All articles tagged with #windows
ReactOS merged initial kernel support for Windows Job Objects, enabling groups of processes to be managed as a single unit and paving the way for running modern Windows software (like browsers) on the open-source OS, with pre-Windows 8 functionality implemented and more features to come.
Check Point Research disclosed a technique that abuses Microsoft Defender’s built-in boot-time removal driver, BTR.sys, to perform kernel-level file and registry operations and potentially delete Defender components during boot. The driver is embedded in Defender and can be triggered with a PoC tool (BTR_CLI); it requires administrative SeLoadDriverPrivilege, but there is no evidence of real-world abuse yet. This isn’t a traditional software vulnerability but an architectural trust boundary that could be exploited, and Microsoft notes it doesn’t require immediate servicing. Defenses include restricting SeLoadDriverPrivilege and monitoring for specific Sysmon/Windows events, since BTR.sys is hard to blocklist without disrupting Defender.
Apple still supports iTunes in 2026, but it’s no longer a single hub: macOS uses separate Music, TV, and Podcasts apps with Finder-based device syncing, Windows has likewise split into multiple apps, and iTunes Store plus iTunes Match remain for legacy use; third-party tools can help manage libraries, keeping iTunes alive mainly for older setups.
The article compares the base models of the MacBook Air and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition, finding the Air at $1,299 generally offers stronger price-to-performance (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) and a brighter mini‑LED display, while the ThinkPad at $2,249 provides more RAM (32GB), more ports, and an optional 2.8K OLED 120Hz screen. In benchmarks, the MacBook Air outperforms the ThinkPad, and battery life is competitive (Air ~18 hours video; ThinkPad up to ~19 hours on LCD or ~13 hours with OLED). The verdict: the MacBook Air is the better ultralight value for most buyers, but the ThinkPad remains the choice for Windows users who want more RAM, diverse ports, and OLED options.
Microsoft issued August Patch Tuesday updates to fix CVE-2026-62832, a Windows User Profile Service zero-day nicknamed LegacyHive that could let an authenticated local attacker load another user's registry hive and gain administrator privileges. The Nightmare Eclipse PoC reportedly required credentials, limiting weaponization, and defenders published Defender detection queries while 0Patch released unofficial patches; several related zero-days remain unpatched.
North Korea’s Lazarus Group exploited a Windows zero-day (CVE-2026-68820) to gain SYSTEM privileges and install a backdoor named Troy as part of Operation Dream Job, targeting defense and aerospace firms in France, Germany, Brazil and India. The campaign blends social engineering (fake LinkedIn recruiters) with a trojanized SecurityPDF viewer to trigger a DLL side-loading chain, dropping the MISTPEN downloader and ForestTiger/ScoringMathTea for remote access, while hijacking compromised WordPress/SharePoint/Roundcube infrastructure for C2 via Microsoft Graph API/OneDrive and using AFD.sys privilege escalation to stay hidden.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 KB5101684 update adds reliability and performance improvements across versions 24H2/25H2/26H1. It enhances Explorer-related tasks (Jump Lists, recent files), file sharing, and Task View, plus lock/login screen stability and startup responsiveness for Start Menu/Taskbar. The post-update cleanup is lighter, making systems feel faster immediately after install. While benefits are claimed for all RAM levels, devices with 8GB RAM or less should notice the biggest gains in responsiveness.
Microsoft’s August Patch Tuesday closes 398 CVEs, including CVE-2026-68820—a use‑after‑free in afd.sys that can escalate from code execution to SYSTEM and is under active exploitation—making it the top priority; four other high‑severity flaws (CVE-2026-62878 in Windows DNS Server, CVE-2026-62893 in Windows Deployment Services, CVE-2026-62815 in Microsoft QUIC, and CVE-2026-59124 in HPC Pack) are unauthenticated RCEs whose exploitation depends on service exposure. The update also finishes a two‑part SharePoint chain (CVE-2026-55040 and CVE-2026-63520) first disclosed by Rapid7. Prioritize systems with exposed DNS/WDS/QUIC/HPC services and ensure on‑prem SharePoint farms apply both July and August fixes to close the chain.
Microsoft’s August 2026 Patch Tuesday patches roughly 400 vulnerabilities across a broad Microsoft stack, including three zero-days. The fixes span Windows, Office, Azure, Exchange, SharePoint, SQL, PowerShell, and more, with many critical remote code execution and elevation-of-privilege flaws addressed. Organizations should apply the updates promptly to reduce exposure to exploitation.
Microsoft reportedly raised Windows OEM licensing fees by 7-10% starting July, with tiered increases by CPU, prompting PC makers to push end-user prices up around 5% in Q3 amid ongoing component shortages and higher software costs.
Taiwan’s United Daily News reports Microsoft boosted Windows license fees for OEMs by about 7–10%, a sharper rise than the typical single-digit increases, a move that could be passed to consumers via higher PC prices amid ongoing RAM shortages. Consumer Windows licenses stay at $99 for Home and $199 for Pro, and Microsoft did not comment on the report.
Apple plans to enable cross-device clipboard syncing between iPhone and Windows PCs as part of the EU interoperability push, a feature Android users have had for years via Microsoft’s Phone Link and SwiftKey. The implementation uses an iOS extension and Apple’s Accessory Transport Extension framework, and requires user permission for each paired PC. Microsoft pushed for the feature, and Apple notes it’s a major engineering effort that may wrap up in fall 2027, potentially limited to EU users under current rules.
Apple has agreed in the EU to develop a cross-device clipboard feature that would let iPhone clipboard contents be shared with paired Windows PCs, responding to Microsoft's interoperability request. The plan uses an extension to transfer pasteboard data via the Accessory Notifications and Accessory Transport Extension frameworks, with per-device user consent and reliance on AccessorySetupKit. Development is targeted for completion by fall 2027, with a developer beta before a public release, potentially as part of iOS 28, and the EU scope may limit availability.
Unit 42 details three post-compromise attack paths—Pass-ta-key, Silver Pass-ta-key, and Golden Pass-ta-key—that let malware on Windows abuse Chrome's Google Password Manager to sign into passkey-protected accounts, re-enroll devices, or extract the 32-byte Security Domain Secret from memory. The flaws do not break cryptography but target how Chrome stores device keys, re-enrolls devices, and checks user verification. No CVEs are listed and there are no confirmed exploits in the wild as of Aug 3, 2026. Mitigations include requiring userVerification, attesting newly enrolled keys, strengthening re-registration/recovery checks, restricting local passkey state access, and avoiding logging sensitive data. It’s unclear if SDS rotation or revocation is possible with current fixes.
USB tethering lets you share your phone’s cellular data with a computer over a USB cable, often providing a more stable, private connection (and charging the phone) compared to wireless hotspots. On Android, enable USB tethering under Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering (the USB option must be data-capable and may be greyed out on some cables). On iPhone, connect via USB and enable Personal Hotspot, then accept Trust prompts as needed. Note that Android-to-Mac tethering isn’t supported, and some carriers or plans may limit or charge for tethering; performance also depends on your phone’s cellular signal and cable quality.