A KnowBe4 Menace Lab publication
Authors: Martin Kraemer, Jeewan Singh Jalal, Anand Bodke, and James Dyer
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: We noticed a 98% rise in phishing campaigns hosted on Russian (.ru) top-level domains (TLDs) from December 2024 to January 2025, primarily used for credential harvesting.
I’ve an App Service that’s utilizing personal endpoints and personal hyperlinks to attach with an SQL occasion in the identical Useful resource Group. I’m additionally attempting to arrange a IPsec Tunnel/site-to-site VPN connection for the App Service to hook up with one other website outdoors of Azure.
I’ve a vnet that was created for the beforehand talked about App Service to SQL connection. The App Service is on a subnet named internet as a part of that connection.
To arrange my IPsec:
I’ve set VnetRouteAll to true for the App Service.
I’ve restarted and even stopped and began the app service in any case these modifications.
These are the outcomes of some CLI instructions that I imagine issues are arrange appropriately, but the App Service hasn’t discovered the route.
I’ve tried utilizing cUrl, tcpping, nslookup from the App Service Kudu Powershell and Console and each time it fails to seek out 10.95.4.51
PS /residence/mber> az community vnet subnet present --resource-group myname --vnet-name vn-myname-test --name internet --query "{Subnet: title, RouteTable: routeTable.id}"
{
"RouteTable": "/subscriptions/*********/resourceGroups/myname/suppliers/Microsoft.Community/routeTables/rt-myname-test",
"Subnet": "internet"
}
PS /residence/mber> az community route-table route listing --resource-group myname --route-table-name rt-myname-test --query "[].{RouteName: title, AddressPrefix: addressPrefix, NextHopType: nextHopType}"
[
{
"AddressPrefix": "10.95.4.51/32",
"NextHopType": "VirtualNetworkGateway",
"RouteName": "to-10.95.4.51"
}
]
PS /residence/mber> az community vpn-connection listing --resource-group myname --query "[].{VPNConnection: title, Standing: connectionStatus, ProvisioningState: provisioningState}"
[
{
"ProvisioningState": "Succeeded",
"Status": null,
"VPNConnection": "vpn-myname-test"
}
]
PS /residence/mber> az community vpn-connection present --resource-group myname --name vpn-myname-test --query "{Identify:title, Standing:connectionStatus, ProvisioningState:provisioningState}"
{
"Identify": "vpn-myname-test",
"ProvisioningState": "Succeeded",
"Standing": "Related"
}
PS /residence/mber> az webapp vnet-integration listing --name mynamedev --resource-group myname
[
{
"certThumbprint": null,
"id": "/subscriptions/*********/resourceGroups/myname/providers/Microsoft.Web/sites/mynamedev/virtualNetworkConnections/web",
"location": "East US 2",
"name": "web",
"resourceGroup": "myname",
"routes": null,
"type": "Microsoft.Web/sites/virtualNetworkConnections",
"vnetResourceId": "/subscriptions/*********/resourceGroups/myname/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/vn-myname-test/subnets/web"
}
]
The GSM Affiliation (GSMA) has formally introduced assist for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for securing messages despatched through the Wealthy Communications Providers (RCS) protocol, bringing much-needed safety protections to cross-platform messages shared between Android and iOS platforms.
To that finish, the brand new GSMA specs for RCS embrace E2EE based mostly on the Messaging Layer Safety (MLS) protocol through what’s known as the RCS Common Profile 3.0.
“The brand new specs outline the way to apply MLS throughout the context of RCS,” Tom Van Pelt, technical director of GSMA, stated. “These procedures be sure that messages and different content material equivalent to information stay confidential and safe as they journey between shoppers.”
This additionally implies that RCS would be the first “large-scale messaging service” to have assist for interoperable E2EE between completely different consumer implementations from completely different suppliers within the close to future.
It is price noting that Google’s personal implementation of RCS, used within the Messages app for Android, secures conversations utilizing the Sign protocol to deal with the dearth of built-in E2EE protections. That stated, the encryption safeguards are at the moment restricted to messages exchanged through the app, and never these exchanged with the iOS Messages customers or customers of different RCS shoppers on Android.
The event comes practically six months after the GSMA stated it was working in direction of implementing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to safe messages despatched between the Android and iOS ecosystems. The transfer adopted Apple’s choice to roll out assist for RCS in its personal Messages app with iOS 18.
In July 2023, Google revealed that it intends so as to add assist for MLS to its Messages service and open-source implementation of the specification.
“RCS continues to assist a variety of interoperable messaging features between iOS and Android customers, equivalent to group messaging, the flexibility to share high-resolution media, and see learn receipts and typing indicators,” Van Pelt stated.
When reached for remark, Google stated, “We have at all times been dedicated to offering a safe messaging expertise, and Google Messages customers have had end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging for years. We’re excited to have this up to date specification from GSMA and work as shortly as doable with the cellular ecosystem to implement and prolong this necessary person safety to cross-platform RCS messaging.”
NFT (non-fungible tokens) burst in recognition in 2021 as many traders detected its potential.
Subsequently, nevertheless, the perspective in the direction of the NFT area resembled a sine wave. Some folks predicted success at least that of Bitcoin.
Some noticed it as one other tulip mania and predicted the upcoming finish, with the inadequate every day worth of traded NFTs, the collapse of Terra (LUNA), and the low variety of customers that purchased or bought NFTs.
However, NFTs are nonetheless round immediately, largely as a result of their profitable use in sure areas, akin to gaming.
Now, the NFT gaming market is valued at $5.69 billion, which implies it surpasses some well-known industries, akin to board video games ($4.2 billion), good dwelling safety ($4.6 billion), and even e-books ($5.4 billion).
Market Worth Comparability: Gaming NFTs vs. Different Industries
Principally, an NFT is a digital certificates that acknowledges a sure individual because the proprietor of a digital asset with no equal to it. These certificates are created and bought on blockchain and are regulated by good contracts.
NFT expertise all the time refers to one thing unique: irrespective of what number of digital duplicates there are, there is just one genuine asset. This fashion, an NFT proprietor virtually buys possession rights.
NFT video games, in flip, are video video games that use non-fungibles as a central a part of their gameplay. NFTs right here often characterize totally different in-game artifacts, akin to recreation characters, skins, weapons, and digital land.
The method of enjoying NFTs is hardly totally different from conventional video games, aside from the opportunity of getting some revenue out of it and reliance on blockchain networks, akin to Ethereum, Binance Good Chain, and Polygon.
It often includes enjoying the sport to earn rewards, storing them in a crypto pockets, and utilizing or promoting them (at will) inside or exterior the sport’s ecosystem.
Additionally, NFT video games should not tied to any particular style. They’ll belong to RPGs, technique video games, card video games, MMOs, arcades, and so on.
To make sure interoperability and performance, token video games usually use particular NFT requirements. There are fairly a number of requirements within the blockchain trade, however presently, probably the most generally used ones embrace ERC-721 and ERC-1155:
If from the gamers’ perspective, the advantage of switching to NFT video games is evident (they’ve a direct alternative to earn cash by promoting this or that artifact), then what profit do the creators of NFT growth companies have?
All NFTs are linked to a bigger community consisting of many different elements constructed on high of a blockchain. Gamers who win or purchase in-game property can instantly go to NFT marketplaces and freely purchase, promote, or swap their purchases.
For recreation builders, this open economic system additionally uncloses new paths to monetization. For instance, builders can earn income by promoting preliminary NFTs, earn royalties every time the NFTs are re-sold on a market, and even cost transaction charges on in-game purchases or trades.
NFTs additionally typically have a financial premium over their conventional in-game merchandise look-alikes. They’re extra expensive to supply, which ends up in a better worth.
Historically, the gaming provide chain consists of the next individuals: Developers (e.g., Respawn Leisure), Publishers (e.g., EA), Distribution Platforms (e.g., Steam), and Gamers.
Publishers usually take the most important lower of recreation gross sales (round 70%) and interior purchases as they direct funding, advertising, and distribution.
Digital distribution platforms take round 30% of every sale. Recreation builders often receives a commission upfront by the writer or obtain a income share (usually a smaller proportion).
Income Share Comparability: Conventional vs. NFT Video games
In NFT video games, the fundamental relationships between builders, publishers, and digital distribution platforms are comparable, however there are some basic distinctions as a result of nature of blockchain.
Recreation builders create the sport and the digital objects (cash, playing cards, and different memorabilia). They could earn cash by the preliminary sale of objects or subsequent resales.
Recreation publishers (if separate from the developer), just like conventional video games, also can have a share within the recreation’s income, however usually their proportion is smaller than the developer’s as a result of they usually don’t maintain possession of the NFTs themselves.
Digital distribution platforms might management the sale of NFT property, however they usually take a small fee (often round 2.5-5%) from every NFT sale or transaction.
So, for NFT-based video games, builders usually earn probably the most, particularly if they preserve possession of the NFTs, as they’ll earn from preliminary gross sales and additional resale royalties.
NFT video games made on the identical blockchain are linked by a shared infrastructure, which makes it attainable for tokens to maneuver freely between totally different functions.
For instance, an NFT that you simply earn throughout the recreation can be utilized in one other recreation (or video games) and even repurposed for a special use inside that new recreation.
Many Web3 initiatives create NFTs hoping to spark lots of new growth that takes full benefit of this interoperability.
They launch tokens with the hope that different customers will purchase them, play them, and even take out loans from DeFi protocols in opposition to their NFT, all on a single, complete platform.
For a lot of, creating an NFT recreation is similar to making conventional video games. In actuality, gaming token producers should take their time to nail each single side of the product.
In any other case, the sport can rapidly fall out of recognition and each interior tokens and forex develop into nugatory.
A step-by-step information to creating an NFT recreation
Earlier than starting the event course of, it’s essential to form a transparent idea of what sort of NFT recreation mechanics you need to produce.
The primary determination is to decide on the sport style as a result of it would transfer your complete gameplay mechanics.
The preferred choices we’ve already listed above. It may be RPGs, the place gamers personal and improve NFT characters and weapons, metaverse video games, the place gamers can purchase, promote, and develop digital land, buying and selling card video games, technique video games, and quests.
Subsequent, it is advisable to determine on the sport’s reward system. Per a play-to-earn (P2E) mannequin, gamers acquire NFTs and cryptocurrency by enjoying. A conventional mannequin merely helps the usage of tokes however they aren’t the primary approach to earn. Many video games, by the best way, make use of a hybrid strategy, mixing each instructions.
The following query is how NFTs will likely be utilized in your recreation. Will they characterize characters, weapons, skins, land, or inside cash? Can gamers commerce, swap, or lease them? Will there be deluxe objects which might be more durable to get? Nailing these particulars will make a proportional recreation economic system.
Additionally, it’s essential to take into consideration how gamers will work together with the sport. Some widespread methods embrace battling, buying and selling, exploring, or crafting new objects.
Will there be a recreation token used to purchase and promote NFTs? How will gamers progress—by leveling up, finishing quests, or successful rewards?
Lastly, contemplate your potential adherents. Is your recreation for infrequent lovers or hardcore avid gamers? Do they belong to crypto-savvy customers or follow a extra conventional aspect? Will the sport be out there on PC, cellular, or as a browser-based recreation?
A terrific consumer expertise (UX) and consumer interface (UI) make an NFT recreation enjoyable and straightforward to play. Gamers ought to have the ability to scour the sport, classify their NFTs, and full transactions with out confusion, even when they’re new to blockchains.
All interior menus should be simple to steer, and gamers ought to rapidly discover what they search, be it their stock, {the marketplace}, recreation settings, or crypto wallets.
New gamers also needs to get a short tutorial on how NFTs work within the recreation, in order that they don’t really feel misplaced. Shopping for, promoting, and upgrading property must be quick and trouble-free, with clear suggestions to submit actions.
Visible design isn’t any much less necessary. Recreation property akin to characters, playing cards, or land should be visually compelling and of top quality.
Including animations and results all the time provides a contact of pleasure to NFT interactions, whereas an total artwork type maintains an attention-grabbing recreation world.
Constructing an NFT recreation requires experience in blockchain, good contracts, recreation design, and backend methods. As an alternative of governing each single piece your self, you possibly can rent knowledgeable blockchain recreation growth firm to maintain the technical aspect.
An NFT recreation growth firm will assist you select one of the best blockchain on your recreation (e.g., Ethereum blockchain, Binance Good Chain, Solana), choose the right good contract language, akin to Solidity or Rust, and naturally weave non-fungible tokens proper within the recreation.
Your crew can even plan out the sport’s economic system and NFT market. They’ll construction the in-game forex, rewards, and token buying and selling system to make the sport amusing but worthwhile.
One other level is wise contracts. Blockchain builders will construct thorough good contracts to manage NFT possession, in-game transactions, and gameplay mechanics.
On the backend, the crew will arrange recreation servers, handle databases, and join MetaMask or Phantom wallets so gamers can use their crypto belongings.
Previous to the ultimate launch of your NFT recreation, it’s essential to hold out some evaluations to search out and settle issues earlier than they have an effect on the sport. Beneath is a tough guidelines of the primary assessments that should be completed:
By and enormous, all these checks could be completed in two methods: guide or automated. Guide testing includes actual folks enjoying the sport and in search of issues.
Automated testing makes use of particular instruments to rapidly evaluate the sport and good contracts for gaps, with out the necessity for an individual to do it manually.
Frequent instruments for testing embrace:
After all of the laborious work of growth and testing, you possibly can submit the sport. The very first thing builders will do is deploy the sport on a testnet to simulate precise trades and interactions with out utilizing actual cash or purchases and solely after on the mainnet, the place gamers can apply actual tokens and interior forex.
As we speak, NFT video games exist in varied types. Some produce fully new lands developed by lovers. Others take inspiration from traditional video games enriched by the additional advantages of non-fungible objects.
These examples showcase the vary of alternatives for designing fascinating and artistic NFT-based adventures.
Gods Unchained is an NFT buying and selling card recreation (TCG) just like on-line card recreation followers like Hearthstone and Legends of Runeterra. The gamers take part in aggressive, player-versus-player (PvP) fights with a deck of playing cards, making an attempt to outsmart their opponents and win.
On this recreation, gamers can purchase randomized NFT card packs utilizing the sport’s native forex, which could be earned by gameplay or bought straight from {the marketplace}.
After gamers obtain the playing cards, they absolutely personal them as NFTs, and might freely promote or barter them on the in-game market.
Dookey Sprint, a limited-time NFT recreation created by Yuga Labs (inventors of the Bored Ape Yacht Membership, or BAYC), presents a brand new strategy to non-fungible tokens in gaming.
Entry to the sport is made attainable by way of NFTs—awarded to BAYC house owners or traded as short-lived entry passes on the open market.
The sport itself is an countless runner, just like Subway Surfer, the place gamers compete on a leaderboard for the best rating. These on the high of the leaderboard earn NFT rewards with future utility throughout the BAYC universe. Gamers also can buy powerups to boost their gameplay.
Dookey Sprint is simply one of many NFT video games which might be built-in into a bigger metaverse and use NFTs each as a gatekeeper and a reward system. Though this association could also be more durable for small video games to perform, it exhibits that NFTs can scale gaming, implement social standing, and gasoline the demand for digital rewards.
Loot isn’t your typical NFT recreation. It began out as a collection of text-based NFTs with out photographs, every of which contained an inventory of things like “Wool Sash” or “Leather-based Boots of Enlightenment.”
Loot was devised as a platform for collaborative world-building. Builders and gamers alike may take these things and, basically, use them as Legos for their very own initiatives, be {that a} loot-based raid recreation or perhaps a puzzle quest.
Loot is an instance of how NFTs can kindle creativity and community-driven progress. As an alternative of a particular recreation, Loot was constructed upon by its group and every NFT grew to become a part of the world. It supplied the gateway for infinite potentialities inside gaming and digital storytelling, energized by group ardour.
At SCAND, we’ve labored on a number of blockchain-based gaming initiatives, serving to purchasers combine NFTs, good contracts, and decentralized marketplaces into their video games.
Some of the attention-grabbing circumstances was creating good contracts for an NFT gaming platform within the metaverse. We realized token staking, ERC-20 token administration, blockchain lottery, and NFT shopping for/minting.
Our answer additionally included blockchain integration with Ethereum and Binance Good Chains to supply a holistic dip to the customers and simplify in-game acquisitions, governance, and social quest gameplay.
What’s the value to create NFT video games?
The price of the sport growth course of can enormously differ relying on complexity, alternative of blockchain, and variety of growth employees. Easier NFT video games can run between $50,000 to $100,000; extra complicated and large-scale initiatives can go upwards. General, NFT recreation growth prices might attain as much as $500,000.
What’s the greatest blockchain for NFT recreation growth?
Ethereum is probably the most broadly used choice, however there are different options, akin to Solana, Movement, and Polygon with benefits akin to cheaper charges and faster transactions. The suitable blockchain will likely be decided by the scalability necessities of your recreation, growth instruments, and desired consumer expertise.
Can I develop an NFT recreation with out understanding tips on how to code?
Although there are many no-code platforms, NFT recreation growth on a blockchain wants profound blockchain information. It’s higher to work with proficient builders or outsource to a recreation growth firm for an excellent high quality recreation.
How do NFT recreation initiatives earn cash? Is it value investing in NFT recreation growth companies?
NFT video games earn cash by way of quite a lot of means, together with buying and selling charges, inside property, resale royalties, and advertisements.
How do I develop into protected in an NFT recreation?
To keep away from hacks and fraud, it’s essential to perform frequent security audits, bug bounty packages, safe good contracts, and anti-cheat. All these components are essential to guard the sport itself and its gamers.
What are the important thing components of the sport that runs on NFTs?
An NFT-based recreation options distinctive NFT objects, a well-balanced in-game economic system, blockchain integration, good contracts, and a fascinating recreation loop. These be sure that your recreation is each useful and interesting to gamers.
How do NFT requirements affect recreation growth?
NFT requirements like ERC-721 and ERC-1155 outline how NFTs within the recreation operate. Choosing the proper normal is essential for easy NFT integration and a seamless gaming expertise.
Do I would like a license to develop NFT video games?
When you don’t want a particular license to make an NFT recreation, sure points like recreation engines, mental property, and blockchain applied sciences might require authorized issues. Consulting specialists will help navigate compliance.
What recreation engines can be utilized to develop a crypto NFT recreation?
If you wish to create your individual NFT recreation, you’d higher go for some well-liked recreation engines, akin to Unity and Unreal Engine. These engines enable builders to create distinctive recreation worlds and combine blockchain performance by plugins and SDKs.
How can recreation builders generate income from NFT video games?
Builders can earn from NFT gross sales, transaction charges, royalties, in-game purchases, and play-to-earn NFT mechanics. Making a sustainable economic system throughout the NFT ecosystem is vital to profitability.
What are some examples of NFT video games?
Widespread NFT video games embrace Axie Infinity, Gods Unchained, and The Sandbox. These video games showcase several types of NFT integration, from collectible card video games to metaverse adventures.
What’s required for NFT creation in a recreation?
To combine NFTs into the sport, builders want good contracts, a blockchain community, an NFT market, and recreation property that may be tokenized. Choosing the proper blockchain applied sciences is essential.
How do you take a look at your NFT recreation earlier than launch?
Testing includes good contract audits, gameplay steadiness checks, safety assessments, and beta testing with NFT communities. This part of NFT recreation growth ensures a steady and interesting recreation expertise.
How do cellular NFT gaming apps differ from conventional video games?
Cellular NFT apps incorporate blockchain-based property and sometimes use crypto wallets for transactions. In contrast to conventional video games, they permit gamers to commerce and personal in-game property completely.
What’s the subsequent step after creating an NFT recreation?
After constructing an NFT recreation, the subsequent step is to create a advertising plan, have interaction NFT communities, and launch your NFT recreation on the suitable blockchain. Adequate post-launch help is essential for long-term success.
Unitree Robotics, a supplier of humanoid and quadruped robots, shall be exhibiting on the Robotics Summit & Expo, the premier occasion for robotics builders. Produced by The Robotic Report, the occasion takes place April 30-Might 1, 2025 on the Boston Conference and Exhibition Heart.
Attendees can go to Sales space 652 to expertise dwell demonstrations of Unitree G1 Humanoid Robotic, designed to ship cutting-edge agility, affordability, and adaptableness, making it a standout resolution for numerous purposes in robotics.
“Taking part in Robotics Summit 2025 aligns with our imaginative and prescient of driving world progress by way of cutting-edge know-how. Unitree G1 is Our next-generation humanoid robotic, designed with unprecedented agility and AI integration, redefines human-robot interplay.],” stated [Tony Yang, North American Director of Unitree Robotics.
The Robotics Summit & Expo is the leading event for commercial robotics developers, bringing together 5,000+ industry professionals to explore the latest advancements in motion control, AI, sensing, software development, humanoids, and more. The event features 200+ exhibitors, 50+ educational sessions, five keynotes, and hands-on demos, making it a must-attend gathering for those shaping the future of robotics.
Unitree Robotics’ G1 humanoid will be at the Robotics Summit & Expo on April 30-May 1 in Boston.
Unitree will also be talking about the G1 humanoid during the Robotics Summit in a session on May 1 from 1:30-2:15 PM. The Summit offers networking opportunities, a Career Fair, a robotics development challenge, the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards Gala, and more.
Visit Unitree Robotics at Booth #652 to learn more about humanoid and quadruped Robots and experience the future of robotics firsthand. For more information, visit https://www.unitree.com/en/ or contact Unitree Robotics at sales_global@unitree.cc.
Registration for the Robotics Summit & Expo is open.
Unitree Robotics, headquartered in Hangzhou, is a globally renowned robotics company focusing on the independent research, development, production, and sales of high-performance, general-purpose legged/humanoid robots and dexterous robotic arms for both consumer and industrial markets.
Both its research and production are based in the Binjiang High-Tech Zone of Hangzhou. Unitree said its quadruped robots account for 60-70% of global shipments, and the company leads globally in the delivery of large-sized general-purpose humanoid robots. Its business operations span over 50% of countries and regions worldwide. At present, more than 200 domestic and foreign patent applications have been submitted, including more than 180 authorized patents.