The Latest

Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news, articles, interviews and videos:

Week in review

Coinflow CISO on crypto payments security under AI pressure
Crypto payment firms sit near the top of the target list for advanced persistent threat groups, and the workload on their security leaders keeps growing. Malcolm Portelli, CISO at Coinflow, runs the company’s security program from Malta. Coinflow is headquartered in the United States and operates across multiple jurisdictions. Portelli sat down for this interview at the Span Cyber Security Arena conference.

Frontier AI models collapse under multi-turn AI attacks, Cisco finds
Attackers who probe large language models rarely give up after one refusal. They reframe, build context across turns, adopt personas, and escalate gradually. New research from Cisco’s AI threat intelligence team finds that the safety benchmarks used across the industry miss almost all of this behavior, and the gap between published scores and observed resilience runs wide enough to misrank leading models.

The CISO selling confidence in a market full of breach headlines
Engineering teams across enterprise IT are writing their own software with AI coding assistants, spinning up agents that act on their behalf, and assigning those agents the same access privileges their human creators hold. The shift has pulled the role of the chief information security officer into territory that did not exist two years ago. Speaking at the Span Cyber Security Arena conference, Hrvoje Englman, CISO at Span, said it is changing what defenders worry about most.

Zapier exploit chain shows how known anti-patterns compose into critical risk
A five-stage exploit chain disclosed by Token Security researchers turned a free Zapier account into write access on Zapier’s public developer SDK packages and on internal packages that load in every authenticated zapier.com session. Each link in the chain was a known anti-pattern. The composition across five systems was the finding.

High-severity SharePoint RCE bug patched by Microsoft (CVE-2026-45659)
Microsoft has released patches for a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2026-45659) in SharePoint that may be exploited in low-complexity attacks. It affects the SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, SharePoint Server 2019, and SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016.

Actively exploited Trend Micro Apex One flaw gets CISA warning (CVE-2026-34926)
A relative directory path traversal vulnerability (CVE-2026-34926) in Trend Micro’s Apex One platform has been exploited in zero-day attacks, the company confirmed. Trend Micro Apex One is a security platform that protects all the devices in an organization from cyber threats.

LinkedIn-themed phishing abuses Adobe’s A/B testing platform
A newly documented phishing campaign is targeting professionals with fake LinkedIn business emails and abusing a trusted service operated by Adobe. The attack starts with an email that looks, at first glance, like a routine business inquiry: someone wants to do business with you through LinkedIn and has attached a signed contract for your review.

New infostealer reaches enterprise devices through FortiClient EMS vulnerability
Attackers are delivering a broad-spectrum infostealer to enterprise computers by exploiting a known vulnerability (CVE-2026-35616) in FortiClient Enterprise Management Server (EMS). CVE-2026-35616 is an improper access control vulnerability vulnerability in FortiClient EMS, a centralized management platform through which IT admins deploy, configure, and monitor FortiClient endpoint security software across all devices in an organization’s network.

Manage machine identities: The hidden privileged access layer you need to manage
Every automation, integration, and workload needs authentication and permissions, creating a large population of machine identities such as service accounts, service principals, workload roles, OAuth apps, AI agents, and IAM roles. These identities use credentials like access keys, secrets, and tokens. Many hold privileges equal to or greater than human admins. Because they grow quickly, persist for long periods, and often receive limited oversight, they create a hidden layer of privileged access.

Lessons for organizations from the Verizon 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report
The latest Verizon 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) offers valuable insight into the evolving cyber threat landscape. Based on more than 31,000 security incidents and 22,000 confirmed data breaches across 145 countries, the vendor-neutral report draws on data from police forces, cybersecurity companies, and CSIRTs, making it one of the most comprehensive cybersecurity studies published each year.

Building a risk-based vulnerability management program that scales
In this Help Net Security video, Shankar Somasundaram, CEO at Asimily, explains how to build a risk-based vulnerability program. He notes that vulnerabilities are exploding by an order of magnitude in the age of AI-driven attacks, with one customer finding a thousand vulnerabilities for every one they knew about.

Boards want cyber risk in dollars, not CVE counts
In this Help Net Security video, Ziv Levi, SVP of Technology at CYE, explains why translating cyber risk into dollars is one of the most pressing tasks for security leaders. Boards and executives want cyber exposure described in business terms, not technical jargon.

The alert economy is driving security analyst burnout
In this Help Net Security video, Ido Livneh, CEO of Jazz, explains why security analysts burn out and what leaders can do about it. The cause, he argues, is not long hours but meaningless work. Analysts spend their days closing repetitive tickets while the institutional knowledge of senior staff walks out the door when they quit, taking organizational context with them and driving up false positives.

OpenHack: Open-source AI-powered vulnerability research
Source-guided vulnerability research increasingly leans on coding harnesses such as Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor to drive agent-based reviews of application code. A new MIT-licensed project from the Dutch security firm Hadrian, called OpenHack, packages that approach into a file-based workspace that any of those harnesses can run.

Authorities seize 800 servers used for cyberattacks and disinformation
Dutch authorities arrested two men and seized 800 servers linked to a hosting provider that investigators say supported Russian activities aimed at undermining democracy and security through cyberattacks, disinformation, and disruption of public and economic systems.

Cisco refines its risk-based vulnerability disclosure for the AI era
Security teams already struggle with long lists of vulnerabilities and limited time to patch them. Cisco believes AI could increase that pressure by accelerating vulnerability discovery and increasing the number of findings security teams need to review.

Anthropic adds 28 security and compliance integrations for Claude
AI tools are becoming part of everyday work in organizations, creating new security and oversight requirements as usage grows. To address that, Anthropic introduced 28 integrations with security and compliance tools that allow IT and security teams to manage Claude in the same way they manage other applications in their environments.

What happens when security teams inherit identity
Eric Woodruff, Chief Identity Architect at Semperis, shared his perspective on where organizations struggle with identity, why identity platforms become difficult to manage, how phishing-resistant authentication works in practice, and what non-human identities and AI could mean for security.

Personal information of 185,000 people exposed after cyberattack on 7-Eleven
Data belonging to about 185,000 people was exposed following a cyberattack on convenience store chain 7-Eleven that was later claimed by the ShinyHunters extortion gang, according to Have I Been Pwned. The exposed information includes email addresses, names, physical addresses, dates of birth, and phone numbers, while a small number of records also contained additional data fields.

Chinese phishing gangs grow into a force to be reckoned with
Chinese-language phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) communities are expanding in an area historically dominated by Russian-speaking cybercriminal groups. The Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) analyzed a dozen active PhaaS offerings operating in Chinese-language underground communities and found mature services, with several likely linked to broader criminal activity in the region.

European AI adoption hits 99% with regulated data driving most policy violations
Generative AI tools operate inside nearly every European workplace, embedded in meeting transcription services, writing assistants, coding copilots, and search features. Workers in the region pull these tools into daily routines that involve customer records, financial information, and proprietary code, and that volume of activity has produced a measurable pattern in where data exposure occurs. The Netskope Threat Labs Report: Europe 2026 documents this pattern across organizations in Europe over the past year.

Claude now reviews and fixes vulnerabilities as you write code
Anthropic introduced a security-guidance plugin for Claude Code that reviews code changes for common vulnerabilities and helps Claude identify and fix issues during the same development session.

Hackers are knocking on office doors pretending to be IT staff
The Silent Ransom Group (SRG) is targeting law firms using social engineering techniques and an unusual tactic for cybercriminals: showing up at victims’ offices in person while posing as IT staff, the FBI warns.

AI chatbot recommendations lure users to cryptojacking malware sites
Cybercriminals are using AI chatbot interactions alongside poisoned search results to direct users to malicious download sites in an active cryptojacking campaign, Microsoft has warned.

Canonical releases Workshop for one-command sandboxed dev environments on Ubuntu
Canonical released Workshop, a tool that launches sandboxed development environments on Ubuntu with a single command. Environments are configured once and reproduced on different machines, giving teams consistent setups across development workstations and deployment pipelines.

Police arrest suspect in Ajax football club hack that exposed 300,000 fan records
The Dutch National Police arrested a man suspected of hacking into the computer systems of AFC Ajax, a football club from Amsterdam. The investigation began after AFC Ajax discovered unauthorized access to its computer systems earlier this year. Dutch police traced the intrusion to a suspect from the municipality of Buren and arrested him following the investigation.

Oil shipments, drone makers, and a poisoned code library targeted in recent APT campaigns
Geopolitical pressure drove much of the state-sponsored cyber activity recorded between October 2025 and March 2026, according to ESET’s latest APT Activity Report. Espionage groups aligned with China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran adjusted their targets to match the economic and security concerns of their governments.

A single typo could derail your World Cup plans
Cybercriminals are spoofing Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) websites ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the FBI warns. The attackers are registering lookalike domains with small spelling changes or different domain endings to impersonate FIFA websites and services. The tactic, known as typosquatting, relies on users making small typing mistakes when entering website addresses.

OpenAI prepares ChatGPT for the election misinformation wave
AI-generated election misinformation could shape public opinion and influence the lives of millions of people. To address those risks, OpenAI outlined a series of safeguards ahead of the 2026 election cycle. The company said its efforts will focus on helping users access voting information, supporting cybersecurity defenders, and improving transparency around AI-generated content.

Cybercriminals sail away with data from 6 million Carnival customers
Carnival Corporation, one of the world’s largest cruise operators, confirmed a data breach weeks after the ShinyHunters hacking group claimed it had stolen millions of customer records. Carnival acknowledged a phishing incident involving a single employee account and stated that it was investigating the scope of the unauthorized activity.

The behavioral signals that sharpen Trojan malware detection
Malware analysts spend a lot of time deciding which signals from a sandbox run are worth keeping. A sample executed in a controlled environment can generate hundreds of measurable attributes covering file structure, registry edits, process behavior, and network traffic. Most of those attributes add noise. A recent study works through this problem in detail, and the part that earns attention from working defenders is the feature selection, not the deep learning model attached to it.

Anthropic launches Claude Opus 4.8, prepares Mythos-class models for all customers
Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4.8 and outlined plans for broader access to its Mythos-class models, which the company expects to make available to all customers in the coming weeks. Claude Opus 4.8 is available to all users, with pricing unchanged from Opus 4.7.

Websites can spy on user activity by analyzing SSD behavior
Websites have spent years collecting information about visitors through browser fingerprinting, tracking scripts, and other techniques designed to identify devices and monitor behavior. Researchers have demonstrated another method that relies on something most users would never expect a website to observe: activity on their SSD (Solid-State Drive), the storage device where applications and files are stored.

Turns out the C-suite loves shadow AI
Senior decision-makers are the heaviest users of unapproved AI tools, and they continue using them despite being aware of the security and privacy risks linked to shadow AI, according to TrustedTech’s Shadow AI in the Workplace report. The study found that 65% of decision-makers use shadow AI, compared with 31% of employees below decision-maker level.

US states step up cyber defenses to protect local communities
U.S. state governments are taking on a larger role in cybersecurity to help protect local communities and essential services. Many states are building state-led cyber defense programs, including cybersecurity clinics, regional security operations centers (RSOCs), and state cyber corps programs to reduce costs, strengthen the local workforce, and improve cyber resilience.

Product showcase: F-Secure Internet Security blocks phishing sites, fake stores, and SMS scams
F-Secure Internet Security protects against viruses, ransomware, spyware, infected email attachments, and other cyber threats. It focuses on securing devices and online activity through malware protection, scam prevention, safe browsing, and banking safeguards. The platform supports Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices under a single subscription.

Anthropic: Claude Mythos identified 10,000+ software flaws
Anthropic and its Project Glasswing partners have identified more than 10,000 high- or critical-severity vulnerabilities in critical software systems, the company announced in an update on the project’s progress.

Vigolium: Open-source vulnerability scanner
Vigolium, an open-source vulnerability scanner that combines deterministic scanning with AI-driven auditing, launched its initial open-source release this month. The project ships 235+ scanner modules and an in-process agent runtime called olium that handles autonomous endpoint discovery, attack planning, and finding triage.

Apple makes its quantum-resistant encryption open source
Apple has published its post-quantum cryptography implementations in corecrypto, together with mathematical proofs and verification tools for independent expert evaluation, allowing external researchers to review the work and reproduce the company’s analysis.

Fake ChatGPT and Claude installers on GitHub are dropping Deno RAT malware
Attackers are hosting counterfeit installers and plugins on GitHub and SourceForge that pose as widely used software, including ChatGPT, Claude, AutoTune, Kontakt, Ableton Live, and ZENOLOGY. The downloads deliver a backdoor called DinDoor, which then loads a remote access Trojan built on the Deno JavaScript runtime, according to Malwarebytes.

Google AI Threat Defense targets attackers using AI to find flaws faster
Google Cloud introduced AI Threat Defense, an automated cybersecurity platform that combines several of the company’s security assets to find, prioritize, and patch software vulnerabilities at machine speed. The product is aimed at enterprises contending with attackers who use AI to discover and exploit flaws in hours or days, compressing windows that once stretched into weeks.

Companies built AI into core systems before figuring out how to govern it
70% of organizations use GenAI in live environments, and 64% have AI agents in pilot or production deployments. Some of those agents have privileged access to core systems, according to Check Point’s 2026 Cloud Security Report.

Hottest cybersecurity open-source tools of the month: May 2026
Presented here is a curated selection of noteworthy open-source cybersecurity solutions that have drawn recognition for their ability to enhance security postures across diverse settings.

Microsoft’s new cloud PCs place AI agents under enterprise controls
Microsoft’s Windows 365 for Agents, a cloud PC platform for agentic workloads, runs AI agents in secure environments. Organizations can direct agents with natural language to interact with applications, browsers, files, and enterprise systems. The platform is available in public preview.

Microsoft’s Copilot trust test: Zero findings, more models, wider oversight
Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat (Copilot) have been recertified under ISO/IEC 42001:2023 by an independent auditor for the second consecutive year. Copilot first received ISO 42001 certification in March 2025. This year’s recertification recorded zero non-conformities and zero improvement observations, resulting in a second audit in a row.

Product showcase: TotalAV helps iOS users clean up their digital mess
TotalAV Mobile Security helps protect devices from malicious websites, SMS scams, unsafe public Wi-Fi networks, and exposed credentials. The app is available for Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS devices.

Microsoft 365 Copilot redesign brings context and actions into one workspace
Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI assistant that helps people write, summarize, analyze information, and complete work tasks, has been redesigned. It now serves as a single, flexible entry point to Copilot across Microsoft 365 apps, suggesting relevant actions based on the user’s work.

Cybersecurity jobs available right now: May 26, 2026
We’ve scoured the market to bring you a selection of roles that span various skill levels within the cybersecurity field. Check out this weekly selection of cybersecurity jobs available right now.

New infosec products of the month: May 2026
Here’s a look at the most interesting products from the past month, featuring releases from Alation, AppOmni, Apricorn, ASAPP, Babel Street, Checksum, Cogent, CTERA, Forward, LastPass, Operant AI, Riverbed, Sysdig, Trust3 AI, TrustCloud, VIAVI, Versa Networks, and XM Cyber.


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If you've ever been on a cruise, there's a good chance your personal information was just exposed in a major data breach. Carnival Corporation—the largest cruise line operator in the world—is alerting consumers of a recent hack affecting 6 million people. The incident has been claimed by the ShinyHunters hacking group, which has targeted hundreds of companies in recent years, including Canvas and TransUnion.

Carnival Corporation operates a fleet of more than 90 ships across nine cruise lines: Carnival Cruise Line, Costa, P&O Australia, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland American Line, AIDA, Cunard, and Seabourn. Approximately 13.5 million people traveled with Carnival in 2025.

What happened with the Carnival Cruise data breach?

According to a data breach notice filed with the Maine attorney general, Carnival Corporation discovered "unauthorized activity" on its network on April 14. Threat actors used social engineering to gain access via an employee's account and copy personal information. The stolen data appear to include names, dates, of birth, email addresses, genders, geographic locations, and loyalty program information. The breach itself occurred on April 10, and the company confirmed that personal information had been exposed on April 22.

As BleepingComputer reports, Carnival has disclosed numerous other cyber incidents in recent years that compromised the personal information of customers, employees, and crew members.

What to do if your data was stolen

Carnival began notifying those affected by the breach on May 27, so you should be on the lookout for a letter about the incident. The company is offering a free 24-month membership to credit monitoring through TransUnion's My TrueIdentity service. Enrollment instructions, including an activation code, are included in the notice. Eligible consumers will need to complete the sign-up process by Aug. 31.

Whether you receive a data breach notice or not, know that information compromised in a hack can be used in targeted phishing attacks. Be wary of any communication that is about or appears to be from Carnival or any of its cruise line brands, especially if you're asked to confirm or hand over any personal details. You should also take recommended steps to protect against identity theft, including freezing your credit and monitoring your accounts for suspicious activity.


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Star Wars fans can argue about all kinds of things in the ever-expanding galaxy far, far away, but there’s one aspect of modern Star Wars everyone agrees on: The Mandalorian is terrific. With its space-Western vibes, Pedro Pascal’s steady drawl, and what may be the cutest sidekick ever conceived of in Grogu, the show combines kick-ass action, plenty of Star Wars flavor, and powerful emotional beats into a story and characters fans adore. If the 24 released episodes and the recent film release aren’t enough for you, don’t worry—there are plenty of books, movies, games, and podcasts that slot into the same pleasure centers in your brain.

The best books like The Mandalorian

Novels are dense—you can get all the thrills, tension, and discovery of an entire season of a TV show in just one book. If you’re looking for The Mandalorian’s unique fusion of gritty Western and emotionally grounded adventure, check out these books.

Kenobi, by John Jackson Miller

If you want to stay in the Star Wars universe, Kenobi is a great choice. Like The Mandalorian, it’s essentially a Western, featuring everyone’s favorite Jedi knight during his early days on Tatooine, keeping an eye on a certain infant boy recently adopted by some moisture farmers. Known to the locals as Ben, Kenobi tries to remain isolated, but when a tribe of violent Sand People threatens a local community, his sense of justice and morality slowly draw him into the fight. If the “reluctant hero” vibe of The Mandalorian is what you miss, read this.

The Expanse series by James S. A. Correy

It’s easy to forget how much impact Star Wars had on science fiction stories, especially the way “futuristic” worlds and technology were depicted. The Mandalorian revels in that lo-fi, dented visual style while offering a complex universe. If that’s your jam, The Expanse series by James S. A. Correy (writing duo Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) is perfect. It’s got the same Spaghetti-Western-in-space feel, the same sense of reluctance heroism, and a complicated universe that offers plenty of rich world-building and surprising story turns.

The Vagrant, by Peter Newman

One of the most compelling aspects of The Mandalorian’s story is the growing bond between the largely silent Mandalorian and Grogu, his diminutive charge. In Newman’s novel, set in a world ravaged and nearly destroyed by demons, The Vagrant is a silent warrior charged with bringing a sentient weapon called The Malice to the last surviving humans—while protecting a baby also in his care. The story offers the same dynamics as the show, with the same level of emotional impact.

Lone Wolf and Cub, by Kazuo Koike

There’s little doubt that The Mandalorian is heavily inspired by Lone Wolf and Cub, one of the most famous manga ever produced. The story of Ogami Ittō, a betrayed shogun executioner who goes on the run with his son, Daigorō, forced to work as an assassin while he seeks revenge on his enemies, is a powerful story all on its own. As Ittō struggles to stay true to his code while protecting and training his son, you’ll catch plenty of moments in the Lone Wolf and Cub stories that map directly onto many of the stories in The Mandalorian.

Big Damn Hero, by James Lovegrove

When it comes to space Westerns, Firefly is inevitably going to come up. Arguably the most influential and successful failed TV show of all time, Firefly has spawned an impressive fictional universe since its cancellation nearly 25 years ago. Big Damn Hero is a swashbuckling adventure that follows Captain Mal and the crew of the Firefly as they take on a dangerous smuggling mission—and then must rally to save one of their own.

The best movies like The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian manages to make its universe look dusty, gritty, and used-up while telling stories that are violently entertaining. You want more of that? Check out these movies and thank us later.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

The classic Man with No Name trilogy of films (including sequels For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) is another clear influence on The Mandalorian. In fact, you could argue that the show lifts much of the film’s swagger wholesale. In A Fistful of Dollars, Clint Eastwood stars as, yes, the Man With No Name, a peerless gunfighter with his own personal code who becomes embroiled in the struggle between two gangs vying for control of a struggling town. If you love the Mandalorian as a character, you’ll love this. Stream A Fistful of Dollars on Fubo or rent it on Prime Video.

Hard Boiled (1992)

One of the greatest action films of all time, Hard Boiled is a huge influence on The Mandalorian. John Woo created a masterpiece of kinetic action, and scenes like the iconic tea house shootout are directly referenced throughout the series. They’re also both stories of lone heroes who follow their own rules and stand up against incredible odds while not wasting much time talking. It’s easy to see a direct line from Hard Boiled’s explosive action The Mandalorian’s best action sequences. Rent Hard Boiled on Prime Video.

Logan (2017)

Just like The Mandalorian, Logan is the story of a reluctant but noble warrior protecting a vulnerable child—although maybe vulnerable isn’t exactly the right word for the nearly feral, extremely dangerous X-23 (aka Laura, portrayed by Dafne Keen). With a realistic approach to superpowers and sci-fi technology and a gritty, run-down aesthetic, this movie pairs perfectly with the show. Stream Logan on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video.

Seven Samurai (1954)

Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film is so influential, it’s impossible to overstate its impact (and the original Hollywood remake, The Magnificent Seven, is pretty great, too). The story of a desperate village that hires a group of rōnin to stave off bandits who intend to steal the harvest, it’s a story about defending the weak and upholding a code even if it requires violence. Fans of The Mandalorian will recognize the same DNA in both the film and the show. Rent Seven Samurai on Prime Video.

Prospect (2018)

Is Pedro Pascal your favorite part of The Mandalorian (even though you have to imagine he’s there for much of the show)?. Check out Prospect, a 2018 film starring Pascal as a desperate prospector named Ezra on a dangerous moon. As mercenaries and prospectors struggle against each other for resources in a lawless place that’s extremely hostile to human life, Ezra finds himself teaming up with the young daughter of a man he killed, and struggling with the morality of his decisions. It’s a low-budget gem that Mandalorian fans will enjoy. Stream Prospect on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video.

The best video games like The Mandalorian

One of the best aspects of The Mandalorian is the film-quality, cinematic action it delivers. If you want your Mandalorian-adjacent experience to be more kinetic and hands-on, check out these video games.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

It’s an older title, but if your goal is to play as a Mandalorian, this is the way—especially since a remaster in 2024 gave the game better visuals and improved, modern controls. In Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, you play as none other than Jango Fett, hired by Darth Tyranus to wipe out a crime syndicate. You can also take on other bounties along the way, so you can fully live the dream of living as a bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe. The levels can be a bit sprawling, but this just gives the game a big, open feel—and you can use your jetpack, which covers up a lot of gameplay sins.

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam

Star Wars: Outlaws

Sticking with actual Star Wars games for a bit, another great choice if you love The Mandalorian is Star Wars: Outlaws. If you love the way The Mandalorian explores the criminal underbelly of the galaxy, you’ll love this RPG. Set in the time between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the game lets you play as an aspiring criminal. You can travel between several planets and take on different crimes for different criminal organizations—including Crimson Dawn and the Hutt Cartel. As you play, your reputation will determine how these different groups treat you, which has an impact on the game.

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam

The Outer Worlds

If you love the freewheeling, Wild-West feel of The Mandalorian, check out The Outer Worlds. You play as a passenger on a long-lost colony ship that crashed onto one of the six planets in a distant system. You’ve got to try to revive the rest of your crew, explore the system, and deal with the various settlements people have built under the oppressive rule of a corrupt corporation. It’s got that flavor of dangerous discovery and negotiating with unpredictable locals that fans of the show will appreciate.

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam

Starfield

An open-world exploration game, Starfield is pretty vast, with more than 1,000 planets, moons, and space stations ready to visit as you search for mysterious alien artifacts. It’s great fun by itself, but what makes it an ideal choice for fans of The Mandalorian is the Star Wars: Genesis mod. This transforms the game into the Star Wars universe, changing the planets, species, weapons, ships, and slang into Star Wars versions. It combines one of the most robust open-world games with the world of The Mandalorian in a seamless way that mimics the loose, exploratory storytelling from the show.

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam

The Last of Us Part 1

One of the most famous—and most successful—games based on the classic “lone wolf and cub” dynamic, The Last of Us is a great choice for fans of the show. It’s a different fictional universe, of course, but the dynamics of the game will be familiar to Mandalorian fans: You play as Joel, a rough-around-the-edges smuggler with a buried heart of gold who must escort a young girl through what’s left of the U.S. after a fungus-fueled zombie outbreak destroyed civilization. It’s a terrific and influential game on its own, and a perfect choice if you want to mimic the challenge of ferrying Grogu through danger.

Platforms: PlayStation, Steam

The best podcasts for fans of The Mandalorian

Part of the joy of getting into a show like The Mandalorian is talking about the show and listening to other folks over-analyze it. If that’s the extra experience you’re looking for, check out these podcasts.

Children of the Watch: A Star Wars After Show

Children of the Watch
Credit: Podcast logo

What’s great about Children of the Watch (hosted by Alex Maxwell and Mac Lacey) is the energy: These guys approach each episode of the show with wild positivity and excitement. Then they dig into the lore, the Easter eggs, and other aspects of each story with gusto. They’re not afraid to criticize the show when it’s warranted, but at the end of the day they love this show as much as you do.

Bounty Buddies

Bounty Buddies Podcast
Credit: Podcast logo

For a slightly more professional and critical approach to The Mandalorian breakdowns, Bounty Buddies (part of the GeeklyInc network) is a great way to spend an hour or so of your time. They dig into every episode, excavating the callbacks, Easter eggs, and little details, and they analyze the plot and character development with an eye toward predicting coming events. It’s a great way to get extra insight into every episode.

Starcalled

Starcalled Podcast
Credit: Podcast logo

Want a similar fictional experience? Starcalled is a fantastic narrative podcast set on the edges of the galaxy. Shortly after a devastating war, various characters (many of them aliens) stumble onto a conspiracy that might spell the end of everything. It’s a sprawling universe filled with criminals, military officers, and alien creatures that will satisfy your need for more layered sci-fi storytelling set in a lawless, unpredictable world. Plus, it’s got top-notch audio design and voice acting.

Vega

Vega Podcast
Credit: Podcast logo

This sci-fi narrative podcast follows the adventures of Vega Rex, a professional government assassin who has never failed a mission—until now. It’s got an unusual approach to story that almost feels like it’s being invented on the spot—but the slick production and sound design says otherwise. If you love the sci-fi anti-hero-ness of The Mandalorian, you’ll probably love Vega.

The Strange Case of Starship Iris

The Strange Case of Starship Iris
Credit: Podcast logo

In the 22nd century, the science ship Iris is destroyed, leaving just one survivor: Biologist Violet. She’s rescued by a clan of smugglers, and finds herself living a dangerous criminal life while she attempts to find out why her ship was targeted—and comes to realize the all-powerful Republic is behind it. The grimy criminal underworld, the oppressive government, the sprawling adventure all make this narrative podcast an ideal choice for anyone jonesing for more Mandalorian.


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Garmin remains the reigning champ when it comes to rugged and long-lasting fitness watches that not only feature vivid AMOLED displays, but can genuinely replace multiple fitness gadgets. Right now, one of their most advanced models, the Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), is available at 50%, marking a new record-low price of $499.99 (originally $999.99).

The deal is available for the 47mm Sapphire Edition in Carbon Gray. Designed for runners, hikers, and cyclists, the Epix Pro delivers extreme battery life, advanced GPS, and durability that outperforms many mainstream watches, including the Apple Watch. The titanium and sapphire build makes it ultra durable and scratch resistant, while multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology is highly accurate for navigation-heavy activities, and the built-in LED flashlight is also a practical perk for nighttime or early morning runs and adventures. 

It gives you up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, or around six days with the always-on AMOLED display enabled. In GPS-only mode, it lasts up to 42 hours, while expedition GPS mode lasts up to 14 days. The 1.3-inch AMOLED display is an upgrade from Garmin’s older memory-in-pixel displays, making it easier to read metrics and maps in a variety of lighting conditions. Advanced training metrics extend beyond fitness to recovery, including Endurance Score, VO2 Max, Training Readiness, stamina tracking, sleep coaching, Pulse Ox, ECG support, and the new Hill Score feature.

Compared to Garmin’s newer Fenix 8 model, this watch still offers some of the best value with most of the brand’s flagship features at a significantly lower price—especially at this discount. That said, it’s still an expensive choice for people who want more casual activity tracking, and for these users, the feature-packed interface may feel overwhelming. However, if you’re looking for a more comprehensive picture of your health, training, and recovery than mainstream watches, such as Apple or Samsung Galaxy Watch, can provide, the Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) offers solid bang for your buck at $500 off.

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The Mandalorian and Grogu has managed to bring a bit of fun back to cinematic Star Wars universe, picking up from where the immensely popular Disney+ series left off. Cleverly situated as an outer-space adventure that nods to both traditional American westerns and Japanese samurai narratives, the show (and movie) picks and chooses tropes from classic cinema genres in much the same way that the original Star Wars did.

In that spirit, here are 10 more streaming shows that draw from the same wells to watch next (because I'm going to assume you already know where to find other Disney+ Star Wars series, from Andor, to Ahsoka, to Skeleton Crew).

Killjoys (2015 – 2019)

What starts out as a relatively straightforward action show about space bounty hunters (the title's “Killjoys”) develops surprising depth over the course of its five seasons. As officially sanctioned Killjoys, the trio at the the show’s heart (Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore, and Luke Macfarlane) are bound to remain politically neutral at any cost. Initially, that’s a way to get them right into the heat of a fight, but as they develop ties of friendship and family in an exploited community, they come to understand the high cost of unchecked wealth and greed, and the ways in which neutrality always benefits the oppressors. The show’s creators make exceptionally good use of a limited budget, and offer up some impressive queer rep, which is still rare in pop sci-fi. Buy Killjoys from Prime Video or Apple TV.

Cowboy Bebop (1998 — 1999)

An iconic, effortlessly cool genre classic, Cowboy Bebop is one of the undisputed GOATs of anime, blending western, noir, and crime genres and setting the resultant mash to a killer soundtrack. The title's "cowboys" are bounty hunters in a near-future in which humans have been forced to colonize the solar system after Earth became uninhabitable. Former hitman Spike Spiegel leads his crew on one nearly disastrous mission after another, their standalone adventures all building to a thoroughly memorable climax. Stream Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll or buy it from Prime Video.

Firefly (2002)

If you prefer your dystopias a little quippier, there's this short-lived cult favorite following a crew of mercenaries led by Mal Reynolds and Zoe Washburne (Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres), two disaffected former soldiers who fought on the losing side of a galactic war for independence against the thoroughly conformist central government. The crew tries to stay just under the radar of law enforcement while engaging in activities that aren’t always strictly legal. Canceled after just a handful of episodes aired, the series didn’t get a chance to make much of that core conflict, but the sequel/wrap-up film Serenity (2005) is a good capper, and the crew is forced to take a stand to protect one of its own. Stream Firefly on Disney+ and Hulu.

Blake’s 7 (1978 – 1981)

Political dissident Roj Blake (Gareth Thomas) gets a second chance in the wake of his capture and conviction by the totalitarian surveillance state that is the Terran Federation. When his prison transport responds to a distress call, Blake and his fellow convicts take the opportunity to seize the advanced spacecraft they encounter. Renaming the ship Liberator, the borderline fanatical Blake convinces his reluctant new crew that the only peace for any of them will require bringing down the Federation. The series saw several significant changes in status quo over its four seasons (including a couple of swaps in main characters), giving it a sense of consequence and unpredictability—and it all leads to one of TV's most memorable, shocking conclusions. Buy Blake's 7 on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Farscape (1999 – 2004)

Ben Browder plays Earth astronaut John Crichton, hurled through a wormhole into a distant corner of the galaxy. Quite by accident, he winds up onboard Moya, a sentient prison ship that’s been hijacked by its cargo of convicts, and the euphemistically named Peacekeepers (think something like Space ICE). The mismatched crew, including political dissidents and more conventional criminals, plus one stranded Peacekeeper, becomes, by necessity rather than intention, the focus of resistance against an oppressive government. The Jim Henson Company and its Creature Shop handled the alien makeup, prosthetics, and puppets, giving the show a singular look and feel. It sometimes plays like a lost, dark episode of The Muppet Show...which is obviously a compliment. (The show was canceled before a planned fifth season, but concludes in The Peacekeeper Wars miniseries.) Stream Farscape on Peacock, Tubi, and Prime Video.

Lone Wolf and Cub (2002 – 2004)

Doubtless the biggest single influence on The Mandalorian, the 1970s manga Lone Wolf and Cub follows disgraced warrior Ogami Ittō, forced to become a wandering assassin if he hopes to survive long enough to restore his name or, at the very least, to avenge his murdered wife. Only his newborn son Daigorō survived the slaughter of his household, and he winds up growing up on the road as the father and son explore a violent world. There are several entries to the live-action worlds of these characters, including a 1970s Japanese television series and, perhaps most memorably, a sequence of films. I'm recommending the most recent installment here because it's quite good in its own right—and it happens to be readily available on streaming. Stream Lone Wolf and Cub on Prime Video and Tubi.

The Witcher (2019 – )

Kicking off with a slightly overcomplicated timey-wimey narrative structure, The Witcher ultimately settles into a groove as a show about a big guy who fights creatures in a Tolkien-like fantasy kingdom. Played first by Henry Cavill and, more recently, by Liam Hemsworth, the titular Witcher is Geralt of Rivia, a genetically engineered (sort of) magical monster hunter who refuses to kill a young woman accused of monstrosity by a jerk of a mage—a decision that puts him on a path that involves protecting and mentoring Ciri (Freya Allan), a crown princess who lots of people want dead. Ciri is no child, but a powerful individual in her own right; she just needs a little mentoring, not unlike little Baby Yoda. Stream The Witcher on Netflix.

The Last of Us (2023 – )

Though the focus shifts a little (or, I suppose, a lot) in the second season, the adaptation of the video game The Last of Us starts out as a road trip two-hander of sorts, set in a frequently dusty, desolate America that's been ravaged by the outbreak of a zombie plague caused by a cordyceps fungus. Pedro Pascal (Mando himself!) is Joel Miller, a hardened smuggler who reluctantly agrees to ferry teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across several states, her apparent immunity making her a valuable commodity. Gradually, the two come to care for each other and, even more gradually, they become a formidable pair, defending themselves from both the infected and normal people looking to exploit Ellie. Stream The Last of Us on HBO Max.

The Expanse (2015 – 2022)

Set in a near-ish future, The Expanse (based on the book series by James S.A. Corey) imagines a colonized solar system into which we’ve carried all of our old familiar problems, and then some. Earth sits at the historical and cultural center of things, while Mars colonists, by virtue of having to survive in a challenging environment, have developed technological and military superiority, and folks living in "the Belt" have had to scrabble to survive. Greed, fear, and shortsightedness make conflict nearly inevitable, even if the series isn’t quite as cynical as it at first appears. Like Mando and Grogu, a spaceship crew led by Captain James Holden finds itself alternately inside and very outside of the system, depending on the political realities at any given time, and likewise doing the right thing, if only out of necessity. Stream The Expanse on Prime Video.

Samurai Jack (2001 – 2017)

While mostly not a tale of masters and apprentices, this justifiably beloved animated series places a traditional warrior in a futuristic setting, his code of honor running up against reality in every episode. Phil LaMarr voices the title character, a feudal Japanese prince who becomes lost in time due to the machinations of a shapeshifting demon. Jack (as he comes to be called) lands in a distant, dystopian future ruled by the same demon and his robot servants. Jack's series-long quest is to return to his own time and prevent the horrible future he's been forced to live through. Wildly stylish and smart, it's one of the animated greats. Stream Samurai Jack on HBO Max.


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