U.S. Bans Kaspersky; Windows 10 Users Get 5 More Years from 0Patch; The Risks of Using Outdated Technology; Windows 11 Gets New Features… and more
Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes from outside the world of technology. Every Wednesday, we feature news articles that grabbed our attention over the past week. We hope you find this week’s ‘Wednesday Newsbytes’ informative and interesting!
The US bans Kaspersky products, citing security risks – what this means for you
Kaspersky users in the US have until September 29 to find alternative security software.
If you use Kaspersky security software in the US, start looking at alternatives. On Thursday, the US Department of Commerce announced a ban on Kaspersky software, prohibiting the Russia-based company from selling any of its core security products in the US.
The ban follows an investigation by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry (BIS), which found the company and its products are a security risk. As justification for the ban, the BIS cited “unacceptable risks to the United States’ national security and the security and safety of its people.” Specifically, the agency pointed to the following factors as a result of its investigation:
Kaspersky has long been suspect in the eyes of the US government due to the firm’s ties to Russia. In 2017, the US banned the use of the company’s products across all government agencies. This ban, however, marks the first time that Kaspersky products will no longer be allowed for consumer or business use in the country…
Windows 10 will get five extra years of support courtesy of 0patch
Protecting companies and users for years to come
Microsoft will deliver the final security update for the latest version of Windows 10 in October 2025, prompting customers to either upgrade to Windows 11 (if their PCs are compatible) or pay to join the company’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) plan thereafter. 0patch has just announced a potential third alternative: paying significantly less to receive timely fixes for critical security vulnerabilities discovered after October 2025.
0patch, known for its micropatching service, currently provides security fixes for Windows 7. The company has now unveiled its plan to also support Windows 10 22H2, offering in-memory micropatches for at least five years, with the possibility of extending this period based on demand. According to 0patch, its support for Windows 7 is now in its fifth year and is likely to be extended further.
0patch openly advocates for customers who are reluctant to transition to Windows 11, even if their hardware supports the new OS. Many users prefer the Windows 10 interface, express concerns over Microsoft’s trend toward app bloatware and advertising, and object to the company’s controversial plans such as the recently retracted Recall feature, which some fear could compromise privacy by turning every PC into a potential key-logging device…
The Risks You Take When Using These Discontinued Pieces Of Technology
There’s a new iPhone released every year, and while the majority of the population doesn’t require a year-on-year upgrade, the constant march forward of technology is the reason why we continue to receive better products that make life easier. The same is true for laptops, cameras, IoT devices, and even cars that now come with a slew of smart features. Even when you splash the cash on a new gadget such as a smartphone, it depends heavily on frequent software updates to unlock better ways to get things done.
A downside of this ever-evolving world of technology is that existing hardware and software tend to become outdated rather quickly. Apart from not being able to use the latest and greatest, there is notable risk in using and depending on obsolete pieces of tech, be it a certain version of software, or a physical device that’s no longer supported by the original manufacturer. From popular but discontinued operating systems to something as inconspicuous as a Wi-Fi router — here are five products you should probably stop using, or look into upgrading.
Older versions of Windows and macOS
Computers and laptops are meant to last, and are something people hold on to for far longer than other gadgets they own. The modularity of PCs and reliability of Macs make them perfect machines to churn out daily tasks. While bottlenecks caused due to aging hardware is something that’s noticeable and warrants an upgrade, it’s easier to cling onto a familiar operating system.
We’ve seen the release of the much anticipated Windows 11 in late 2021 — and yet, it accounts for just under 30% of all Windows computers worldwide, according to Statcounter. At a staggering 68% market share, Windows 10 is still set to receive patches until 2025, but the third most popular version of the OS, Windows 7, has long since reached the end of its support cycle. It’s no secret that Apple’s offerings tend to last much longer, but if you’re on an older machine running macOS Big Sur, you might want to look into upgrading.
Though a computer running an outdated operating system isn’t going to magically break down and refuse to work, it’s no longer going to receive security updates and vulnerability patches from the manufacturer — putting your device at a substantially greater risk of being infected with malware or other types of cyberattacks…
Windows 11 update adds new emojis, game suggestions, 7-Zip, and more
KB5039302 for Windows 11 brings minor innovations for emoji fans, gamers, and others.
On June 25th, Microsoft released KB5039302 for Windows 11, a patch that brings a few small improvements for users, which are fully described in the official changelog.
This patch distinguishes between changes that Microsoft is gradually rolling out to users and improvements that the software company is rolling out to everyone in one fell swoop.
The gradual rollout changesFirst up, this update adds a new “Game Pass” recommendation card to the Settings home page. The change affects both Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, but is usually only displayed if you’re logged in with your Microsoft account and actively playing.
Emoji 15.1 support is also a new addition. Windows now supports the Unicode symbol-like shapes for various family constellations, plus several brand-new emojis (namely horizontal and vertical head shaking, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom, and a broken chain).
The “Show desktop” button is also back in the taskbar by default. To change this, right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings to adjust the taskbar behavior.
This patch also incorporates some minor changes to File Explorer…
Flaws in Open-Source Software Exposed ‘Almost Every Apple Device’ to Hacking
The vulnerabilities were discovered in an open-source software project called CocoaPods, which is widely used to help operate iOS apps.
Yikes: Security researchers have discovered vulnerabilities in an open-source software project that could have been exploited to hack thousands of iOS and macOS apps.
The threat involves CocoaPods, which programmers use to incorporate existing software libraries into their apps. But it currently contains three serious vulnerabilities—including a decade-old flaw—which can be exploited to secretly introduce malicious code into apps that rely on CocoaPods.
The threat is especially alarming since CocoaPods says it’s used in over 3 million apps. “Such an attack on the mobile app ecosystem could infect almost every Apple device, leaving thousands of organizations vulnerable to catastrophic financial and reputational damage,” warns researchers at Israel-based E.V.A. Information Security.
Of the three, the most serious flaw is CVE-2024-38366, which created a way for hackers to take over unclaimed software packages, known as Pods, without going through any “ownership verification process,” the security firm says…
Thanks for reading this week’s Wednesday Newbytes. We hope these articles were informative, interesting, fun, and helpful. Darcy & TC
What do you think of the 0Patch offer for Windows 10 users??
Yvonne, for those planning to keep Windows 10 it’s certainly better than not using something to keep Windows secure.