The journey from Microsoft Security Bulletin to Security Update Guides

Black Microsoft shop logo

For decades, the Microsoft Security Bulletins have provided IT administrators with a monthly list of vulnerabilities and accompanying patches. Much to the chagrin of the IT community, these Bulletins have been replaced by the Security Update Guides portal (SUG), which many administrators believe will be a lot more work for them, especially for patch management professionals who already have enough on their plate.

Moreover, the additional time to research and understand the security patches required for their unique environments will only lengthen the time to patch. While the portal is searchable by Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), Knowledge Base (KB) article, product or release date, the change in process will impact the daily routines of IT administrators and security professionals around the world.

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UK consumers want an end to misleading 'fibre' broadband advertising

fibre broadband

Using the word 'fibre' to describe broadband services which are partly delivered using copper cable is misleading consumers according to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Conducted by specialist research agency Opinion Leader, using focus groups and in depth interviews with residential and business broadband users, the research shows that adverts using the word fibre don't enable people to make an informed choice.

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Cisco's new network can learn, adapt and overcome security threats

Cisco

Cisco has unveiled its network of the future designed with the ability to learn, adapt and evolve to combat security threats and manage the increased load put on networks by an ever-increasing number of devices.

The company created its new network with the intent of developing an intuitive system that can anticipate actions, stop security threats and continue to evolve and learn over time. Cisco's network of the future will allow businesses to solve the challenges they face in a time of increased connectivity and distributed technology.

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Spotify Group Playlists available for Facebook Messenger

groupplaylist-withmessenger

Sometimes listening to music can be a very private affair -- especially with sad songs. Enjoying music can often be communal too, where friends gather together to enjoy some tunes. Heck, a concert is a great example of this. Sometimes it can just be more enjoyable to experience music with others.

Spotify apparently understands this, as today, it unveils a new integration with Facebook Messenger. Using the chat platform, a Spotify user can create a playlist and then invite friends to contribute to it. Best of all, the user's friends do not need to have Spotify accounts to participate.

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Retailers will lose $71bn due to payment fraud

Credit card hand

Retailers are facing losses of up to $71 billion globally as the number of fraudulent card-not-present (CNP) transactions rises hugely within the next five years.

A new report from Juniper Research has revealed that a number of different factors are driving the increase in fraud, including the US shifting towards EMV cards, delays in 3DS 2.0 and click-and collect fraud methods.

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Microsoft releases monster Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Build 16226 to the Fast ring, and it's packed with new features

Windows-10 key

Two weeks ago, Microsoft released Build 16215 to Windows 10 Insiders on the Fast ring. This introduced a wealth of new features including major UI improvements to Start and Action Center, and updates to the Edge browser, Cortana, My People, Night Light, and more.

Today, the software giant rolls out Build 16226 and this one is similarly jam-packed with new features and improvements.

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Amazon and Microsoft lead IaaS market

IaaS

Market analyst Gartner has released a new magic quadrant that visualizes how cloud companies are currently sitting in the market. According to the report, Amazon and Microsoft are the sole leaders of the market, with the rest far, far behind.

Amazon Web Services is leading the charge. Microsoft is (sort of) trailing, but it is still considered a leader in the IaaS market.

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If anyone still cares, there's a new Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Fast Ring Build out today

yawnboringman

Do people still use Windows Phones? Yeah, believe it or not, these gluttons for punishment are still out there. Why do they still use Windows 10 Mobile? Who really knows -- I am sure a psychologist would have a field day with these people.

Despite the almost non-existent market share, Microsoft is still stringing these loyal users along, providing periodic updates through the Insider program. I actually think it is sort of cool that the Windows-maker still throws these folks a bone every once in a while. Today, Dona Sarkar pushes her magic release button and sends Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15226 to the Fast ring. Huzzah!

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AMD reveals EPYC 7000 server processor series

AMD Epyc

AMD has revealed its re-entry into the server market with a new family of super-powered data centre processors.

The US chipmaker has taken the wraps off its highly-anticipated EPYC 7000 series of  products at an event in Austin, Texas today. Formerly known as Naples, the new EPYC chips will target the entire range of the server market as AMD takes aim at Intel’s current dominance.

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Connectivity issues hurt productivity the most

Network security

More than two thirds (67 percent) of small and medium-sized business in the UK see internet problems as their biggest productivity roadblock, new research has found.

According to a new report by Storey that surveyed 500 SME decision-makers across the UK, more than three quarters (76 percent) of businesses see productivity as a top priority in their office, while 69 percent are certain that improving office layout and design can do wonders on their productivity.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will reportedly be revealed in August

Samsung logo building

The Galaxy Note brand is alive and well, as Samsung will be officially unveiling the new, hopefully non-exploding addition to the premium large-size smartphone line near the end of August.

That report comes from Reuters, which cited "a person familiar with the matter," as saying the official reveal will happen at a typical New York City Samsung event later this summer.

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Virgin Mobile USA becomes iPhone-exclusive carrier, offers a year of unlimited service for $1

Shocked PC user

Goodness gracious, Virgin Mobile USA has made quite the bold moves today. The cellular service provider has become the world's first iPhone-exclusive carrier. In other words, it will no longer offer Android at all. Crazy, right? This is through a partnership with Apple, and Virgin will offer many versions of the device, including iPhone 6, 6S, 7, and SE.

The craziness doesn't stop there, however, as there is even something much more exciting -- Virgin Mobile USA is offering unlimited talk, text and data for a dollar. No, that is not a typo -- a single buck will get you unlimited everything for up to a year! This is through a new scheme called "Inner Circle."

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Colour Contrast Analyser is a versatile accessibility checker

ColourContrastAnalyser.200.175

Colour Contrast Analyser is an unusual accessibility tool with a couple of useful but very different functions.

The first allows checking text foreground and background colors to determine its legibility. No need to judge by eye any more: the program gives you an objective pass/fail assessment using WCAG 2.0 color contrast success criteria.

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Do autonomous cars mean insurance is obsolete?

self driving automonous cars

According to Business Insider, fully autonomous vehicles -- those that can drive from point A to point B without driver interaction -- will debut as soon as 2019. And these autos will be only a fraction of the 10 million self-driving cars BI Intelligence estimates will hit the road by 2020.

According to Elon Musk, "in the distant future, people may outlaw driven cars because it’s too dangerous." This might sound outlandish, but it does line up with car safety statistics. With more than 90 percent of accidents caused by driver error, "there is every reason to believe that self-driving cars will reduce frequency and severity of accidents," says Professor Robert W. Peterson of Santa Clara University’s Center for Insurance Law and Regulation.

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4 surprising (and preventable) mistakes that will fry your computer

Burning computer

Whether you’re an office worker or a busy person at home managing bills and scheduling, you likely rely on a computer to get things done. Even in the "age of mobile", computers are essential, and many people are put in a bind if their computer suddenly dies.

To protect these devices, it’s important to understand some of the common (yet surprising) ways you can fry your computer:

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