Information Technology

ZDNETMicrosoft continues its quest to vanquish bugs from Windows 11 24H2, and the latest update seems to fix a number of them. Released this past Tuesday, KB5052093 is an optional update, which means you may have to wait for it to appear or manually download and install it if you’re in a hurry.Also: Windows 11’s bug-fixing update is making things worseSome of the new features and fixes are rolling out gradually, so you might not see them right away. But if you do forge ahead with the update, here’s what you’ll find sooner or later. Squashed bugsLet’s start with the squashed bugs. As one glaring example, File Explorer has been plagued by several glitches in Windows 11 24H2, many of which should now be fixed. The KB5052093 update improves performance in File Explorer when loading files that contain a large number of media files. The context menu that appears when you right-click on a file stored in the cloud should appear quicker. Entering a URL in the address bar will now take you to the right location. The address bar will no longer overlap files when you switch to full-screen mode. And thumbnails for cloud files will now appear more consistently in search results. Also: Don’t ignore Microsoft’s February Patch Tuesday – it’s a big one for all Windows 11 usersPreviously, the colors in the Start menu might go awry if you opened the flyout menu for account manager. Certain apps wouldn’t recognize a connected scanner. Task Manager would sometimes identify an HDD (hard disk drive) as an SSD (solid-state drive). Using a Guest account to sign in to a PC in Shared PC mode might not work. And when setting a non-default color for the mouse pointer, it might revert to white after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog appeared. These should all now be fixed. On the audio front, the volume would sometimes jump to 100% when your PC woke up from sleep. You might hear a mute and unmute sound several times in a row. A USB audio device could stop working after your PC had been idle for a short amount of time. These bugs should also now be resolved. Glitch repairsThe update further repairs the following glitches: Remote Desktop would stop responding or incorrectly render the display when connecting to certain PCs. Using drag and drop to move emails and other files in certain applications would sometimes fail if your PC had a display with high DPI (dots per inch). Opening the Settings screen might trigger an error message stating that the memory could not be read. Also: Microsoft removes guide for installing Windows 11 on unsupported PCs – but this hack still works More

rob dobi/Getty Images Here’s the very definition of a nightmare scenario. In February 2024, Matthew Van Andel downloaded a free AI tool on the computer in his home office. Five months later, the Southern California-based engineer learned that the app included an unwelcome extra component — an infostealing tool that gave outside attackers full access […] More

Google/ZDNETIf you find your personal information online, like your phone number, address, or email, Google is making it easier to make sure it doesn’t show up again.Also: Google Lens adds a cool search trick to iPhones – how to try itSeveral years ago, Google introduced a “Results about you” tool that lets you track your personal information online and remove it from search results. It wasn’t exactly easy to find this tool, though, because you had to dig deep into the settings menu to see it. Also: The best secure browsers for privacyNow, you can request removal straight from Google Search. Here’s how to do it.How to remove your information from Google SearchWhen you see a result with your personal information, click the three dots next to it, and you’ll see a menu with information about the link, including a “Remove result” button. Choose that, and you’ll see different options for why you want it removed. At the top is “It shows my personal information and I don’t want it here.” Choosing that option sends the page to Google for review. If Google decides it violates policy, it will be removed from search. The original site will still be there, but most online directory sites have options to request the removal of your information. That’s something you’ll want to take advantage of, as information like this is increasingly being used in scams.Also: 9 ways to delete yourself from the internet (and hide your identity online)The three-dot menu also has options to remove illegal content like phishing, violence, or explicit content and to refresh outdated search results (that’s for when you’ve requested information removal and Google is still indexing an old page). More

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Maria Diaz/ZDNETApple has disabled its most advanced data security feature, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), for UK users following a government request for access to encrypted data.Apple, a staunch opponent of encryption backdoors, chose to disable Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for UK users last Friday. ADP, which provides end-to-end encryption to ensure only account holders can access their iCloud data, is no longer available in the country. Also: The best VPN services (and how to choose the right one for you)Since its deactivation, any UK-based Apple user attempting to enable the feature is met with an error message. More

When it comes to creating strong, secure passwords, the best course of action is to use a password generator, which is much better than humans are at randomizing characters into long (16 or more) and hard-to-crack credentials. Thankfully, there are numerous tools available. Also: The best password managersWhat is the best password generator right now?At ZDNET, we’ve tested a long list of password generators to find the top tools for creating strong (random) passwords to secure your digital accounts. The best password generator is the one you’ll actually use — and if you have a password manager, the simplest and most seamless way to create and save strong passwords is to use the built-in generator. That said, NordPass More

ZDNETGoogle is aiming to dump SMS as a two-factor authentication method for Gmail and switch to a more secure approach using QR codes. Reducing SMS abuse In an email conversation with Forbes published in a story on Sunday, Gmail spokesperson Ross Richendrfer described this upcoming change. Instead of entering your number and getting a six-digit code via SMS, you’ll see a QR code that you scan with your phone’s camera. Richendrfer said Google is making this switch to “reduce the impact of rampant, global SMS abuse.” In an email to ZDNET, Richendrfer provided more details. Also: Gmail just made it easier to pay your bills — here’s howUsing two-factor authentication with your online accounts is highly recommended as a way to verify your identity and guard against suspicious or malicious logins. But some forms of 2FA are better than others. A common method is to receive a confirmation code via an SMS text message. However, that type of unencrypted communication can be exploited by cybercriminals. Why QR codes? If you’re wondering why QR codes, Richendrfer and Google security communications manager Kimberly Samra zeroed in on the vulnerabilities of SMS authentication. A scammer can spoof such a message to trick you into sharing the correct verification code. You may not always have access to the device in which you receive the code. And through SIM swapping, a mobile carrier can be fooled into transferring the victim’s phone number, allowing the scammer to receive SMS texts, thus negating the security value of the authentication. That’s why a dedicated authenticator app, such as Microsoft Authentication or Google Authenticator, is a more foolproof alternative. Physical security keys also are much more secure than SMS. But those methods can take time to set up, which is likely why Google is opting for a simpler but still stronger approach of QR codes. Also: How to turn on Private DNS Mode on Android — and why it matters for privacyCurrently, Google uses SMS verification for two purposes — security and abuse control, Richendrfer told Forbes and ZDNET. The first purpose is to ensure that the company is dealing with the same user as in previous interactions. The second is to ensure that scammers aren’t abusing Google’s services. One example of the latter occurs when cybercriminals create Google accounts to send out spam and malware. Another trick used by scammers is something called traffic pumping, also known as “artificial traffic inflation” or “toll fraud.” Popping up over the past two to three years, “it’s where fraudsters try to get online service providers to originate large numbers of SMS messages to numbers they control, thereby getting paid every time one of these messages is delivered,” according to Richendrfer. More

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