Inspect and optimize your Windows startup programs with StartEd Lite
StartEd Lite is a free-for-personal-use Windows application for viewing, editing and optimizing your startup programs. It’s a familiar idea -- we’ve probably used hundreds of programs which claim to do exactly the same thing -- but StartEd does manage to include some interesting and unusual ideas.
The program doesn’t get off to a good start. It has to be installed, as there’s no portable option, and the list of startup programs is taken from your startup folder and Registry Run keys only. StartEd will only ever display a fraction of the programs you’ll see in AutoRuns.
OLE 0day affects nearly all versions of Microsoft Word
Security issues with Word documents are nothing new, but they have a tendency to rely on macros -- something which users have learned to become very wary of. But now security firms FireEye and McAfee have discovered a new attack strategy that takes advantage of Windows Object Linking and Embedding (OLE).
The attack can be used to infect even a fully patched computer with malware, and it is believed to be effective in most -- if not all -- versions of Microsoft Word, and Windows 10 offers no protection. The 0day works by using code embedded in a document to pull in malware from a remote server, using various techniques to hide what is going on.
Snapchat reminds Scottish voters to register to vote
With council elections due to be held throughout Scotland next month, steps are being taken to ensure that as many people as possible are registered to vote. The Electoral Commission has turned to Snapchat to remind people to register ahead of the cut-off deadline next week.
Using social media tools as election reminders is not a new tactic -- Facebook has been used for some time -- but in using Snapchat, an entirely different section of voters is being targeted. This is the first time 16- and 17-year olds will be eligible to vote in Scottish council elections, and Snapchat seems like the sensible way to connect with late-millennials.
Record your desktop instantly with ChrisPC Screen Recorder
ChrisPC Screen Recorder is a versatile desktop recorder in both cut-down free-for-personal-use and commercial (24.99 Euro) editions.
Both builds offer recording of full-screen, application window and rectangular areas, in windowed or borderless forms and with audio support. There are options to highlight your mouse cursor in the recording, and play a sound on mouse clicks, helpful in video tutorials.
Hackers release password to encrypted cache of NSA tools
Last year, hacking group TheShadowBrokers released a number of NSA exploits into the wild, showing how the agency was able to exploit big-name firewalls. At the same time it also released a second cache of documents, encrypted and password protected. Now, in protest against Donald Trump, the group has released the password for the encrypted data.
TheShadowBrokers used a Medium post over the weekend to express their disgust at Trump's presidency. The documents and tools released allegedly demonstrate that the US government, through the NSA, has been actively hacking foreign government networks, and reveal an exploit for the Unix-based Solaris operating system.
OpenELEC 8.0 Linux distribution now available for PC, Raspberry Pi, WeTek Hub, and more
When you want to play media in your living room, there are countless options nowadays. You can buy an Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, or something else. Of course, for some people, a self-built home theater computer is a more rewarding experience. Thanks to Linux and solutions like Kodi, it can be easy to build a very capable media center machine.
Today, popular Linux distro OpenELEC reaches version 8.0 stable. This operating system leverages Kodi to provide a well-rounded media center experience. Not only are there images for PC, but for Raspberry Pi and WeTek boxes too.
Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth insults free software community, compares Mir to gun control debate
When it comes to Linux on the desktop, I am primarily a Fedora user. Sure, I like trying out other distributions for fun, but I always return to the wonderful Fedora. Heck, I even mess around with Ubuntu on occasion, although I am not a huge fan of Unity -- I love GNOME. With that said, when Mark Shuttleworth, Ubuntu founder, recently announced that he was killing the Unity desktop environment and embracing GNOME, I was quite happy. It signaled less fragmentation and division in the Linux community.
My happiness was short lived, however, as Mark Shuttleworth has been insulting the free software community on social media. Over on Google+, he even goes so far as to compare the hate for the MIR display server to the debates on gun control and climate change. Really, Mr. Shuttleworth? In his vulgarity-laced rant, he even calls members of the free software community "deeply anti-social types." Gee, thanks a lot.
Payday loan site Wonga hit by security breach affecting 270,000 in UK and Poland
Wonga.com -- the payday loan website -- is investigating a security breach which exposed the personal details of tens of thousands of customers. Up to 270,000 customers in the UK and Poland are believed to have been affected by the breach.
The incident happened last week, but Wonga initially played down its significance. However this weekend the company determined that customer data was involved, including names, addresses, phone numbers, bank account numbers and sort codes and started an investigation.
Microsoft bans emulator apps from the Windows Store
There are a large number of emulators out there, including a wide range of Xbox and PlayStation emulators. These give gamers the opportunity to play their favorite console games on their PC, but Microsoft has now formally banned such software from the Windows Store.
Emulators have long been the subject of legal wranglings because of concerns about copyright and intellectual property infringements, and now the Windows-maker has put its foot down. The developers of NES emulator NESBox are among those affected by the ban, and point to a recent change in Microsoft's rules for the Window Store -- affecting not only Windows 10, but also Xbox One users.
Microsoft launches Windows Insider Program for Business
Yesterday saw not only the release of the first Redstone 3 build of Windows 10, but also the launch of the Windows Insider Program for Business.
This new program works in much the same way as the existing Windows Insider program, but this time there is a focus on IT professionals and businesses. It will give Microsoft the opportunity to gather more information from big customers, and allow businesses to try out new features ahead of their official launch.
Government drops demands to unmask @ALT_USCIS after Twitter files lawsuit
Just one day after Twitter filed a lawsuit to block the US government from forcing it to reveal the identity of who is behind the @ALT_USCIS account, the government has dropped its request.
News of the lawsuit saw the account's follower count more than quadruple as Twitter users jumped to see what was being posted by what are believed to be United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employees. As a result of the government dropping its request, Twitter has stopped the lawsuit.
LG G6 is a great smartphone and a legit alternative to Samsung Galaxy S8 [Review]
I'm a huge fan of LG's second screen phones, the V10 and V20. These are Android smartphones that are well designed with outside-of-the-box thinking. The company's "G" series of flagships don't conjure the same excitement in my heart. Don't get me wrong, they can be great phones too, but they are sort of, well, boring. The LG G5, in particular, was rather terrible -- a largely panned device. It felt cheap, and provided an underwhelming experience. LG really needs to sell a new model to wash away the bad taste of that device.
I have been testing that new phone, the LG G6, and I can definitely say that it is better than its predecessor. Here's the problem -- LG isn't only competing against its past self, but with other manufacturers, such as Samsung, HTC, and even Apple. There is one question you probably have -- is the LG G6 worth buying over all other flagships, such as the Galaxy S8?
Wiping out ransomware after an attack? Some UK businesses not confident they can do it
A third (36 percent) of companies in the UK that have been victims of a ransomware attack are not "very confident" they managed to completely eradicate the malware from their systems, according to a new report by Citrix.
The report also shines new light on just how prevalent and dangerous ransomware attacks really are. One in three UK businesses have had more than 100 of their devices affected by ransomware recently.
IT departments need to transform to stay relevant
IT environments require either moderate or significant transformation if they are to meet business requirements over the course of the next five years, a new report says.
The report by 451 research, entitled "Voice of the Enterprise: Cloud Transformation," says that 80 percent of organizations agree IT departments need disrupting to stay relevant.
Jailbreaking puts mobile users at risk
Mobile users frequently stray from official app stores when looking for new mobile applications, putting themselves under increased risk from malware, ransomware and other malicious actors. This is according to a new report by RiskIQ, which says that users in the UK are a bit more "conservative," and a bit more on the safe side compared to mobile users in the US.
The report, entitled "Appsession: Is our appetite for mobile apps putting us at risk?" is based on a poll of 2,000 mobile users -- 1,000 in the UK and another 1,000 in the US.
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