Archive files overtake Office docs as a malware delivery method
Archive file formats -- like ZIP and RAR files -- are the most common file type for delivering malware, overtaking Office files for the first time in three years.
A new report from HP Wolf Security, based on on data from millions of endpoints, finds that between July and September this year 44 percent of malware was delivered inside archive files -- an 11 percent rise over the previous quarter -- compared to 32 percent delivered through Office files such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Get 'Teach Yourself VISUALLY: Word 2019' ($18 value) FREE for a limited time
Teach Yourself VISUALLY: Word 2019 provides readers with a thorough and visual exploration of the 2019 edition of Microsoft Word.
Written by the celebrated author of over 100 books on computing, Guy Hart-Davis, Teach Yourself VISUALLY: Word 2019 allows you to quickly get up to speed with one of the most popular word processors on the planet.
Nextcloud works with governments to create MS Office rival for the EU
The European Union's relationship with big tech companies has long been a fractious one. Its Digital Markets Act is aimed at reigning in their power and, among other things, it's credited with forcing Apple to adopt the USB-C standard.
In the latest development a number of European governments are working with Nextcloud to create a 'digitally sovereign' office platform, the aim being to help governments regain their independence from a small number of tech giants and allow them to confidently roll out digitization efforts.
Microsoft will disable Office VBA macros by default to block malware
In so many ways macros have made life easier for Office users, helping to automated and speed up a variety of tasks. But they also pose a gigantic security threat, particularly in documents downloaded from the internet.
Now Microsoft is taking action, and will block internet macros by default in Office. The reason for the move is the widespread exploitation of VBA macros by bad actors to spread malware.
Microsoft is bringing font syncing and more to Word
Users of Microsoft Office are in line for an interesting font-related upgrade that will make it easier to manage typefaces across multiple devices,
Microsoft is introducing an updated font picker in Word (and, presumably, other Office apps) and there are a number of improvements to look forward to. Key additions include the ability to sync fonts between devices and an easy means of seeing which fonts are used in a document.
Get 'Excel Portable Genius' ($12.00 value) FREE for a limited time
Excel Portable Genius covers the key features of Microsoft Excel in a concise, fast-paced, portable format that provides the perfect quick and easy-to-follow reference for novices and experienced users alike.
Written by seasoned tech expert and trainer Lisa A. Bucki, it answers the nine key questions Excel users are most likely to face in their work and adds some hot tips and advice on this incredibly useful -- but sometimes difficult-to-learn -- program's lesser-known features.
Malicious office documents make up 43 percent of malware downloads
Infecting office files has been a popular malware technique for some time but is still popular among cybercriminals as it allows them to evade many detection solutions. New research from AtlasVPN reveals that 43 percent of all malware downloads in the second quarter of this year were malicious office documents.
This is an increase from the same period in 2020 when only 14 percent of malware came in office files. In the third quarter of last year the volume jumped to 38 percent before declining to 34 percent in Q4 2020 and Q1 2021.
LibreOffice 7.2 is here with a long list of changes and improvements
Serving as a handy reminder that Microsoft Office is certainly not the only office suite out there, LibreOffice 7.2 has landed. There are a sizable number of changes in this latest version of the free, open-source office software including support for Apple M1 chips.
While there are lots of under-the-hood changes that are concerned with optimization, stability and improving compatibility with Microsoft Office, there are also plenty of things which are rather more obvious. This includes a new LibreOffice Dark theme, and a new batch of templates.
Over half of exploits sold on underground forums are for Microsoft products
A new study from Atlas VPN shows that 51 percent of exploits sold on underground cybercriminal forums are for Microsoft products.
Microsoft Office exploits make up 23 percent while Windows accounts for 12 percent of exploits sold on hacker forums. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) exploits make up 10 percent, with Internet Explorer and Share Point taking three percent each.
Toxic culture, Groundhog Day, and Déjà vu
Good people continue to be harmed by exposure to the dynamics of a toxic workplace culture and organizations lose their functional viability and sustainability. This is not a new discovery or topic of discussion for improving organizational health and individual wellness.
This reality begs a question: Since leaders are responsible for organizational culture and toxic cultures are so destructive to people and the organization, why do leaders continue to perpetuate toxic workplace cultures and habitually retain toxic workers?
StarTech.com launches Sneeze Guard to prevent COVID-19 spread in offices
Listen, folks, your snot is gross and it always has been. Nowadays, however, it is also very dangerous -- and potentially deadly. You see, when you sneeze and send that disgusting snot airborne, the aerosol mucus can spread the COVID-19 virus. Due to failures of the Trump administration, the virus is still spreading like wildfire. Hopefully President Biden can provide actual leadership, but I digress.
While many people are working remotely these days, others are still forced to work in an office environment, unfortunately. Every time these brave workers leave the house and head to work, they risk contracting COVID-19 and spreading it to loved ones. Thankfully, StarTech.com has a new product that can help prevent the spread of the virus -- a sneeze guard that attaches to your computer monitor.
SoftMaker FreeOffice 2018 gains Anniversary Edition update with dozens of new features and improved Office 2019 compatibility
German software developer SoftMaker has unveiled SoftMaker FreeOffice 2018: Anniversary Update, extending major new features and compatibility improvements to its free office suite for Windows, Mac and Linux.
The update, officially dubbed Revision 966, comes with dozens of new features across the suite’s three main applications: TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations. It also updates its compatibility settings to work seamlessly with Microsoft Office 2019 documents.
Microsoft has made a free Office app for Windows 10
Although there are plenty of office suites available, including lots of free choices, Microsoft Office remains the one that most people use. Today, Microsoft rolls out a new app for Windows 10 called, simply, Office, which is designed to replace the existing My Office app.
The app itself is free and can be used with any Office 365 subscription, Office 2019, Office 2016, and Office Online -- the free web-based version of Office for consumers.
Microsoft market capitalization (briefly) tops Apple (again)
In May 2010, I wrote about Apple's market cap passing top-valued Microsoft; it's only fitting to follow up with an analysis about the unbelievable turnabout that, like the first, marks a changing of technological vanguards. Briefly today, the software and services giant nudged past the stock market's fruit-logo darling. A few minutes after 1 p.m. EST, the pair's respective market caps hovered in the $812 billion range, with Microsoft cresting Apple by about $300 million. By the stock market close, a rally for Apple put distance from its rival: $828.64 billion to $817.29 billion, respectively (Bloomberg says $822.9 billion, BTW). Consider this: As recently as October, Apple's valuation touched $1.1 trillion. But since the company announced arguably record fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on November 1st, investors have punished shares, which currently are down about 21 percent.
Apple has long been a perception stock, even when under the tutelage of CEO Tim Cook company fundamentals deserved recognition. But perhaps Wall Street finally realizes the problem of iPhone accounting for too much of total revenues at a time when smartphone saturation saps sales and Apple pushes up selling prices to retain margins. More significantly: Apple has adopted a policy of fiscal corporate secrecy by stepping away from a longstanding accounting metric. I started writing news stories about the fruit-logo company in late 1999. Every earnings report, Apple disclosed number of units shipped for products contributing significantly to the bottom line. No more. Given current market dynamics, everyone should ask: What is Cook and his leadership team trying to hide?
Et tu, Office? After pulling Windows 10 update, Microsoft does the same for Office
Microsoft's update procedure for Windows 10 has been a little, er, wobbly of late. The Windows 10 October 2018 Update proved so problematic that it had to pulled, and even the re-released version is far from perfect.
Now it seems the cancer is spreading to Office. Having released a series of updates for Office 2010, 2013 and 2016 as part of this month's Patch Tuesday, Microsoft has now pulled two of them and advised sysadmins to uninstall the updates if they have already been installed.
Recent Headlines
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.