Alibaba Group

Meta and Alibaba Join Access Advance Patent Pool

Access Advance LLC announced on July 6, 2026 that Meta Platforms, Inc. and Alibaba Group have joined its Video Distribution Patent Pool (VDP Pool) as licensees. The release states Meta also joined the HEVC Advance and VVC Advance patent pools. The VDP Pool aims to resolve licensing issues for modern video codecs — including VP9, AV1, HEVC and VVC — across diverse internet video streaming business models. Peter Moller, CEO of Access Advance, called Meta’s participation a milestone for the content distribution business and said Alibaba’s video technology expertise further strengthens the program’s position as a go-to licensing solution for streaming media.

AI-Agent 'Jadepuffer' Runs Adaptive Ransomware

Security researchers at Sysdig uncovered a novel ransomware attacker dubbed “Jadepuffer” that appears to be controlled by an AI agent. The agent used natural-language-driven code and rapid iterative problem-solving — in one case completing an adaptation in 31 seconds — to place ransomware. It exploited a vulnerability in the open-source Langflow framework to harvest unencrypted cloud credentials and API keys, which enabled lateral movement and persistent tasks. Jadepuffer targeted MySQL servers running the Alibaba Nacos configuration service, creating admin accounts and encrypting 1,342 configuration files before deleting originals. The attacker generated a ransom table with a Bitcoin wallet and Proton‑Mail contact; analysts report the wallet moved roughly 46 BTC across about 73 transactions. Researchers warn AI agents lower the skill barrier for automated, adaptive cyberattacks against unpatched systems.

Even Realities Raises $150M, Reaches $1B Valuation

Even Realities, a Shenzhen-based smart-glasses startup founded in 2023 by ex-Apple engineer Will Wang, raised $150 million in a pre-Series B round that values the company at $1 billion. Investors named in the round include Meituan and Tencent, alongside Chinese VC and PE backers such as CDH Investment, Monolith Management and CVC Capital; earlier rounds included Hong Kong’s Unicorn Capital Partners and Cyanhill Capital. The company sells display-first, camera-less AR glasses (Even G2) with a companion control ring (Even R1), emphasizes user privacy and has a majority of its users and roughly 80% of its developer community in the U.S. Industry data from IDC shows smart-glasses shipments surged and that Meta holds roughly 70% market share; IDC forecasts shipments could exceed 50 million by 2030. Earlier reporting in our database also notes Even Realities developed a proprietary optical system (Even HAO), has sold more than 10,000 pairs and expanded headcount substantially.