Security software tech ban: Russia-based Kaspersky Lab is getting the boot in the U.S. Think about the damage a Communist government download can do to a customer base of over 4,000,000 computers worldwide. Time to switch, like, now. My pick is TotalAV — it covers up to five of your (or your loved ones’) computers and devices.
Latest Windows patch fixes 4 zero-day flaws - Update now to protect your PC
If you keep an eye on the latest PC updates, you know that October’s Patch Tuesday was this week. It is traditionally the second Tuesday of every month that software developers release new patches for programs.
As with all newly-launched systems, the rollout of Windows 11 hasn’t exactly been smooth. Did you install Windows 11 yet? You should know about these problems first.
For Microsoft, October’s Patch Tuesday update brings a rather hefty amount of fixes. Here are all the things the latest update fixes, including four zero-day flaws.
Here’s the backstory
The latest update for Windows 10 fixes a host of problems, including four zero-day vulnerabilities. One of them has already been exploited by hackers. This poses a real risk to your computer.
The exploited vulnerability has been designated as CVE-2021-40449 and was discovered by a security researcher from Kaspersky Lab. Called a “Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability,” the company said it had been used in “widespread espionage campaigns against IT companies, military/defense contractors, and diplomatic entities.”
The remaining three zero-day exploits are:
- DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2021-40469)
- Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (CVE-2021-41335)
- Windows AppContainer Firewall Rules Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2021-41338)
The update corrects a total of 81 flaws, of which:
- 21 are Elevation of Privilege
- Six are Security Feature Bypass
- 20 are Remote Code Execution
- 13 are Information Disclosure
- Five are Denial of Service
- Nine are Spoofing
The non-security portion of the latest Windows 10 update fixes a problem where Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader won’t open. There is also an update that fixes distortion in Cortana and an issue that causes your device to stop working after you restart.
Windows 11 gets its first update
Trying to watch the hottest new movie without paying? It could cost you big time
We have often detailed the incredible length that cybercriminals will go to steal your money or personal information. New tricks are emerging daily, trying very hard to stay one step ahead of antivirus software. Tap or click here to see clever tactics that are fooling older people across the U.S.