windows

Apple has joined Mozilla in releasing a browser security update for a bug affecting numerous Windows programs. It means Safari and Firefox are the only major browsers that have been issued a fix. In both cases, the problem is the much talked-about ... Windows DLL bug that deals with dynamic link libraries (DLLs). It involves the way Windows works and the settings of individual applications, many of which aren't produced by Microsoft. Windows DLL Bug Affects All Versions of Windows In short, the problem is that when an application tries to load a DLL but doesn't say where the file is located, ... (view more)

Microsoft has issued an automated Windows tool designed to limit the effects of a recent DLL bug . The company has also noted it is only classing the problem as an "important" rather than "critical" risk. Windows Dynamic Link Library (DLL) Bug As ... noted previously, the problem involves dynamic link libraries (DLLs), a type of shortcut that allows multiple applications to access the same code in Windows. Many applications are set to automatically open any DLLs stored within their program folders. It's now emerged that it is easier than previously thought to create bogus files that can exploit ... (view more)

Microsoft yesterday announced it was resurrecting one of the most popular Windows 7 deals to date: the Family Pack discount. The deal, which gives consumers the ability to purchase a trio of upgrade licenses for their shift from XP or Vista to ... Windows 7, will again be available in early October. It's easy to see why the Family Pack Windows 7 deal was so popular: for three licenses the cost is just $150 (or $50 per upgrade), the same as it was last year. Microsoft put the package together for several weeks following the operating system's October 22, 2009 launch, and seems ready to celebrate a ... (view more)

Shortly after announcing a severe iTunes flaw that affects over 40 Windows applications just last week, it now appears Apple's popular media player, QuickTime, also includes a flaw that could be exploited by hackers to execute malicious code on PCs ... using the Windows operating system (OS). Even systems running more recent versions of the OS, Windows Vista and Windows 7, are vulnerable. "At present the security vulnerability seems to be with users that run Internet Explorer. Given the relative ease with which [the exploit was demonstrated], the chance for drive-by [download] attacks to ... (view more)

Microsoft has warned users of its Windows Home Server technology that they could have problems using newer hard drives. It follows earlier warnings that the drives are also problematic for Windows XP users. Drives Use Advanced Format Technology The ... situation involves sectors, the individual chunks into which a hard drive is divided. The standard size of each sector has traditionally been 512 bytes, but some drives are already using a 4 kilobyte sector, and this will become the standard size for all drives after 2011. The new drives are referred to as having "Advanced Format" ... (view more)

A security expert says he's seen a record response to the recently-named "Windows DLL bug," which can allow hackers to remotely control infected PCs. Mati Aharoni predicts the number of affected applications will soon be in the hundreds. This week, ... Microsoft published a temporary workaround that prevents the exploit from occurring. It's working with third-party application developers to find individual and permanent solutions, but is still extremely wary of issuing a fix to Windows itself. The issue involves a system in Windows known as dynamic link libraries (DLL), a shortcut for ... (view more)

Microsoft has voluntarily leaked more details about its upcoming Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) web browser via a Russian Internet portal. The company revealed several new features related to the browser's overall look, which is heavily inspired by a ... rival. To date, Microsoft has yet to reveal a user interface for Internet Explorer 9, even though several developer previews of the browser have emerged since the spring. This means the Russian leak gives us our first glimpse of IE9's navigational model. IE9 Navigation Similar to Google Chrome First impressions suggest Microsoft's next browser -- ... (view more)

PC maker Asustek ("Asus") Computer is getting ready to release its competitors for the very popular Applie iPad. Two will run Windows 7, while a third will back the Google Android operating system (OS). Reports say the Asus tablets will ship between ... the end of the year and sometime next spring -- dates some critics consider far too late. Windows 7 Asus Tablet Offers High Power, Price The most elaborate of the Asus devices is the Eee Pad EP121, which is set to target professionals with a 12-inch touch screen and powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Early estimates suggest it will ... (view more)

Microsoft has stepped up its marketing by explicitly targeting rival Apple and the Mac. The Redmond-based firm has produced a six-point checklist designed to show the "superiority" of PCs, albeit they're six carefully selected points. In many ... commercial markets the top-selling brand does not acknowledge rivals, while those smaller brands often make direct comparisons to their bigger competitors. Historically, that has been the case with personal computing: while Microsoft has simply touted its own strengths, Apple has run the ongoing "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" campaign. Microsoft Follows Up on ... (view more)

Adobe will today release a patch for a critical security vulnerability in its popular Reader and Acrobat software. The issue was first identified at the Black Hat security conference in July, and has since remained without a fix. Adobe noted in ... early August that the patch would be available this week, well ahead of its next scheduled security release (based on a quarterly timetable) in mid-October. Reader, Acrobat for Windows and Mac Affected According to an advisory from Adobe, the patch is meant to fix a number of critical issues affecting Reader 9.3.3 for Windows, Unix and Mac as well as ... (view more)