Hackers could use Windows 10 themes to steal passwords
People like to be individuals, and in the computing arena one way to be a little different is to change the look of Windows by using themes. But a security researcher has warned of a technique that could be exploited by hackers to trick users into divulging their Windows login details when applying a theme.
Malicious theme packs can be used to execute a "pass-the-hash" attack which sends passwords to a remote server. The specially designed themes are easy to create, andthe way the credential stealing attack works will fool many people -- but there are protective measures that can be put in place.
Zorin OS 15.3 Linux distro can replace buggy Microsoft Windows 10 on your PC
So, here we are in September, six months removed from the release of Zorin OS 15.2. A lot has happened since March -- a pandemic, civil unrest, and out-of-control wildfires are just a few of the things that have made this year quite stressful. Not all is bad, however, as we have football starting up this week -- a great distraction to life's stresses.
Today we also get some big news on the Linux front -- Zorin OS 15.3 is finally here. True, it is just a point release, but once again, it should be the best version of Zorin yet. While great for Linux experts, I highly recommend it to those looking to switch from the buggy and much-maligned Windows 10. Zorin OS is a stable and well-designed operating system that is reminiscent of Windows. And so, its familiarity is a great way for Windows users to comfortably experience Linux. Version 15.3 comes with LibreOffice 6.4.6, which is a great alternative to Microsoft Office.
Open source Mario Kart clone SuperTuxKart 1.2 is FREE on Windows, Mac, and Linux
Some people think you need expensive hardware to have fun playing video games, but the truth is, you don't. Believe it or not, there are plenty of free games that can run well on a fairly meager PC. No, I am not just talking about emulating classic video games (piracy is bad, mmkay). Actually, there are some really fun PC games that you can legally download at no charge.
One such popular game is SuperTuxKart. This open source Mario Kart clone is totally FREE on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It can even be had on Android too. Rather than use Nintendo mascots, the racers in SuperTuxKart are based on open source projects -- it is quite cute. The game even has network support these days, so you can have a multiplayer experience over the internet. SuperTuxKart recently reached version 1.2, and the new version is chock full of improvements. The developers are also sharing their plans for the future of the game.
Microsoft releases KB4578013 to fix two Windows Remote Access Elevation of Privilege vulnerabilities
Microsoft has released an out of band security update that addresses two separate Windows Remote Access Elevation of Privilege vulnerabilities.
KB4578013 fixes the CVE-2020-1530 and CVE-2020-1537 issues relating to Windows Remote Access' handling of memory and file operation respectively. Microsoft had already issued a patch for Windows 10 earlier this month, but the new patch is aimed at people running Windows 8.1, RT 8.1, and Server 2012 R2.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Three-hundred-and-ninety-seven in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system turned five this week. Check out Wayne's look back at how it all started out and why things are not better than they are right now.
Huge BootHole flaw in GRUB2 bootloader leaves millions of Windows and Linux systems at risk from hackers
A serious vulnerability dubbed BootHole has been discovered in the GRUB2 bootloader. Millions of systems run the risk of being exposed to hackers -- primarily those running Linux, but Windows is also affected. Discovered by security researchers at Eclypsium, the BootHole vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2020-10713 ("GRUB2: crafted grub.cfg file can lead to arbitrary code execution during boot process") and a CVSS rating of 8.2.
The flaw can be exploited to gain arbitrary code execution during the boot process, even when Secure Boot is enabled and virtually all Linux distributions are affected. But more than this, the vulnerability also leaves Windows systems that make use of Secure Boot with the standard Microsoft Third Party UEFI Certificate Authority open to attack.
Consolidate all your boot media on to a single flash drive with Ventoy
How many boot discs or flash drives do you own? It’s possible to build up quite a collection, from Linux live CDs and antivirus rescue discs to boot media for apps as diverse as drive imaging to data recovery.
Thanks to Ventoy 1.0.15, you can now consolidate all your boot media: instead of five, six or however many boot discs you need, everything is stored on a single flash drive. The larger the flash drive, the more boot media you can install on it.
Microsoft is dropping PHP support from Windows
PHP 8.0 is due for release in November, but when this major new version appears Windows will not support it.
The company says that bug fixes and security patches will continue to be released for the lifecycles of PHP versions 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4. But when the latest version is released later this year, Microsoft will "not [...] be supporting PHP for Windows in any capacity for version 8.0 and beyond".
How to uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows
Microsoft has been quite aggressive in pushing out the Chromium-based version of Edge, and not everyone is happy about it.
There is understandable anger at having a browser that isn't necessarily wanted being forcibly installed -- and to add insult to injury, Microsoft has also made it impossible to uninstall Edge. But there is actually a way to get rid of the browser. Here's what you need to know.
Windows 10 May 2020 Update is breaking OneDrive Files On-Demand for some people
Microsoft has acknowledged OneDrive connectivity problems on some devices that have been upgraded to Windows 10 May 2020 Update (Windows 10 version 2004).
An error message reading "OneDrive cannot connect to Windows" informs affected users that Files On-Demand require an internet connection to function. The problem means that people are unable to access some of their files -- at least until they apply a workaround.
Microsoft publishes Windows Terminal 2.0 roadmap
Windows 10 is undeniably a graphic-based operating system, but there have always been various text-driven command line options too. With Microsoft increasingly embracing Linux, the arrival of Windows Terminal was pleasing if unsurprising.
The utility provides access to the Command Prompt, PowerShell and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), and although version 1.0 has only just been released, Microsoft has already published it roadmap for Windows Terminal 2.0.
Microsoft shifts the focus of Windows 10X to single-screen devices
In a blog post talking not only about the upcoming release of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Panos Panay also made some revelations about Windows 10X.
Originally destined for dual-screen devices, the Chief Product Officer of Windows and Devices says that "the world is a very different place" to when Microsoft first set out plans for the operating system. Now there is something of a shift in focus and Windows 10X will appear on single-screen devices that make use of the cloud.
Microsoft's new Bing Wallpaper application is now available
Microsoft released a new application for Windows devices this week called Bing Wallpaper. Windows users may install the application to automatically download Bing wallpapers and have them set as the system's background image.
The application has not been released as a Microsoft Store app but as a desktop program. Users should not confuse it with the open source program Bing Wallpaper which Mike reviewed in 2017 here on BetaNews.
Zoom security vulnerability can be used to steal Windows login credentials
Zoom's popularity has accelerated in recent weeks thanks to the number of people now forced to work from home and conduct meetings online. Now security researchers have discovered a worrying vulnerability in the software that could be used to steal Windows login credentials.
The vulnerability steams from the fact that Zoom converts URLs that are sent in messages into clickable links. The same is true for UNC paths, and if such a link is clicked, it is possible to grab a user's login name and their NTLM password hash and decrypt it.
Microsoft warns that hackers are exploiting two unpatched Windows bugs
Microsoft has warned that all versions of Windows feature critical unpatched RCE vulnerabilities. The security problems stem from the Windows Adobe Type Manager Library, and relates to the parsing of fonts.
The company is working on a fix which will be released when the next Patch Tuesday rolls around -- but for Windows 7 users, despite the critical nature of the bugs, it is only those who have paid for an ESU licence that will get the security update. There is a bit of good news, however. While the vulnerability is yet to be patched, there is a workaround available that will do the job for the time being.
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