Eliana Willis

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe August Patch Tuesday update for Windows fixes 107 security flaws.Among all the security flaws, 13 are ranked as critical.Also adds the new Black Screen of Death and Quick Machine Recovery.Microsoft’s August Patch Tuesday update adds a couple of cool new features. But the main reason you’ll want to install it is to squash a large array of security bugs.Patches 107 flaws, including 13 criticalReleased this past Tuesday, the latest Windows update patches 107 different security flaws in total, with 13 of them marked as critical. As usual, the monthly update is aimed at all current versions of Windows, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.Also: Microsoft rolls out Windows security changes to prevent another CrowdStrike meltdownAcross the board, the patches fix security flaws in core Windows features such as File Explorer, Remote Desktop, and Hyper-V, as well as bugs in Microsoft Office, Edge, and Teams. Among the 13 critical vulnerabilities, nine concern remote code execution, in which an attacker could remotely run malicious code on a targeted PC. One is a zero-day vulnerabilityOut of the 107 bugs patched in August, only one is a zero-day vulnerability. Also: How to get free Windows 10 security updates through October 2026: Two waysDesignated as CVE-2025-53779, this one points to a flaw in the Windows Kerberos authentication system, which is used to verify the identity of users in an Active Directory Domain. Based on Microsoft’s description, someone who exploited this bug could gain domain administrator privileges. However, the hacker would need elevated access to certain attributes of the dMSA (Delegated Managed Service Account), a special account that manages user credentials. Major new featuresBeyond the security flaws, there are a couple of major new features in the August update. The infamous Blue Screen of Death has turned into the equally infamous Black Screen of Death. Beyond a new paint job, the screen has ditched the smiley face and QR code but displays an error code at the bottom along with the name of the driver or other file that triggered the crash. Also: Can’t upgrade your Windows 10 PC? You have 5 options – and 2 months to decideAlso included is the new Quick Machine Recovery, an option that attempts to automatically repair your PC in the event of a boot problem. When a critical boot-up glitch occurs, your PC will enter WinRE mode, connect to your network, and then send diagnostic data to Microsoft. Based on that data, a specific fix for the issue is sent to your PC via Windows Update. If the fix is successful, your PC should then be able to boot up without further trouble. The new Black Screen of Death and Quick Machine Recovery rolled out last month in an optional release preview. But the monthly Patch Tuesday updates are designed to automatically install on your PC. How to check for the updateTo check for this latest update, head to Settings and select Windows Update. The update should appear on its own. If not, click the button to check for updates and allow the latest one to download and install. More

Bessemer Venture Partners ZDNET’s key takeaways AI startups are reaching revenue milestones faster than ever. A new, AI-native social media giant could emerge. Startups must be ready for lots of acquisition interest  In its annual overview of artificial intelligence (AI), venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners on Wednesday said that startups it funds — such […] More

Antigravity ZDNET’s key takeaways Action cam manufacturer Insta360 has launched a new sub-brand called Antigravity, focusing entirely on drones. Its first model, the Antigravity A1, is unique in that it can record 360-degree video at up to 8K resolution. Launch date is slated for January 2026, but exact pricing is still unknown.  Insta360 just announced […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ZDNET’s key takeaways NPD, the people search site with a bad security record, is back.The good news is you can pull your information from it.Bad news? Hundreds of sites contain your data, but you can remove.Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.Over a year ago, National Public Data (NPD), a search site for people, earned a place in privacy infamy for a security breach that revealed the personal data of 3 billion individuals (that’s billion with a “b”). Now, after disappearing, NPD is back.As ZDNET sister publication PC Magazine reported, NPD is open for snooping again under a new owner, the rather mysterious-sounding Perfect Privacy LLC. This company has no relationship with the virtual private network (VPN) business Perfect Privacy VPN. Also: The best VPN services (and how to choose the right one for you)The new NPD is back to the same old business of letting people search for personal data on friends, relatives, your ex-wife, and anyone else. While the site states it’s “not a ‘consumer reporting agency’ as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA),” and that you may not use “any information from this site to make decisions about employment, credit, insurance, housing, or other purposes covered by the FCRA,” nothing is stopping you from using the site’s data to do just that. After a brief review of the new NPD, I found that some of the data on the site was inaccurate or outdated. Other information, however, was spot-on. The site also appears to struggle with handling hyphenated names. That’s a win for me.Where does NPD get its information? NPD says on its site: “We collect the data you find on our people search engine from publicly available sources, including federal, state, and local government agencies, social media pages, property ownership databases, and other reliable platforms. After the data is in our hands, we verify and filter it to make sure it is indeed accurate and up-to-date.” Also: 5 simple ways to regain your data privacy online – starting todayWhile NPD is far from the only site that offers gray, semi-legal services, I wouldn’t trust it with my information. How to remove your information from NPDIf, like me, you’d just as soon not have NPD know who you are, where you live, and all the rest, take the following steps: Search your name on nationalpublicdata.com. When you find your profile, click “View Full Profile.”Copy its URL.Go to nationalpublicdata.com/optout.html.Drop the URL into the “Your Profile Link” field and click “Request Removal.”Enter an email address, and the site will send you an email requesting that you click to confirm deletion. You’ll need a separate email address for each profile you want to delete. Also: How to remove your personal info from Google Search – it’s quick and easyThe site appears to remove your data quickly. That said, if you opt out, I’d check again in a few days to make sure.How to check for your data on people-searching sitesMind you, dealing with NPD isn’t enough to erase your personal information. When I checked for my data on people-searching sites using Optery, a personal data removal service, I found my information on no fewer than 81 sites. Also: I found the easiest way to delete myself from the internet (and you shouldn’t wait to use it, too)If you seriously don’t want big data looking over your shoulder, I’d strongly recommend trying one of these services. More

Geekom IT15 Mini PC <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Geekcom IT 15 Mini PC is available on Amazon for $1,100. This tiny form-factor PC has plenty of power to spare for everyday tasks. The only downside is that the IT15 doesn’t have a dedicated GPU. –> I’ve always enjoyed a mini PC, and any time […] More