Articles about Windows

The latest batch of documents published by WikiLeaks as part of its Vault 7 CIA series purportedly reveals the tools used by the agency to create malware for Windows. The Grasshopper framework is revealed in 27 documents, and they show how to create Windows installers with a malware payload.

Importantly, Grasshopper allows for the easy creation of custom malware delivery options, dependant on the operating system and virus protection detected on a target machine. The documents show that the CIA repurposed malware from Russian and Italian organized crime groups.

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Black Bird Cleaner is a suite of PC cleanup and optimization tools, available in a cut-down free version and a $24.95 Pro build.

The program requires installation, but takes up minimal hard drive space -- barely 1MB -- and doesn’t install any system components.

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Whenever you visit a website your browser hands over a user agent, a text string which tells the site about your browser, operating system, plugins and more.

This scheme was designed to help sites customize themselves to different devices, but user agents can be misused to help fingerprint your computer and track you online.

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Pablo Software Solutions has released WYSIWYG Web Builder 12, a major new version of its DTP-style web building tool for Windows users.

Version 12 introduces over 125 new and improved features, with one brand new addition in the form of Blocks, a new option for quickly adding predefined blocks of objects to the workspace. Other highlights include a photo collage tool, CSS flexbox support and new Easy Mode feature.

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CPUMon is a simple desktop gadget which can plot CPU usage and display free and used RAM in real time.

You can do this already -- and a lot more -- in the Windows 10 Task Manager, of course (check the Performance tab), but that’s a bulky dialog which grabs more screen real estate than you might want to spare.

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When you’re online you might occasionally want to know your external IP address, perhaps to confirm the internet connection you’re using or find out whether a VPN is working.

The easiest way to do this is via a browser window. A site like WhatIsMyIP.com will display your address immediately, or you could simply enter IP at Google, and your address will be top of the search results.

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If you are keeping track of Windows 10's adoption, you probably know that the operating system has hit a plateau. According to NetMarketShare, it has been hovering around the 25 percent usage share mark for a few months now. That said, it still remains the second most-popular version of Windows (and OS), coming after Windows 7.

However, if we look at the business space in particular, Windows 10 is actually nowhere near as popular with PC users. Microsoft's latest operating system lags far behind Windows 7 and Windows XP too. One might expect Windows 7 to come out ahead, the fact that Windows XP ranks higher may come as a surprise.

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We already know that interest in Windows 10 is on the wane, but now Android is more popular than any version of Windows with Internet users. Google's mobile operating system has overtaken Windows as the preference for getting online for the first time.

Usage figures published by StatCounter show that Android accounted for 37.93 percent of the worldwide OS Internet usage share in March. Windows is not far behind at 37.91 percent, but Android taking the lead is being described as a "milestone in technology history."

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Did you update Flash on your PC? How about Java? According to cybersecurity firm Avast, you probably didn't -- and that's the number one cause of cybersecurity incidents.

Avast just released a new report, entitled Avast PC Trends Report January 2017, which is based on insights from the company’s AVG TuneUp product, and says that more than half (52 percent) of the most popular PC applications have outdated installations on consumers' devices.

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Security researchers at Cybellum have revealed details of a zero-day exploit that makes it possible for an attacker to take full control of antivirus software. The technique can be used to take control of just about any application, but by focusing on antivirus tools, the illusion of safety offered to victims means they are likely to be completely unaware of what is happening.

The attack works by exploiting the Microsoft Application Verifier that's built into Windows. It is possible to replace the tool with a custom verifier which can then be used to inject malicious code into any chosen application. A number of well-known antivirus tools -- including Avast, BitDefender, ESET, Kaspersky, and F-Secure -- are vulnerable, while patches have been released for others.

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If you are like me, running just one operating system isn't enough -- maybe you dual boot or have multiple computers. I, for example, have a Windows 10 desktop, MacBook Pro laptop, and a Linux box. The problem with this setup, you see, is that my desk gets very crowded and messy. Believe it or not, I have just one monitor for all of my computers (I switch between HDMI and DisplayPort), but multiple keyboards, touch pads and mice -- it can be distracting.

Today, Logitech launches a brilliant product that should solve my dilemma. The MK850 Performance Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo works with Windows, Mac, Android, Chrome OS and iOS. It should work with desktop Linux distributions too, such as Ubuntu and Fedora. With the click of a button, both the keyboard and mouse can switch between up to three computers or operating systems. This includes mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones (the mouse will not work with iOS, however). Best of all, both of the input devices are ergonomic and look elegant.

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Kdenlive has been a popular non-linear video editor in the Linux world for a very long time, but the developers have also recently released a first Windows port.

The build doesn't skimp on functions: there's a full multi-track timeline and an array of effects and transitions to explore.

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Google has announced that it plans to introduce placeholders on Google Drive. The search giant is currently beta testing the new feature, which is officially called Drive File Stream, with the help of G Suite users as part of the Early Adopter Program.

Drive File Stream enables users to access content stored in their Google Drive account without actually downloading it on their device. It works similarly to Dropbox Smart Sync or OneDrive placeholders on Windows 8.

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Around a year ago I took a look at the iClever Tri-folding Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard, having previously examined the iClever Portable Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard. The latest addition to the range follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, but this time boasts a trackpad.

This is a Bluetooth keyboard that can be configured to connect to up to three devices -- phones, tablets, laptops, and so on. The keys are nearly full-sized (just 9 percent smaller than normal), and the right-hand side of the fold-out unit is occupied by a laptop-style trackpad that allows for easier control of the device you connect to, and eliminates the need to carry a mouse as well.

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Last week 0patch produced what was described as the first 0-day patch for Windows in lieu of Microsoft's usual Patch Tuesday release. It came after Google revealed a pair of vulnerabilities affecting IE/Edge and Windows.

Having addressed the problem in Windows, 0patch is at it again, this time patching the "type confusion" bug (CVE-2017-0037) that plagues Internet Explorer and Edge. This patch is described as an attempt to "release a simple temporary patch that blocks an attacker than try to create a perfect patch", and it's available for anyone who is willing to place their trust in third-party patching.

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