You can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free

When Windows 10 first appeared, Microsoft made quite a fuss about that fact that while it was possible to upgrade for free, this was a time-limited offer. Many people rushed to upgrade because they felt the deadline was hanging over them like the sword of Damocles… but it seems that the deadline was not as pressing as Microsoft made out. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that more than five years after the launch of Windows 10, it is still possible to upgrade for free. So what's going on? See also: Windows 10 November 2019 Update is breaking… [Continue Reading]

RCS is being implemented dangerously, leaving users vulnerable to attack

Security experts from Security Research Labs (SRLabs) have warned that carriers are implementing RCS (Rich Communication Services which will supersede SMS) in ways that risk leaving users exposed to all manner of attack. The German hacking research collective issues the stark warning that "RCS technology exposes most mobile users to hacking". This is not because of inherent problems with the messaging protocol, but with the ways in which it is being implement. See also: Google is rolling out RCS messaging to Android users in the US Google is bringing RCS messaging to users directly instead of waiting for carriers Google… [Continue Reading]

Best Windows 10 apps this week

Three-hundred-and-sixty-three 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. There are plenty of Black Friday deals in the Microsoft Store. Discounts for games, applications and official hardware. As always, if I've missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email. Discounts this week The following list is a selection of the best deals. Make sure you check out the Store… [Continue Reading]

Why mobile healthcare apps are at risk [Q&A]

Cyber-attacks represent a real threat to unprotected healthcare mobile apps. The overall operational integrity of these apps is at risk, but there's also a significant risk of malicious attacks on the medical devices themselves, personal health information, and intellectual property. We spoke to Rusty Carter, VP of product management at Arxan to find out more about the risks and how they can be addressed. BN: Are attacks against medical devices increasing? RC: Most of those devices are connecting through mobiles, so your phone and now more often your watch, as technologies have advanced. Mobile attacks are really the way to… [Continue Reading]

A quarter of UK smaller businesses don't have an IT disaster plan

Almost one in four of UK SMEs -- around 1.4 million businesses -- don't have an IT disaster recovery plan in place. Yet, 80 percent of businesses who suffered a major incident ended up failing within within 18 months, according to the Association of British Insurers. A survey of over 1,100 IT workers by technology services provider Probrand also finds 54 percent reveal that their disaster plan isn't regularly tested to identify and fix any potential flaws in their DR process. In addition 33 percent claim that their company's disaster recovery plan has never been tested during their employment. A worrying… [Continue Reading]

Forecasting the cloud security landscape in 2020

Every year, threat actors will continue to evolve their current tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that they use in order to exfiltrate customer, company and partner data, interrupt business operations, implant ransomware, and more. In fact, cybercrime damage costs are predicted to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021, according to research from Cybersecurity Ventures. In 2020, as cybercriminals refine their methods, we will continue to see a plethora of breaches occur due to a common vulnerability: misconfigurations. Despite organizations running an average of 40 percent of their workloads in the public cloud, most companies fail to be able to accurately… [Continue Reading]

No, Microsoft is not removing AutoLogin from Windows 10 version 2004

Windows Insiders who upgraded devices running Insider Builds of the Windows 10 operating system to the latest build, Windows 10 build 19033, may have noticed that the option to sign-in automatically is no longer available. Automatic Login is quite useful in certain circumstances; I use the feature on all of my devices to sign in quicker. The devices are fully encrypted and the master password needs to be entered during boot before Windows is even loaded. The feature is also useful in Enterprise environments if user accounts are used on devices that are not linked to a specific employee. Sergey… [Continue Reading]

KnewKey's Rocksete is a stunning retro-inspired mechanical keyboard with JBL sound [Review]

Most people who buy a keyboard for their tablet will opt for something slim and portable that can be used wherever they go. KnewKey’s Rocksete is the total opposite of that. It’s big, solid and heavy, and designed to pretty much stay in the one place. It’s also an amazing piece of kit, blending a quality mechanical keyboard (with LED dynamic backlighting), and JBL speakers. You can use it with a tablet, phone, and even a laptop thanks to the add-on holder. While you can take it out in public should you choose to, I wouldn't advise it if you… [Continue Reading]

Using a high screen resolution on Raspberry Pi 4 can kill Wi-Fi

A strange bug has been discovered with the Raspberry Pi 4 which sees Wi-Fi failing when the screen resolution is set to 2560 x 1440. Numerous users have taken to online forums -- including the official Raspberry Pi support forums – where various workarounds have been discussed. Of course, the simple solution to this problem is to use a lower resolution, but the root causes of it are still under investigation. See also: Windows 10 November 2019 Update is breaking File Explorer ICE-Tower brings extreme cooling to the Raspberry Pi Microsoft is blocking Windows 10 updates for some Avast and… [Continue Reading]

Twitter puts its account cull on hold... because it forgot about dead people

When Twitter announced plans to close down accounts that have not been used for a period of six months or more, reaction was mixed. While many people recognized the value in getting rid of the millions of accounts that artificially inflate follower numbers and take up usernames that could be assigned to other people, there were concerns too. In particular, friends and relatives of deceased Twitter users expressed concern that they would no longer be able to access the old tweets of their loved ones. Now Twitter has said that it will now put its plans on hold... at least… [Continue Reading]

Valve finally kills Steam Controller -- sells remaining stock for $5 each

Remember when Valve had ambitious plans about revolutionizing the PC gaming landscape with the Linux-based SteamOS and its own "revolutionary" Steam Controller? Yeah, well, those dreams are dead. The company's Steam Machines (computers running SteamOS) were an utter failure and died an early death. The Steam Controller (a product I once had high hopes for) was a chore to use and is just a terrible product. For whatever reason, however, it lived on. Finally, after several years, that game pad is being canceled. In fact, to show how much a failure it is, Valve is selling all remaining stock for $5. Yes,… [Continue Reading]

Malwarebytes AdwCleaner 8.0 unveils refreshed UI to better deal with pests

Less than a month after unveiling MBAM 4.0, Malwarebytes has released Malwarebytes AdwCleaner 8.0, a major new version of its standalone adware-cleaning tool. AdwCleaner 8.0 updates its optional in-app installer to ensure the latest version of Malwarebytes is installed going forward, plus drops support for Windows XP and Vista. Its UI has also been refreshed to chime with MBAM 4.0’s. AdwCleaner provides a portable, streamlined tool designed to target adware, PUPs and preinstalled software. Its interface is similar to Malwarebytes, but is obviously simpler: after launch, click 'Scan Now' and it’ll update its internal database before scanning your computer. The… [Continue Reading]

Cybersecurity is not top priority for enterprises say CISOs

Chief information security officers (CISO) are regularly being summoned by the board of directors to provide recommendations for the business, but this doesn’t mean cybersecurity is being prioritized. A new study of over 300 cybersecurity executives by 451 Research for Kaspersky finds 60 percent of respondents say business leaders need input from their CISO most often when an internal cybersecurity incident happens, while 57 percent schedule meetings with the board on a regular basis, and 56 percent are requested to provide their expert opinions on future IT projects. But despite their profile and value to the board, CISOs still face… [Continue Reading]

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. SEE ALSO: Why Kali Linux is loved by penetration testers [Q&A] Kali Linux arrives on Raspberry Pi 4 Kali Linux sets out its roadmap for 2019/20… [Continue Reading]

No-deal Brexit: Tips for migrating data to preserve the free flow of business

With Brexit looming large, the only thing that is certain is the uncertainty of Brexit’s impact. A no-deal Brexit conjures visions of trucks and ships backed up at border crossings and ports of entry, slowing commerce to a snail’s pace. But the real business impact of a no-deal Brexit is in the free flow of data between the EU and the U.K., and many small and mid-sized businesses are likely unprepared. It is estimated that 80 percent of Britain’s economy is founded on services, not goods. Between 2005 and 2015, the volume of data entering and leaving the U.K. increased… [Continue Reading]

Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 19033 -- officially names the update Windows 10 2004

You can tell we’re getting closer to the release of Windows 10 20H1 as the watermark has vanished from the Insider builds, and the latest flight, Build 19033, is available for both Fast and Slow rings. Microsoft also says it is going to start releasing new test builds in the future from its development branch (RS_PRERELEASE) again, rather than the VB_RELEASE branch (those '20H2' builds will once again have the watermark). The fact we’re getting close to the release means the focus is now on making minor changes, improvements, and fixes. In Build 19033 these include: The build watermark at… [Continue Reading]

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. See also: Microsoft is blocking Windows 10 updates for some Avast and AVG Antivirus users Windows 10 November 2019 Update is seriously small, but Microsoft says not to get used… [Continue Reading]