TweakHound

Computer stuff...

Security

Patch Tuesday

By

Windows 10
1903 – October 8, 2019—KB4517389 (OS Build 18362.418)
1809 – October 8, 2019—KB4519338 (OS Build 17763.805)
Highlights
Updates to improve security when using Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge.
Updates for verifying user names and passwords.
Updates for storing and managing files.

Improvements and fixes
This security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:
Addresses an issue in security bulletin CVE-2019-1318 that may cause client or server computers that don’t support Extended Master Secret (EMS) RFC 7627 to have increased connection latency and CPU utilization. This issue occurs while performing full Transport Layer Security (TLS) handshakes from devices that don’t support EMS, especially on servers. EMS support has been available for all the supported versions of Windows since calendar year 2015 and is being incrementally enforced by the installation of the October 8, 2019 and later monthly updates.
Addresses an issue with applications and printer drivers that utilize the Windows JavaScript engine (jscript.dll) for processing print jobs.
Security updates to Windows Shell, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Cryptography, Windows Authentication, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Kernel, Microsoft Scripting Engine, and Windows Server.

Windows 8.1
October 8, 2019—KB4520005 (Monthly Rollup)
This security update includes improvements and fixes that were a part of update KB4516041 (released September 24, 2019) and addresses the following issues:
Addresses an issue with applications and printer drivers that utilize the Windows JavaScript engine (jscript.dll) for processing print jobs.
Security updates to Windows Cryptography, Windows Authentication, Windows Kernel, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft JET Database Engine, Internet Information Services, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, and Windows Server.

October 8, 2019—KB4519990 (Security-only update)
This security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:
Security updates to Windows Cryptography, Windows Authentication, Windows Kernel, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft JET Database Engine, Internet Information Services, and Windows Server.

Windows 7
October 8, 2019—KB4519976 (Monthly Rollup)
This security update includes improvements and fixes that were a part of update KB4516048 (released September 24, 2019) and addresses the following issues:
Addresses an issue that may fail to disable VBScript in Internet Explorer by default after installing KB4507437 (Preview of Monthly Rollup) or KB4511872 (Internet Explorer Cumulative Update) and later.
Addresses an issue with applications and printer drivers that utilize the Windows JavaScript engine (jscript.dll) for processing print jobs.
Security updates to Windows Authentication, Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Kernel, Internet Information Services, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, and Windows Server.

October 8, 2019—KB4520003 (Security-only update)
This security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:
Addresses an issue in security bulletin CVE-2019-1318 that may cause client or server computers that don’t support Extended Master Secret (EMS) RFC 7627 to have increased connection latency and CPU utilization. This issue occurs while performing full Transport Layer Security (TLS) handshakes from devices that don’t support EMS, especially on servers. EMS support has been available for all the supported versions of Windows since calendar year 2015 and is being incrementally enforced by the installation of the October 8, 2019 and later monthly updates.
Security updates to Windows Authentication, Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Kernel, Internet Information Services, and Windows Server.

Patch Tuesday

By

Windows Updates

Windows 10
Provides protections against a new subclass of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities.
Addresses an issue that causes high CPU usage from SearchUI.exe for a small number of users. This issue only occurs on devices that have disabled searching the web using Windows Desktop Search. (1903 only)
Security updates galore.

1903 – September 10, 2019—KB4515384 (OS Build 18362.356) ***This fixes the Bad Win10 1903 Update aka Search UI issue. I checked it myself and the issue is now gone.
1809 – September 10, 2019—KB4512578 (OS Build 17763.737)
1803 – September 10, 2019—KB4516058 (OS Build 17134.1006)
1709 – EOL, time to update to 1809 or 1903

Windows 8.1
Provides protections against a new subclass of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities… and a host of Security updates.
September 10, 2019—KB4516064 (Security-only update)
September 10, 2019—KB4516067 (Monthly Rollup)

Windows 7
Provides protections against a new subclass of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities… and a host of Security updates.
September 10, 2019—KB4516033 (Security-only update)
September 10, 2019—KB4516065 (Monthly Rollup)

Software Updates:

O&O ShutUp10 1.6.1403
NEW: Chinese (simplified) language integrated
NEW: Search field in task bar can be deactivated (from Windows 10 1903)
FIX***: Deactivating the Bing search is only recommended reservedly, as there are currently problems with Windows search under Windows 10 1903
FIX: The wording in the English version was changed from passive to active to make it clearer
Available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Chinese (simplified)
***The fix about Bing is the Bad Win10 1903 Update that was fixed today with today’s Win10 1903 update (see above). So, kinda pointless?
Download | Home Page | Changelog

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 436.30
“Provides increased performance and the optimal gaming experience for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare PC Open Beta, Gears 5, and Borderlands 3”
Download | Release Notes

Patch Tuesday

By

Patch Tuesday
Windows 7
July 9, 2019—KB4507456 (Security-only update)
Security updates to Windows Server, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Shell, Windows Input and Composition, and Windows Kernel.
July 9, 2019—KB4507449 (Monthly Rollup)
Security updates to Windows Server, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Shell, Windows Input and Composition, and Windows Kernel.

Windows 8.1
July 9, 2019—KB4507457 (Security-only update)
Security updates to Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Server, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Kernel, and Windows App Platform and Frameworks.
July 9, 2019—KB4507448 (Monthly Rollup)
This security update includes improvements and fixes that were a part of update KB4503283 (released June 20, 2019) and addresses the following issues:
– Addresses an issue that may cause BitLocker to go into recovery mode if BitLocker is being provisioned at the same time as updates are being installed.
– Security updates to Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Server, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Kernel, and Windows App Platform and Frameworks.

Windows 10
1903 – July 9, 2019—KB4507453 (OS Build 18362.239)
This update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:
– Addresses an issue that may cause BitLocker to go into recovery mode if BitLocker is being provisioned at the same time as updates are being installed.
– Addresses an issue that may cause Mixed Reality users to see a tilted world after connecting their headsets.
– Addresses visual quality issues some users may have seen with Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets and Steam®VR content.
– Security updates to Windows Wireless Networking, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Server, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Kernel, Microsoft HoloLens, Internet Explorer, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Virtualization, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Microsoft Edge, and Windows Cryptography.

1809 – July 9, 2019—KB4507469 (OS Build 17763.615)
This update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:
– Addresses an issue that may cause the system to become unresponsive when an application uses the CameraCaptureUI API.
– Addresses an issue that may cause BitLocker to go into recovery mode if BitLocker is being provisioned at the same time as updates are being installed.
– Security updates to Windows Server, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Microsoft Graphics Component, Internet Explorer, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Virtualization, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Kernel, Microsoft Edge, Windows Cryptography, and Windows Fundamentals.

1803 – July 9, 2019—KB4507435 (OS Build 17134.885)
This update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:
– Addresses an issue that may cause BitLocker to go into recovery mode if BitLocker is being provisioned at the same time as updates are being installed.
– Security updates to Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Server, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Kernel, Internet Explorer, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Virtualization, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Edge, Windows Cryptography, and Windows Fundamentals.

– – – – – – – – – –

Firefox 68
Download | Release Notes
This means Tails has been updated and Tor Browser will be.

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 431.36
“Provides the optimal gaming experience for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Strange Brigade, and Metro Exodus”
Download | Release Notes

Patch Tuesday

By

Updates available for all supported versions of Windows.
Office updates available too. (how to check for Office updates)

Win10 1809 – February 12, 2019—KB4487044 (OS Build 17763.316)
Win10 1803 – February 12, 2019—KB4487017 (OS Build 17134.590)
Win10 1709 – February 12, 2019—KB4486996 (OS Build 16299.967)

Windows 8.1 – February 12, 2019—KB4487028 (Security-only update)

Windows 7 – Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 update history

Office 365 11231.20174 and other versions

Note from Microsoft:
February 11, 2019 12:45 PM PST
Windows Update customers were recently affected by a network infrastructure event caused by an external DNS service provider’s global outage. A software update to the external provider’s DNS servers resulted in the distribution of corrupted DNS records that affected connectivity to the Windows Update service. The DNS records were restored by January 30, 2019 (00:10 UTC), but downstream effects continued. We believe the issue to be fully mitigated because the majority of local Internet Service Providers (ISP) have refreshed their DNS servers and customer services have been restored. If you are still encountering download failures, please contact your local ISP.
While this was not an issue with Microsoft’s services, we take any service disruption for our customers seriously. We will work with partners to better understand this so we can provide higher quality service in the future even across diverse global network providers.

Data Privacy Day

By

Data Privacy Day (known in Europe as Data Protection Day) is an international holiday that occurs every 28 January. The purpose of Data Privacy Day is to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices. It is currently observed in the United States, Canada, Israel and 47 European countries.
Wikipedia

How to protect yourself this Data Privacy Day – Naked Security
Today is Data Privacy Day. And, to celebrate, we asked our security experts to share their top tips for protecting your privacy online.

Data Privacy Day: Check Your Security Settings on Email, Facebook, & Google
This year, privacy proponents will have more on their mind than whether you’re still using “password” as an actual password. If you have multiple email addresses, for example, do you have two factor authentication (2FA) set up? Has the ancient Hotmail account you used when you signed up for Facebook in 2005 since been compromised? And say, how much information do social media platforms have on you, anyway? Here’s how to make sure your virtual locks aren’t rusted over.

I think most of you guys practice decent security. But, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Are those close to you practicing good security? Their lack of security and over-sharing information can be putting you at risk. Might wanna pass on these articles.

Cell Phone Companies Are Selling Access To Customer Location Data

By

Motherboard – I Gave a Bounty Hunter $300. Then He Located Our Phone
T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T are selling access to their customers’ location data, and that data is ending up in the hands of bounty hunters and others not authorized to possess it, letting them track most phones in the country…
The bounty hunter did this all without deploying a hacking tool or having any previous knowledge of the phone’s whereabouts. Instead, the tracking tool relies on real-time location data sold to bounty hunters that ultimately originated from the telcos themselves, including T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint, a Motherboard investigation has found. These surveillance capabilities are sometimes sold through word-of-mouth networks…
Motherboard’s investigation shows just how exposed mobile networks and the data they generate are, leaving them open to surveillance by ordinary citizens, stalkers, and criminals…
Don’t think it’s a big deal? This could be your Mom’s, wife’s, girlfriend’s, or daughter’s phone…

Patch Tuesday

By

Windows Update
Updates available for all currently supported versions of Windows. Updates for Flash and .Net available where applicable.

Windows 7
January 8, 2019—KB4480970 (Monthly Rollup)
January 8, 2019—KB4480960 (Security-only update)

Windows 8.1
January 8, 2019—KB4480963 (Monthly Rollup)
January 8, 2019—KB4480964 (Security-only update)

Windows 10
1809 – January 8, 2019—KB4480116 (OS Build 17763.253)
1803 – January 8, 2019—KB4480966 (OS Build 17134.523)
1709 – January 8, 2019—KB4480978 (OS Build 16299.904)

– – – – – –

Wise Disk Cleaner 10.1.5 Released
Download (I use portable) | Release Info

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Hey Apple, what happens on iPhones doesn’t stay there, and your ‘clever’ CES ad is promoting a dangerous illusion
That’s a cute ad you have in Las Vegas for the CES tech convention. “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone” is both a good dig at your rivals and a clever restating of Sin City’s popular catch phrase.
But it’s literally a lie. What happens on customers’ iPhones doesn’t stay on them — and you know it.
Preach

Survey: Americans Warming to Use of Facial Recognition Tech
I’m not sure I buy the results of the study. If it is even close to true then, well, SMH.

Came up in an email convo with a reader and friend:
SiriusXM stations I mostly listen to:
Hair Nation ’80s Hair Bands 
Ozzy’s Boneyard Ozzy’s Classic Hard Rock 
Classic Rewind ’70s/’80s Classic Rock 

Out Of Band Update

By

CVE-2018-8653 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the scripting engine handles objects in memory in Internet Explorer…

Updates for all currently supported Windows versions.

Windows 10
Build 1809 – December 19, 2018—KB4483235 (OS Build 17763.195)
Build 1803 – December 19, 2018—KB4483234 (OS Build 17134.472)
Build 1709 – December 19, 2018—KB4483232 (OS Build 16299.847)

Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 update history pages not updated as of this writing.

Patch Tuesday

By

Windows Updates available. “Addresses an issue” as well as many security updates.
I recommend backing up and updating as soon as you can.

Windows 10
Build 1809 – December 11, 2018—KB4471332 (OS Build 17763.194)
Build 1803 – December 11, 2018—KB4471324 (OS Build 17134.471)
Build 1709 – December 11, 2018—KB4471329 (OS Build 16299.846)

Windows 8.1
December 11, 2018—KB4471322 (Security-only update)
December 11, 2018—KB4471320 (Monthly Rollup)

Windows 7
December 11, 2018—KB4471328 (Security-only update)
December 11, 2018—KB4471318 (Monthly Rollup)

Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall

By

Many programs on your computer access the internet even though they don’t need to. They phone home for a variety of reason including telemetry and checking for updates.
I don’t need or want most programs phoning home for any reason. Still, they try.
With programs getting more invasive I thought it would be appropriate to show you how to block their access to the net.
[Read more…] about Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall