<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Wednesday Newsbytes: Latest Windows Update Locks Users Out, Microsoft Finds Flaw in Google OS, Quantum Computing -Bigger than Fire, A Fake Chrome Extension, Airport Body Scanners…and more!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes from outside the world of technology. Every Wednesday, we feature some news articles that grabbed our attention over the past week. We hope you find this week’s\u00a0 ‘Wednesday Newsbytes’ informative and interesting!<\/span><\/p>\n Latest Windows security update is locking users out of their PCs<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Have that BitLocker key handy if you want to login again.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n If you’re planning on downloading the latest Microsoft Security Update for Windows, it’s a good idea to have your BitLocker key ready to go. According to The Register(opens in new tab), users who download the update are having quite a few issues, including being completely locked out of their PCs on restart.<\/span><\/p>\n The latest Windows security update for Secure Boot DBX released nearly two weeks ago on August 9 and since then has been giving users all sorts of problems. Not unlike the last security patch for Windows 11(opens in new tab). Dubbed KB5012170, this update comes with fixes for exploits that could allow unauthorised code to run during the boot process, so it’s important for security, especially when Unified Extensible Firmware Interface is used.<\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, as mentioned the KB5012170 update has also been locking users out of their PCs. Once the update has been installed and the PC has performed a mandatory restart, some users are being prompted for their BitLocker key to get back into their computers. Of course, most people aren’t going to have that on hand at the time, let alone necessarily even know what it is.<\/span><\/p>\n Thankfully, Microsoft has a support page that can direct most users to find their BitLocker recovery key…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at PC Gamer<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Microsoft finds critical hole in operating system that for once isn’t Windows<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Microsoft has described a severe ChromeOS security vulnerability that one of its researchers reported to Google in late April.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The bug was promptly fixed and, about a month later, merged in ChromeOS code then released on June 15, 2022 and detailed by Redmond in a report released on Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n Microsoft’s write-up is noteworthy both for the severity (9.8 out of 10) of the bug and for flipping of the script \u2013 it has tended to be Google, particularly its Project Zero group, that calls attention to bugs in Microsoft software.<\/span><\/p>\n At least as far back as 2010, Google security researchers made a habit of disclosing bugs in software from Microsoft and other vendors after typically 90 days \u2013 even if a patch had not been released \u2013 in the interest of forcing companies to respond to security flaws more quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n Microsoft has chided Google about this several times over the years, though as early as 2011, Redmond showed itself willing to adapt with a revised security disclosure policy that arrived with word of Chrome vulnerabilities \u2013 albeit months after Google had fixed them.<\/span><\/p>\n Microsoft’s disclosure of the ChromeOS critical flaw isn’t a zero-day since Google made the necessary repairs. But it allows the Windows giant to magnanimously point out the problems in a competitor’s hardened code and to pat Google on the back for its rapid repairs.<\/span><\/p>\n A critical issue<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The ChromeOS memory corruption vulnerability \u2013 CVE-2022-2587 \u2013 was particularly severe. As Jonathan Bar Or, a member of the Microsoft 365 Defender research team, explains in his post, the problem follows from the use of D-Bus, an Inter-Process-Communication (IPC) mechanism used in Linux.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at The Register.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Quantum Computing Will Be Bigger Than the Discovery of Fire!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Quantum computing is the most underrated, most transformational technological breakthrough since the internet<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n * Haim Israel, head of global thematic investing research at Bank of America, believes quantum computing is \u201ca revolution for humanity bigger than fire, bigger than the wheel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n * Scientists at leading tech companies have started to figure out how to harness the power of quantum mechanics to make a new generation of super quantum computers — infinitely faster and more powerful than even today\u2019s fastest supercomputers.<\/span><\/p>\n * Google has built a quantum computer that\u2019s about 158 million times faster than the world\u2019s fastest supercomputer.<\/span><\/p>\n * Quantum computing could allow us to create a million-mile EV rather soon. And through material simulation and battery optimization modeling, it\u2019d also dramatically reduce the costs of EV manufacturing.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s commonly appreciated that the discovery of fire was the most profound revolution in human history. And yesterday, I read that a major director at Bank of America (BAC) thinks a technology that hardly anyone is talking about these days could be more critical for humankind than fire!<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s about as bold of a claim as you could make when it comes to technological megatrends. If true, this tech could be the most promising and lucrative investment opportunity of anyone\u2019s lifetime.<\/span><\/p>\n The director\u2019s name? Haim Israel, head of global thematic investing research at BofA.<\/span><\/p>\n In his words, this technology could create \u201ca revolution for humanity bigger than fire, bigger than the wheel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n What on Earth is Mr. Israel talking about?<\/span><\/p>\n Two words: Quantum Computing…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at<\/span> Investor Place<\/span><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Fake Chrome extension ‘Internet Download Manager’ has 200,000 installs<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Google Chrome extension ‘Internet Download Manager’ installed by more than 200,000 users is adware.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The extension has been sitting on the Chrome Web Store since at least June 2019, according to the earliest reviews posted by users.<\/span><\/p>\n Although the extension may install a known and legitimate download manager program, BleepingComputer observed unwanted behavior exhibited by the extension\u2014such as opening links to spammy sites, changing the default browser search engine, and further hounding the user with pop-ups asking them to download more “patches” and unwanted programs.<\/span><\/p>\n Dodgy Chrome extension installed by 200,000+ users And their concern seems valid. The ‘Internet Download Manager’ browser extension installed by more than 200,000 users to date doesn’t seem all that innocent…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Bleeping Computer.<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What Do Airport Body Scanners Really See?<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Some of us remember when friends and family could walk you to your gate and you could board an airplane without a detailed airport security check. Now, of course, you have to worry about the TSA carry-on rules\u2014including the liquid limit and food rules\u2014and figure out what to pack in your checked luggage instead. And then there are the metal detectors and body scanners. You know those machines are there for your safety, but they still may give you pause\u2014especially the body scanner. After all, what does it show, exactly? Can TSA agents see you naked?<\/span><\/p>\n Those are valid questions. You might also be wondering if body scanners are safe and if you can skip them if you sign up for Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check. We spoke to TSA experts to get the lowdown on airport body scanners so you know exactly what to expect the next time you head to the airport.<\/span><\/p>\n How do body scanners work?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Before we answer the question of what body scanners see, we need to discuss how they work. What happens when you step into the machine, place your feet on the footprints and put your arms over your head? ‘Body scanners use a technology called Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) for full-body scans at airport checkpoints,” explains TSA spokesperson R. Carter Langston. “It’s a millimeter wave scanner that detects a wide range of metallic and nonmetallic threats in a matter of seconds…’<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at MSN.com.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n These Are the Stupidest Fees You Should Never Pay<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Life is expensive enough without unnecessary fees\u2014here are the ones you should never pay.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Over the course of our lives, we are collectively nickel-and-dimed to death. There are the things we need (or want) to pay for, and then the fees we\u2019re expected to pay above and beyond the supposed cost of those things: There are mysterious hotel fees, egregious airline fees, youth-punishing car rental fees\u2014the list goes on and on. But what really burns about fees like this is that they make you feel manipulated\u2014we\u2019re supposed to play along with the fiction that this isn\u2019t just a cash-grab on top of an already-negotiated price.<\/span><\/p>\n That being said, some fees have a much higher bullshit quotient than others. You can\u2019t avoid all the fees our capitalist masters throw at us, but there are plenty of stupid fees you can avoid\u2014and should never pay…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Lifehacker.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Thanks for reading this week’s Wednesday Newbytes. We hope you found these articles informative, interesting, fun, and\/or helpful. Darcy & TC<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wednesday Newsbytes: Latest Windows Update Locks Users Out, Microsoft Finds Flaw in Google OS, Quantum Computing -Bigger than Fire, A Fake Chrome Extension, Airport Body Scanners…and more! Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes from outside the world of technology. Every Wednesday, we feature some news\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2897,2247,1678,1669,2509,1,1426,1670,1656,1654,1674,4372,2366],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24100"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24100"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24102,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24100\/revisions\/24102"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n<\/span><\/strong>
\nA concered BleepingComputer reader reached out to us on seeing a Chrome add-on “running malicious sites by impersonating famous software.”<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n