Updates 2022-02-08

Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for February, 2022.

It’s only the beginning. February tends to be “patch it once, whoops, patch it again” month most years, so expect another cycle later in the month.

This Month in Technology

Abington Memorial Hospital (dba Jefferson Abington Hospital), dozens of WordPress  Themes and Plugins by AccessPressAditya Birla Fashion and RetailAdvocates, Inc., Albany Family DentistryAlbuquerque Public SchoolsAllegheny Health Network Home Infusion, LLCArgo CDArnprior Regional HealthAWS GlueBoxBTC-AlphaCaring CommunitiesChico StateCisco StarOSColorado Department of Human ServicesCounty of Kings (CA)Crypto.comDelta ElectronicsDigital Insurance, LLC doing business as OneDigital, Evos in the NetherlandsFiondella, Milone & LaSaracina, LLPGlobal Affairs CanadaGolden State DermatologyGoodwillGreensward AcademyGriggsville-Perry School DistrictHensoldtIDEMIA biometric ID hardwareIndependence Blue Cross, International Committee of the Red CrossiRise Florida Spine and Joint Institute, LLCKP SnacksLympoMcAfee Enterprise (Trellix)various medical devicesMedical Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Medical Review Institute of AmericaMemorial Health SystemMeterMidland UniversityMillennium Eye Care LLCMonclerMotorolaMultichainNews Corp, publisher of The Wall Street JournalNobel FoundationOiltanking in GermanyOlympic Games AppOpenSubtitles, Oscar Buckeye State Insurance CorporationOscar Health Plan of CaliforniaOscar Insurance Company of FloridaOscar Insurance Corporation of OhioPace Center for GirlsPanasonicPellissippi State Community College in TennesseePennsbury School DistrictPhiladelphia FIGHT Community Health CentersPolkitPractolytics LLCPumaR.R. DonnellyRaveco MedicalRedDoorzSEA-Invest in BelgiumSecuritasSegwaySeneca Family of AgenciesSouth City HospitalSpencer Gifts LLC Health and Welfare Benefit PlanSt. Lucie County’s Drug Screening LabSwiss Federal RailwaysSwissportTaylor Regional HospitalThai University Central Admission SystemThomas Jefferson University Hospital, Inc., Ubiquiti’s UniFi NetworkUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesUpstoxVantage Holding Company, LLCVolunteers of America Southwest CaliforniaWalgreen Co., Washington Department of LicensingWormhole, and Zimbra have been hacked.

GitHubDiscord, and Telegram have suffered major outages.

Phishing is proving to be even more effective against multi-factor authentication (MFA), as I’ve warned for decades. UPnP is still the worst network design feature. Buy an expensive GPU, gift your identity. Firefox’s “private” email relay service has been added to disposable email blacklists. As expected. Target, the premier member of the “hacked every month club“, is releasing the source code for some of their security software. Google Drive is flagging files containing the number “1” as violating copyrights. VPN companies Nord and Surfshark will merge. 11th and 12th generation Intel CPUs will not be able to play Blu-ray UHD disks.

The IRS is now mandating the use of a private third-party in order to access your own IRS information online. But wait, there’s more! The company, id.me, conceals their own identity and hides their WHOIS data. Tax-filers are already being phished with a threat of refunds being cancelled. The worst news: Nvidia has called off its efforts to acquire Arm.

Now for the good news:

The US Department of Justice has indicted 6 India Call Centers for Scams Targeting Seniors. Maybe the amount of scam calls we get will decrease? I doubt it though, considering the vast increase I’ve received in the last month. 🙁

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Patch Tuesday this month is almost back to normal. Well, for now. The typical computer should see roughly 1.8 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for .NET, Windows, Azure Data Explorer, Kestrel Web Server, Microsoft DNS Server, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Excel, Microsoft Office Outlook, Microsoft Office SharePoint, Microsoft Office Visio, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Windows Codecs Library, Power BI, Roaming Security Rights Management Services, SQL Server, Visual Studio Code, Windows Common Log File System Driver, Windows DWM Core Library, Windows Hyper-V, Windows Kernel, Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers, Windows Named Pipe File System, Windows Print Spooler Components, Windows Remote Access Connection Manager, Windows Remote Procedure Call Runtime, Windows User Account Profile, Windows Win32K, and MSRT (~1.4 GB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Apple released updates for iOS 15.3 and 15.2.1, iPadOS 15.3 and 15.2.1, tvOS 15.3, watchOS 8.4.1, Safari 15.3, macOS Monterey 12.2, macOS Big Sur 11.6.3, and Security Update 2022-001 Catalina. This includes security updates. Use Apple Software Update to install these updates. A reboot is required.

iOS 15.3 and 15.2.1 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

iPadOS 15.3 and 15.2.1 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current update.

tvOS 15.3 is a security update. Use System, Software Update to install the most current version.

watchOS 8.4.1 is a security update. Use the Watch app on your iPhone to install the most current version.

Google Chrome OS 98.0.4758.91 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 Monterey (12.x) means that macOS Mojave (10.14) and older are no longer supported. If you can not install at least macOS Catalina (10.15) 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 (v21H2) is very large 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 will kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

The now-current release of the Windows 11 (v21H2) is very large so will take a long time to download on slower connections. Windows 11 pushes you to get the latest Windows 11 release every 6 months and only supports any consumer builds for 24 months. If you don’t let it finish and you’re on a slow connection, this process will kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

Windows 11 is still very young so I encourage you to wait a few more months before you consider switching to it.

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 18.0.4.8 is a security update.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

Daemon Tools Lite 11.0.0 adds new image support, DD write, and resolves several other bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.daemon-tools.cc/products/dtLite

Logi Bolt App 1.2.6024 adds support for the Logitech Unifying Adapter and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us/articles/4418089333655

Logitech Options 9.50.269 is a security update.
https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025297893

Nvidia 473.04 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 1.35.100 is a security update.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 98.0.4758.80 is a security update.
https://www.google.com/chrome/

Microsoft Edge 98.0.1108.43 is a security update.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 97 is a security update.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

Firefox ESR 91.6 is a security update.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

Vivaldi 5.0.2497.48 is a security update.
https://vivaldi.com/

Email Updates

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

Thunderbird 91.5.1 is a security update.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

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

Mumble 1.4.230 is a major update resolving dozens of bugs, adding many new features and introducing true plugin support. This is not a security update.
https://www.mumble.info/downloads/

Prosody 0.11.13 is a security update.
https://prosody.im/download/start

Telegram 3.5.2 resolves several bugs and improves reactions. This is not a security update.
https://telegram.org/

Trillian Mac 6.4.0.4 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.trillian.im/

BrowsingHistoryView 2.51 adds Visit Duration and improves Visited From. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

Dropbox 141.4.3299 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FreeFileSync 11.17 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

Google Drive 55.0 adds integrated desktop search, resolves several bugs and improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://drive.google.com/start

Omada Software Controller 5.0.30 adds newer hardware support, 2FA for Cloud Access, DHCP reservations in Services, and resolves dozens of bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/download/omada-software-controller/

Syncthing 1.19.0 resolves a bug and improves ignore patterns. This is not a security update.
https://syncthing.net/

Zoom 5.9.3.3169 resolves several bugs, adds new features (and requirements) and controls. This is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Java 8u321 is a security update.
https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Flickr Downloadr 3.4.5.1 only updates the packager. This is not a security update.
https://flickrdownloadr.com/downloads/

Picard 2.7.3 resolves the launcher bug. This is not a security update.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Plex Desktop 1.40.1.2823 resolves a packaging error in the installer. This is not a security update.
https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/#plex-app

Plex Home Theater 1.10.0.2819 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/#plex-app

Plex Media Server 1.25.5.5492 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.

Epic Games 13.1.7 resolves a couple bugs and prepares for feature changes. This is not a security update.
https://www.epicgames.com/

GameMaker Studio 2022.1.1.610 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.yoyogames.com/en/gamemaker

Nintendo Switch 13.2.1 improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22525/kw/system%20updates/p/989

Steam 2022.01.20 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.steampowered.com/platform/update_history/index.php?skin=0&id=0

Office Updates

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

Adobe After Effects 22.2 and 18.4.4 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/after_effects/apsb22-09.html

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop 2.7.0.15 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/creative-cloud/apsb22-11.html

Adobe Illustrator 26.0.3 and 25.4.4 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb22-07.html

Adobe Photoshop 22.5.5 and 23.1.1 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb22-08.html

Adobe Premiere Rush 2.3 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/premiere_rush/apsb22-06.html

Artweaver 7.0.11 is a security update.
https://www.artweaver.de/

Atom 1.59.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

Blender 3.0.1 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.blender.org/download/

Inkscape 1.1.2 resolves over 40 bugs, improves stability and reliability. This is not a security update.
https://inkscape.org/release/

LibreOffice Fresh 7.3.0 resolves hundreds of bugs. This is not a security update. The “Fresh” line is beta software and should be avoided in favor of the “Still” line whenever possible.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

LibreOffice Still 7.2.5 resolves almost a hundred bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Nextcloud Desktop 3.4.2 resolves several bugs. This should be treated as a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Notepad++ 8.3 improves support for large files and resolves several bugs. Be aware there may be plugin stability issues for the near future. This is not a security update.
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

Scribus 1.5.8 improves dark mode, import, PDF export, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.scribus.net/

Calibre 5.36.0 improves metadata parsing and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://calibre-ebook.com/

Kindle for PC 1.34.63103 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.amazon.com/kindleforpc

Security Software Updates

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

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware 4.5.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware Mac 4.14 improves up-sell ability. This is not a security update.
https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac/

OnionShare 2.5 is a security update.
https://onionshare.org/

RogueKiller 15.2.0 adds several new features and cosmetics. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

Tails 4.27 updates components and libraries. This is a security update.
https://tails.boum.org/install/dvd-download/index.en.html

uBlock Origin 1.41.0 adds dark mode and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/latest

QubesOS 4.1.0 is a major update, with updated components, improved granular controls, new features and resolves many bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.qubes-os.org/downloads/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VideoCacheView 3.09 improves compatibility with new Chromium-based browsers. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/video_cache_view.html

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 12.0.6.0 resolves several crash 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.

Agent Ransack 2022.3294 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/download/

Autoruns 14.08 resolves several bugs. This should be treated as a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

ControlMyMonitor 1.35 adds display filter options. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/control_my_monitor.html

Cygwin 3.3.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://cygwin.com/

DesktopOK 9.61 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

dnGrep 3.0.0 improves the build process and now generates signed packages, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://dngrep.github.io/

Everything CLI 1.1.0.23 adds support for long file names. This is not a security update.
https://www.voidtools.com/

Everything Toolbar 0.7.4 resolves a first-boot filter bug. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/stnkl/EverythingToolbar/

Fido 1.28 adds support for Windows 11 21H2 v1. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/pbatard/Fido/releases

FileLocator Pro 2022.3294 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.mythicsoft.com/filelocatorpro/download

Git SCM 2.35.1 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://git-scm.com/

GoodSync 11.10.3 resolves several compatibility bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.goodsync.com/

Kingston SSD Manager 1.5.1.6 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.kingston.com/us/support/technical/ssdmanager

NTLite 2.3.3.8585 adds new settings, upgrades components, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

PowerToys 0.55.1 resolves several bugs and improves reliability. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases/latest

Process Monitor 3.88 improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

Macrium Reflect 8.0.6525 improves media creation, compatibility, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

RoboForm 9.2.4 improves Basic Auth support and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.roboform.com/

Samsung Magician 7.0.1 doesn’t provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

SmartMonTools 7.2 significantly improves field detection and reporting, offers YAML output, drive database extensions, and other fixes. This is not a security update.
https://smartmontools.org/

Sysmon 13.32 improves compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysmon

TCPView 4.17 improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/tcpview

VMMap 3.32 improves stability. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/vmmap

Windows 11 RCT 1.4.0 adds support for newer hardware. This is not a security update.
https://bytejams.com/

WinRAR 6.10 adds support for new formats, improved compatibility, resolves several bugs, and optimizes user interface. This is not a security update.
https://www.rarlab.com/

ZoomIt 5.0 adds support for Windows 11 and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/zoomit

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ADB 32.0.0 adds native M1 support. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools

Docker Desktop 4.4.4 is a security update.
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

MySQL ConnectorNet 8.0.28 is a security update.
https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/

Node.js 12.22.10 upgrades libraries and time zone information. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 14.19.0 updates time zone information, adds Corepack and updates libraries. This is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 17.4.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

TortoiseGit 2.13.0.1 updates requirements, libraries, and resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://tortoisegit.org/

Visual Studio Code 1.64 improves cosmetics, automation, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VirtualBox 6.1.32 is a security update.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Web Package Updates

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

Drupal 9.2.12 is a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

MailArchiva 8.7.1 improves role functionality and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://mailarchiva.com/

ownCloud Client 2.10.0.6519 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://owncloud.com/desktop-app/

ownCloud Server 10.9.1 improves stability and reliability. This is not a security update.
https://owncloud.org/install/

phpMyAdmin 5.1.2 and 4.9.9 are security updates.
https://www.phpmyadmin.net/

ScreenConnect 21.15.6739.8073 improves automation, triggers, auditing, 2FA timeouts, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

WordPress 5.9 resolves dozens of bugs and implements front-end editing. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/

Akismet 4.2.2 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Autoptimize 2.9.5.1 resolves a stability bug. This is not a security update.

BuddyPress 10.0.0 is a major update offering several new features and resolving dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.

Contact Form 7 5.5.4 adds double opt-in support, new action and filter hooks and resolves a bug with the default contact form. This is not a security update.

Duplicator 1.4.4 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Redirection 5.2.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Slider Revolution 6.5.15 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://revolution.themepunch.com/

WooCommerce 6.1.1 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.

WordPress Zero Spam 5.2.10 is 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 2020-11-10

Welcome back, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for November, 2020. It’s a big one and many Windows computers will be pushed into v2009 unless they’ve recently installed v2004. With the release of v2009 and the election, there’s a lot going on this month.

This Month in Technology

Aetna has been hacked again, dozens of hospitals (again), Mashable has been hacked, Cisco AnyConnect zero-day still isn’t patched, a Solaris zero-day is being used to hack corporate networks, and billions of credentials have been leaked after a data breach website contents are leaked online, Google Drive is being used to infect hospitals, Cloud Hospitality has exposed customer data for millions of users, Mattel has been hacked, BigBasket has been hacked, WordPress pushed out a sorely broken security update and fixed it the next day, Waze can be used to track you by nearby drivers, and X-Cart sites were hit by ransomware.

Cadillac Fairview has been illegally using secret facial recognition cameras throughout their shopping centres.

Apple has had several outages this month, and their hardware manufacturer was hit by ransomware, while they abandon another for exposed labor abuses (not for the labor abuses themselves, since that’s really within Apple’s wheelhouse), iOS apps will work on Apple Silicon Macs, but many developers are already abandoning the App Store.

Microsoft is blocking upgrades to v2004 and v2009 due to a Thunderbolt compatibility & reliability bug.

Starlink’s beta shows impressive performance (135 Mbps/25 Mbps).

It’s usually best to dismiss anything a politician says, but Biden’s assertion that he has the “most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics” should not be taken with a grain of salt.

After all, there is plenty of evidence of fraud including voter intimidationterrorism (the “use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims”), foreign nation interference, varioussoftware” “glitches” and “bugs,” fake ballotsfake voters, invalidating sharpie ballotsbackdating ballots arriving late, an untrustworthy postal systemfalse witnesses, (literally) blocking access to ballot observersnetwork and “accidentally mislabeled” ballots, throwing away ballots that poll-workers disagree with, the inability to trust even election judges, and government “open integrity” websites, but the Main Stream Media continues to preach the mantra that there is no evidence of voter fraud (mostly because big tech is censoring most of the evidence) even while Democrat representatives declare voter fraud a “time-honored tradition.”

Awkward: Joe Biden’s (77) Coronavirus task force is being lead by a man that believes people shouldn’t live past 75.

It’s not just the vote tally that’s false, the US Census faked data, too.

Fox News has lost the faith of their viewers and Judge Jeanine.

Twitter continues to demonstrate why you shouldn’t use them.

NetMarketShare had a good run. After 14 years they’ve pulled the plug due to changes in the chromium source, reasonably accurate browser identification will no longer be possible.

The Cult of Branch Covidians continues to demonstrate that science has never been their goal. Medical staff know the truth, and their efforts to save family and the world from masked parasites based on faulty tests and high false-positive rates with severe costs for a virus they’ve never isolated are being blocked and ignored. By the way, did you know that the PCR false-positive rate is as much as 4% and the number of “positive tests” in CA averages 3.7%? A judge that treats people as adults is being investigated for daring not to wear a mask in his own courtroom.

5G is finally being investigated.

The Internet Archive has surrendered to censorship.

0patch to the rescue, again. Microsoft isn’t supporting Office 2010 but don’t let that dissuade you. 0patch has been offering security fixes for many vendors of otherwise unsupported applications.

There’s a workaround for some HP printers that allow you to bypass the ban on third-party ink and toner. This is especially useful since HP Instant Ink is now demanding a ransom to keep using the ink you’ve already paid for.

Now for the good news:

The best news, to me anyway, is that scientists have now regrown optic nerves.

Let’s Get Busy

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

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

Microsoft released updates for Windows, Edge, .NET, Servicing Stack, Flash, Internet Explorer, and MSRT (~ 1.1 GB). This includes security updates. A reboot is required.

Apple released updates for macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Supplemental Update, macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Update, iOS 14.2, iPadOS 14.2, iOS 12.4.9, watchOS 5.3.9, watchOS 6.2.9, watchOS 7.1, and tvOS 14.2. Expect an update to iTunes, too, in the next few days. These are security updates.

iOS 14.2 and 12.4.9 are security updates. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current version.

iPadOS 14.2 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current version.

watchOS 5.3.9, 6.2.9 and 7.1 are security updates. Use your updated iPhone to install the most current version through the Watch app.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204641

tvOS 14.2 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Updates to install the most current version.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.453 is a security update. Since Flash is going the way of the dodo along with the Year from Hell, this could very well be the last time you may have to install a Flash update. You’re still better off removing it instead of updating. 🙂
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

Google Chrome OS 87.0.4280.47 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 Catalina (10.15) means that macOS Sierra (10.12) and older are no longer supported. If you can not install at least macOS High Sierra (10.13) on your Mac then you should immediately remove it from the Internet and use it offline only. It will no longer receive patches or updates and can now no longer be secured.

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

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

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

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

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

Driver Updates

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

nVidia 457.30 adds support for CUDA 11.1, new hardware, new game profiles, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Daemon Tools Lite 10.14.0 resolves several bugs and adds streaming and theme controls. This is not a security update.
https://www.daemon-tools.cc/products/dtLite

Browser Updates

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

Brave 1.16.72 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 86.0.4240.193 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.

Microsoft Edge 86.0.622.63 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/business/download

Firefox 82.0.3 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.

Firefox ESR 78.4.1 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.

Iridium 2020.11.85 is a security update, but Iridium runs behind with chromium so should be avoided.
https://iridiumbrowser.de/

Vivaldi 3.4.2066.99 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.
https://vivaldi.com/

Email Updates

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

Thunderbird 78.4.2 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the current version.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

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

Dropbox 109.4.517 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FreeFileSync 11.3 resolves several bugs and improves cosmetics. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

Zoom 5.4.58740.1105 is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 12.10.10.2 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

Office Updates

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

Adobe Reader DC 20.013.20064 is a security update. Use Help, Check for updates to install the most current version.

Atom 1.53.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

Krita 4.4.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://krita.org/en/download/krita-desktop/

LibreOffice Fresh 7.0.3 resolves over 90 bugs. This is not a security update. Remember that ‘Fresh’ is the beta version, so should be avoided by most users.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Nextcloud Desktop 3.0.3 resolves over a dozen bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Notepad++ 7.9.1 resolves over 20 bugs, including several stability and reliability issues, and adds several new features. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?npp

Security Software Updates

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

TinyWall 3.0.10 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://tinywall.pados.hu/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2021.0.1 adds new quick styles, direct theme access, resolves compatibility with YouTube and several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 12.0.0.5 improves hardware support, resolves several bugs, and adds support for new encodings. 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 5.74.8184 improves application compatibility, automatic update controls, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

DesktopOK 7.99.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

DMDE 3.8.0.790 adds APFS support, image preview, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://dmde.com/

Eraser 6.2.0.2991 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://eraser.heidi.ie/download/

Etcher 1.5.110 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

GoodSync 11.4.5 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

RoboForm 8.9.5 resolves several bugs and improves Most Popular calculations. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?rf

AD Explorer 1.50 adds support for exporting data from the “Compare” dialog. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Disk Usage 1.62 adds support for the MFT and removes the MAX_PATH limitation. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

VMMap 3.31 fixes a Thread Environment Block bug on Windows 10 systems. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Sysmon 12.02 fixes several configuration parsing bugs. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ADB 30.0.5 improves performance and error handling. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools

Android Studio 4.1.1.0 resolves over a dozen bugs. This is not a security update.
https://developer.android.com/studio

Node.js 15.1.0 adds diagnostics_channel (experimental), new spawn event, DNS resolver control, and several V8 options. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Redemption 5.25.0.5826 resolves 9 bugs and adds several new objects. This is not a security update.
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption/

Visual Studio Code 1.51 integrates a terminal, improves intellisense, Git, tab pinning and more. 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 2.5.0.1 updates libraries, system requirements, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

HumHub 1.7.0 resolves two minor bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.humhub.com/en/download

OpenPetra 2020.10 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.openpetra.org/

ScreenConnect 20.11.1479.7606 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

WordPress 5.5.3 resolves several security issues and automatic update failures.

bbPress 2.6.6 doesn’t have a current changelog, so should be treated as a security update.

Multisite Enhancements 1.5.3 resolves several bugs and improves cosmetics. This is not a security update.

Redirection 4.9.2 improves compatibility and cosmetics. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.6.2 resolves an account creation bug. This is not a security update.

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

Regards,

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

Updates 2020-10-28

Welcome back, Folks!

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

This Month in Technology

Hackney Council has been hacked, Dickey’s BBQ has been hacked, Carnival Corp was hacked, a Finland psychotherapy center was hacked and the stolen data is being used to blackmail patientsSonicWall VPN Portal can be easily hacked, there’s yet another Bluetooth vulnerability (in all but the latest Linux kernel), dozens of government networks have been targeted (and some hacked) by a “Russian hacker group” (though it’s hard to believe that the Russians are behind anything anymore), and President Trump’s campaign website was hacked. Any password you can remember is a bad password. Even if you’re the President. Or a multinational security company.

Some nutjobs are still supporting the lockdowns, even though the half-baked science encouraging lockdowns and masks have been proven false again and again, but that won’t stop authoritarians from treating people as terrorists.

Facebook is permabanning users for buying $300 VR hardware Facebook sells. Really. That’s okay, it’s time for VR to abandon Facebook anyway.

An overzealous Apple security feature (XProtect) has blocked access to HP printers, Amazon Music and more. They’re humorously contradicting themselves about security. On the one hand, they advise users to never plug any device into a non-Apple power adapter, and on the other hand they say they’re saving the planet by not including power adapters anymore.

Epic Games founder and chief executive Tim Sweeney observes:
“What’s most disturbing about Apple’s position is that they seem to truly believe they “own” all commerce involving phones they make, characterizing direct payment as theft, smuggling, and even shoplifting. It’s a crazy, misguided view.”

Yes, in June T-Mobile broke the entire US cell network. No, they won’t be punished.

Twitter and Facebook are actively censoring actual news based on false claims of hacking and sensitive information…but even if it were true, they didn’t seem to mind when the target of the hacking was of a different political persuasion. Twitter acknowledges that Joe Biden is a child sex predator. It should go without saying that social networks will never treat everyone the same. The FCC and President Trump have repeatedly asserted that they will be “clarifying” Section 230. Wouldn’t it be better if they just enforced it?

Not to be outdone by mere social media, the RIAA has demonstrated that it has too much power. Google has demonstrated that they can control what the world knows and believes, which has painted them into a corner for a federal antitrust case.

Orca Security has a great write-up about Palo Alto Networks defective (and illegal) pursuit of security-by-obscurity.

Now for the good news:

Energy scavenging may soon be a reality, hopefully it won’t be used to send us back to the 18th century like in the TV series Revolution. Isn’t it time that we pedaled for power?

Let’s Get Busy

Microsoft released the newest build of Windows 10 v2009, which isn’t that different from v2004. It’s another minor “major” update that streamlines several features and improves overall performance.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Apple released updates for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, iTunes, and Apple Music 3.4.0 for Android. These are security updates.

iOS 14.1 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current version.

iPadOS 14.1 is a security update. Use Settings, General, Software Update to install the most current version.

watchOS 7.0.3 is a security update. Use your updated iPhone to install the most current version through the Watch app.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204641

Google Chrome OS 86.0.4240.112 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version. A reboot is required.

Fedora 33-1.2 adds PARSEC support, improves interoperability and development environment, updated libraries and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/download/

Important Notes

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

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

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

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

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

Driver Updates

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

Display Driver Uninstaller 18.0.3.4 improves removal capabilities. This is not a security update.
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/display-driver-uninstaller-ddu

MS Mouse and Keyboard Center 13.0 adds support for new hardware. This is not a security update.
https://www.microsoft.com/accessories/en-us/downloads/mouse-keyboard-center

Logitech Options 8.34.82 (and 8.34.91 for macOS) resolves several bugs, adds support for new hardware and plugins, and implements the new permissions options for macOS Mojave compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/options

Browser Updates

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

Brave 1.16.68 is a security update.
https://brave.com/

Google Chrome 86.0.4240.111 is a security update.

Microsoft Edge 86.0.622.56 is a security update.

Firefox 82.0.2 is a security update.

Firefox ESR 78.4.0 is a security update.

Vivaldi 3.4.2066.86 is a security update.
https://vivaldi.com/

Internet Updates

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

BrowsingHistoryView 2.45 adds an option to display QR codes for selected URLs. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

curl 7.73.0 resolves over a hundred bugs and adds several new switches, improving help and error handling. This is not a security update.
https://curl.haxx.se/windows/

Dropbox 108.4.453 does not provide a detailed changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.dropbox.com/

FileZilla Client 3.51.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

TrueNAS 12.0 is the merger of FreeNAS and TrueNAS to build a much more powerful whole. This major update improves quality, reliability and performance, adds and improves support for new file systems and dataset encryption, improves diagnostics, 2FA, API support, quotas and much more. This is not a security update.
https://www.truenas.com/download-truenas-core

Technitium DNS Server 5.4 resolves several bugs, adds QNAME randomization and PTR zone creation. This is not a security update.
https://technitium.com/dns/

WinSCP 5.17.8 is a security update.
https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Zoom 5.4.58636.1027 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://zoom.us/

Java 8u271 is a security update.
https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 12.10.10 is a security update. Use Apple Software Update to get the most current version.

3tene 2.0.7 adds 32-bit screen capture, adjusts transition time, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://en.3tene.com/

Picard 2.5.1 resolves dozens of bugs, improves reliability, and adds improved privacy controls. This is not a security update.
https://picard.musicbrainz.org/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Steam 2020.10.23 is a security update.

PlayStation PS4 8.00 is 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.

LibreOffice 6.4.7 resolves over 70 bugs, including stability and reliability issues. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Paint.net 4.2.14 improves performance, adds AV1 support, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.getpaint.net/

Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop Application 5.3 and 2.2 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html

Adobe InDesign 16.0 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/indesign/apsb20-66.html

Adobe Media Encoder 14.5 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/media-encoder/apsb20-65.html

Adobe Premiere Pro 14.5 is a security update.
https://www.adobe.com/in/creativecloud/catalog/desktop.html

Adobe Photoshop 21.2.3 and 22.0 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/photoshop/apsb20-63.html

Adobe After Effects 17.1.3 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/after_effects/apsb20-62.html

Adobe Animate 21.0 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/animate/apsb20-61.html

Adobe Dreamweaver 21.0 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/dreamweaver/apsb20-55.html

Adobe Illustrator 25.0 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/illustrator/apsb20-53.html

Marketo 1.4357 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/marketo/apsb20-60.html

Magento 2.4.1 and 2.3.6 are security updates.
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/magento/apsb20-59.html

Security Software Updates

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

BelArc Advisor 9.7 doesn’t provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.belarc.com/products_belarc_advisor

RouterPassView 1.90 adds a new display mode including backup files. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/router_password_recovery.html

uBlock Origin 1.30.6 resolves several bugs and adds a click-to-load widget. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/latest

RogueKiller 14.7.4 improves reliability. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

HTTP Toolkit 1.0.2 updates libraries. This is not a security update.
https://httptoolkit.tech/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2021.0.0 is a major update adding several features, updating Templates, Themes, Simplify, Magnify, and the Editor. This is not a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DVDFab 12.0.0.3 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 5.73.8130 improves license management. This is not a security update.
https://www.ccleaner.com/

TeamViewer 15.11.6 improves RSA key length, allows flashlight while zooming, and resolves a copy/paste notification bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows/

Fido 1.17 adds support for the latest Windows 10 build, v2010. This is not a security update.
https://github.com/pbatard/Fido/releases

GoodSync 11.4.1 improves Google Photos FS access, event handling, GsRunner, CCRunner, updates certificate roots, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

NTLite 2.0.0.7705 updates components and compatibility, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

PointerStick 4.71 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

Rufus 3.12 adds support for the latest Windows 10 build, v2010, SHA-512 digests, improved Windows To Go support, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://rufus.ie/en_IE.html

TaskSchedulerView 1.57 adds options to copy contents of clicked cell. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

WinScan2PDF 6.13 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

VMMap 3.30 identifies .NET Core 3.0 managed heaps. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

RAMMap 1.60 adds customizable map colors and a new empty system working sets. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Sysmon 12.01 is a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MySQL ConnectorNet 8.0.22 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/

Node.js 14.15.0 resolves several bugs and is now officially in Long Term Support (LTS) status. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Node.js 15.0.1 is a major update adding several new features and removing others, updating libraries and resolves bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

VirtualBox 6.1.16-140961 resolves several bugs. This should be treated as a security update.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Web Package Updates

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

Dada Mail 11.12.2 resolves a minor bug. This is not a security update.
http://dadamailproject.com/

phpMyAdmin 4.9.7 and 5.0.4 resolve 2FA bug and PHP compatibility, and resolve several other bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.phpmyadmin.net/

ScreenConnect 20.11.1385.7587 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.connectwise.com/software/control/download

Nextcloud Server 20.0.1 resolves over 60 bugs and improves performance, reliability and privacy. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Akismet 4.1.7 improves integration. This is not a security update.

Contact Form 7 5.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

myStickymenu 2.4.7 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

NextScripts Social Networks Auto-Poster 4.3.19 improves compatibility and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Redirection 4.9.1 resolves logging and database upgrade bugs. This is not a security update.

Social Post Feed 2.17.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 4.6.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 2.5.1 adds password encryption, improves Gmail compatibility, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

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

Regards,

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

Updates 2019-07-09

Hi, Folks!

Today is Patch Tuesday for July 2019 and it’s one of the smallest we’ve seen in a while.

The typical computer should see roughly 1.3 GB in updates today. Let’s get started.

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

Apple released updates for AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.8.1 (802.11n). This is a security update. Use Apple Software Update to install the most current versions.

Google Chrome OS 75.0.3770.102 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version. A reboot is required.

Adobe Flash Player 32.0.0.223 is a security update.
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flash
Win: https://12pd.com/click?flashie
Mac: https://12pd.com/click?flashmac

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

Important Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Driver Updates

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

Intel Driver and Support Assistant 19.6.26 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect

nVidia 431.36 adds support for newer hardware, improves compatibility with Windows 10 v1903, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Browser Updates

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

Google Chrome 75.0.3770.100 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Firefox 68.0 is a security update. This version adds several privacy and security features that improve reliability and performance. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

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

Vivaldi 2.6.1566.44 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 1.6.3 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://getmailspring.com/

NK2Edit 3.40 improves the replace operation to replace values in all fields for a record. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_nk2_edit.html

OutlookAttachView 3.20 adds option to generate hashes for attachments. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Thunderbird 60.8.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/

Internet Updates

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

Trillian 6.2.0.10 adds a dark theme for settings, improves display pruning, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.trillian.im/

BrowsingHistoryView 2.20 adds support for Chromium-based Edge. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/browsing_history_view.html

FileZilla Client 3.43.0 is a security update.
https://filezilla-project.org/

FreeFileSync 10.13 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.freefilesync.org/download.php

MaxMind GeoIP 201907 is a data refresh.
https://dev.maxmind.com/geoip/

Technitium DNS Server 4.0 updates UI, stats manager, adds DHCP server, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://technitium.com/dns/

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

FastStone Viewer 7.3 resolves a copy and paste bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

VLC Media Player 3.0.7.1 updates libraries and resolves a couple bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Game Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

RetroPie 4.5 adds support for newer hardware, adds themes, updates libraries, adds drivers and improves compatibility. Be aware that manual downgrade of the kernel may be necessary if you require composite video. This is not a security update.
https://retropie.org.uk/

Office Updates

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

Atom 1.38.2 resolves minor bugs. This is not a security update.
https://atom.io/

LibreOffice Fresh 6.2.5 resolves over a hundred bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Notepad++ 7.7.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?npp

Adobe Reader DC 19.012.20035 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://get.adobe.com/reader

Adobe Dreamweaver 19.0.0.11193 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-apps-download.html

Adobe Experience Manager 6.5 is a security update.
https://helpx.adobe.com/experience-manager/aem-releases-updates.html#65

Adobe Bridge CC 9.1 is a security update.
https://www.adobe.com/products/bridge.html

Security Software Updates

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

Gpg4win 3.1.9 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.gpg4win.org/download.html

RogueKiller 13.3.1 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/softwares/roguekiller/

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CDex 2.19 improves Windows 10 v1903 compatibility. This is not a security update.
http://cdex.mu/?q=download

DVDFab 11.0.3.8 adds support for new encodings, GUI improvements, and adds support for new hardware and export formats. This is not a security update.
https://www.dvdfab.cn/download.htm

IsoBuster 4.4 adds support for new hardware and media formats, resolves several bugs, and adds support for many commands. This is not a security update.
https://www.isobuster.com/download.php

MakeMKV 1.14.4 adds support for new encodings, resolves bugs, and improves performance. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?makemkv

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

NTLite 1.8.0.7046 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.ntlite.com/download/

1Password for Mac 7.3.1 resolves many bugs and improves utility of 1Password mini. This is not a security update.
https://1password.com/downloads/mac/

ControlMyMonitor 1.16 adds support for returning VCP values from the command line. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/control_my_monitor.html

Autoruns 13.96 adds support for user Shell folder redirections. This is a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Handle 4.22 fixes a race condition in the driver that could lead to a crash. This is a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Notmyfault 4.20 now includes a flag that makes it wait until an event named Notmyfault is signaled before proceeding to crash or leak. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

IPInfoOffline 1.55 adds support for IPv6 with GeoLite. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/ip_country_info_offline.html

Process Explorer 16.26 is a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

RAMMap 1.52 doesn’t provide a changelog, so should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Sysmon 10.01 adds DNS query logging, reports OriginalFileName in process create and load image events, adds ImageName to named pipe events, logs pico process creates and terminates, and fixes several bugs. This is a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

VMMap 3.26 fixes a bug in 64-bit CLR heap reporting. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

CurrPorts 2.60 adds support for GeoLite2 City and Country databases. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/cports.html

DesktopOK 6.37 improves compatibility with Windows 10 v1903. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/DesktopOK

Drive Snapshot 1.47 adds support for recent operating systems, public-key encryption, and eject from CLI. This should be treated as a security update.
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/

GoodSync 10.10.0 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

IsMyHdOK 1.77 resolves code signing bug, improves compatibility with Windows 10 v1903. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/IsMyHdOK

LessMSI 1.6.91 resolves a startup crash. This is not a security update.
http://lessmsi.activescott.com/

LogMeIn 4.1.0.12700/4.1.0.7151 adds av support for server operating systems, resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://secure.logmein.com/

NetworkInterfacesView 1.15 adds /RunAsAdmin option, interface speed column, and open in regedit option. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/network_interfaces.html

NirCmd 2.85 improves reliability of runinteractive and runinteractivecmd, resolves consolewrite bug. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html

PointerStick 3.61 resolves code signing bug, improves compatibility with Windows 10 v1903. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Freeware/PointerStick

SimpleWMIView 1.37 adds ability to enumerate full namespace tree under elevation, adds support for displaying 8-bit and 16-bit integer arrays. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/simple_wmi_view.html

TcpLogView 1.32 adds support for GeoLite2 City and Country databases. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/tcp_log_view.html

TestDisk Win 7.1 adds quit confirmation, resolves scripting bug. This is not a security update.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download

WinScan2PDF 4.84 resolves code signing bug, improves compatibility with Windows 10 v1903. This is not a security update.
https://www.softwareok.com/?seite=Microsoft/WinScan2PDF

WSUS Offline 11.7.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://download.wsusoffline.net/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Inno Setup 6.0.2 adds {sysnative}, wizard improvements, and cosmetic fixes. This is not a security update.
http://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

Node.js 12.6.0 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Visual Studio Code 1.36 adds several new cosmetic and functional options, and Java package prep. This is not a security update.
https://code.visualstudio.com/

Virtual Machine Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

DOSBox 0.74-3 is a security update.
https://www.dosbox.com/

Web Package Updates

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

Joomla 3.9.9 is a security update.
https://www.joomla.org/

phpList 3.4.3 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.phplist.com/download

Drupal 8.7.4 resolves dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
https://drupal.org/download

MailEnable 10.25 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://www.mailenable.com/

TinyMCE 5.0.11 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.tiny.cloud/download/

Nextcloud Server 16.0.3 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

ScreenConnect 19.1.24566.7116 does not provide a changelog so should be treated as a security update.
https://www.screenconnect.com/Download

WordPress 5.2.2 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://wordpress.org/

myStickymenu 2.1.7 resolves a bug. This is not a security update.

Postie 1.9.37 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.

Raw HTML 1.6.1 resolves a plugin conflict. This is not a security update.

NextScripts Social Networks Auto-Poster 4.3.8 resolves several bugs and adds %authorname% tag. This is not a security update.

WooCommerce 3.6.5 resolves several bugs. This is a security update.

WP Mail SMTP 1.5.0 adds support for Loco, resolves several bugs, and improves internationalization. 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 2018-12-11

Hi, Folks!

It’s Patch Tuesday and since last week was a huge out-of-cycle update (thanks, Adobe!) it’s a pretty small one. We have the regular updates from Microsoft but only a handful of other applications have been patched this week.

The typical computer should see roughly 2gb in updates today. Let’s get started.

Microsoft released updates for Windows, Internet Explorer, .NET, and MSRT (~2gb). This includes security updates. 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 now-current release of Windows 10 (1809) will cause your computer to feel unusually slow until it is installed. This is a side-effect of the Windows 10 upgrade cycle, which pushes out 3-6gb through Windows update to get you to the latest Windows 10 release every 6 months. If you don’t let it finish and you’re on a slow connection, it will kill your Internet performance forever. If you don’t have the bandwidth to download the bits, I’m happy to provide loaner USB drives to our local clients, or, if you prefer to have me mail it to you please contact me for information.

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

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

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.

Intel Driver Update 3.7 adds support for SSD tools, Intel RST, Optane, and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect

Browser Updates

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

Firefox 64.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Firefox ESR 60.4.0 is a security update. Use Menu, Help, About to install the most current version.

Office Updates

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

Adobe Reader DC 19.010.20064 is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates to install the most current version.

Nextcloud Desktop 2.5.1 adds compatibility for Nextcloud Server 15 and resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

Security Software Updates

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

RogueKiller 13.0.16 adds signatures. This is not a security update.
https://www.adlice.com/download/roguekiller/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SnagIt 2019.1.0 adds integration to Windows Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch, and resolves several bugs. This is a security update.
https://download.techsmith.com/snagit/enu/snagit.exe

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ControlMyMonitor 1.11 adds an option to export monitor list from the command line. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/control_my_monitor.html

GoodSync 9.9.19 adds support for the new GoodSync account. This is not a security update.
https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

FileLocator Pro 8.5.2880 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
http://www.mythicsoft.com/filelocatorpro/download

FolderChangesView 2.26 redesigns the Choose Folder window to improve visibility on low-resolution devices. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/folder_changes_view.html

SearchMyFiles 2.90 adds ability to limit results to only folder names. This is not a security update.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/search_my_files.html

SetDefaultBrowser 1.3 improves browser compatibility. This is not a security update.
https://kolbi.cz/blog/2017/11/10/setdefaultbrowser-set-the-default-browser-per-user-on-windows-10-and-server-2016-build-1607/

SetUserFTA 1.7.1 resolves a false AV detection. This is not a security update.
https://kolbi.cz/blog/2017/10/25/setuserfta-userchoice-hash-defeated-set-file-type-associations-per-user/

Autoruns 13.93 adds support for HKCU scanning from CLI and fixes a bug that prevented UserInitMprLogonScript from being scanned. This should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Handle 4.21 fixes a race condition that could cause a bluescreen. This should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

ProcessExplorer 16.22 fixes a race condition that could cause a bluescreen. This should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

SDelete 2.02 adds a progress filter. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Sigcheck 2.71 resolves several bugs. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Sysmon 8.2 resolves several bugs. This should be treated as a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

VMMap 3.25 fixes a profiling bug. This is not a security update.
https://live.sysinternals.com/

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Node.js 11.4.0 is a security update.
https://nodejs.org/en/

Web Package Updates

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

Nextcloud Server 15.0.0 is a major update. This version adds social networking, 2FA, security hardening, PDF conversion, collaboration improvements, mobile improvements, performance improvements, full-text search, and more. This adds new security controls, so should be treated as a security update.
https://nextcloud.com/

phpMyAdmin 4.8.4 is a security update.
https://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/news.php

Contact Form 7 5.1 adds support for reCAPTCHA v3, Constant Contact integration, and Dark Mode. 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/