Tag Archives: Windows

Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Issue With Internet Explorer Could Affect Most PC Users

Are you still surfing the web with Internet Explorer?  If so, you’re not alone.  Four years after Microsoft announced Edge as its successor, the company’s old browser still has a few stubborn holdouts who continue to use it for various reasons.

Unfortunately, security experts keep finding critical security flaws in the code that make it something of a ticking time bomb.

The most recent of these was unearthed by an independent researcher named John Page. He published a proof of concept that demonstrates a flaw in the way the old browser handles MHT files, which are used by Internet Explorer for archival purposes.

If any computer running Windows 7, Windows 10, or Windows Server 2012 encounters an MHT file, it will attempt to open it using Internet Explorer.  This fact represents a tremendous opportunity for a savvy hacker.  All he has to do is present a specially crafted MHT file containing malicious code to a user and use a bit of social engineering to open it.  Using history as a guide, convincing users to open files from untrusted sources is not especially difficult to do.

Even if you don’t currently use Internet Explorer, your system is still very much at risk from this type of attack, because IE 11 still ships with every Windows-based PC, including the latest Windows 10 machines.  The only potential saving grace here is that on Windows 10 machines, Internet Explorer is not enabled by default and needs to go through a user-initiated setup process before it could be used.

The solution then, at least if you’ve got a Windows 10 machine, is simply to avoid enabling Internet Explorer or, even better, simply uninstall it from the Control Panel altogether.

Mr. Page reported the issue to Microsoft on March 27, and received the following reply:

“We determined that a fix for this issue will be considered in a future version of this product or service.  At this time, we will not be providing ongoing updates of the status of the fix for this issue and we have closed the case.”

Unfortunately, that’s a canned response that amounts to a dismissal. So for the foreseeable future, you should operate under the assumption that no help will be forthcoming from Microsoft on this issue.  Make sure your IT staff is aware.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Removing USB Gets Easier In Windows 10 Update

Microsoft has recently rolled out a small but important change where USB connected devices are concerned.  The changes have been heralded as an improvement by some and seen as a step backward by others.

In particular, the company has tweaked the way Windows 10 handles the process of disconnecting a USB or Thunderbolt storage device.

These devices include USB-connected hard drives, flash drives and even data transfer cables between PCs and smartphones. There are two options users can select from where removing these devices is concerned:  Quick Removal and Better Performance.

Previous versions of Windows 10 automatically defaulted to the “Better Performance” setting.  The latest release of the OS has changed the default to “Quick Removal” which results in a significant change.

Under the Better Performance setting, your USB device (as the name indicates) is optimized for maximum performance, which allows you to make the most of data transfer speeds.  By defaulting to “Quick Removal” the process of disconnecting a USB device is faster and more convenient because it bypasses the “safe removal” process, but at a notable sacrifice in data transfer speed.

The good news is that it is still possible change the default back to the Better Performance setting. Of course, doing so will mean that you’ll have to follow the “Safely Remove Hardware” process you’ve probably grown quite accustomed to.

To change your default setting back to Better Performance, just follow these steps:

  • Connect the USB device
  • Right Click the “Start” button and select “File Explorer.”
  • Identify the drive letter associated with the device whose settings you wish to change.
  • Right click the start button again, then select “Disk Management”
  • Locate the drive and click “Properties”
  • Select the “Policies” tab and set the policy for that device, choosing between Quick Removal and Better performance.

Once you do that and click “Ok,” you’re all set.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Update On New Microsoft Edge Browser

Microsoft is slowly inching closer to a mainstream release of a new version of its Edge Browser for Windows 10, this one based around Chromium technology.

Recently, Microsoft released Canary, a developer build for the new browser.

Any member of the Windows Insiders group can get access to the early build if they want a sneak peek at what’s to come.

The company has promised beta builds in the months ahead, along with builds that are Windows 7.8.1 and Mac OS compatible.

If you decide to take a look at the current state of the code, it’s important to remember that the new Edge should still be considered in pre-Alpha state and is focused on the basics for the time being. That means there’s not a lot in terms of functionality just yet.  In fact, at present, the new Edge looks more or less like the old Edge, minus language support, PDF support, tab sweeps and smooth scrolling.

Consider it to be a scaled back version of the current Chrome browser with built in MSN news feeds.  As such, these early builds may be of interest to enthusiasts, developers and early adopters who want to start getting a handle on the state of things to come. Honestly though, a casual user won’t find much of interest here.

While Microsoft has had a poor track record where its browsers are concerned, the hope is that their new offering designed with Chromium at the core, will be more of a success. They hope to leverage the vast strengths of industry leader Google.  That, however, remains to be seen.  Even so, there is undeniable value to developers and a few other select groups to get in on the fun now so they can develop a better understanding of the shape and direction of the new Edge as its contours begin to emerge.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Windows Defender Security Comes To Mac Devices

If you’re a Mac user and looking for next-level antivirus protection, we’ve got some potentially good news.

Microsoft recently announced that their enterprise security platform, (Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection) is now available for macOS.

To reflect the product’s move away from offering protection exclusively to Windows-based systems, the company tweaked the name of the product.  It is now called simply “Microsoft Defender ATP.”

The newly minted version of the software is currently available for Macs in limited preview form, and represents the latest in an ongoing expansion effort.  Last month, the company rolled out a version that extended its impressive protection to both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.  Future plans will include a further expansion to also provide protection to Linux-based machines.

At this point, Admins can install Microsoft Defender ATP on the following macOS versions:

  • Mojave
  • High Sierra
  • Sierra

Individual users will have the option to configure advanced settings in the software unless their admins specifically disable that functionality.  The code also includes an auto-update feature that can be toggled by an Admin.

If you’re an admin working in a Mac environment, you might not see a particular need for the new software. However, Microsoft pointed out in the bulletin they released with the announcement that Defender can detect KeRanger, which was the first ransomware strain to target the macOS.

In any case, more security options are generally better than fewer, and Microsoft has long been a favorite target of the hacking world.  Love them or hate them, they do know a thing or two about security, especially at the enterprise level. Most insiders hail this move as a good one.

All that to say, if augmenting system security figures highly in your near term plans, and it probably does, this could be an excellent addition to your arsenal.

 

 

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Windows 10 Will Get New Update Feature

A small but significant update is coming in the next version of Windows 10, which should have the company’s massive user base breathing a sigh of relief.

The company is experimenting with a new feature that it can use to trigger automatic uninstalls of buggy updates. This happens in the background, so there’s nothing the user must do.

This is significant, given the recent trouble Microsoft has been having with its updates.  Unfortunately, the company made some radical changes to its testing procedures last year. Since that time, they’ve released several updates that have been problematic.  Most recently, a Windows 10 update wound up deleting user files for a small but vocal percentage of the company’s user base.

The company is working hard to improve their process. However, the fact that they’re even considering a feature like this (much less actively experimenting with it) is a clear signal that they’re not confident in their ability to release a clean, relatively problem-free update.

It should be noted that at present, the new experimental feature is only visible to Windows Insiders users and it is unclear when it will be released to the general public.  Odds are excellent, however, that it will happen soon.

Given the problems we outlined above, industry insiders generally regard this as a positive development.  Of course, the hope is that Microsoft will be able to avoid releasing a buggy update, but given the company’s recent track record, the inclusion of this feature is an excellent fallback position.

In any case, if you’re a member of the Windows Insider program, you may be able to see it in action now and in the weeks ahead.  If not, you’ll have to wait a while.

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