Microsoft could be about to use the Windows Feature Experience Pack app to deliver non-core updates to Windows 10
Microsoft seems to have big things in store for Windows 10 in 2020, but it's not exactly clear what at the moment. A few people have recently noticed that after updating to Windows 10 version 19536 that there is a reference to something called Windows Feature Experience Pack under in the About section of System Settings.
But things get more intriguing. A dummy app from Microsoft called Windows Feature Experience Pack has been spotted in the Microsoft Store, leading to speculation that the company could start to deliver some Windows 10 updates via an app, keeping them separate from more major updates to the operating system.
Microsoft reveals a new Windows logo and scores of redesigned icons
Aesthetics are an important part of app design and branding, and change is not something that is undertaken lightly -- particularly when it comes to big names. Following on from revealing a new-look icon for its Chromium-based Edge browser, Microsoft has now taken the wraps off more than 100 redesigned icons.
This is not a minor undertaking. Here Microsoft is introducing new colors, materials and finishes as the company goes all-in with its Fluent design language.
Zorin OS 15.1 Linux distro is ready to replace Microsoft's dying Windows 7 on your PC
Windows 7's death is imminent -- support for the popular operating system ends next month on January 14, making it extremely dangerous to use from a security standpoint after that date. This is very unfortunate for the millions of computer users that don't want to switch to the much-maligned Windows 10. Thankfully, in 2019, you don't have to run Windows anymore -- Linux is a totally legitimate option for both business and home use these days. Hell, even the Windows-maker sees the writing on the wall -- the company recently released its wildly popular Office 365 program, Microsoft Teams, for Linux.
If you are ready to ditch the soon-to-be-unsupported Windows 7 for a more secure Linux-based operating system, you have plenty of great options. One of the best choices, however, is Zorin OS -- a Linux distribution that specifically targets people switching from Windows. Today, the latest version of that operating system, Zorin OS 15.1, is released to the world.
New Undercover mode lets Kali Linux users pretend to be running Windows
Kali Linux is a security-focused, Debian-based distro popular with hackers and penetration testers. It can be used to identify, detect, and exploit vulnerabilities uncovered in a target network environment.
Offensive Security, which maintains the Kali Linux project, has just announced its fourth and final release of the year, and version 2019.4 comes packed with lots of changes and new features, including an intriguing Kali Undercover mode that lets you pretend to be using Windows.
Microsoft updates Windows Terminal preview with multiple panes and tab re-ordering
With the latest release of the Linux-inspired Windows Terminal preview, Microsoft just made the app a whole lot more useful and user-friendly.
The addition of a multi-pane option to Windows Terminal v0.7 means that it is now possible to run two terminals side by side -- something that will be appreciated by many users. Other changes include the arrival of tab re-ordering, and a thinning of the border around Terminal.
Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool updated to support new versions
Microsoft published an updated version of the company's .NET Framework Repair Tool this week; the new version supports newer versions of the Microsoft .NET Framework, in particular versions 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2 and 4.8, which older versions did not support.
Administrators may download the latest version of the application from the Microsoft website. The list of supported .Net Framework versions is available on the same page and links are provided to download these to the local system (which is useful when the program is run in offline mode).
Microsoft teams up with chipmakers to create Secured-core PCs with unhackable firmware
Microsoft is partnering with PC manufacturers and chip-makers on a new initiative designed to make systems with firmware that cannot be hacked.
Called Secured-core PCs, the systems apply the security best practices of isolation and minimal trust to the firmware layer. This helps to protect systems from low-level interference by malicious code.
Windows users can now protect their accounts with Yubico security keys
Yubico, a company best known for its hardware security keys, launched a new application for Microsoft's Windows operating system this week called Yubico Login.
The free software adds another layer of security to the local login process on Windows machines to better protect the system from unauthorized access.
Modified PcShare backdoor replaces Windows Narrator to gain full control of systems
Security researchers have discovered a modified version of the open source backdoor PcShare which seems to originate from a Chinese advanced persistent threat (APT) group.
The malware has been used to target technology firms, and it is deployed via side-loading by a legitimate NVIDIA application. As part of the attack, a Trojanized version of Windows' Narrator screen reading tool is used to gain remote access to systems without the need for credentials.
Microsoft quietly fixes SWAPGS processor vulnerability to protect Windows users
It has been revealed that Microsoft silently pushed out a patch to Windows users to fix a vulnerability that affected Intel CPUs produced since 2012 -- which means everything post Ivy Bridge chips.
The SWAPGS vulnerability is similar to the now-famous Spectre and Meltdown chip flaws, and was discovered by security firm Bitdefender a year ago; the fact that it has now been patched was only revealed at the BlackHat security conference. Red Hat says that an update to the Linux kernel is needed to protect against the flaw which it says affects both Intel and AMD chips, although Bitdefender has not been able to find any issues with AMD's processors.
'Critical' vulnerability discovered in VLC on Linux and Windows -- but VideoLAN says it is not reproducible
Reports have emerged of a security bug in the Windows and Linux versions of VLC, making it vulnerable to remote-code execution via malicious videos. But although German and American security experts have branded the flaw as "critical", VLC-maker VideoLAN is downplaying things.
In fact, more than downplaying the vulnerability, VideoLAN is flat-out denying that it exists, with the software developer dismissing it as "fake news". [UPDATE: the vulnerability has now been pretty much debunked]
Microsoft sneaks telemetry into Windows 7 via security update
Microsoft appears to be at it again, adding telemetry components into its operating system. This time around it is Windows 7 that gets the telemetry treatment, and Microsoft seems to have gone about things in a rather sneaky fashion.
The latest "security-only" update for Windows 7 includes a Compatibility Appraiser element (KB2952664) which performs checks to see whether a system can be updated to Windows 10. Hardly what most people would consider a security-only update. So what's going on?
Microsoft announces Windows 1.0
The new season of Stranger Things starts on Netflix this Thursday -- July 4th -- and is being described by reviewers as a return to form, great news for anyone who felt a bit let down by season 2.
The new season is set in 1985, a year which gave us the Live Aid concerts, New Coke, Calvin and Hobbes, Back to the Future, and the first version of Microsoft Windows.
Windows Terminal preview now available to download
At its Build 2019 developer conference earlier this year, Microsoft revealed the Linux-inspired Windows Terminal, which gives access to the Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) in one place.
The code has been available to download and compile for a little while, but now Microsoft has released a ready-made Windows Terminal app for anyone to try out.
Security flaw in Dell SupportAssist tool puts millions of Windows systems at risk
A Windows support tool bundled with Dell computers has a high-severity security hole that leaves millions of systems at risk of a privilege-escalation attack.
Dell has announced that both the Business and Home versions of its SupportAssist tool have a security vulnerability within the PC Doctor component that requires immediate patching. The discovery was made by SafeBreach, and there could be over 100 million systems that are affected.
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