Tag Archives: acrobat

Updates 2020-12-08

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for December, 2020. It’s a big one and huge updates are available for over a hundred applications. A new OpenSSL released today means that there will be even more updates released in the near future, so this is only the first of at least two update series’ to top off December.

This Month in Technology

Apple (and others) are trying to make slavery legal, Apple’s cloud services choked this month as a result of their new on-demand certification and telemetry collection nightmare, Big Sur even bricks some MacBook Pro models, but they’re admitting that they intentionally throttled their older hardware, and Apple had a major security issue that allowed total control of their iPhones over Wi-Fi. While Apple has fixed that bug, their hardware is vulnerable to new forensic tools used by foreign (and likely US) governments to clone all the data from your device. This is “Epic.” Apple is cutting their App Store fees to 15% for small developers.

K12 Inc, Foxconn electronics, the City of Long Beach, TransLink (Vancouver public transit), Embraer, Kopter, Shirbit, Randstad NV, Advantech, Bowie and Miller Counties (TX), and Baltimore County Public Schools have all been hit with ransomware. If you leave your backup drives connected (tethered or networked) then there’s growing evidence that the backups will be targeted by ransomware before your active data. And some ransomware gangs are cold-calling if you try to restore from backups.

Millions of IoT devices are vulnerable to a newly discovered vulnerability, thousands of PickPoint lockers, LSU Health New Orleans, AspenPointe, and PlutoTV have been hacked. Dell was hacked years ago which resulted in their data being abused for scam calls to Dell customers. Class action happening now.

Walmart routers and many TCL TVs have backdoors, Gionee implanted malware in 21 million phones, and battery backups are used to infect mobile devices. Google Services are still being used to distribute malware, Google ads are being used to steal MetaMask. A year after the US Army’s Stryker armored vehicles were hacked the Army is finally building security defenses, and in other US military news, the military violates your privacy through third-party apps.

Social media icons are being used to inject web skimmers that are now using WebSockets to exfiltrate data using secure CloudFlare services.

If you trust your choice of password simply because a poorly designed study says that it would take thousands or millions of years to brute force a password then you should take a look at how a single quantum computer process the equivalent of 2.6 billion (with a “b”) years of computation in only 4 minutes, but using the latest quantum hardware isn’t even necessary for the vast majority of passwords since humans are so predictable.

In a random collection of news: MBAM is disabling Windows Printers. HMRC (the UKs equivalent of the IRS) has been abused to send phishing and malware messages (I warned them about this months ago). There is no end to PayPal’s hypocrisy, nor their censorship. GitHub reversed it’s decision about YouTube-dl. Twitch has failed basic English. Comcast is capping data in 12-ish more states next year, but giving service away for free to many others. The running joke about how social censorship would be similar to your phone company preventing you from talking about certain subjects has proven to be more prescient than humorous. Cannibalism is coming to a grocery store near you. A few years ago I found that a number of IT and HVAC services in the SF bay area had their Google listings hijacked and reassigned as Korean Restaurants. It was only the beginning.

The “science” behind masks has never been scientific, but that won’t stop petty tyrants from mandating their use even while actively eating or drinking, or censoring dissenting voices. False positive tests are still leading the charge, but lockdown-related homicides are still exceeding “COVID” deaths. Censors will always target studies that demonstrate overreaching government intervention.

California is pushing out the Orwellian exposure tracking and notifications across the state.

Now for the good news:

When this election is finally resolved it’s unlikely to get to this point again any time in the near future.

As a perfect example of what 2020 has brought us – the South African lottery drew 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, which is insane enough, but the real story is that 20 people had actually selected those numbers.

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Patch Tuesday this month is huge. The typical computer should see roughly 2.5 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, Edge, and Servicing Stack (~ 1.5 GB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Apple released updates for iCloud for Windows 11.5, and iOS 14.2.1. Expect an update to iTunes, too, in the next few days. These are security updates.

iOS 14.2.1 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current version.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.465 is a security update. Since Flash is going the way of the dodo along with the Year from Hell, this could very well be the last time you may have to install a Flash update. You’re still better off removing it yourself instead of updating. 🙂
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Google Chrome OS 87.0.4280.88 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version. A reboot is required.

Don’t forget to check your mobile devices, too! Many updates will also apply to your tablet, phone, kindle or television – so check your device-appropriate App Store and install updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

The release of macOS Big Sur (11.0) means that macOS High Sierra (10.13) and older are no longer supported. If you can not install at least macOS Mojave (10.14) on your Mac then you should immediately remove it from the Internet and use it offline only. It will no longer receive patches or updates and can now no longer be secured.

The now-current release of the Windows 10 (v2009) is huge (about 18% larger than v2004, which was 25% larger than any prior build) so will take a long time to download on slower connections. Windows 10 pushes you to get the latest Windows 10 release every 6 months. If you don’t let it finish and you’re on a slow connection, this process kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need or use, reducing the attack surface.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

BullZip PDF Printer 12.0.0.2872 adds several new features, including improved email support, compatibility, and concurrent printing. This is not a security update.
https://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php#download

Crucial Storage Executive 6.09 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.crucial.com/support/storage-executive

Logitech Options 8.36.86 allows changing function keys, customizing mouse buttons, and adds on-screen battery notifications. This is not a security update.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/options

Logitech Options for macOS 8.36.76 adds Big Sur support, allows changing function keys, customizing mouse buttons, gesture controls, and adds on-screen battery notifications. This is not a security update.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/options

nVidia 457.51 adds support for new hardware, updates SLI profiles, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Brave 1.17.75 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 87.0.4280.88 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.google.com/chrome/

Microsoft Edge 87.0.664.57 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 83.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Firefox ESR 78.5.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

SeaMonkey 2.53.5.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.seamonkey-project.org/

Vivaldi 3.5.2115.73 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://vivaldi.com/

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 78.5.1 is a security update.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Dropbox 111.4.472 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update. This version is not reliable on Windows 8.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FreeFileSync 11.4 resolves several bugs, and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

iCloud for Windows 11.5 is a security update.
https://apple.com/icloud

Technitium DNS Server 5.5 adds support for SRV records and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://technitium.com/dns/

WinSCP 5.17.9 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Zoom 5.4.59296.1207 adds meeting reminders, warnings for meetings that are only partially encrypted, and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

3tene 2.0.8 updates libraries, improves sync and face tracking, adds ability to call shortcuts, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://en.3tene.com/

iTunes 12.11 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

Picard 2.5.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Steam 2020.12.07 is a security update.
https://www.steampowered.com/platform/update_history/index.php?skin=0&id=0

PlayStation PS4 8.01 improves reliability. This is not a security update. Note that Sony changed the URLs without adding redirects, so the new location to download updates has changed:
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps4/system-software/

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Blender 2.91.0 adds several new features and controls. This is not a security update.
https://www.blender.org/download/

Adobe Acrobat (version yet to be announced) is a security update. Use Help, Check for updates to get the most current version…when it’s released.

Adobe Reader (version yet to be announced) is a security update. Use Help, Check for updates to get the most current version…when it’s released.

Adobe Lightroom 10.1 is a security update.
https://creativecloud.adobe.com/apps/all/desktop

Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.7.0 and 6.4.8.3 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/experience-manager/apsb20-72.html

Adobe Prelude 9.0.2 is a security update.
https://creativecloud.adobe.com/apps/all/desktop

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

Gpg4win 3.1.14 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.gpg4win.org/download.html

Nmap 7.90 adds 1,200 new fingerprints, resolves over 70 bugs, and provides several new features. It also removes silent install. 🙁 This is a security update.
https://nmap.org/download.html

Npcap 1.00 is the first stable release of Npcap. This is not a security update.
https://nmap.org/npcap/

RogueKiller 14.8.0 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

uBlock Origin 1.31.2 resolves reliability in Chromium. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/latest

Tails 4.13 is a security update.
https://tails.boum.org/install/dvd-download/index.en.html

OpenSSL 1.1.1i is a security update. Releases of OpenSSL always trigger updates for every other platform that uses networking in any way, so expect a series of updates for every other web platform you use in the near future.
https://www.openssl.org/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2021.0.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 12.0.0.9 adds support for new encodings, resolves several bugs, and improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://www.dvdfab.cn/download.htm

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

1Password for Mac 7.7 adds Privacy integration, unlock with Apple Watch, MDM integration, improved password generator, and resolves over 100 bugs. This is a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/mac/

Agent Ransack 2019.2951 improves performance at idle and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/download/

Bitwarden 1.23.1 resolves bugs with SSO and improves GDPR compliance. This should be treated as a security update.
https://bitwarden.com/

DesktopOK 8.08 resolves several bugs and updates language support. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

Etcher 1.5.112 updates libraries, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Everything 1.4.1.1000 resolves a bug with silent installation, wide-character comparison, name munging and other bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.voidtools.com/

FileLocator Pro 8.5.2951 improves performance when idle and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.mythicsoft.com/filelocatorpro/download

GoodSync 11.4.9 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

Homedale 1.90 adds support to load access points from CSV and improves frequency usage chart. This is not a security update.
https://www.the-sz.com/products/homedale/

HWMonitor 1.43 adds support for new hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html

MS ISO Downloader 8.44 adds support for new media (including Win10 20H2v2) and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

NTLite 2.0.0.7726 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

Aomei Partition Assistant 9.0 adds shred files support. This is not a security update.
https://www.diskpart.com/

PointerStick 4.88 updates language support. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

Rufus 3.13 adds support for a 20H2v2, adds support to cheat certain disk images, improves error handling, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://rufus.ie/en_IE.html

Sysmon 12.03 fixes reporting and a possible crash condition for certain rules. This should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

SDelete 2.04 provides a new switch to avoid file/directory ambiguity. This should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

WinObj 2.23 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

TaskSchedulerView 1.60 adds support for exporting tasks to JSON, and updates HTML export to HTML5. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

TeamViewer 15.12.4 resolves several bugs, improves performance, and adds support for more web cameras. This is not a security update.
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

WinScan2PDF 6.33 improves detection and operation with some hardware, updates language support, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DB Browser for SQLite 3.12.1 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://sqlitebrowser.org/

Inno Setup 6.1.2 adds Print support and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

Node.js 12.20.0 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 14.15.1 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 15.3.0 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

SQLite 3.34.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.sqlite.org/download.html

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

Adminer 4.7.8 adds support for PHP 8 and disallows connecting to privileged ports. This is not a security update.
https://www.adminer.org/en/

Drupal 9.0.10 is a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

Drupal 9.1.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

HumHub 1.7.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.humhub.com/en/download

Joomla 3.9.23 is a security update.
https://www.joomla.org/

Nextcloud Server 20.0.2 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

phpList 3.5.8 adds new functionality to AJAX form and updates libraries. This is not a security update.
https://www.phplist.org/

ScreenConnect 20.12.1734.7640 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

WordPress 5.6 updates libraries, adds several new features and blocks, a new theme, and more. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/download/

BuddyPress 6.4.0 is a security update.

Contact Form 7 5.3.1 now passes last_contacted based on submission timestamp. This is not a security update.

Multisite Enhancements 1.5.4 fixes favicon. This is not a security update.

Theme My Login 7.1.2 improves stability and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.8.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2020-05-12

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for May 2020.

The next build of Windows 10 will be released in only two weeks. If you don’t want to be the guinea pig I strongly suggest you update to v1909 as soon as possible if you’re running an older build. This will grant you a reprieve from the new version for a couple months. Let everyone else beta test and you can upgrade when they’ve worked out the bugs.

Furthermore, yesterday was the last day of support for commercial versions of Windows 10 prior to v1809 (build 17763). If you’re running an older version upgrade to v1909 ASAP to maintain security updates for your device.

This Month in Technology

Send a text, get root.

Even more bad news for Apple devices, as Google’s Project Zero has discovered “numerous new vulnerabilities” on all Apple hardware, and all Apple devices with Thunderbolt ports are vulnerable to an unpatchable security exploit.

But it’s not just Apple. Samsung is patching recent devices from their Galaxy line, though every Galaxy device they produced over the last 7 years is vulnerable to a similar “perfect 10” vulnerability in image parsing.

Ghost and LineageOS were hacked using known vulnerabilities in SaltStack that were left unaddressed. Fortunately it doesn’t look like any serious damage was done.

Pitney Bowes has been hacked again.

Watering holes (places that aggregate data from many accounts and services) will always be prime targets. If you’re not increasing your defense-in-depth posture at your watering hole, expect to be repeatedly violated. Ask LabCorp.

Government-approved monopolies are far too frequently granted exceptions others are not. PG&E, despite causing the fires that killed over a hundred people and destroyed over 25,000 homes and triggering the current insurance crisis in California, has had their $200 million fine waived.

Racists take aim at technology, banning the use of names of colors in the UK.

If you support the lockdown, is it because you hate science or just math? Face masks increase your risk, not the other way around. There’s no such thing as perfect safety.

I won’t try to make a distinction between the junk science you worship and actual science. You’re too far gone for that.

The lockdown is proving more lethal than the coronavirus as suicides exceed COVID-19 deaths in Australia.

Now for the good news:

A massive 10,000+ device botnet is dying out. Sadly, this isn’t one of the truly evil ones that was used for severe malicious actions, but rather just for downloading Anime.

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program. Thanks to the unstopping barrage of updates pushed during “weekly update quarantine”, Patch Tuesday this month is not that bad. The typical computer should see roughly 1.2 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, .NET, Internet Explorer, Servicing Stack, and MSRT (~800 MB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.371 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Don’t forget to check your mobile devices, too! Many updates will also apply to your tablet, phone, kindle or television – so check your device-appropriate App Store and install updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

The release of macOS Catalina (10.15) means that macOS Sierra (10.12) and older are no longer supported. If you can not install at least macOS High Sierra (10.13) on your Mac then you should immediately remove it from the Internet and use it offline only. It will no longer receive patches or updates and can now no longer be secured.

The now-current release of the Windows 10 (1909) is a pretty small update so will install quickly. Windows 10 pushes you to get the latest Windows 10 release every 6 months. If you don’t let it finish and you’re on a slow connection, this process kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need or use, reducing the attack surface.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Brave 1.8.95 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 81.0.4044.138 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Microsoft Edge 81.0.416.72 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 76.0.1 follows shortly after 76.0 which is a security update. 76.0.1 resolves several compatibility issues. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Firefox ESR 68.8.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

SeaMonkey 2.53.2 is a security update.
https://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/

Vivaldi 3.0.1874.38 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://vivaldi.com/

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 68.8.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Trillian 6.3.0.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.trillian.im/

Npcap 0.9991 resolves several bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://nmap.org/npcap/

Zoom 5.0.24046.0510 improves local privacy. This is not a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Picard 2.3.2 resolves several bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Nintendo Switch 10.0.2 resolves a pairing bug and improves stability. This is not a security update.

Tekkit Server 1.2.9i disables mod update checks resolving a crash bug. This is not a security update.
http://www.technicpack.net/modpack/tekkitmain

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe Reader DC 20.009.20063 is a security update. Use Help, Check for updates to install the most current version.

Adobe Acrobat 2020.009.20063, 2017.011.30171, and 2015.006.30523 are security updates. Use Help, Check for updates to install the most current version.

Atom 1.46.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

Adobe DNG Software Development Kit (SDK) 1.5.1 is a security update.
Win: https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/product.jsp?product=120&platform=Windows
Mac: https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/product.jsp?product=120&platform=Macintosh

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

RogueKiller 14.4.2 resolves a crash bug and updates service. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

TinyWall 3.0.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://tinywall.pados.hu/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ScreenToGif 2.24 resolves several bugs and adds two-pass FFmpeg option. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/NickeManarin/ScreenToGif/releases/latest

SnagIt 2020.1.2 resolves several crash bugs and improves compatibility. This is a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MKVToolnix 46.0.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.fosshub.com/MKVToolNix.html

HandBrake 1.3.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://handbrake.fr/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

1Password for Mac 7.5 adds password sharing by link, and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/mac/

DesktopOK 7.17 adds silent install support, resolves several bugs, and updates language files. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

Etcher 1.5.87 resolves several bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

GoodSync 11.1.8 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

IsMyHdOK 2.15 improves drive type detection. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

MS ISO Downloader 8.36 updates libraries and adds new disk images. This should be treated as a security update.
https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

OSFMount 3.0.1006 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.osforensics.com/tools/mount-disk-images.html

PointerStick 4.01 updates language files. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

PowerToys 0.17.0 adds native automatic update and updates FancyZones behavior. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases/latest

PSAppDeploy 3.8.2 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://psappdeploytoolkit.com/

WifiChannelMonitor 1.60 updates the internal MAC addresses file. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_channel_monitor.html

WinScan2PDF 5.33 improves WIA compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Android Studio 3.6.3.0 resolves a caching bug. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio

Node.js 14.2.0 improves error handling and monitoring with assertions, and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Visual Studio Code 1.45 improves accessibility, color, syntax, and semantic highlighting, performance, and GitHub integration. This is not a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

OpenCart 3.0.3.3 replaces all PayPal extensions with PayPal Commerce platform. This is not a security update.
https://www.opencart.com/

Adminer 4.7.7 is a security update.
https://www.adminer.org/en/

OpenPetra 2020.04 resolves several bugs, adds Sponsorship module, improves initial setup and updates libraries. This is a security update.
https://www.openpetra.org/

Autoptimize 2.7.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Social Post Feed 2.14.1 resolves a bug in notices. This is not a security update.

Postie 1.9.51 removes functions from logon screen. This is not a security update.

Redirection 4.7.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

NextScripts Social Networks Auto-Poster 4.3.15 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

Top Commentators Widget 1.6 removes deprecated functions. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.1.0 updates dependencies, resolves several bugs. This is a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 2.0.1 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

Show IDs 1.1.4 improves compatibility with WordPress 5.4.1.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2020-03-24

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Hi, Folks!

It’s not Patch Tuesday, but security updates from Apple, Adobe, Google, and many others have triggered an out-of-cycle update.

This Month/Week in Technology

NPM is joining Github. Cool.

Apple was fined $1.2 billion by French antitrust authorities. And you thought the next iPhone was going to be expensive yesterday? They’ll be rolling the expense of the antitrust settlement into your next iDevice.

Security is all about trust. The thing to remember is that just because something claims to be a security application or service doesn’t mean it is. Antivirus and VPNs are no exception. By the way, if you’re still using Avast, you may as well just send your passwords out to random email addresses along with all your other personal data.

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) are critical for scalable web distribution. Unfortunately, this makes them prime targets for malware distribution as well.

Salesforce customers will soon no longer be able to use Data Backup Recovery. Consider this a reminder that while the cloud might store everything, it’s not always easy to get it back when you’ve lost it.

The US Department of Defense is glacially slow (8+ years) at fixing security issues. Don’t say you weren’t warned. In their wisdom, the FBI says you shouldn’t save your passwords in your browser. Duh.

Even if you don’t, however, your data is stored by most other entities you interact with. For example, every 10 years the US performs the Census and collects a wide variety of information about every household in the country. When the US Census Bureau data is hacked you can find that data online, too. But that’s not even the worst of what’s wrong with the Census this year. Their website uses a script that performs a unique fingerprint of every single device that connects to their site and attempts to load various sensor features to further profile and access features of the device. Coupled with the “unique” login you use when filling out the Census your online activity can be permanently tied to your devices. And yes, this is the same organization that had a major data leak earlier in this paragraph.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is much less secure than you may have thought, no matter how bad you thought it was. 98% of their traffic is sent unencrypted, more than half of devices suffer from critical vulnerabilities that will likely never be patched, IoT devices are often used as a foothold to gain access to your internal networks, and hospitals are some of the worst offenders for employing insecure and unmaintained IoT devices.

Is it any wonder that the Russian FSB was developing an IoT botnet? Another FSB contractor was hacked and their tools were released in much the same way as the CIA Vault7 hack.

Now for the good news:

Comcast has made their public Wi-Fi hotspots available free to everyone and has removed data caps for the next 60 days as a result of the current pandemic. Just make sure you’re using a VPN. 🙂

Let’s Get Busy

Apple released updates for macOS Catalina 10.15.4, Security Update 2020-002 Mojave, Security Update 2020-002 High Sierra, Xcode 11.4, Safari 13.1, watchOS 6.2, watchOS 5.3.6, tvOS 13.4, iOS 13.4, iPadOS 13.4, iOS 12.4.6, and iTunes 12.10.5 for Windows. These are security updates. Use the Apple App Store or Apple Software Update to install the most current versions.

iOS 13.4 and 12.4.6 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current version.

watchOS 6.2 and 5.3.6 are security updates. Use your updated iPhone to install the most current version through the Watch app.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204641

tvOS 13.4 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Updates to install the most current version.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.344 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

nVidia 442.75 resolves several compatibility issues and adds app/game profiles. This is not a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Brave 1.5.113 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 80.0.3987.149 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Vivaldi 2.11.1811.49 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://vivaldi.com/

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 68.6.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

BrowsingHistoryView 2.40 adds a new date/time filter. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

FileZilla Client 3.47.2.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

FreeFileSync 10.22 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

Npcap 0.9989 resolves several bugs. This should be treated as a security update.
https://nmap.org/npcap/

Prosody 0.11.5 adds foreground/background flags to replace daemon functionality. This is not a security update.
https://prosody.im/download/start

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 12.10.5 is a security update. Use Apple Software Update to install the most current version.

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe Reader DC 20.006.20042 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to install the most current version.

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop?5.1 is a security update.
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/catalog/desktop.html

Adobe Bridge 10.0.3 is a security update.
https://www.adobe.com/products/bridge.html

Adobe ColdFusion 2016.14 and 2018.8 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-2016-update-14.html
https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-2018-update-8.html

Adobe Experience Manager 6.3.3.8, 6.4.8.0, and 6.5.4.0 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/experience-manager/aem-releases-updates.html

Adobe Photoshop 20.0.9 and 21.1.1 are security updates. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current versions (after you patch it).

Adobe Acrobat 2020.006.20042, 2017.011.30166, and 2015.006.30518 are security updates. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current versions (after you patch it).

Adobe Genuine Integrity Service 6.6 is a security update. AdobeGCClient does not have a separate installer or updater, and will update as you patch other programs.

Atom 1.45.0 resolves several bugs and updates libraries. This should be treated as a security update.
https://atom.io/

LibreOffice Fresh 6.4.2 resolves over 90 bugs. This is a security update. LibreOffice Fresh is a beta version, and should be avoided for most users.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

RogueKiller 14.3.0 updates libraries, improves reliability and scanning behaviors. This is a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ScreenToGif 2.22.1 resolves a couple bugs and updates translations. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/NickeManarin/ScreenToGif/releases/latest

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 11.0.8.1 adds support for new encodings, improves compatibility, and resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.dvdfab.cn/download.htm

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

1Password for Windows 7.4.759 resolves several bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/windows/

CurrPorts 2.61 resolves a state-monitoring bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/cports.html

Etcher 1.5.80 resolves several bugs and updates electron. This should be treated as a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Everything 1.4.1.969 improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://www.voidtools.com/

Fing 9.0.0 adds several new feature shortcuts and an Account tab. This is not a security update.
https://community.fing.com/

GoodSync 10.11.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

IsMyHdOK 2.11 updates language packs and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

TeamViewer 15.4.4445 resolves several bugs and adds the tvopt file format for setting portability. This is not a security update.
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

WSUS Offline 12.0 removes support for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Win10 v1703, splits Win10 updates to versioned folders for future updates, and updates supercedence values. This is not a security update.
https://download.wsusoffline.net/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Inno Setup 6.0.4 improves compatibility, Restart Manager, and RTF, adds Dark Theme, several fixes and HTTPS on the website. This is not a security update.
https://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

Node.js 13.11.0 updates libraries, improves compatibility, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

StrawberryPerl 5.30.2.1 updates libraries, improves compatibility, and resolves several bugs. This is a security update. You probably shouldn’t be using StrawberryPerl though, since they still aren’t using HTTPS even though they can get it free through LetsEncrypt. Sad.
http://strawberryperl.com/

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

Drupal 8.8.4 is a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

HumHub 1.4.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.humhub.com/en/download

phpMyAdmin 4.9.5 is a security update.
https://www.phpmyadmin.net/

Nextcloud Server 18.0.3 is a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

phpList 3.5.1 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.phplist.org/

Connectwise Control 20.2.27450.7387 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

Akismet 4.1.4 improves compatibility and activation process. This is not a security update.

Custom Facebook Feed 2.12.4 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

myStickymenu 2.3.8 improves compatibility, reduces announcement nag frequency, and allows custom HTML within notification bar. This is not a security update.

Postie 1.9.44 refactors code for separation of purpose and adds an action for registering shortcodes.

Redirection 4.7.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.0.1 improves Action Scheduler and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 1.9.0 adds several troubleshooting features, improves documentation, About, and warns when settings are not saved. This is not a security update.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2019-12-10

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Merry Christmas, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for December 2019.

Note: shortly after publishing, Google released Chrome 79.0.3945.79.

Windows 10, version 1909, is available. This version is minor compared to previous Windows 10 upgrades. Nevertheless, don’t do it yet. There is nothing so critically important in 1909 that the update can’t wait a month. Wait for it.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Windows 7 will fall completely out of support in only 35 days. Don’t run out the clock. If you are running a licensed version of Windows 7 or 8 you can still upgrade to Windows 10 and have a supported version of Windows for the foreseeable future. Get it done before it’s too late. Don’t want to do it yourself? Call me!

There is a lot of talk right now about enabling POSready mode to gain additional time for Windows 7. This *does* work, but I recommend against it. POSready mode is designed to allow existing third-party software to continue to operate in the Windows 7 ecosystem, but Microsoft and most third-party developers will stop support when Windows 7 is end-of-life (EOL). This means that while your OS itself will continue to receive security updates, most other apps will not. If your device is used as a typical PC this means your risk will still significantly increase by relying on POSready with unmaintainable third-party applications.

Christmas is only a couple weeks away which means it’s that time of year when the best and worst of humanity is exposed. This time of year brings stress and urgency to everything, and that means people are more likely to be targeted for common phishing schemes, malicious attachments (invoices and holiday letters), end-of-year insurance scams, and advance fee fraud. You’ll be targeted by phone and email and the deluge won’t subside until mid-to-late January. Don’t be afraid to hang up and delete. It really is better to be safe than sorry.

If you’ve read more than a couple of my newsletters you’ve seen me hate on Avast regularly. Last week I was actually considering easing off and giving them another chance. Then I received diet spam FROM AVAST BUSINESS! I’ve reconsidered. If you’re using any of this software you should remove it immediately. Avast can’t be trusted. Having any of their software installed significantly increases the risk to your devices, and should be treated as a malware infection as far as I’m concerned.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program. The typical computer should see roughly 2 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, Internet Explorer, .NET, Servicing Stack, hardware drivers, and MSRT (~1 GB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Apple released updates for macOS Catalina 10.15.2, Mojave Security Update 2019-002, and High Sierra Security Update 2019-007, iOS 13.3, iOS 12.4.4, iPadOS 13.3, Safari 13.0.4, Xcode 11.3, watchOS 5.3.4, watchOS 6.1.1, and tvOS 13.3. These are security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install the most current versions.

watchOS 6.1.1 and watchOS 5.3.4 are security updates. Use the Watch app on your iPhone to install the most current version.

tvOS 13.3 is a security update. Use System, Software Update to install the most current version.

macOS Catalina (10.15) is available. If you don’t have to, don’t install it. Mojave (10.14) will be supported for almost 2 more years.

iOS 13.3, iOS 12.4.4, and iPadOS 13.3 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

Google Chrome OS 78.0.3904.106 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version. A reboot is required.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.303 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Don’t forget to check your mobile devices, too! Many updates will also apply to your tablet, phone, kindle or television – so check your device-appropriate App Store and install updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

The release of macOS Catalina (10.15) means that macOS Sierra (10.12) and older are no longer supported. If you can not install at least macOS High Sierra (10.13) on your Mac then you should immediately remove it from the Internet and use it offline only. It will no longer receive patches or updates and can now no longer be secured.

The now-current release of the Windows 10 (1909) is a pretty small update so will install quickly. Windows 10 pushes you to get the latest Windows 10 release every 6 months. If you don’t let it finish and you’re on a slow connection, this process kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need or use, reducing the attack surface.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

BullZip PDF Printer 11.11.0.2804 adds High-DPI support, printing page range, and copy+paste support for UTF16 characters. This is not a security update.
https://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php#download

Display Driver Uninstaller 18.0.2.0 improves Nvidia cleanup.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

Dymo Label 8.7.3 doesn’t provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dymo.com/en-US/online-support/dymo-user-guides

MS Mouse and Keyboard Center 20191127 adds support for newer hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.microsoft.com/accessories/en-us/downloads/mouse-keyboard-center

Nvidia 441.66 adds image sharpening for Vulkan and OpenGL, support for newer hardware, and multiple security fixes. This is a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Google Chrome 79.0.3945.79 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to get the most current version.

Firefox 71.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to get the most current version.

Firefox ESR 68.3.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to get the most current version.

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 68.3.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to get the most current version.

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

BrowsingHistoryView 2.30 adds History File and Record ID columns. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

FileZilla Client 3.46.0 resolves a crash, and updates dependencies. This is a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

FreeFileSync 10.18 adds parallel processing, grid sort, filter counts, improved responsiveness and bug fixes. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

MaxMind GeoIP2 201912 is a data refresh.
https://dev.maxmind.com/geoip/

WinSCP 5.15.9 is a security update.
https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CDBurnerXP 4.5.8.7128 improves error handling. This should be treated as a security update.
https://cdburnerxp.se/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Steam 2019.12.05 resolves several bugs, returns Small Mode, updates libraries, and adds GUI improvements. This should be treated as a security update.

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe Acrobat DC 19.021.20058 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, Check for updates to get the most current version.

Adobe Reader DC 19.021.20058 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, Check for updates to get the most current version.

Adobe Photoshop CC 20.0.8 and 21.0.2 are security updates. Use Adobe Creative Cloud to install the most current version.

Artweaver 7.0.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.artweaver.de/

Krita 4.2.8 improves disk write reliability, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://krita.org/en/download/krita-desktop/

Notepad++ 7.8.2 resolves several bugs and returns the hotkeys to the save prompt. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?npp

Paint.net 4.2.8 updates libraries, improves performance, resolves several bugs, and adds self-repair with /repair. This should be treated as a security update.
https://www.getpaint.net/

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

Caine 11.0 adds several new features and apps, updates libraries, and updates core. This is a security update.
https://www.caine-live.net/

HTTP Toolkit 0.1.17 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://httptoolkit.tech/

RogueKiller 14.0.0.16 updates core engine, resolves several bugs, adds real time protection and documents protection. This should be treated as a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/softwares/roguekiller/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2020.0.3 resolves an Editor launch bug. This is not a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MKVToolnix 41.0.0 adds many new features, improves meta storage, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.fosshub.com/MKVToolNix.html

DVDFab 11.0.6.4 adds support for new encodings, new hardware, adds Enlarger AI and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.dvdfab.cn/download.htm

MakeMKV 1.14.7 adds support for new encodings, resolves a file name variable expansion bug. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?makemkv

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Beyond Compare 4.3.3.24545 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.scootersoftware.com/download.php?zz=dl4

Bitcoin 0.19.0.1 integrates a tool to analyze and reduce memory consumption, adds and updates many RPC functions. This is not a security update.
https://bitcoin.org/en/download

CPU-Z Installer 1.91 adds support for newer hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

Dell Command Update 3.1 adds CLI support, automatic suspension of BitLocker for BIOS updates, enhances return codes for CLI, update scheduling, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln311129/dell-command-update?lang=en

DesktopOK 6.79 resolves a false AV alert. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

DevManView 1.65 adds shortcut creation, and adds option to start remote registry service for automation. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/device_manager_view.html

Drive Snapshot 1.48 adds support for newer OSes, resolves encryption bugs. This is a security update.
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/

Etcher 1.5.69 updates libraries, resolves several bugs, and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

GoodSync 10.10.15 resolves several bugs, improves and weakens security options (yes, really). This version should be avoided until they get their stuff together.
https://www.goodsync.com/

Homedale 1.86 improves the dot-chart. This is not a security update.
https://www.the-sz.com/products/homedale/

MS ISO Downloader 8.24 adds support for new media. This is not a security update.
https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

NTLite 1.8.0.7240 adds several options for new features, resolves bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

OSForensics 7.1.1002 resolves several bugs and improves reliability. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.osforensics.com/download.html

Password Security Scanner 1.50 adds support for Windows Credentials passwords, and resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/password_security_scanner.html

RoboForm 8.6.5 resolves an upgrade data conversion bug, improves experience when changing Master password, improves login from RF behavior, and resolves several other bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

SearchMyFiles 3.07 resolves a bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/search_my_files.html

TraceRouteOK 1.61 adds window position saving, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/TraceRouteOK

USBDeview 2.85 adds option to create shortcuts. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

WinScan2PDF 5.11 improves WIA reliability, performance. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

WirelessKeyView 2.11 improves output formatting and adds explore from here option. This is not a security update. Note that downloads are not password protected. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

WSUS Offline 11.8.3 updates supercedence list, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://download.wsusoffline.net/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

AutoHotkey 1.1.32.00 resolves several bugs, adds InputHook OnKeyUp callback, adds support for PixelSearch in fast mode. This is not a security update.
https://www.autohotkey.com/download/

Android Studio 3.5.3.0 improves stability and performance, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio/index.html

Godot 3.1.2 resolves over 400 bugs. This is a security update.
https://godotengine.org/

Node.js 13.3.0 resolves several bugs, and updates libraries. This should be treated as a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

StrawberryPerl 5.30.1.1 updates core to 5.30.1 and updates libraries. This is not a security update.
http://strawberryperl.com/

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

Drupal 8.8.0 makes several feature-level and requirements changes (recommended PHP is now 7.2+), removes several features and modules, updates libraries, and improves code consistency. This should be treated as a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

Brackets 1.14.1 is a security update.
http://brackets.io/

MailEnable 10.28 resolves several bugs, and adds recurring tasks and custom special folders. This is not a security update.
https://www.mailenable.com/

phpMyAdmin 4.9.2 resolves several bugs and improves compatibility. This is a security update.
https://www.phpmyadmin.net/

ScreenConnect 19.5.26030.7282 improves server compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

ColdFusion 2018 Update 7 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-2018-update-7.html

bbPress 2.6.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

BuddyPress 5.1.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Contact Form 7 5.1.6 resolves an incompatible CSS bug. This is not a security update.

Custom Facebook Feed 2.12.2 resolves a bug. This is not a security update.

FV Top Level Categories 1.9.1 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

Multisite Enhancements 1.5.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Redirection 4.5.1 resolves broken canonical redirects. This is not a security update.

NextScripts Social Networks Auto-Poster 4.3.11 adds WordPress 5.3 support, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Sucuri Security 1.8.22 adds several new checks. This is not a security update.

W3 Total Cache 0.11.0 resolves several bugs, improves compatibility and performance, and adds lazy loading. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 3.8.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

 

Updates 2019-08-13

Posted on by
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Hi, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for August 2019 and it’s huge. It was a pretty big month for security news, too.

This month demonstrates several points I’ve been making for years:

1) Often the addition of yet another antivirus actually weakens your security. With Windows Defender scoring a perfect 100 there’s no good reason to install one of the “free” or even paid alternatives. Remember that there are only three parties to an exchange: the vendor, the customer, and the product. If you’re not selling or paying for a service, you’re the product.

2) Everything will be hacked eventually. Capital One and Binance demonstrate that even those tasked with the highest levels of security can be bribed or make mistakes, and since all encryption is weighted only by time and resources that are becoming ever-cheaper, assume anything you share will inevitably be compromised, even if you didn’t put it online yourself.

3) It isn’t just computers and phones that can be hacked. Everything from cameras, to airplanes, to Navy destroyers, and much more are also vulnerable.

4) The gatekeepers of “reasonable” vulnerability disclosure are as responsible as anyone else for zero-day exploits being exposed.

That’s enough horror stories for now. Let’s get back to our regularly scheduled program. The typical computer should see roughly 3 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, .NET, Edge, Internet Explorer, Flash, and MSRT (~2 GB). This includes security updates. TWO reboots are required.

Apple released updates for iOS 12.4, macOS Mojave 10.14.6, Security Update 2019-004 High Sierra, Security Update 2019-004 Sierra, Safari 12.1.2, watchOS 5.3, tvOS 12.4, iCloud for Windows 7.13, iCloud for Windows 10.6, and iTunes for Windows 12.9.6. These are security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install the most current versions.

iOS 12.4 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

watchOS 5.3 is a security update. Use the Watch app on your iPhone to install the most current version.

tvOS 12.4 is a security update. Use System, Software Update to install the most current version.

Google Chrome OS 76.0.3809.102 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version. A reboot is required.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.238 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Don’t forget to check your mobile devices, too! Many updates will also apply to your tablet, phone, kindle or television – so check your device-appropriate App Store and install updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

The now-current release of Windows 10 (1903) will cause your computer to feel unusually slow until it is installed. This is a side-effect of the Windows 10 upgrade cycle, which pushes out 3-6 GB through Windows update to get you to the latest Windows 10 release every 6 months. If you don’t let it finish and you’re on a slow connection, it will kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need or use, reducing the attack surface.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Finally, if you’re sick of doing this all yourself, let me! Call or email me any time, and we can set you up with subscription SaferPC updates which will be installed each month whenever necessary. Click, call or email for more details:
https://saferpc.info/updates/
209-565-12PD
shawn@12pointdesign.com

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

Display Driver Uninstaller 18.0.1.7 resolves bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

nVidia 431.60 is a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

BullZip PDF Printer 11.10.0.2761 adds print redirection and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php#download

Crucial Storage Executive 5.02 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/support-storage-executive

Intel Driver and Support Assistant 19.7.30 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Google Chrome 76.0.3809.100 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Firefox 68.0.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Vivaldi 2.6.1566.49 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://vivaldi.com/

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

OutlookAttachView 3.25 adds search-in-attachments option. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Thunderbird 60.8.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Trillian 6.2.0.11 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.trillian.im/

Trillian Mac 6.2.0.18 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.trillian.im/

BrowsingHistoryView 2.21 adds option to use local time for time range. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

FileZilla Client 3.44.1 resolves several bugs, adds search to Site Manager, and adds warnings to insecure connections. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

FreeFileSync 10.14 enforces TLS for all endpoints and resolves several bugs. This should be considered a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

MaxMind GeoIP 201908 is a data refresh.
https://dev.maxmind.com/geoip/

Nmap 7.80 includes an updated Npcap, adds NSE scripts and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://nmap.org/

Npcap 0.9982 is a security update.
https://nmap.org/npcap/

PuTTY installer 0.72 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html

WinSCP 5.15.3 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 12.9.6 is a security update.
https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Lego Digital Designer 4.3.12 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/ldd

Steam 2019.08.06 resolves several bugs. This is a security update. Use Steam to update Steam.

PlayStation PS4 6.72 improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/system-updates/ps4/

RetroPie 4.5.1 improves compatibility with RPI4 and reverts the kernel to improve stability. This is not a security update.
https://retropie.org.uk/

SteamOS Installer 2019-07-17 is a security update.
https://store.steampowered.com/steamos/download/?ver=custom

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Atom 1.40.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

Artweaver 7.0 improves brush handling, simplified presets, Windows Ink Pen support, improved update, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.artweaver.de/

Krita 4.2.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://krita.org/en/download/krita-desktop/

LibreOffice Still 6.2.5 is a major update to LibreOffice Still, and adds several features and improved stability. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

LibreOffice Fresh 6.3.0 is a major new release with improved integration, performance improvements, and many new features. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Paint.net 4.2.1 adds HEIC and JPEG XR support, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.getpaint.net/

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop 4.9 is a security update.
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/catalog/desktop.html

Adobe Photoshop CC 19.1.9 is a security update. Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current version (after patching the security issues in Creative Cloud Desktop).

Adobe Photoshop CC 20.0.6 is a security update. Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current version (after patching the security issues in Creative Cloud Desktop).

Adobe Experience Manager hotfix 30379 is a security update for AEM 6.4 and 6.5.
6.4: https://www.adobeaemcloud.com/content/companies/public/adobe/packages/cq640/hotfix/cq-6.4.0-hotfix-30379
6.5: https://www.adobeaemcloud.com/content/companies/public/adobe/packages/cq650/hotfix/cq-6.5.0-hotfix-30379

Adobe Acrobat DC 2019.012.20036 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC 2019.012.20036 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Acrobat 2017 2017.011.30144 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Acrobat Reader DC 2017 2017.011.30144 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Acrobat DC 2015.006.30499 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Acrobat Reader DC 2015.006.30499 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to get the most current version.

Adobe Prelude CC 8.1.1 is a security update. Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current version (after patching the security issues in Creative Cloud Desktop).

Adobe Premiere Pro CC 13.1.3 is a security update. Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current version (after patching the security issues in Creative Cloud Desktop).

Adobe Character Animator CC 2.1.1 is a security update. Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current version (after patching the security issues in Creative Cloud Desktop).

Adobe After Effects CC 16.1.2 is a security update. Use Creative Cloud Desktop to install the most current version (after patching the security issues in Creative Cloud Desktop).

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

QubesOS 4.0.2 updates kernel and TemplateVM components. This is not a security update.
https://www.qubes-os.org/downloads/

Java 8u221 is a security update. If you’re not 110% sure you need Java, remove it instead.
https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Gpg4win 3.1.10 resolves a security bug.
https://www.gpg4win.org/download.html

RogueKiller 13.4.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/softwares/roguekiller/

RouterPassView 1.86 adds support for additional hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/router_password_recovery.html

TinyWall 2.1.11 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://tinywall.pados.hu/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2019.1.3 is a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Stop using CDex. CDex now includes malware as part of the installation, so should be treated as untrustworthy. Even if the accessory malware is removed, any developer willing to include malware should be assumed to be malicious and the core software likely has many other security issues and should be avoided completely. Again, remove CDex.

DVDFab 11.0.4.2 adds support or new encodings, improves compatibility, greatly improves subtitle parsing. This is not a security update.
http://www.dvdfab.cn/download.htm

FFmpeg 4.2 is a new major build, adding many filters and decoders and improving performance. This is not a security update.
https://ffmpeg.org/download.html

Education updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

e-Sword 12.0 adds themes and low-light display support, and makes hundreds of other refinements and bug fixes. This is not a security update.
https://www.e-sword.net/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

RoboForm 8.6.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

1Password for Mac 7.3.2 improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/mac/

Bitcoin 0.18.1 adds new features, resolves bugs, and improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://bitcoin.org/en/download

BulkFileChanger 1.65 adds support for changing timestamps within mp4 and mov files. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

DesktopOK 6.45 adds uninstall and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

GoodSync 10.10.5 resolves several bugs and changes licensing behavior (again).
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

IsMyHdOK 1.81 improves support for newer hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

NirCmd 2.86 resolves a bug with the elevate command. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html

NTLite 1.8.0.7080 updates components and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

OSFMount 3.0.1005 adds physical/logical emulation options and resolves a bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.osforensics.com/tools/mount-disk-images.html

OSForensics 7.0.1001 adds many new features and resolves bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.osforensics.com/download.html

PointerStick 3.66 resolves a bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

Rufus 3.6 adds support for persistent partitions, improves compatibility, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://rufus.ie/en_IE.html

SearchMyFiles 3.01 adds option to prevent saving search options and support for searching within Office and PDF files. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/search_my_files.html

SimpleWMIView 1.38 improves refresh behavior. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/simple_wmi_view.html

TaskSchedulerView 1.51 adds a new column to indicate whether device will be awakened to run task. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

TraceRouteOK 1.44 resolves a bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/TraceRouteOK

WinScan2PDF 4.93 improves WIA and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

WSUS Offline 11.8 updates static URLs, servicing stacks and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
http://download.wsusoffline.net/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Android Studio 3.4.2.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio/index.html

MySQL 8.0.17 resolves several bugs and adds several new features. This is not a security update.
https://www.mysql.com/downloads/installer/

Node.js 12.8.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Redemption 5.21.0.5378 adds RDOFolders and appointment exception removal/undo support as well as resolving several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption/

SQLite 3.29.0 adds several new features. This is not a security update.
https://www.sqlite.org/download.html

TortoiseSVN 1.12.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://tortoisesvn.net/downloads.html

Visual Studio Code 1.37 adds several new features and improvements. This is not a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

WinMerge 2.16.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://winmerge.org/

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VirtualBox 6.0.10-132072 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

ScreenConnect 19.2.24707.7131 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

phpList 3.4.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.phplist.com/download

Drupal 8.7.6 resolves several bugs. This version follows quickly on the heels on 8.7.5, which is a security release.
https://drupal.org/download

Joomla 3.9.11 is a security update.
https://www.joomla.org/

MailEnable 10.26 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.mailenable.com/

Adminer 4.7.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.adminer.org/en/

BuddyPress 4.4.0 is a security update.

Contact Form 7 5.1.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

myStickymenu 2.2.1 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

Postie 1.9.38 resolves an attachment filtering bug. This is not a security update.

Redirection 4.3.3 resolves bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 3.7.0 resolves dozens of bugs, and provides feature, compatibility, and performance improvements. This is not a security update.

WP Add Custom CSS 1.1.5 replaces code editor. This is not a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 1.5.2 resolves a Gmail compatibility bug. This is not a security update.

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/