security

Tue
16
May
John Lister's picture

Windows 10 Gets Forced Update

Microsoft is to forcibly upgrade computers running a version of Windows 10 that's about to stop being supported. It's billed as a way to keep users "protected and productive." The update will cover consumer devices plus "non-managed business ... devices" running Windows 10 version 21H2. That was the version with the major feature update in the second half of 2021. (Source: theregister.com ) The move should only affect users who have switched off automatic updates, which is why the forced update won't be to everyone's taste. The chances are that many people in this position have deliberately ... (view more)

Thu
20
Apr
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Quantum Computing to Boost Security using Random Numbers

Quantum computers could produce genuinely random numbers according to new research. It could boost security, an ironic effect given fears over the ways cyber criminals could use quantum computing. In extremely simplified terms, a quantum computer ... uses quantum physics in which something can exist in more than one state at a time. That's in contrast to traditional computing where data is stored in bits that represent either a 0 or a 1 at any given time. To date, the main claimed advantage of quantum computing has been processing speed. The same "bit" representing multiple states removes a ... (view more)

Thu
30
Mar
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Email Malware Returns With New Tricks

A notorious botnet that spreads malware through fake emails is back in action. Emotet has returned with some new tactics to try to bypass security checks. Emotet had already gained a reputation for being (comparatively) successful at fooling humans ... and computers alike. Its most notable characteristic was that it not only used messages that appeared to come from a trusted contact, but that it addressed the recipient by name and even appeared to be a reply to a previous genuine message. Most commonly, Emotet sends malware through Microsoft Word documents with macros. These are now disabled by ... (view more)

Thu
05
Jan
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Millions Will Lose Chrome Updates

Google's Chrome browser will soon be unsafe to use on Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. Google is about to finally ditch support for the systems, meaning no more updates. Version 109 of Chrome, scheduled for a full public release on January 10th, 2022, will be ... the last available for those editions. Starting with version 110, expected in February, new versions will only be available for Windows 10 and later. (Source: google.com ) Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users can still run Chrome 109 (or earlier versions) but the browser will become increasingly outdated with no new features or performance fixes. More ... (view more)

Fri
30
Dec
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Apple App Store Monopoly May End

Apple looks set to allow iPhone and iPad users to get apps from sources other than the official App Store. It's a major change of policy, almost certainly sparked by forthcoming changes to European law. Analysts predict Apple will find ways to ... minimize the effect of the change. However, stock prices in many companies that make apps have risen on the assumption they'll make more revenue because Apple won't take a cut of app purchases. Unlike rival Android, Apple has always kept tight control on the apps users can install, making the App Store the only option without "jailbreaking" the device, ... (view more)

Thu
15
Dec
John Lister's picture

Donut Theory Cracks Security Algorithm

A theory involving donuts has helped crack a proposed government security algorithm. It's nothing to do with distracting security guards, Better Call Saul-style, but rather advanced mathematics. Government agencies and others involved in security ... are constantly looking for new ways to encrypt data, with quantum computing seen as a potentially major threat. Most encryption methods used at the moment rely on length and complexity to deter brute force cracking techniques that simply try every possible decryption key. The idea is that it should take so many tries (on average) to get the right ... (view more)

Thu
01
Dec
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Android Unlock Bug Fixed

Android users have been urged to check their phone has the latest security patches. It follows a researcher accidentally uncovering a significant flaw in the screen lock. The researcher discovered the problem on a Google Pixel 6 and replicated it on ... a Pixel 5. The problem appears to affect phones running Android 10 or later that use a SIM card, not just those made by Google. However, some reports suggest it doesn't affect Samsung handsets. The problem is with the personal unblocking key (PUK). That's a way to regain access to a handset that's been locked after forgetting the phone's passcode ... (view more)

Fri
25
Nov
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Government to Scan Every Internet Device

A government plans to scan every Internet-connected device in the country for vulnerabilities. The agency concerned insists it won't compromise privacy. The scan is the work of the United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It says its ... looking for zero-day vulnerabilities, meaning security holes that hackers are actively exploiting before a fix is available. The NCSC says it will regularly scan all Internet connected devices based in the UK. It doesn't intend to access any data on devices but instead simply make a connection request. The scanning software will then log any ... (view more)

Fri
11
Nov
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Study: Microsoft Defender Too Reliant on Internet

A new study suggests Microsoft Defender's effectiveness varies dramatically on the setting. It's one of the best for online-based threats, but among the worst performers for offline-based threats. The study is from AV Comparatives, which runs ... regular tests on more than a dozen leading cyber security tools. (Source: av-comparatives.org ) The results for Microsoft Defender are particular noteworthy for two reasons. First, it's the default, built-in tool for modern versions of Windows, meaning hundreds of millions of people use it. Second, it's often argued that Defender does a good enough job ... (view more)

Thu
29
Sep
John Lister's picture

Microsoft Rethinks Windows 11 Update Schedule

Microsoft has released the first major update to Windows 11. It also says it may issue new features every month, yet another change to its update strategy. One year after Windows 11 first came out, the new update is formally called 22H2, though ... Microsoft has also simply called it the 2022 Update. That reflects an initial theory that updates would be relatively infrequent. Older versions of Windows had new features added as and when they were ready, with a Service Pack bringing everything together every couple of years for users who didn't want to install frequent updates. Windows 10 switched ... (view more)

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