious moments. I love how it balances intense scenes with humour that doesn’t feel forced. it’s refreshing, and I didn’t feel my brain frying while watching it. the crime storyline is straightforward and easy to follow. I appreciate that the movie doesn’t try to overcomplicate things with unnecessary twists - that would require me to get PhD to keep up with the plot. the serious undertone about spy cams and society’s blind eye to these dark corners gives the movie some depth. at the same time, it doesn’t drag the story down. it’s a tough balance to achieve, but this movie does it well. what I enjoy most is the girl power. Mi-Young and Ji-Hye teaming up to kick ass is so satisfying to watch. their relationship starts rocky, but as the movie progresses, they show what women can do when they join forces. there are car chases, fights, and even random jokes thrown in the middle. it’s a nice mix that keeps the energy high. honestly, I was cheering throughout most of it.

one thing I didn’t expect was Sung Dong-il’s cameo. it’s like finding an Easter egg. I couldn’t stop grinning when he appeared. it’s moments like these that make the movie even more enjoyable. also, the animation in some scenes adds a quirky touch that fits the movie’s vibe perfectly. if there’s one thing I find odd, it’s the English title. why Miss & Mrs. Cops? the original Korean title means Girl Cops, which sounds better to me. but aside from that, I have no complaints. I heard rumours about this movie being adapted into a TV series, but it’s been silent for years now. I’m still hoping for a sequel or series with the same cast. Mi-Young and Ji-Hye have great chemistry, and I’d love to see more of their adventures. I also want to see more of Choi Soo-young doing her hacker things (even if all she does is just slapping random keys on keyboard) and maybe see Yoon Sang-hyun's character finally pass his bar exam. in conclusion, Miss & Mrs. Cops is a must-watch if you enjoy action-comedy movies with a meaningful message. it’s light, fun, and leaves you with a lot to think about. definitely worth your time!

final verdict: I totally loved it!!

maturity rating: 13+ genre: action, comedy, crime duration: 1h 47m (107 mins) country of origin: South Korea language: Korean, English screenplay: Jung Da-won major cast: Ra Mi-ran, Lee Sung-kyung, Yoon Sang-hyun, Choi Soo-young

[scarefox]

The company from my PC keyboard finally managed to un-hack their website 🙌 long awaited update for my keyboards software is here. Now it's working properly again! No lagging letters anymore....

I just hope the hackers didn't spy on everyones keyboards (I forgot the name but there is a method that tracks everything you type.... if that's the case I hope they got bored with my tumblr postings 24/7)

[howtofindmyvpnserver]

does incognito use vpn

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does incognito use vpn

Incognito mode explanation

Incognito mode, also known as private browsing or privacy mode, is a feature found in most web browsers that allows users to browse the internet without saving their browsing history or cookies. When using Incognito mode, the browser does not store any information about the websites visited, files downloaded, or searches made during the session.

This privacy feature is handy for users who do not want their browsing activity to be saved on the device they are using. It is important to note that while browsing in Incognito mode prevents the browser from storing data locally, it does not make the user completely anonymous online. Internet service providers, websites visited, and network administrators can still track the user's online activity.

Incognito mode can be useful in various scenarios, such as when using a public computer or device, preventing targeted advertisements based on browsing history, or signing into multiple accounts on the same website without interference. It is also beneficial when shopping for gifts or planning surprises that you do not want others to discover by looking at your browsing history.

To activate Incognito mode, users can typically open a new private browsing window in their web browser's menu or use keyboard shortcuts. While browsing in this mode, users will see a mask or spy icon indicating that they are in private browsing mode.

In conclusion, Incognito mode is a useful tool for maintaining privacy and avoiding the accumulation of browsing history and cookies on shared devices. However, it is essential to remember that it does not provide complete anonymity online.

VPN basics

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a tool that allows users to create a secure connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. It encrypts the data that is being transmitted, providing privacy and protection from hackers, government surveillance, and other third parties.

One of the main purposes of using a VPN is to establish a secure connection to another network over the internet. This can be particularly useful for individuals who frequently use public Wi-Fi networks, as these are often targets for cyber attacks. By using a VPN, users can ensure that their data remains safe and confidential.

Moreover, VPNs can also be used to access geo-restricted content. For example, if a user is located in a country where certain websites or services are blocked, they can connect to a VPN server in another location to bypass these restrictions. This is especially beneficial for individuals who travel frequently and want to access their favorite content from back home.

It is important to note that while VPNs provide an additional layer of security and privacy, they are not foolproof. Users should choose a reputable VPN provider and ensure that they are using the service correctly to maximize its benefits. Additionally, VPNs may slow down internet connection speeds due to the encryption process, so users should weigh the trade-offs between security and speed.

In conclusion, VPNs are powerful tools that offer increased security, privacy, and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions. By understanding the basics of how VPNs work and choosing a reliable provider, users can take control of their online privacy and browsing experience.

How does incognito mode work

Incognito mode, also known as private browsing, is a feature found in most modern web browsers that allows users to browse the internet without storing any data on their device. When a user enables incognito mode, the browser essentially creates a temporary session that is isolated from the main browsing session.

One of the main functions of incognito mode is to prevent the browser from storing any information about the browsing session. This means that no cookies, search history, or form data will be saved on the device. Additionally, any temporary files and images generated during the incognito session are deleted as soon as the session is closed.

While incognito mode does provide a layer of privacy and security, it is important to note that it is not a foolproof method of browsing anonymously. Internet service providers, websites, and network administrators may still be able to track your online activity. Furthermore, incognito mode does not encrypt your data, so it is still possible for third parties to intercept your information.

Overall, incognito mode is a useful tool for browsing the internet without leaving a trace on your device. It is particularly handy for situations where you do not want your browsing history to be saved, such as when using a public computer or accessing sensitive information. Just remember that while incognito mode can help protect your privacy to some extent, it is not a substitute for more robust security measures such as using a VPN or secure browsing techniques.

VPN advantages and disadvantages

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) offers numerous advantages and disadvantages for users seeking to enhance their online privacy and security. One of the primary benefits of using a VPN is the ability to encrypt your internet connection, making it much harder for hackers or third parties to intercept your data. This encryption is especially important when using public Wi-Fi networks, as it helps protect your sensitive information from potential cyber threats.

Another advantage of VPNs is the ability to bypass geographical restrictions and access region-locked content. By connecting to a server in a different country, users can unlock websites, streaming services, or social media platforms that may be restricted in their current location. This can be particularly useful for travelers or expats looking to access their favorite online content from abroad.

However, there are also some drawbacks to using a VPN. One of the main disadvantages is the potential slowdown in internet speed. Because the VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through remote servers, you may experience slower connection speeds, especially when using servers located far away from your physical location.

Additionally, not all VPN services are created equal, and some may log your online activity or share your data with third parties, compromising your privacy instead of enhancing it. Users should carefully research and choose a reputable VPN provider that has a strict no-logs policy and robust security features to avoid any potential privacy risks.

In conclusion, while VPNs offer valuable benefits such as enhanced security and access to region-locked content, users should be aware of the potential drawbacks such as slower internet speeds and privacy concerns when deciding whether to use a VPN service.

Using VPN in incognito mode

Using a VPN in incognito mode can provide an extra layer of privacy and security when browsing the internet. Incognito mode, also known as private browsing, is a feature available in most web browsers that allows users to surf the web without storing browsing history, cookies, or other data locally on their device.

While incognito mode can help prevent others who use the same device from seeing your browsing activity, it doesn't fully protect your online privacy. Your internet service provider (ISP), government agencies, hackers, and websites can still track your IP address and monitor your online activities.

This is where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comes into play. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a remote server, hiding your IP address and masking your online activities. When you use a VPN in incognito mode, your browsing data becomes even more secure and private.

By combining incognito mode with a VPN, you can enjoy browsing the web anonymously without worrying about your online activities being tracked or monitored. This is especially important when accessing sensitive information or using public Wi-Fi networks, where your data is more vulnerable to interception by hackers.

However, it's essential to choose a reliable VPN provider that offers strong encryption and a strict no-logs policy to ensure your privacy remains protected. Additionally, keep in mind that while a VPN can enhance your online security, it's not a foolproof solution, and practicing other safe browsing habits is still important.