Kamis, 01 November 2018

USB devices pose a significant threat to industrial facilities

New research has revealed that removable USB media devices such as flash drives pose a significant and intentional cybersecurity threat to a wide array of industrial process control networks.

A report from Honeywell found that nearly half of 40 customer locations detected and blocked at least one file with a security issue. The data also revealed that 26 per cent of the detected threats were capable of significant disruption by causing operators to lose visibility or control of their operations.

The threats detected by Honeywell targeted a wide variety of industrial sites, including refineries, chemical plants and pulp-and-paper manufacturers around the world. They also ranged in severity with 1 in 6 targeting industrial control systems or IoT devices.

USB threats

Director of Strategic Innovation at Honeywell Industrial Cyber Security, Eric Knapp shed further light on the findings of the report, saying:

“The data showed much more serious threats than we expected, and taken together, the results indicate that a number of these threats were targeted and intentional. This research confirms what we have suspected for years – USB threats are real for industrial operators. What is surprising is the scope and severity of the threats, many of which can lead to serious and dangerous situations at sites that handle industrial processes.” 

The research is the first of its kind and marks the first commercial report to focus exclusively on USB security in industrial control environments. By examining data collected from Honeywell's Secure Media Exchange (SMX) technology, the company was able to detect a number of high-profile, well-known issues such as TRITON and Mirai as well as variants of Stuxnet.

To make matters worse, 11 per cent of the threats discovered by the company were not reliably detected by more traditional anti-malware technology.


November 01, 2018 at 11:06PM
Anthony Spadafora

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate reveals all its remaining fighters

Just when we thought we'd heard it all, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate managed to surprise us.

Today's Nintendo Direct was fully dedicated to the incoming Smash Bros game, which launches on December 7 and is sure to be a big seller over the coming months.

In it, the final two fighters were revealed to be Street Fighter's Ken – an Echo Fighter of Ryu with more kicking – and the fire-fighting type Pokemon Incineroar, rounding off the list to 74 total fighters at launch.

We'd heard rumors of the so-far unannounced fighters after a convincing Smash Bros leak, which seemed to show a full roster also including Shadow the Hedgehog and a host of other lesser-known Nintendo characters – but they were nowhere to be seen...

That's right, there's DLC

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

It looks like Nintendo will be drip-feeding new characters in paid DLC, with current plans for five add-on packs each with a brand-new fighter, new fighting stage, and additional bonus tracks to underscore the action. 

Players can also buy a $24.99 (about £20 / AU$35) Fighters Pass to get access to all five as they release, rather than paying $5.99 per DLC, and will also get an exclusive Mii Fighter outfit based on Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

There's no firm release dates for the new content – Nintendo stresses they're still being worked on – but there's a general expectation that all five packs will release in the next year. We also know that each new fighter will be a fleshed-out character in their own right, rather than just Echo versions of those already on the roster.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

We did, however, get a sneak peak of the next addition –none other than the Piranha Plant from the Super Mario series, who's now able to potter around the game's stages in its, eh, plant pot while wreaking havoc on Mario and others. We really can't wait.

Whether or not the 'leaked' characters will find their way is uncertain – if there's no Banjo-Kazooie we'll feel very cheated – though the inclusion of Incineroar and Piranha Plant does seem to undermine the leaked image.

We've run through the Nintendo Direct's other announcements – on the long-rumored 'spirits' and Spirit Mode, for one – alongside the game's other lore and news in our Super Smash Bros. Ultimate hub.


November 01, 2018 at 10:16PM
Henry St Leger

The best cheap PS Vita prices, sales and deals in November 2018

So you're looking for a cheap PS Vita price? With Sony shutting down global production of the console in 2019, now is the time to get a PS Vita in a sale before it's too late.

Many places are charging a small fortune or only selling preowned/refurbished models though, but we regularly sweep the net though to find the best prices around. Check out our comparison chart below to find the best price on a PS Vita.

The PS Vita is a brilliant handheld gaming console, certainly the most powerful and graphically impressive handheld we'd seen before the Nintendo Switch bulldozed its way onto the scene. It can even be used to stream games from your PS4

Hardcore gamers with cash to spend should feel confident in snapping this monster up and fire up some of the big launch games with great haste. For anyone else, it's a case of working out if you think it's worth it. If you just want to play 99p puzzle games, by all means stick to your mobile phone or tablet – but they won't be able to do everything the Vita can.

But if you've decided to buy one, you've come to the right place. We've got all of the cheapest PS Vita prices all in one place. If you're more interested in a full-sized console, check out our cheap PS4 deals.

ps vita deals prices

1. Sony PS Vita Slim (2014) prices

The most recent PS Vita model is slimmer and has better battery life

The latest model of the PS Vita is 2014's 'Slim'. Sony made some subtle changes with this model, both internally and externally, but they're mostly welcome improvements. The design tweaks make for a more portable, comfortable system, although it does come at the expense of the OLED screen which has now been replaced with an LCD. The console is around 20% slimmer (about 3mm) than the original, bringing it down to 15mm. It's also 42g lighter, which is the most immediately noticeable thing when you pick the Vita Slim up.

ps vita deals prices

2. Sony PS Vita (original) prices

The original PS Vita has a better (OLED) screen

There are a few reasons why you might opt for the 2012 original PS Vita over the 2014 redesign. Firstly, if you can find a great deal there's absolutely no reason not to pick one up. It's every bit as powerful and plays all the same games. Plus, this version has a much-vaunted OLED screen which is better than the LCD unit in the 2014 model. Admittedly this older model doesn't have the same impressive battery life, but it all comes down to price. If the current deals are just as good on the 2014 model we'd recommend you go for that one. If you can see a super cheap original model, go for it!


November 01, 2018 at 02:10PM
Brendan Griffiths,Henry St Leger

The cheapest PlayStation Plus prices for memberships in November 2018

So you're looking for a little help to find a cheap PlayStation Plus price? We can certainly help you out there as there's nothing worse for our deal hunters than hearing about people paying full price for things. Speaking of full-price, the regular price for an annual PS Plus membership in most stores or online through the PlayStation store is $60/£50, so that's the price you want to beat when looking at the latest deals.

If £50 sounds more expensive than you remember in the UK it's because Sony put the price up by £10 in August 2017. Not to worry though, we've found prices closer to the old £40 for you in our PlayStation Plus deals price comparison chart below.

You'll need a PlayStation Plus membership to play PS4 games online. On the "plus" side (that's right, I went there), membership also gives you access to the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection. This is typically six digital games across the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita family per month that are yours to keep and play while you're a member. Even if you pause your membership, then come back, you'll still be able to redownload them. 

Membership also gets you exclusive discounts in sales across PlayStation Network and lets you upload game saves to the cloud, which is brilliant for backing up your progress in case your console's hard drive fails.

All in all, it's a great value for your money each year. That said, make sure you turn off those pesky auto-renew settings on your console to avoid paying full price, as we've found some tasty discounts for you with these cheap PlayStation Plus prices. Xbox fans, we've got you covered too with the cheapest Xbox Live Gold deals around.

The cheapest PlayStation Plus prices

CDKeys Update: We generally find that CDKeys is one of the cheapest prices to buy a 12-month PlayStation Plus deal, but technical gremlins sometimes mean the deals don't show up in our comparison chart below. Feel free to check the following CDKeys links though, just to make sure you're getting the best PS Plus deal. Prices are usually hovering around £38-£42 in the UK and $50-$58 in the US.

The rumors are true. There's also a three-month subscription available, but the value isn't as strong and you're technically paying more per month compared to the PS Plus 12-month deals. Take a look.

What are the free PS Plus games this month?

We've got you covered there. Each month we update the list of extensive freebies for the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection. Why not bookmark the page below to make sure you never miss out?


November 01, 2018 at 06:48PM
Brendan Griffiths

The cheapest Oculus Rift prices and Oculus Go sales in November 2018

So you're hear for the best and cheapest Oculus Rift prices, but did you know there's a new Oculus in town in the form of the  more affordable Oculus Go? On this page you'll find the latest Oculus Go prices along with the original and more powerful headset's cheapest offers.

The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset is one of the best VR devices on the market. It's backed by world-class technology, has a growing library of games and apps, and now you can get it at its cheapest price ever. That's because the Oculus Rift price was permanently reduced a while back making it much more affordable. The headset also is now bundled with the Oculus Touch controllers in the UK and US. You're saving a few hundred notes now, which we always love.

In the box, you'll find the Oculus Rift headset, two Touch controllers, two Oculus room sensors, all the cables you need to connect it, and seven free VR apps and games, including popular title Lucky's Tale, Quill and Robo Recall.

Oculus Rift prices

When searching for an Oculus Rift sale price, you should always make sure that you're looking at one of the newer bundles with the Touch controllers. Otherwise, you could end up paying $399 in the US and £399 in the UK for just the headset, or you could pay more than you should for the starter kit.

Every deal listed on this page is for the current retail version of the Oculus Rift. We've vetted these deals so you won't end up with a dev kit version (Dk1 or Dk2) early build. You can find a few of these early models around the net, especially on eBay, but be warned, many of these are the earliest versions of the headset, made available to early adopters or developers. We'd stay away from them as they're not the refined finished product available at your favorite retailers and they probably don't come with controllers either.

Looking to upgrade your PC gaming setup further? Check out our best monitor deals.

Oculus Go prices

If the Oculus Rift looks a little pricey and you're not ready to invest in an upgraded rig, there is a cheaper way to enjoy Oculus VR and that's by taking a look at our Oculus Go sale prices.

The Oculus Go, is a standalone VR experience that does not require any extra equipment like a powerful PC, gaming laptop or modern smartphone. It has everything it needs built into the headset. You also get a hand-controller which makes interacting with menus and playing games much easier than trying to select things with your face.

The visual quality isn't quite up there with the full-sized version and you can't lean in to make things appear closer, but the other degrees of head movement are covered in a huge range of apps and games available from the Oculus store. So if you're after a fun VR experience beyond those dodgy headsets you slot your phone into, then we'd seriously advise you check out the latest Oculus go prices below.

Oculus Touch controller deals

Oculus Touch is a pair of motion controllers with buttons that provide a more intuitive way of interacting with select Oculus Rift games. The controllers come bundled in with most Oculus Rift deals, and certainly those sold by official retailers. 

The controllers, which let you interact with VR games and apps by moving your arms around and pressing buttons, originally cost a rather steep £190/$199 for the pair, essentially bringing the overall cost much closer to the HTC Vive VR setup. 

On the plus side, the controllers have been reduced to a much more attractive £99/$99, making them an essential purchase if you bought the headset before it was bundled with the controllers.

How much does the Oculus Rift cost?

In the UK, the original recommended price was £549 and $599 in the US. Thankfully, it's recently been reduced and you can now pick one up for £399/$399. Feel free to bookmark this page though to keep an eye on the best Oculus Rift prices as they are updated daily to reflect the best online Oculus Rift deals out there.

Will my PC run Oculus Rift?

That's a good question, and certainly one to ask before splurging out on the virtual reality lid for your rig. Handily, there's a neat Oculus Rift compatibility tool you can try via our very own Downloads section.

If you're starting out from scratch and want to build your own Oculus Rift ready rig, check out TechRadar's article below.

Can I use the Oculus Rift on the PS4 or Xbox One?

Not on either so far. Sony has its own headset with PlayStation VR for the PS4, so we're not expecting Oculus Rift compatibility any time soon. As for Oculus Rift on the Xbox One, it's also a no, but with a potential 'maybe' further down the line. Oculus teamed up with Microsoft to include a PC/Oculus-compatible Xbox One controller with the retail release of the headset, so there's already a relationship to potentially build on. Microsoft's HoloLens VR/augmented reality headset has been very quiet of late and hasn't really been pushed as an Xbox One headset, leaving plenty of room for speculation that the Oculus Rift will make it's way to the Xbox One.

Can I use Oculus Rift on my phone?

Get out. Oh, you must be confusing the Oculus with the Samsung Gear VR. Samsung's headset is far cheaper and is made for mobile apps, rather than full-fat PC experiences. Well worth a look though if you have a compatible Android mobile phone. As things stand, your phone would probably melt faster than the sets-on-fire-for-fun Galaxy Note 7 if you tried convincing it to even look at an Oculus Rift.


November 01, 2018 at 04:58PM
Brendan Griffiths

The best Nintendo Switch Online subscription prices in November 2018

The Nintendo Switch Online subscription prices are finally here, allowing you to get your online membership sorted out for the massively-popular console. Nintendo joins the other consoles and their Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus services by charging for online gaming while throwing in a few tempting extras to sweeten the deal.

Nintendo Switch Online subscription prices

On the plus side, Nintendo Switch Online prices are far cheaper than those found on Xbox and PlayStation, costing just $19.99/£17.99/AU$29.95 for a 12-month subscription. It's early days, so there aren't many discounts around, and with it being so cheap already, we wouldn't expect any mega deals but we'll endeavour to show you the best Nintendo Switch Online deals via our price comparison technology.

What's included with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription?

If you have an online subscription with any of the other consoles, you're looking at a similar setup with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Firstly, you need it to play multiplayer games online. So Splatoon 2 shootouts, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe races, Diablo III raids and the like will need an Online sub from now on. However, if a game is classed as free-to-play on the Nintendo store, you won't need a sub to play online - yes that includes Fortnite!

Nintendo Switch Online also includes cloud saves for you to backup save files online. This is great if your save file on the console becomes corrupted, you accidentally delete it, or you buy a new console in a few years time if Nintendo release a Nintendo Switch Slim or the like.

The service also gives you access to the new mobile app which will show you in-game stats, give you access to voice-chat functions and more details that'll be tailored to specific games in the future.

There are some free games to enjoy while your subscription is active, too. For now, these are retro NES titles, with 20 available right now and more to be added in the coming months.

Free games with Nintendo Switch Online subscription

  • Mario Bros.
  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Super Mario Bros. 3
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Donkey Kong
  • Dr. Mario
  • Ghosts 'n Goblins
  • Excitebike
  • Double Dragon
  • Yoshi
  • Gradius
  • Tecmo Bowl
  • Pro Wrestling
  • River City Ransom
  • Tennis
  • Baseball
  • Ice Hockey
  • Ice Climber
  • Soccer
  • Balloon Fight
  • Solomon's Key (October)
  • NES Open Tournament Golf (October)
  • Super Dodge Ball (October)
  • Metroid (November)
  • Mighty Bomb Jack (November)
  • TwinBee (November)
  • Wario's Woods (December)
  • Ninja Gaiden (December)
  • Adventures of Lolo (December)

If you're here doing your research and still considering buy the console itself, we've rounded up the best Nintendo Switch bundles too. And a console's no good without games, so here's our pick of the best Nintendo Switch games to get you going until we see a new Nintendo console.


November 01, 2018 at 04:44PM
Brendan Griffiths

Microsoft Mixer jazzes up its live streams with new currencies and animations