Tag Archives: Bitcoin

Updates 2021-06-08

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for June, 2021. There have been another couple dozen major security incidents, as well as some significant revelations impacting health, security and privacy. The latest Windows 10 release, v21H1, is out and it doesn’t change that much. Google has finally stopped their weekly security update cadence, though other vendors (including Microsoft Edge and Brave) have continued.

This Month in Technology

ABC affiliates, Apple AirTags, AXA, Biden’s Venmo account, Brenntag, CNA Financial, Colonial Pipeline (again), DigitalOcean, European biomolecular research institute, First Horizon Bank, U.S. Agency for Global Media, Guard.me, Herff Jones, Ireland’s Department of Health (HSE), JBS, Monday.com, Microsoft PatchGuard, NY MTA, OGUsers, One Treasure Island, Rapid7, Scripps Health and Whistler have been hacked.

A Qualcomm hardware vulnerability affects almost 40% of all mobile phones. Additionally, a dozen security vulnerabilities (called FragAttacks) have been discovered that apply to all Wi-Fi devices. (I’ll bet you miss that cable now, don’t you?)

Google released a “trial” feature to many Chrome users that effectively broke Chrome on their devices. Disabling the trial allowed Chrome to operate again. This is a perfect example of why you should never be forced into being in a beta program. iOS 14.6 is chewing through batteries. Microsoft released an update that broke compatibility with their own Office 365 services – Teams, Outlook and OneDrive. Google’s Nest thermostats are giving people the cold shoulder. Spectre is back again.

The antivirus that can’t protect you from crypto mining malware will now mine crypto on your device so they can use you to generate even more revenue for them. Better hope Norton 360 doesn’t get your home raided.

Amazon, the UK government, BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, The Guardian, NYT, and and many other major sites were taken offline today in a huge outage.

When your paranoid friend says the security app you’re using might be a government trojan, believe them.

Google & Apple are still making it impossible for users to keep their location private. Tor is being used to spy on “secure” user traffic. Again. A new privacy-compromising mechanism via cross-browser tracking installed apps can effectively identify your device. The TikTok App is collecting biometric data. The UK Test & Trace app does far worse.

GitHub has disabled FLoC. This is a good thing. Despite federal law, Chinese surveillance equipment is gaining US government customers. Taproot isn’t the privacy panacea it is perceived to be. On the topic of Snowden, he’s been vindicated (again).

Apple shares iCloud keys with CCP, Apple’s Find My can be used to leak secrets, has a “few” issues with notification reliability, and their techs regularly violate their users’ privacy. Due to so many arbitration cases Amazon is now allowing you to sue them…just in time, as they are now sharing your Wi-Fi with passersby. Dell lied about their Alienware laptop upgradeability. There’s a reason why so many people treat Microsoft Edge as malicious.

The Epic vs Apple lawsuit testimony is over, but Apple’s AppStore is still allowing malicious and fraudulent apps, while they pat themselves on the back for not taking even more money from their users.

Dr. Fauci lied about sponsoring gain of function research for biological warfare. He dismissed what he knew to be true, the lab-leak theory, and the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine. He perjured himself. The MSM helped.

Biden shut down the last Wuhan lab investigation. What are the chances there will be a real investigation? Intelligence agencies claim otherwise and you know they have never lied. As is typical of the political elite, instead of broadcasting this everywhere, they’re targeting those that exposed it with death threats.

Governments and the MSM are concealing any true risk/benefit analysis, the miscarriages, Freudian slips, and VAERS spikes behind missing data, bad science, vastly overcounted cases, and propaganda. They’ve been caught red-handed manipulating the data.

The truth is the COVID death numbers are still dropping while post-vaccination infection – and death – are not rare. 5-10% suffer from severe adverse reactions in the hundreds of thousands. The CDC’s new rules acknowledge what many have known all along, vindicating those who opposed masks and vaccines and the vaccines are far from safe or effective.

The worst part is that there are still unsubstantiated and illegal mandates (that are supported by the low-information crowd…forever), and insane dogma that violates all reason. Such as yellow stars for the unvaxxed, forbidding the unvaccinated from  church, employment, University (sometimes even the vaccinated) and even West Point. The Red Cross won’t even accept blood from the vaccinated.

The UK government knows what’s coming, and most will be called “unrelated illnesses.” When life insurance companies see this as a non-event and politicians ignore their own agencies to fine the science it’s hard to take it seriously. There have been decades of vaccine research, and we know they’re designing vaccines that spread themselves – isn’t that the premise of most zombie films? mRNA rewrites the genetic code and enhances the illness. This is what it is designed to do. By the way, did you know that during mRNA trials all the mammals kept dying? They proceeded with the emergency use authorization anyway. The only immunity provided by vaccines is to the manufacturer. A second Nuremburg Tribunal is on the horizon.

The Supreme Court says the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) is overbroad. Amazon is being sued over Antitrust law. The Ohio AG is trying to declare Google a public utility.

The government has repeatedly operated in concert with Big Tech to silence dissent, science, and discussion, in effect, laundering their censorship through third-parties. Governors and others are now going on the offense.

Now for the good news:

Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai is doing more to take down Big Tech than anyone else – by himself. Please help.

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Patch Tuesday this month is huge. The typical computer should see roughly 3.0 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

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

Apple released updates for iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6, macOS Big Sur 11.4, Security Update Mojave 2021-004, Security Update Catalina 2021-003, Safari 14.1.1, watchOS 7.5, tvOS 14.6, and Boot Camp 6.1.14. This includes security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install these updates. A reboot is required.

iOS 14.6 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

iPadOS 14.6 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

watchOS 7.5 is a security update. Use your updated iPhone to install the most current version through the Watch app.

tvOS 14.6 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Updates to install the most current version.

Google Chrome OS 91.0.4472.81 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.x) 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 (v21H1) is very large, for the first time it’s actually smaller than the previous release, but it will take a long time to download on slower connections. Windows 10 pushes you to get the latest Windows 10 release every 6 months and only supports any consumer builds for 18 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. This includes “free” applications like Avast, OpenOffice, and games you do not actually play.

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.

Logitech Options for macOS 8.54.147 adds support for newer hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/options

Nvidia 466.63 adds support for newer hardware, libraries and components, and resolves stability and performance bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Engine 3.22.0 now defaults to having Moments off, and resolves a crash bog. This is not a security update.
https://steelseries.com/engine

Browser Updates

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

Brave 1.25.70 is a security update.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 91.0.4472.77 is a security update.
https://www.google.com/chrome/

Microsoft Edge 91.0.864.41 is a security update.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 89.0 is a security update.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Firefox ESR 78.11.0 is a security update.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

Email Updates

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

Thunderbird 78.11.0 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.

AnyDesk 6.3.1 resolves several bugs and adds an adaptive resolution option. This is not a security update.
https://anydesk.com/en/downloads

AnyDesk for macOS 6.2.0 resolves stability and display issues, adds tab, cursor follow, and window focus controls. This is not a security update.
https://anydesk.com/en/downloads

curl 7.77.0 is a security update.
https://curl.haxx.se/windows/

Dropbox 123.4.4832 doesn’t provide a detailed changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FileZilla Client 3.54.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

Minds 4.13.0 improves performance and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.minds.com/mobile

Prosody 0.11.9 is a security update.
https://prosody.im/download/start

Technitium DNS Server 6.3 resolves several bugs and adds more than a half dozen new features, including failover and recursion ACLs. This is not a security update.
https://technitium.com/dns/

WGet 1.21.1-1 updates libraries. This is a security update.
https://eternallybored.org/misc/wget/

Zoom 5.6.7.1016 is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

3tene 2.0.15 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://en.3tene.com/

Picard 2.6.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Plex Media Server 1.23.2.4656 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/#plex-media-server

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Steam 2021.06.07 resolves several bugs and improves cosmetics. This is not a security update.
https://www.steampowered.com/platform/update_history/index.php?skin=0&id=0

PlayStation PS3 4.88 improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps3/system-software/

Office Updates

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

Audacity 3.0.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.audacityteam.org/download/

LibreOffice Still 7.0.6 is the final release for the 7.0 branch. This version resolves 50 reliability, stability, and compatibility bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Nextcloud Desktop 3.2.2 resolves several bugs and updates libraries. This should be treated as a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Adobe Connect 11.2.2 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/connect/apsb21-36.html

Adobe Acrobat and Reader 2021.005.20148, 2020.004.30005 and 2017.011.30197 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb21-37.html

Adobe Photoshop 21.2.9 and 22.4.2 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb21-38.html

Adobe Experience Manager 6.5.9.0 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/experience-manager/apsb21-39.html

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application 2.5 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/creative-cloud/apsb21-41.html

Adobe RoboHelp Server 2020.0.1 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/robohelp-server/apsb21-44.html

Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.3 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop_elements/apsb21-46.html

Adobe Premiere Elements 5.3 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/premiere_elements/apsb21-47.html

Adobe After Effects 18.2.1 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/after_effects/apsb21-49.html

Adobe Animate 21.0.7 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/animate/apsb21-50.html

Security Software Updates

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

Tails 4.19 is a security update.
https://tails.boum.org/install/dvd-download/index.en.html

NSudo 8.2 removes ARM32 support, updates libraries, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/M2Team/NSudo/releases/latest

OnionShare 2.3.2 resolves several bugs and updates libraries. This is a security update.
https://onionshare.org/

VT-CLI 0.9.7 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://github.com/VirusTotal/vt-cli/releases/latest

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ScreenToGif 2.31 provides cosmetic improvements, improves the updater and imgur compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/NickeManarin/ScreenToGif/releases/latest

SnagIt 2021.4.1 is a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

1Password for Mac 7.8.5 adds archive support, sharing indicators, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/mac/

1Password for Windows 7.7.807 resolves several bugs, adds Windows Hello support, and adds archive support. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/windows/

Bitcoin 0.21.1 improves performance and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://bitcoin.org/en/download

Bitwarden 1.26.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://bitwarden.com/

CCleaner 5.81.8895 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

Dell Command Update 4.2 improves download and logging. This is not a security update.
https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln311129/dell-command-update?lang=en

DesktopOK 8.88 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

Everything 1.4.1.1009 improves NTFS detection. This is not a security update.
https://www.voidtools.com/

Fido 1.19 adds support for Windows 10 21H1 and eliminate requirement for Internet Explorer. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/pbatard/Fido/releases

GoodSync 11.7.3 resolves several bugs and improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://www.goodsync.com/

IsMyHdOK 3.21 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

NetworkTrafficView 2.40 adds several protocol controls and filters. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/network_traffic_view.html

NTLite 2.1.1.7917 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

Aomei Partition Assistant 9.2.1 improves selection interface, resolves several bugs with third-party apps and integrated elevation when required. This is not a security update.
https://www.diskpart.com/

PointerStick 5.15 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

Process Monitor 3.82 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

Process Explorer 16.42 switches default search behavior from find to filter and reports CET, and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

PsExec 2.34 changes stderr output behavior. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/psexec

RoboForm 9.1.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.roboform.com/

Samsung Data Migration 4.0 does not provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

Sigcheck 2.81 resolves a signature validation bug. This should be treated as a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sigcheck

SimpleWMIView 1.45 improves sorting controls. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/simple_wmi_view.html

Sysmon 13.21 adds new filter conditions and resolves a crash bug. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysmon

TaskSchedulerView 1.68 resolves a pagination bug and improves sorting controls. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

TCPView 4.12 adds new filter conditions and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/tcpview

TraceRouteOK 2.52 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/TraceRouteOK

WifiInfoView 2.70 improves sorting options. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

WinGet 1.0.11451 is the first release version of WinGet. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/releases/latest

WinObj 3.10 extends search to include symbolic link targets.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/winobj

WinScan2PDF 7.11 improves compatibility. 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 4.2.1.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio

DB Browser for SQLite 3.12.2 updates the certificate for DBHub.io. This is not a security update.
https://sqlitebrowser.org/

Godot 3.3.2 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://godotengine.org/

Inno Setup 6.2.0 updates graphics and cosmetics, adds dark mode, improves logging, and adds several new scripting options and flags. This is not a security update.
https://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

Node.js 16.3.0 upgrades libraries and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

SQLite 3.35.5 resolves several bugs and improves reliability and performance. This is a security update.
https://www.sqlite.org/download.html

Web Package Updates

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

Adminer 4.8.1 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.adminer.org/en/

Dada Mail 11.14.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://dadamailproject.com/

Drupal 9.1.10 resolves over a dozen bugs. This is not a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

Joomla 3.9.27 is a security update.
https://www.joomla.org/

Nextcloud Server 21.0.2 updates libraries and resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

phpList 3.6.3 is a security update.
https://www.phplist.org/

Piwigo 11.5.0 is a security update.
https://piwigo.org/

ScreenConnect 21.8.3558.7823 adds deep-linking support, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

WordPress 5.7.2 is a security update.
https://wordpress.org/

BuddyPress 8.0.0 improves the registration experience, xProfile fields, simplifies administration, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/buddypress/

Duplicator 1.4.1 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator/#developers

Visual Composer 36.0 resolves dozens of bugs and improves consistency. This is not a security update.
https://visualcomposer.com/

W3 Total Cache 2.1.3 is a security update.
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/w3-total-cache/

WooCommerce 5.4.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/woocommerce/

Show IDs 1.1.7 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wpsite-show-ids/

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

Regards,

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

Updates 2021-04-13

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for April, 2021. There have been over 50 major hacking incidents, many hardware devices with critical security issues (often these are responsible for the major hacking incidents), and over a hundred updates this month. Almost every browser has released weekly security updates for the last two months. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting kind of sick of it. Finally, there’s an OpenSSL security update this week, so expect many more updates throughout the next month from every vendor that rolls their own encryption.

This Month in Technology

Acer, Apperta Foundation, Azure, BIG-IP, the Blender website, Boggi Milano Menswear, Booking.com, Broward County (FL) Public Schools, Brown University, Buffalo Schools, California State Controller’s Office, Clubhouse, CNA Financial, Crash 4 (within a day of release!), Facebook (which had the audacity to blame it’s users), Gigaset Android Update Server (preinstalled, too), Harvard Business School, Haverhill Public Schools, Idaho Central Credit Union, the Indian government, iOS, iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches, Kentucky unemployment insurance system, Maricopa (AZ) Community Colleges, Michigan-based Flagstar Bank, Millersville University, MobiKwik, MultiCare, Netgear switches, the Netmask library, ParkMobile, PeakTPA/Carolina SeniorCare, PHP, Roll, SAP, Schneider Electric Smart Meters, Shell, Shopify, Sierra Wireless, Stanford Medicine, SwarmShop, Ubiquiti (even if they won’t admit it), Union Bank of Nigeria, University Of California, University Of Colorado, University of Miami, University of Wisconsin, UPMC, Verkada, various VPN devices, Wake Forest Baptist-Lexington Medical Center, WeLeakInfo (ironic), Yeshiva University, and Zoom (more than once) have each been hacked.

There’s still fallout from the Exchange vulnerabilities for which Microsoft released patches in March, but with today’s release there are newly discovered vulnerabilities and patches, too. Even so, about 8% of Exchange servers still aren’t patched with the March fixes.

Newly discovered vulnerabilities allow bypass of Spectre mitigations on Linux, and on other platforms via JavaScript. AMD Zen 3 CPUs, Cisco SOHO Routers, and QNAP NAS devices are just a small sampling of hardware devices with serious security problems this month. 80% of global enterprises report firmware cyberattacks, while the other 20% probably just don’t have sufficient training or equipment to be able to detect them.

Major Google Android WebView problems have been notable this month and banking malware have been found in ten apps on the Google Play store. And Apple’s macOS Mail App can be hacked simply by receiving an email (again).

Azure AD/Microsoft 365, Azure DNS, Facebook, and Google have suffered recent outages.

T-Mobile is the latest to convert their customers into products. TikTok and Facebook tracking is worse than you imagine.

From the “I’m glad it didn’t happen to me” file we have an example of an aggressive space saving measure gone horribly wrong. There’s a growing trend of targeting the customers of ransomware victims to convince them to pay and another new cross-platform cryptomining worm.

Mobile privacy is a myth as both Google and Apple collect telemetry even when telemetry is disabled, but at least they’ve finally closed one of the more significant SIM-jacking holes.

Big Tech gets to make their own rules. They’re so aggressive about it that their own security staff sometimes can’t tell if they’ve been hacked. Google is being sued in France for violation of privacy. Apple has banned an accessibility keyboard from their AppStore in an effort to force them to into a buyout. Hopefully Epic will be able to use this and Apple’s hypocritical statements in Australia in their antitrust suit.

As with all disasters and government programs (but I repeat myself), the “American Rescue Act” is being trolled by malware authors to infect unsuspecting users. LinkedIn users are also being targeted thanks to the LinkedIn hack.

Not all of those Norton Antivirus renewal messages are scams (just most of them), and the UK is now suing Norton for failing to comply with their investigation into their “Dark Pattern” subscription model.

If Big Tech, Big Government, and the MSM didn’t censor Presidents (even Venezuela’s),
representatives, doctors, Christians, students, and even knitters, push false narratives, and tolerate terror, child abuse, racism, and sexism, while providing security only to one side of the aisle and targeting the other, I suspect there would be much more peace. Virginia Tech is being sued for banning the amorphously defined “hate speech“, while once more college racism turns out to be a hoax. It shouldn’t be any surprise to anyone that victimhood itself is a disease.

A single death is a tragedy but killing small businesses was always part of the plan. The lockdowns were never about a virus. They were about pushing compliance with masks and experimental (lethal and anything but “safe and effective“) mRNA treatments onto an unwilling public, to “hack the software of life” preventing the ability to survive and dismantling every freedom unless you accept the jab. A surge is happening, not just at the border, but in post-jab death rates. All of this to ensure that their slush funds would be financed and elections could never be honest again.

There have been tens of thousands of fraudulent ballots in Michigan Georgia, and New Hampshire. In Georgia, one county ordered voter registration applications for 25 times the population. At least we can all agree on some common sense election reform. Or can we? The same businesses that require an ID to use their services are attacking new laws that require the same scrutiny for elections.

Now for the good news:

After more than a decade the US Supreme Court has finally ruled in favor of Google.
It’s about time. While I have no love for Google, the idea that you can’t develop code that uses the same parameters or names as Oracle code is sickening. How many of you have have written functions to format a date or number? It’s not like granular coding styles leave much to the imagination. This would be like an author suing another author because the chapters of their book were named “Chapter 1”, “Chapter 2” and so on. Good decision.

As long as I have my soapbox: Save Crypto!

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Patch Tuesday this month is huge. The typical computer should see roughly 2 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

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

Apple released updates for GarageBand 10.4.3, iOS 14.4.2, iOS 12.5.2,, iPadOS 14.4.2, and watchOS 7.3.3. This includes security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install these updates. A reboot is required.

iOS 14.4.2 and 12.5.2 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

iPadOS 14.4.2 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

watchOS 7.3.3 is a security update. Use the Watch app on your iPhone to install the most current version.

Google Chrome OS 89.0.4389.95 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 and only supports any consumer builds for 18 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. This includes “free” applications like Avast, OpenOffice, and games you do not actually play.

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.

Drivers by Seagull 2021.1 adds hardware support, improves response time, and adds features to certain models. This is not a security update.
https://www.seagullscientific.com/support/downloads/drivers/

Crucial Storage Executive 7.01 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.crucial.com/support/storage-executive

Display Driver Uninstaller 18.0.3.8 improves AMD removal and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

Logitech Options (macOS) 8.50.210 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/options

NVidia 465.89 adds new profiles, improves compatibility with various games and newer hardware. 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 1.22.71 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 89.0.4389.128 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.google.com/chrome/

Microsoft Edge 89.0.774.76 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 87.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Firefox ESR 78.9.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

SeaMonkey 2.53.7 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.seamonkey-project.org/

Vivaldi 3.7.2218.52 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 78.9.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

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

BrowsingHistoryView 2.47 adds high-DPI support and an option to copy URL QR Code to the clipboard. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

curl 7.76.0 is a security update.
https://curl.haxx.se/windows/

Dropbox 119.4.1772 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FileZilla Client 3.53.1 resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

FreeFileSync 11.9 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

IPInfoOffline 1.60 adds CIDR and Duplicate Count columns, and updates internal IP database.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/ip_country_info_offline.html

Npcap 1.30 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nmap.org/npcap/

Technitium DNS Server 6.2 is a major update. The 6.0 branch adds DNS Application support, more options, and improved compatibility. This is not a security update. Be aware that the current version chokes during updates because it stalls on removal of the previous version.
https://technitium.com/dns/

Telegram 2.7.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://telegram.org/

WGet 1.21.1 is a security update.
https://eternallybored.org/misc/wget/

Zoom 5.6.1.617 is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

3tene 2.0.14 resolves several bugs and adds new positions and motions. This is not a security update.
https://en.3tene.com/

FastStone Viewer 7.5 adds dark theme, support for audio formats, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

Picard 2.6 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Office Updates

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

Adobe Photoshop 21.2.7 and 22.3.1 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb21-28.html

Adobe Digital Editions 4.5.11.187606 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/Digital-Editions/apsb21-26.html

Adobe Bridge 10.1.2 and 11.0.2 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/bridge/apsb21-23.html

Atom 1.56.0 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

RoboHelp RH2020.0.4 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/robohelp/apsb21-20.html

Krita 4.4.3 doesn’t provide a detailed changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://krita.org/en/download/krita-desktop/

LibreOffice Fresh 7.1.2 resolves over 60 bugs. This is not a security update, but the “Fresh” line is beta, so should be avoided by most users.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

LibreOffice Still 7.0.5 resolves over 100 bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Nextcloud Desktop 3.2.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Notepad++ 7.9.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

Security Software Updates

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

Tails 4.17 is a security update.
https://tails.boum.org/install/dvd-download/index.en.html

ClamWin Portable 0.99.4.103 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://portableapps.com/apps/security/clamwin_portable

OpenSSL 1.1.1k is a security update.
https://www.openssl.org/source/

RogueKiller 14.8.6 is a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

uBlock Origin 1.34.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/latest

VT-CLI 0.9.2 doesn’t provide a detailed changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://github.com/VirusTotal/vt-cli/releases/latest

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2021.3.0 resolves several bugs and improves toolset. 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.

MakeMKV 1.16.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?makemkv

Education updates

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

e-Sword 13.0 adds Audio Bible support. This is not a security update.
https://www.e-sword.net/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

1Password for Windows 7.6.797 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/windows/

Bitwarden 1.25.1 resolves installation issues, adds support for Safari 13 and updates electron. This is not a security update.
https://bitwarden.com/

CCleaner 5.78.8558 improves cleaning options and behavior. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

Cygwin 3.2.0 is a major update, improving threading and symlink support, and resolves more than a dozen bugs. This is a security update.
https://cygwin.com/

DesktopOK 8.77 improves translations and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

dupeGuru 4.1.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://dupeguru.voltaicideas.net/

Etcher 1.5.117 resolves several bugs and updates libraries. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Everything Toolbar 0.6.3 resolves a user-mode compatibility problem, requiring uninstallation of previous versions before upgrade. All future builds will be machine-level only. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/stnkl/EverythingToolbar/

GoodSync 11.6.2 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.goodsync.com/

Homedale 1.95 adds translation. This is not a security update.
https://www.the-sz.com/products/homedale/

IsMyHdOK 3.13 improves SSD/SSHD detection and benchmark testing. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

NTLite 2.1.0.7845 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

osquery 4.7.0 adds several new tables, concat* functions, and resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://osquery.io/downloads

ProduKey 1.96 improves high-DPI compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

PsExec 2.33 is a security update.
https://sysinternals.com/

RoboForm 9.1.2 adds website problem reporting and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.roboform.com/

Samsung Magician 6.3.0 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

SimpleWMIView 1.43 improves high-DPI compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/simple_wmi_view.html

System Monitor 13.02 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://sysinternals.com/

TaskSchedulerView 1.67 improves high-DPI compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

TcpLogView 1.35 adds Process User column and improves high-DPI compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/tcp_log_view.html

TCPView 4.0 adds flexible filtering, search, and display of the Windows service that owns an endpoint. This is not a security update.
https://sysinternals.com/

WifiInfoView 2.68 improves high-DPI compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

WinObj 3.02 resolves a crash bug. This is not a security update.
https://sysinternals.com/

WinScan2PDF 7.01 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

WirelessKeyView 2.22 adds an option to copy QR Code of the selected item. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

AutoHotkey 1.1.33.06 resolves a hotkey bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.autohotkey.com/download/

Android Studio 4.1.3.0 resolves a stable/beta channel bug. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio

Node.js 12.22.0 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 14.16.1 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 15.14.0 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Redemption 5.27.0.5916 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.dimastr.com/redemption/

SQLite 3.35.4 is a security update.
https://www.sqlite.org/download.html

TortoiseGit 2.12.0 updates libraries, resolves more than a dozen bugs, and improves consistency. This is not a security update.
https://tortoisegit.org/

Unreal Engine 4.26 adds many new features. This is not a security update.
https://unrealengine.com/en-US/

Visual Studio Code 1.55.2 is a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

Web Package Updates

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

Coppermine Gallery 1.6.11 adds a method to enable 2FA. This is not a security update.
https://coppermine-gallery.net/

Docker Desktop 3.3.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

Drupal 9.1.6 resolves over 50 bugs. This is not a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

HumHub 1.8.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.humhub.com/en/download

Joomla 3.9.26 is a security update.
https://www.joomla.org/

MailEnable 10.34 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.mailenable.com/

Nextcloud Server 21.0.1 resolves over 70 bugs, updates libraries, and improves reliability and compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

phpList 3.6.2 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.phplist.org/

Piwigo 11.4.0 is a security update.
https://piwigo.org/

ScreenConnect 21.4.2767.7752 makes several cosmetic changes and resolves bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

SpamAssassin 3.4.6 is a security update.
https://spamassassin.apache.org/downloads.cgi

Antispam Bee 2.9.4 adds support for ajax calls. This is not a security update.

Autoptimize 2.8.3 resolves a bug. This is not a security update.

BuddyPress 7.2.1 is a security update.

Social Post Feed 2.19.1 improves compatibility and reliability, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Email Log 2.4.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Redirection 5.1.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Sucuri Security 1.8.26 is an SJW release. This is not a security update.

Theme My Login 7.1.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

W3 Total Cache 2.1.2 resolves several bugs and adds AWS regions, new MIME types and pagination links. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 5.2.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 2.7.0 changes PHP requirements (5.5+) and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WordPress Zero Spam 5.0.12 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 2021-02-09

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for February, 2021.

This Month in Technology

Malware planted during the SolarWinds hack is still being discovered and SolarWinds is still vulnerable.

ADT (not just employee abuse), Amazon Kindle e-readers, Azure Functions, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Cisco DNA Center, Cyberpunk 2077, Excellus Health Plan, Inc., Experian, FiberHome routers, Forward Air, Golang, various Home Assistant integrations, iOS, libgcrypt, Linux (and macOS) SUDO, Malwarebytes, MeetMindful, Mimecast (also a SolarWinds victim), Nespresso smart cards, New Zealand Central Bank, NoxPlayer, Office 365, OpenWRT forum, Palo Alto Networks, the Pentagon, Perl[.]com, Pfizer, SonicWall, Stormshield, UK Research and Innovation, the UN, UScellular, USDA (again), Vermont Dept of Labor, VIPGames, Washington State Auditor’s Office, WestRock Co., WhatsApp, and Wind River Systems have been hacked.

The EU is fining (victims) of data breaches 39% more than two years ago. Grindr is exposing your information. SpamCop made a boo-boo by not renewing their domain on time, resulting in a huge amount of legitimate messages being treated as spam. The LogoKit phishing platform has been updated to “improve” effectiveness.

The UK Government is giving malware-infected laptops to students and the US federal government has repeatedly supported violation of the third and fourth amendments to plant recording devices on private property. There has been an increase of 93% of leaks and data breaches in 2020.

Whether you pay the ransom or restore from backups: PATCH the vulnerabilities!

I have always called for avoiding pirated software because it poses a unique security risk. Here’s an example. (avoid travelling by train in China)

Federally funded censorship and double-standards are being used to advance cancel culture in banks, coffee, journalism, patriotism, by mere association, while actually inciting violence with absurd rhetoric such as calling a kindly neighbor a terrorist for plowing your snow are being excused as acceptable. While censorship isn’t left or right only one side is willing to ban those most likely to join the military from joining.

Worse yet, they’re even targeting third-parties for cancellation for daring to support free speech. Heck, even Mike Rowe is being cancelled.

Some are actually upset that not enough censorship is taking place while ignoring actual calls for violence, funding terrorists, openly supporting child porn, hypocritically calling censorship a violation of election integrity, and arresting people for posting memes.

No matter how much the narrative is disproven – this was planned by others well in advance, and the capitol police were directly involved, which is probably why they refused assistance from the National Guard and DoD when offered multiple times. There’s plenty more.

At least there’s finally some pushback. Hopefully it’s not too little, too late.

Meanwhile, TIME acknowledges that they did, in fact, collude with big tech, large corporations and foreign governments in violation of state and federal laws in order to steal the election. (But don’t talk about it online!) By the way, is it just a coincidence that so many opponents of free speech are pedophiles?

Facebook will pay $300/ea to Illinois users for violating state biometric laws and yet, they have still violated Polish law and blocked & banned small investors while Zuckerberg bragged about how he censored Trump to prevent a free election. WhatsApp users are leaving in droves, while WhatsApp has shifted messaging to explain that user messages (notably not their “data”) can still be removed.

There’s been a surge in BSODs for some Windows devices after January updates. Microsoft has been beaten to the patch (again) by 0patch for a vulnerability in their installer system.

Google is above the law or at least, demands the ability to be excluded from it. They’ve also banned one app for supporting a popular open source file type and another for allowing access to content it doesn’t control (like Google’s own browsers), and violated their own terms to purge negative reviews in their App Store. YouTube is removing Senate testimony. It should come as no surprise then, that developers are realizing that “doing business with [Google] is a liability.” Do you really need more justification to de-Google?

Mozilla fixed a browser bug that could trigger physical damage to your SSD.

Amazon has been caught colluding, endangering privacy, hypocritically inciting violence, and stealing, all while pursuing the ability to run the Pentagon Defense Systems (in violation of their own Terms of Service).

Apple is throttling iPhones again, preventing sideloading on M1’s, and took five years to discover a widespread crypto miner in macOS.

Still trust your mobile security? Your operating systems have intentionally designed vulnerabilities/weaknesses.

Especially when it comes to science, sunlight remains the best disinfectant. It turns out “global warming” is worse when humans aren’t polluting the air. But sadly, facts don’t matter anymore, so months have passed and hundreds of thousands of lives were lost before political and social science caught up with actual science to acknowledge HCQ is, in fact, an effective treatment. And surely it’s just a coincidence that testing processes were changed immediately after inauguration?

Investigating and/or punishing people for refusing an experimental treatment (according to the FDA they’re not vaccines) is a violation of the Nuremberg Code, but that won’t prevent governments and corporations from doing it anyway, no matter how many times that is struck down as unconstitutional.

The CDC has illegally inflated COVID statistics, but is suppressing VAERS information about people dying like flies after injections.

Really though, can you trust any medical treatment created by people that struggle with math?

Now for the good news:

The Biden administration has dropped the federal lawsuit against the California Net Neutrality law. This will eventually be what breaks the Big Tech monopoly.

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Patch Tuesday this month is huge. The typical computer should see roughly 3 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, Edge, .NET, Servicing Stack, and MSRT (~ 2 GB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Apple released updates for macOS Big Sur 11.2, Security Update 2021-001 Catalina, Security Update 2021-001 Mojave, iCloud for Windows 12.0 (off and on again), iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4, Safari 14.0.3, tvOS 14.4, watchOS 7.3, and Xcode 12.4. This includes security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install these updates. A reboot is required.

iOS 14.4 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

iPadOS 14.4 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

watchOS 7.3 is a security update. Use the Watch app on your iPhone to install the most current version.

tvOS 14.4 is a security update. Use System, Software Update to install the most current version.

Google Chrome OS 88.0.4324.109 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 and only supports any consumer builds for 18 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. This includes “free” applications like Avast, OpenOffice, and games you do not actually play.

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 18.0.3.6 improves cleanup. This is a security update.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

nVidia 461.40 resolves a dozen 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 1.19.92 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 88.0.4324.150 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.google.com/chrome/

Microsoft Edge 88.0.705.63 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 85.0.2 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Firefox ESR 78.7.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

SeaMonkey 2.53.6 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.seamonkey-project.org/

Vivaldi 3.6.2165.36 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.

Mailspring 1.8.0 adds account colors, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://getmailspring.com/

Thunderbird 78.7.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

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

BrowsingHistoryView 2.46 adds support for Brave. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

curl 7.75.0 resolves dozens of bugs and adds several new features. This is not a security update.
https://curl.haxx.se/windows/

Dropbox 115.4.601 doesn’t provide a detailed changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FileZilla Client 3.52.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

Pocketnet-Core 0.18.18 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://pocketnet.app/

WinSCP 5.17.10 is a security update.
https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Zoom 5.5.12494.0204 resolves a couple minor bugs. This is not a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Java 8u281 is a security update.
https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

3tene 2.0.10 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://en.3tene.com/

darktable 3.4.1 resolves about 20 bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.darktable.org/install/

VLC Media Player 3.0.12 is a security update.
https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Steam 2021.02.05 resolves several bugs, improves compatibility, and improves cosmetics. This is not a security update.

PlayStation PS5 20.02-02.50.00 resolves a PS4 installation compatibility issue, improves editing video clips and improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5/system-software/

Office Updates

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

Atom 1.54.0 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

Blender 2.91.2 doesn’t have a detailed changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.blender.org/download/

IcoFX 3.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://icofx.ro/

Krita 4.4.2 adds mesh gradients, mesh transform, gradient editor and halftone filter, new brushes, and resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://krita.org/en/download/krita-desktop/

LibreOffice Fresh 7.1.0 resolves hundreds of bugs and improves reliability, stability, and compatibility. This is not a security update. This is beta software and should be avoided by most users.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Lightworks NLE 2021.1 adds dozens of new features and improvements, and resolves many bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.lwks.com/

Nextcloud Desktop 3.1.2 adds several new features: SVG client branding, push notifications for file changes, conflict resolution trigger and more. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

OpenOffice 4.1.9 improves stability and compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.openoffice.org/download/

Paint.net 4.2.15 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.getpaint.net/

FrameMaker 2019 Update 8 64bit (2019.0.8) doesn’t provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
64-bit: https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/detail.jsp?ftpID=7063
32-bit: https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/detail.jsp?ftpID=7065

Adobe Acrobat and Reader 2021.001.20135, 2020.001.30020, and 2017.011.30190 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb21-09.html

Adobe Animate 21.0.3 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/animate/apsb21-11.html

Adobe Dreamweaver 20.2.1 and 21.1 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/dreamweaver/apsb21-13.html

Adobe Illustrator 25.2 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb21-12.html

Adobe Photoshop 21.2.5 and 22.2 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb21-10.html

Magento 2.4.2, 2.4.1-p1, and 2.3.6-p1 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/magento/apsb21-08.html

Security Software Updates

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

Tails 4.15.1 is a security update.
https://tails.boum.org/install/dvd-download/index.en.html

RogueKiller 14.8.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

uBlock Origin 1.33.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/latest

VT-CLI 0.9.0 resolves a bug with URL parsing. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/VirusTotal/vt-cli/releases/latest

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2021.2.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?snagit

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

1Password for Windows 7.6.791 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/windows/

Bitcoin 0.21.0 resolves over a dozen bugs and improves networking. This is not a security update.
https://bitcoin.org/en/download

Bitwarden 1.24.6 improves biometrics, search, and usability. This is not a security update.
https://bitwarden.com/

Carbonite 6.3.8 resolves a bug with NAS backups. This is not a security update.
https://account.carbonite.com/

CCleaner 5.76.8269 improves cleaning and accessibility, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

CPU-Z 1.95 adds support for newer hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

DesktopOK 8.44 improves toolset. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

DriveImage XML 2.60 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

Etcher 1.5.116 updates libraries and improves cleanup of temp files. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Everything 1.4.1.1005 is a security update.
https://www.voidtools.com/

Fido 1.18 adds support for the latest 20H2 refresh. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/pbatard/Fido/releases

GoodSync 11.5.6 improves stability, reliability and sync, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

Homedale 1.92 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.the-sz.com/products/homedale/

IsMyHdOK 2.81 adds automatic update and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

LessMSI 1.8.1 resolves a display bug. This is not a security update.
https://lessmsi.activescott.com/

NTLite 2.0.0.7784 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

ProduKey 1.95 adds option to extract partial key from WMI. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html

PSAppDeploy 3.8.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://psappdeploytoolkit.com/

RAMDisk 4.4.0.RC36 resolves several bugs and updates libraries. This is not a security update.
http://memory.dataram.com/products-and-services/software/ramdisk

RoboForm 9.1.1 updates credit card storage data, resolves several bugs, and now uses secure transmission for automatic updates. This is a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

SimpleWMIView 1.42 adds an option to start hidden. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/simple_wmi_view.html

TaskSchedulerView 1.66 adds pagination to the properties widow and adds Task Filename column. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

TeamViewer 15.14.5 was released. The TeamViewer release notes have been unavailable for over a month, so while it might be a security update, it would be safer to remove TeamViewer until these issues are resolved.
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

USB Oblivion 1.16.0.0 adds ability to preserve desktop settings and clean UserAssist keys. This is not a security update.
http://www.cherubicsoft.com/en/projects/usboblivion

WinScan2PDF 6.55 resolves several bugs and improves scanner compatibility. 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 4.1.2.0 resolves a dozen bugs. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio

MySQL ConnectorNet 8.0.23 is a security update.
https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/

Node.js 15.8.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 14.15.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

SQLite 3.34.1 adds new features and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.sqlite.org/download.html

StrawberryPerl 5.32.1.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://strawberryperl.com/

Visual Studio Code 1.53 resolves several bugs and adds several features and controls. This is not a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

WinMerge 2.16.10 resolves several bugs and adds new command-line switches and features. This is not a security update.
https://winmerge.org/

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

PPSSPP 1.11 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://ppsspp.org/downloads.html

VirtualBox 6.1.18-142142 resolves several stability and reliability 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.

Adminer 4.7.9 is a security update.
https://www.adminer.org/en/

Coppermine Gallery 1.6.10 improves compatibility with PHP 8.01. This is not a security update.
https://coppermine-gallery.net/

Docker Desktop 3.1.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

Drupal 9.0.11 is a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

Drupal 9.1.4 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

HumHub 1.7.2 resolves over a dozen bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.humhub.com/en/download

Nextcloud Server 20.0.7 updates libraries and resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

OpenCart 3.0.3.7 doesn’t provide a detailed changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.opencart.com/

Piwigo 11.3.0 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://piwigo.org/

ScreenConnect 21.2.2159.7699 adds a security tile to configure security options and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

SMF 2.0.18 is a security update.
https://www.simplemachines.org/

WordPress 5.6.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/

Social Post Feed 2.18.2 improves GDPR compatibility and resolves a deletion bug. This is not a security update.

Multisite Enhancements 1.6.1 resolves a path bug. This is not a security update.

Redirection 5.0.1 adds support for PHP 8 and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

NextScripts Social Networks Auto-Poster 4.3.20 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Sucuri Security 1.8.25 updates the password reset process. This is not a security update.

W3 Total Cache 2.1.0 resolves several bugs and adds cache groups. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.9.2 improves compatibility and disables untested plugins from status and plugin pages. This is not a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 2.6.0 improves compatibility. 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 2021-01-12

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for January, 2021.

This Month in Technology

By now you’re probably very aware with the SolarWinds “hack” since it was 24/7 news only a month ago, though mostly conjecture. We now know they were hacked over a year before a third-party (FireEye) pointed it out to them, and the malware remained on their servers weeks after it was identified.

What we’ve learned of it over the last month is a rich reminder of do’s and don’ts:

  • Don’t trust multi-factor authentication – it’s not nearly as effective at preventing logins as you’ve been lead to believe.
  • Don’t take over devices you can’t exploit quickly – don’t expose yourself wideband for 0.2%.
  • Do use a strong, unique password for everything – never something as absurd as “solarwinds123“.
  • Do modify your firewall to eliminate automatic whitelists for government IP addresses.
  • Do regular checkups – you never know what you’re going to find.

Don’t worry, though, they’ve hired a political hack to CYA!

Austin City, the City of Cornelia, City of Ellensburg, Independence City (Kansas), Chatham County (North Carolina), Huntsville City Schools (Alabama), Jefferson County (Kentucky), Subway, Intel’s Habana Labs, Microsoft, FireEye, the United Nations, Maryland’s GBMC HealthCare, the US Dept of Justice, Nissan, Livecoin, Spotify, IndiGo, various Israeli companies, the US Judiciary case file system, and many gaming companies have all been hacked.

Security issues or backdoors were found in Zyxel firewalls, Typo3, Android Bluetooth, Glassdoor, Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft 365, Google Titan security keys, Signal App cryptography, Starbucks mobile, and terabytes of secrets and databases have been dumped online.

Point-of-sale hardware has a “service mode” with a default password, malware is fingerprinting and mapping networks using the MAC address, Smart Doorbells are still a bad idea, Gionee has been infecting their own budget smartphones for kickbacks, and Google is still the easiest way to hack Google.

Ticketmaster hacked their competition 7 years ago and is only now paying a fine for it, Twitter is being fined almost half a million Euros for its breach handling, and Sabre Corp has now settled with 27 states over data breach.

WhatsApp won’t let you use it if you don’t want it to have your data tied to the rest of Facebook. The bigger you are, the bigger the target is on your back.

The “secure communication” tool Telegram tells everyone your precise location if you enable location support. One of my favorite browser extensions, The Great Suspender, changed hands in 2020 and the new publisher has recently been caught using it to distribute malware under the guise of analytics. Shopify, BigCommerce and other large sales platforms are being targeted with a card skimmer.

Mozilla (creator of Firefox and Thunderbird) wants the entire Internet to be used to censor certain publishers (that’s a bad thing), which is sad since they recently dropped support for PWAs (that’s a good thing).

Speaking of censorship and cancel culture, a potential new federal banking rule could put an end to the social/financial terrorism employed by cancel culture devotees. However, Big Tech censorship is at an all-time high in the wake of “riots” that were tame for the last year.

Corellium is protected by Fair Use and Tim Cook is going to have to testify more than a mere 4 hours about how his elimination of competition and closed ecosystem aren’t “really” a monopoly.

Ledger Wallet, T-Mobile (yet again), Amazon partner Juspay, Ubiquiti, Nintendo, 21 Buttons, Sangoma Technologies, Dental Care Alliance, Koei Tecmo, and Apex Laboratory all suffered data leaks/breaches.

Zoom, however, willingly shared their US user data with China.

Facebook’s recent Instagram hack exposed a massive click farm.

Google has had several service outages in the last month, as has Apple and even #Slack.

WinZip is vulnerable to a MitM attack (dude, no SSL, really?!).

Google broke SMS on many Android devices, your RAM can be used to exfil data from your device, Apple iPhone assembly plant Wistron in India has been suspended after a riot causes $60 million in damages. That may be a good thing, though, since the Apple MagSafe chargers can deactivate pacemakers.

macOS Preview is damaging PDFs (again).

Apple has removed the ability to download combo updates for Big Sur. This is going to cause serious security problems for the vast majority of the world that doesn’t have Bay Area bandwidth available to them.

In a good move, Apple has upset Facebooks advertising ecosystem by preventing certain data collection and use on their latest platforms, even Google is trying to figure out how to get around the new privacy requirements.

Why don’t I trust government? It’s hard to pick just one reason, but this month has many examples. Government employees tasked with preserving election data call for its mass deletion, or “accidentally” delete the security log files, while ignoring hundreds of pages of evidence and “moving the goalposts.”

The FBI has been hiding Seth Rich’s laptop while claiming they didn’t have it, public schools are purchasing hacking tools to get the data off student’s phones, mass data collection never ends, agencies fine you for helping during a crisis or being in a car without permission, while they hack journalist’s phones and run pedophile rings out of large white government buildings in DC. Nevertheless, you should trust the math and not look behind the curtain. Or else.

By the way, streaming content that you don’t have rights to is now a felony thanks to a nearly 6,000 page bill passed without anyone reading it. Hypocrisy is their bread and butter. Which is why they have such religiously held beliefs that violate all common sense.

Now for the good news:

It is now possible to integrate Everything into the Windows taskbar!

Starlink is approved for use in the UK, opening the door to true worldwide broadband.

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Adobe Flash Player is finally dead! There will be no more security updates released for Flash, and it’s probably the application single-most responsible for infections world-wide over the last 20 years, so it should be removed immediately. Use the utility below to remove it.
Win: https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html
Mac: https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-mac-os.html

Patch Tuesday this month is pretty big. The typical computer should see roughly 2 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, Edge, .NET, and MSRT (~ 1.6 GB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Apple released updates for macOS Big Sur 11.1, Security Update 2020-001 Catalina, Security Update 2020-007 Mojave, Safari 14.0.2, macOS Server 5.11, macOS X Combo Update 10.15.7, Brother Printer Drivers 4.1.1 and HP Printer Drivers 5.1. This includes security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install these updates. A reboot is required.

iOS 14.3 and iOS 12.5.1 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

iPadOS 14.3 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

watchOS 7.2 and watchOS 6.3 are security updates. Use the Watch app on your iPhone to install the most current version.

tvOS 14.3 is a security update. Use System, Software Update to install the most current version.

Google Chrome OS 87.0.4280.142 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 and only supports any consumer builds for 18 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. This includes “free” applications like Avast, OpenOffice, and games you do not actually play.

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.

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

Display Driver Uninstaller 18.0.3.5 improves removal of various artifacts. This is not a security update.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

nVidia 461.09 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.

Brave 1.18.78 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 87.0.4280.141 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.google.com/chrome/

Microsoft Edge 87.0.664.75 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 84.0.2 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/

Firefox ESR 78.6.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/

Iridium 2020.11 is a security update (but still not patched to the current Chromium security updates). Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://iridiumbrowser.de/

Vivaldi 3.5.2115.87 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 78.6.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

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

Facebook Messenger 20201207 is a security update, but is still a month behind the current chromium security level. You should remove Facebook Messenger if you have it installed.
https://www.messenger.com/download

Trillian 6.4.0.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.trillian.im/

curl 7.74.0 is a security update.
https://curl.haxx.se/windows/

Dropbox 112.4.321 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FileZilla Client 3.52.0.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

FreeFileSync 11.5 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

Minds 4.7.0 improves data use and channel header, restyles posts, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.minds.com/mobile

Npcap 1.10 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nmap.org/npcap/

Technitium DNS Server 5.6 adds dynamic configuration application, adds cleanup options, block list refresh intervals, forced refresh, and resolves many other bugs. This is not a security update.
https://technitium.com/dns/

Zoom 5.4.59931.0110 adds ability to block insecure participants, force authentication, silence notifications when sharing, and management improvements. This is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe FrameMaker 2020.0.1 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/detail.jsp?ftpID=7061

Adobe Bridge 11.0.1 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/bridge/apsb21-07.html

Adobe Captivate 2019 11.5.1.499 hotfix 1 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/captivate/apsb21-06.html

Adobe InCopy 16.0 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/incopy/apsb21-05.html

Adobe Campaign Classic Gold Standard 11, 20.3.3.9234, 20.2.4.9187, 20.1.4.9126, 19.2.4.9082, and 19.1.8.9039 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/campaign/apsb21-04.html

Adobe Animate 21.0.2 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/animate/apsb21-03.html

Adobe Illustrator 25.1 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb21-02.html

Adobe Photoshop 22.1.1 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb21-01.html

darktable 3.4.0 resolves over 100 issues and adds several new features. This is not a security update.
https://www.darktable.org/install/

Flickr Downloadr 3.3.3.2 resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.
https://flickrdownloadr.com/downloads/

Picard 2.5.6 resolves several bugs.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Steam 2020.12.21 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.steampowered.com/platform/update_history/index.php?skin=0&id=0

PlayStation PS3 4.87 improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps3/system-software/

PlayStation PS4 8.03 adds option to disable Game Chat Audio. This is not a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps4/system-software/

PlayStation PS5 20.02-02.30.00 resolves PS4 transfer bugs, text input and Wi-Fi stability issues, and improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5/system-software/

Office Updates

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

Interactive Calendar 2.2 adds color schemes, resolves search issues, improves stability & performance, and fixes several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.csoftlab.com/calendar

LibreOffice 7.0.4 resolves over a hundred bugs and is now the new general release. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Nextcloud Desktop 3.1.1 resolves dozens of bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Notepad++ 7.9.2 resolves over three dozen issues including performance and stability. This is not a security update.
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

Security Software Updates

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

Tails 4.14 is a security update.
https://tails.boum.org/install/dvd-download/index.en.html

Gpg4win 3.1.15 improves AD support and resolves a random security key selection bug. This is a security update.
https://www.gpg4win.org/download.html

KeePass 2.47 resolves several bugs, improves search and options. This is not a security update.
https://keepass.info/

NSudo 8.0.1 updates libraries and adds translations. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/M2Team/NSudo/releases/latest

RogueKiller 14.8.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

uBlock Origin 1.32.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/latest

Wireless Network Watcher 2.23 updates internal MAC addresses database. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_watcher.html

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2021.1.0 improves transparency handling, scaling improvements, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?snagit

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 12.0.1.5 adds new models and profiles, improved Enlarger AI handling. This is not a security update.
https://www.dvdfab.cn/download.htm

IsoBuster 4.7 adds an option to import and export templates, improved reliability, scanning, and read handling, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.isobuster.com/download.php

MakeMKV 1.15.4 improves compatibility, implements seamless join of TrueHD streams, and resolves bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.makemkv.com/download/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

BulkFileChanger 1.72 adds “Photo – Date Taken” option. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

CCleaner 5.75.8238 adds import for “Cookies to Keep” option, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

ControlMyMonitor 1.27 adds switches for turning on, off, and toggling on/off state. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/control_my_monitor.html

Dell Command Update 4.0 adds support for DCH drivers, adds a filter for Security updates, and improves user interface. This is not a security update.
https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln311129/dell-command-update?lang=en

DesktopOK 8.38 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

dupeGuru 4.1.0 now uses tabs instead of windows, adds cosmetic fixes and options, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://dupeguru.voltaicideas.net/

Etcher 1.5.113 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Everything 1.4.1.1003 resolves issues with the exit switch, improves shortcuts and autofocus. This is not a security update.
https://www.voidtools.com/

GoodSync 11.5.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.goodsync.com/

IsMyHdOK 2.71 updates language files. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

LessMSI 1.8.0 improves usability. This is not a security update.
https://lessmsi.activescott.com/

MS ISO Downloader 8.46 adds new builds for Office 2019 for Mac, more Dell models and ISO Tools hash improvements. This is not a security update.
https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

NTLite 2.0.0.7756 resolves several bugs and improves controls. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

Aomei Partition Assistant 9.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.diskpart.com/

PointerStick 5.01 improves rendering. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

Process Monitor 3.61 adds monitoring for various registry APIs and resolves a query output bug. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

PsExec 2.21 is a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Sysmon 13.00 adds image tampering events and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

TaskSchedulerView 1.65 adds columns for Task File Created/Modified. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

TeamViewer 15.13.6 is released – but their changelog is on their community site (forum) which is currently down and redirecting to a third-party site. The new build may be a security update, but I recommend disabling TeamViewer completely for the near future just to be safe.
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

TraceRouteOK 2.31 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/TraceRouteOK

WakeMeOnLan 1.87 updates the internal MAC addresses database. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wake_on_lan.html

WifiChannelMonitor 1.66 adds option to copy clicked cell and updates MAC addresses file. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_channel_monitor.html

WifiInfoView 2.67 adds window resizing and pagination to the properties window, and adds wildcard filter support. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

WinScan2PDF 6.41 improves duplex support. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

WirelessKeyView 2.21 improves display and adds QR Code view (F2). This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_key.html

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Node.js 12.20.1 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 14.15.4 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 15.5.1 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Redemption 5.26.0.5872 adds ability to remember SMTP passwords, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption/

Visual Studio Code 1.52.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

Web Package Updates

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

Docker Desktop 3.0.4 resolves a stability bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

Drupal 9.1.2 updates libraries and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

Joomla 3.9.24 is a security update.
https://www.joomla.org/

Nextcloud Server 20.0.4 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

OpenPetra 2020.12 removes support for SQLite, improves Find, Type Ahead, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.openpetra.org/

phpList 3.6.0 adds blacklisting hook, and counter limits. This is not a security update.
https://www.phplist.org/

phpMyAdmin 5.0.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.phpmyadmin.net/

ConnectWise Control 21.1.2009.7678 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

WordPress 5.6 improves layout flexibility, adds new block patterns, captions, new default theme, and improved auto-update capabilities. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/

Akismet 4.1.8 resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.

Autoptimize 2.8.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

BuddyPress 7.1.0 resolves two bugs. This is not a security update.

Contact Form 7 5.3.2 is a security update.

Social Post Feed 2.18.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Interactive World Map 3.1.9 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

myStickymenu 2.4.9 resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.

W3 Total Cache 2.0.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Widgets on Pages 1.5.0 is a security update.

WooCommerce 4.9.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.

Show IDs 1.1.6 improves compatibility. 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 2020-11-13

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Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Friday the 13th of November, 2020. It’s not Patch Tuesday, but updates from Microsoft, Apple, Google, and others have triggered an out-of-cycle update.

This Month in Technology

Ransomware authors have long used ads on services like Google and Facebook to distribute their malware, but are now using Facebook ads for “social proof” to promote their own effectiveness and encourage compliance to their ransoms.

Animal Jam has been hacked, restaurant POS ModPipe is being actively hacked, Dell printer drivers are being flagged as malware, and Vertafore (a company offering insurance validation) has allowed over 27 million records of Texas drivers to be compromised.

After over a decade since the release of Stuxnet to target PLCs in Iranian nuclear facilities, other PLC vendors for different industries are now being massively targeted using similar methods.

Microsoft finally acknowledges that the use of your phone number for 2FA (two-factor authentication) actually weakens account security.

The EFF has a great write-up of HP’s current bait-and-switch, and Google has announced that their free unlimited photo storage “forever” isn’t quite forever after all.

The Judge in the Epic Games lawsuit has dismissed Apple’s claims of theft.

Twitch has clarified their new copyright policies and encourages users to simply disable background music when they stream.

I think the biggest difference between those who study history and the low-information crowd is that those of us who have taken the time to research instead of taking what the media spoon feeds us invariably suffer from Cassandra Syndrome. We’re forced to witness while people who have made no bones about reducing the population push an untested vaccine created in less than 6 months that purportedly resolves the ADE response flaw that virologists have failed to address over the last 18+ years to provide an estimated 90% protection from a virus with less than 0.02% mortality.

Now for the good news:

We continue to win against insane abuses of the legal system.

Let’s Get Busy

Patch Tuesday was only a couple days ago, so while these updates (except for Big Sur) are relatively small (under 1 GB total), keep in mind that there’s likely still several more GB for people that haven’t patched yet.

Apple released updates for macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, Safari 14.0.1, macOS Catalina 10.15.7, Security Update 2020-005 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-005 Mojave, Security Update 2020-006 High Sierra, and Security Update 2020-006 Mojave. These are security updates.

The next major version of macOS has been released, macOS 11 (Big Sur), which includes some major changes under the hood and many new cosmetics and compatibility capabilities for iOS/iPadOS software.

Performance changes for some features are estimated to be as much as 1.9x faster, though with history as a guide, I would assume this statement applies only to very recent hardware, and anything older than 2 years will actually experience significant performance lags in actual use.

Some devices as old as 2013 are technically “supported” though performance and reliability on older hardware is going to be the biggest consideration. If your goal is the iOS-ification of your Mac, Big Sur will start you on that path. If you plan to upgrade then you will need to have at least 30 GB free space before installation and you’ll lose approximately 4 GB permanently. This is necessary due the to new upgrade process for the static operating system partition. My advice is to wait until at least version 11.1 before upgrading to Big Sur. They’ve already fixed some significant problems, but Apple has a history of releasing major software insufficiently tested and with significant unanticipated issues.

With the release of macOS 11, be aware that any Mac running High Sierra (10.13) and older is no longer supported. Please upgrade to Mojave (10.14) if you can, or remove your device from the Internet.

Google Chrome OS 86.0.4240.198 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version. A reboot is required.

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

Browser Updates

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

Brave 1.16.76 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 86.0.4240.198 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Microsoft Edge 86.0.622.68 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Vivaldi 3.4.2066.106 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://vivaldi.com/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Flickr Downloadr 3.3.2.1 upgrades libraries. This should be treated as a security update.
https://flickrdownloadr.com/downloads/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

PlayStation PS4 8.00 is a re-release and doesn’t indicate what has changed. This should be treated as a security update.
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/system-updates/ps4/

Office Updates

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

OpenOffice 4.1.8 is a security update. I want to note that I am impressed that the otherwise-abandoned Apache OpenOffice project has released a security update. It is still a little disappointing that it took them 5 months to address it. One more reason to switch to LibreOffice.
https://www.openoffice.org/download/

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 12.0.0.6 adds support for new encodings and resolves several 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.

CCleaner 5.74.8198 resolves a settings bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

CurrPorts 2.63 adds option to align numeric columns to the right. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/cports.html

IsMyHdOK 2.66 updates language support. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

NTLite 2.0.0.7722 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Node.js 15.2.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Web Package Updates

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

ScreenConnect 20.11.1622.7619 resolves stability and reliability bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

phpList 3.5.7 is a security update.
https://www.phplist.org/

Antispam Bee 2.9.3 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

W3 Total Cache 0.15.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.7.0 resolves dozens of bugs and improves compatibility. This is not a security update.

WPtouch 4.3.39 resolves style 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/