Articles about Microsoft

Four-hundred-ninety-three in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Microsoft released a new build of the 2023 feature update for Windows 11 that it is working on already.

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Microsoft has once again released a preview of an update for Windows that is due to get a full launch next Patch Tuesday. The KB5014023 update is available for Windows 10 versions 21H1 and 21H2, as well as Windows Server 20H2 and it fixes a number of issues.

Among the problems addressed by the optional update is an issue that caused file copying to be much slower than usual. Other notable changes include a fix for a GPU issue that caused apps to crash, and a fix for a problem that prevented Excel and Outlook from launching.

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Not every Windows 11 Dev Channel build has new features for Insiders to try out. With some releases the focus is more on fixing problems, to make the test version of the OS more stable.

That’s the case with today’s new flight, Build 25131, which fixes quite a few problems, and also highlights two new known issues.

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This week, we have written about the Follina zero-day vulnerability that allows for remote code execution on a victim's computer. Despite having been known about for a number of weeks, Microsoft is still yet to issue a patch for the actively exploited critical security flaw, instead simply offering details of a workaround.

As has been the case in the past, a third party has come to the rescue. Micro-patching firm 0patch has released a free fix for the vulnerability -- for Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 -- which is tracked as CVE-2022-30190 and relates to the Microsoft Windows Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) component of Windows.

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Just yesterday, we reported that Microsoft was readying a new Surface Laptop Go, with many of the specs revealed early on a Korean website.

We said that Microsoft was planning to announce the new device "in the coming weeks", but it turns out we don't have to wait anywhere near that long as the software giant today introduces the new Surface Laptop Go 2, with a starting price of $599.

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Computer users have been "doing Windows" since the 1980s. That long run doesn’t mean everyone knows the best-kept secrets of the globally ubiquitous operating system. Windows 10 All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition offers a deep guide for navigating the basics of Windows 10 and diving into more advanced features.  

Authors and recognized Windows experts Ciprian Rusen and Woody Leonhard deliver a comprehensive and practical resource that provides the knowledge you need to operate Windows 10, along with a few shortcuts to make using a computer feel less like work. 

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Yesterday we wrote about a zero-day vulnerability called Follina which allows for remote code execution on a victim's computer. While the flow -- tracked as CVE-2022-30190 -- has been described as an Office vulnerability, it is really the result of a security issue with a component of Windows.

A problem exists in the Microsoft Windows Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) which is found in all supported versions of Windows, including Windows 11. The vulnerability has been billed as an Office vulnerability as using a malicious Word file is one of the easiest attack vectors to exploit the flaw. But what is worrying about the vulnerability, apart from the fact that Microsoft has not fixed it yet, is that the company was made aware of the fact that it was being actively exploited way back on April 12.

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Is Windows 11 a good desktop operating system. Absolutely. Is it the best desktop operating system? Well, that is harder to answer. Ultimately, if you are 100 percent dependent on Windows software, then yes, Windows 11 is the best operating system... for you. If you can get by without using software designed for Microsoft's OS, however, a Linux-based operating system might be the better option -- especially if you have an older computer.

You see, Windows 11 is very polarizing. The operating system features radical changes to the user interface (such as a centered task bar) which some users do like, but many others do not. Not to mention, the system requirements will leave many still-capable computers unable to upgrade without using unofficial hacks. Even worse, computers deemed incompatible could eventually stop getting updates! Linux doesn't have these problems.

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In the coming weeks, Microsoft is expected to share details of a new Surface Laptop Go. However, it seems we may already know much of what to expect, after a listing for the yet-to-be-announced Surface Laptop Go 2 popped up on a Korean website.

While news of the upcoming device will interest those in the market for an updated model, the listing shows that there may not be a great deal to get excited about besides an upgraded processor.

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While Microsoft may be quick to point out security vulnerabilities in other companies' products, its own software is far from infallible. A good example of this is the recently discovered 'Follina' security hole that affects Microsoft Office.

The vulnerability can be exploited to launch PowerShell and execute a variety of malicious commands; all that a victim needs to do is open a specially crafted Word file. Tracked as CVE-2022-30190, Microsoft has released details of a workaround that helps to mitigate the issue.

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The Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team has shared details of several high-severity vulnerabilities found in a mobile framework used in popular apps associated with a number of big names.

The framework is owned by mce Systems, and is used in apps from numerous mobile providers. The apps -- from the likes of AT&T, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada -- are often pre-installed on Android handsets, but they have also been downloaded millions of times. If exploited, the vulnerabilities allow for local or remote attacks, including command injection and privilege escalation attacks.

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In a move that will please -- and surprise -- many, Microsoft has added WSL 2 distro support to Windows Server.

The new Windows Subsystem for Linux functionality is not available by default, as it requires the installation of a special update. This will be officially released on Patch Tuesday, but it is also available as a preview right now for anyone who does not want to wait.

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Trend Micro has issued a warning about the preview of the KB5014019 update for Windows 11, released by Microsoft a few days ago.

The security firm says that it is aware of a compatibility issue between the update and "the User Mode Hooking (UMH) component of several Trend Micro endpoint solutions". The problems affect both Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022.

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Having already introduced a new subscription management feature to the Accounts section of Settings, Microsoft is taking things further with the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25126.

The latest build has just been launched on the Dev Channel, and it sees the roll out of new account settings page improvements as well as numerous fixes. The change in Settings means that it is easier to see details of all supported Office perpetual products linked to your account, in addition to Microsoft 365 subscriptions

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For Windows 11 users who like to live on the edge, Microsoft has released a preview version of the KB5014019 update that will be made available to a wider audience when Patch Tuesday next rolls around.

This is an optional, non-security update, that not only addresses a number of problems that have emerged in the operating system, but also introduces Windows spotlight on the desktop which Microsoft says "brings the world to your desktop with new background pictures". There are also tweaks to Widgets, and improvements to the Family Safety verification experience.

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