Customize the Windows sound scheme with Stardock's new SoundPackager 10
There are lots of tools available that let you customize Windows in a number of ways. See this Windows 98 themed version of Windows 10 for just one example of what’s possible.
Stardock produces some excellent, very affordable customization applications and today the company announces the next-generation version of its Windows sound scheme manager, SoundPackager 10.
Demystifying penetration testing
Most people who keep relatively up to date on security lingo easily understand the concepts of the basics, such as "compliance," "edge security," and "incident response." But when you bring penetration testing into the conversation, you lose half your audience. A much smaller percentage of the population knows what it is, and even fewer understand how it is done or the significant value it adds to the security tool chest.
While some enterprises may contract a third party to conduct penetration testing because it is required for a variety of reasons (part of an industry framework such as PCI-DSS or FedRAMP, or a prospective customer demands it), many don’t understand the techniques involved or are surprised by the depth of the activity. The client may not actively engage in the "scoping" calls to review and set parameters around what will be done and then are surprised by the more rigorous techniques involved, especially if those techniques unsuspectingly bring down client systems temporarily. The testers themselves, shrouded in misperceptions, may evoke images of donning hoodies and barely skimming the line between criminality and service. Recent news of penetration testers being whisked off to jail during a client assignment in Iowa hasn’t helped. It’s time to set the record straight.
This Windows 98 themed version of Windows 10 looks amazing
Microsoft Windows has evolved a lot over the years, and while there are still plenty of people who prefer Windows 7 over Windows 10, I can’t imagine there’s many users out there who truly hanker for the days of Windows 95 or 98.
But there are people who enjoy customizing Microsoft’s operating system, and a Redditor by the name of WunJZ has given his copy of Windows 10 an impressive Windows 98 makeover.
Cyber insurance and its place in business security strategy [Q&A]
Data breaches and cyberattacks can be costly for businesses, not just in financial terms but also in damage to reputation.
It's not surprising then that more and more companies are looking to offset these costs by taking out cyber insurance policies, We spoke to Chris Kennedy, CISO and VP of customer success at AttackIQ to find out more about cyber insurance and the potential pitfalls.
Mac threats overtake Windows for the first time
It's generally been accepted that Mac systems are much safer than Windows, but that could be starting to change as a new report shows Mac threats are growing faster than their Windows counterparts for the first time ever.
Malwarebytes latest annual State of Malware report shows an average of 11 threats per Mac endpoint in 2019 -- nearly double the average of 5.8 threats per endpoint on Windows. Overall Mac threats increased by more than 400 percent, year-on-year.
Microsoft Excel gets powerful XLOOKUP function
When people ask me what my favorite software of all time is, my answer is always Microsoft Excel. True, I am a proponent of both Linux and LibreOffice, but the fact is, nothing compares to Microsoft Office. If I have to do some serious data analysis and need to work with spreadsheets, I want real Excel. Can I get by with LibreOffice Calc? I mean, yes, but I'd rather not.
When looking to tell stories with data, I often turn to the VLOOKUP function -- one of the most important and powerful tools found in Microsoft Excel. Believe it or not, VLOOKUP may be on its way to extinction, thanks to the release of XLOOKUP, which is basically VLOOKUP on steroids. While Office Insiders have been able to play with this new function, beginning today, it is finally available to all.
Linux-based Windows 12 Lite is '3x faster than Windows 10' and 'immune from ransomware'
Windows 10 users have had a tough time of it lately, with updates causing all manner of problems, as well as the search function stopping working for many people.
If you’re thinking now might be the time to look into an alternative operating system -- perhaps one based on Linux -- but you’re not quite ready to jump ship from Windows, then Windows 12 Lite, discovered by a redditor at their local computer fair, could be the OS you’re looking for.
OpenShot 2.5 unveils hardware acceleration support, plus more performance improvements
Open-source video editor OpenShot 2.5.0 has been released, dubbed "our largest release yet" by project creator Jonathan Thomas. Headline new features, which should significantly improve the application’s performance when fully implemented, include experimental support for hardware acceleration alongside a major overhaul of the keyframe system.
Future development should also be simpler now all features and support have been aligned across all platforms: Windows, Linux and macOS.
15.1 billion records exposed in 2019 as data breaches hit a new high
The total number of records exposed by data breaches increased by 284 percent last year compared to 2018, with over 15.1 billion records exposed in total.
This is one of the findings of the 2019 Year End Data Breach QuickView Report from Risk Based Security although the total number of 2019 breaches disclosed so far (7,098) is up only one percent.
Logitech releases Zone Wired Headset
Wireless is always better than wired, right? Whoa. Slow down there. While wireless products are sometimes more convenient, the truth is, many people prefer wired products, such as mice and keyboards. While having wires on your desk may look unsightly, wired products have the benefit of not needing to be charged. Not to mention, for some businesses, it is against company policy to use wireless keyboards and headsets for fear of communications being intercepted. And so, regardless of what the user wants, wired is all that will be permitted.
Logitech's Zone Wireless Headset, for instance, seems like a great product. If you are someone that wears a headset all day, there is no wire to get tangled in while moving about your desk. Not to mention, it looks quite comfortable. If you like the design, but don't want (or aren't allowed) to use a wireless headset, I have great news. There is finally a cabled variant of the headset, simply called "Zone Wired Headset."
Volume and complexity of DDoS attacks still increasing
DDoS attacks are a continuing problem for businesses and a new report reveals that they are also growing in complexity.
The 2019 DDoS report from Link11 reveals that the share of multivector attacks -- which target and misuse several protocols -- grew significantly from 46 percent in the first quarter to 65 percent in the fourth quarter.
How quantum computing will change analytics [Q&A]
Google announced in October that after years of theorizing, it had finally achieved the milestone of quantum supremacy -- carrying out a calculation in just three minutes that would take up to 100,000 years for a conventional computer.
Ask any analytics expert what they're excited to see in the future, and you’re likely going to hear quantum computing. That's largely due to the sweeping ways it will transform analytics. We spoke with Prasad Kothari, vice president of analytics and client solutions at The Smart Cube, about what that looks like.
Latest Windows 7 bug prevents users from shutting down or rebooting
Just after Windows 7 reached the end of support on January 14, a bug emerged that turned desktops black. Having initially said that only people paying for support would get a fix, Microsoft relented and gave everyone a patch. Now another bug has reared its head, preventing Windows 7 users from shutting down or rebooting their computers.
It's not clear what is causing the bug, but affected users see a message that reads "You don't have permission to shut down this computer" when they attempt to shut down or reboot. There's no fix available just yet, but there are workarounds.
Microsoft uses Start menu ads to promote its Edge browser
Microsoft recently released the Chromium-based version of its Edge browser, and now the company seems to be on an all-out offensive to promote it.
Ads have started to appear in Windows 10's Start menu suggesting that Firefox users should try Microsoft Edge instead. This is not the first time the Start menu has been used by Microsoft to promote software, and it's a move that is likely to win the company a few enemies.
Samsung reveals Galaxy Z Flip in surprise Oscars 2020 ad
There is a resurgence of flip phones at the moment, but rather than old-school clamshells, we're talking about devices with foldable displays. Samsung has already launched the disastrous Galaxy Fold, but at last night's Oscars there was a surprise ad for the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip.
The handset is due to be officially announced at tomorrow's Galaxy Unpacked event, but now we've been given a sneaky glimpse of what's to come. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will compete with the likes of the Motorola razr and Microsoft's Surface Duo.
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