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« Last post by javajolt on February 11, 2025, 12:55:51 PM »
Files, one of our favorite third-party file managers for Windows 10 and 11, has been updated to version 3.9. The latest release is a massive update with all sorts of new features and improvements, such as the new Cards View layout, thumbnail improvements, a better Details pane, and more.
One of the most notable changes in Files 3.9 is the new Cards View layout. It replaces the old Tiles View and lets you view more information about each file, such as image resolution, size, tags, media duration, and more.
There are also improvements for the Grid View, which now has an accented colored border when selecting items for better visibility and accessibility. Details View, List View, Columns View, and Cards View now have improved icons and thumbnails that sync with the selected layout size. They are also DPI-aware to ensure better clarity on different displays.
The Details Pane now displays drive information, such as total capacity, the amount of available space, file system, and more.
Upon creating shortcuts, the Files app now lets you set a custom name. Previously, the app would automatically create a shortcut and only then allow you to rename it.
Files 3.9 also adds improvements to the built-in update mechanism. The toolbar button for release notes now has a new icon and an action that allows viewing the latest changelog at any moment. You will also notice a redesigned icon that shows up when there is a pending update.
Another change is the updated Tags Widget. It now features a fresh design that matches the rest of the app's aesthetics, and it allows tags to be applied to files and folders by simply dragging them onto tags.
The rest of the changelog, which you can check out here, includes the ability to set JPEG-XR images as desktop background, various improvements to the Properties window, focus auto-switching when creating a new tab, new launch protocols for different Files app update channels (Dev, Preview, Stable), performance improvements, and more.
Also, here is the list of fixed bugs:
Quote
Actions
• Fixed a crash that would occur when using the ‘Storage Sense’ action.
• Resolved an issue with the ‘Run with PowerShell’ action not working for files with spaces in their names.
Address Bar
• Fixed keyboard navigation in the address path bar.
• Resolved an issue where the address bar flyouts sometimes displayed duplicate items.
Archives
• Fixed an issue where the size wasn’t displayed after creating a new archive.
Cloud Drives
• Addressed various issues with Google Drive support.
Columns View
• Fixed an issue that caused unexpected scrolling in the Columns Layout.
• Resolved a crash that would occur when opening the context menu in the Columns View.
Drag & Drop
• Resolved multiple issues with drag & drop support between Files and other applications.
Git Repos
• Fixed an issue where soft link details were misaligned in Git repositories.
Group By and Sort By
• Resolved an issue where changing the grouping and sorting preferences would only update the current tab.
Right Click Context Menu
• Fixed an issue where right-clicking a file would display the option to open in a new tab.
Startup
• Fixed a crash that would occur when starting Files from WSL directories.
• Resolved startup freeze caused by a heavily populated Recycle Bin.
• Fixed an issue where the previous session’s tabs were briefly displayed when the startup setting was set to ‘open new tab’.
• Fixed an issue where launching Files from Terminal didn’t use the correct path.
Tabs
• Resolved an issue where tabs weren’t placed in the correct order when dragged from other windows.
Tags
• Resolved an issue with displaying properties for tagged items.
• Fixed an issue where tags sometimes displayed with the wrong color.
Title Bar
• Fixed an issue where the title bar drag region was sometimes missing.
« Last post by javajolt on February 11, 2025, 12:40:12 PM »
Windows 11 brought a lot of upgrades to the stock File Explorer, but the app still misses a lot of features and small conveniences, whose absence makes the user experience less enjoyable. As usual, third-party developers are to the rescue. Some offer entirely different apps with a truckload of advanced features, while others attempt to fix the stock File Explorer. Explorer Tab Utility belongs to the latter category.
Explorer Tab Utility is a small and lightweight application that runs in the background and enables many missing features in File Explorer, such as the ability to open links in new tabs instead of new windows, switching to the existing tab if the path is already open, virtual desktop switching with a shortcut, and better tab management. It also adds stuff like the ability to re-open closed tabs, tab duplication, and quick navigation for custom paths (useful when you frequently open a certain location).
Another great thing about Explorer Tab Utility is that it consumes very few resources and keeps its head as low as possible in order not to interrupt your workflow. Plus, you can personalize its behavior, create custom hotkeys for quick actions, and more.
While the app greatly improves on what we have in the current Windows 11 release, there are still some limitations, especially in the performance area. Here is what the developer says about it:
Quote
While this utility is optimized for best performance, some operations might experience delays due to limitations in Windows File Explorer itself:
• The File Explorer's tab interface lacks proper APIs for programmatic control
• Some operations in File Explorer are inherently laggy, especially with multiple simultaneous window operations
• Windows Shell doesn't expose all the necessary functionality for seamless tab management
Despite these Windows limitations, the utility implements the best possible solutions using available Windows APIs and COM interfaces.
Explorer Tab Utility is available for free on GitHub. It is compatible with Windows 11 version 22H2 build 22621 and newer (any build with tabbed File Explorer).
« Last post by javajolt on February 11, 2025, 12:08:59 PM »
Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files. With Ventoy, you don't need to format the disk over and over, you just need to copy the ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)EFI files to the USB drive and boot them directly. You can copy many files at a time and ventoy will give you a boot menu to select them. Both Legacy BIOS and UEFI are supported in the same way. Most type of OS supported (Windows/WinPE/Linux/Unix/Vmware/Xen...)
Ventoy features:
• 100% open source
• Simple to use
• Fast (limited only by the speed of copying iso file)
• Directly boot from ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI file, no extraction needed
« Last post by javajolt on February 10, 2025, 11:24:31 PM »
The USPTO has just published the patent's document
Key notes
■ Google is seeking a patent for an advanced home assistant robot with autonomous movement.
■ The robot can communicate, navigate to specific locations, and perform tasks based on your preferences.
■ The company says that “most computing devices cannot autonomously navigate” without manual control.
Google is now seeking a patent for a new advanced home assistant robot as the Mountain View tech giant is looking for a potential entry to the home assistant robot market that can automatically move without your interference.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently published a 27-page document that details Google’s plan. In its own words, Google’s potential new robot can help you communicate with others, move to specific locations within a room and then adjust its location and behavior based on your preference and the task at hand, and just more.
For instance, as Google describes, if you ask your robot whether your child is ready for school, the robot can go to the child’s location, ask them, and then relay the response back to you. It can also remind you to clean your bedroom or ask your child if they’ve cleaned theirs.
Google says that automated assistants often struggle with autonomous navigation and they can’t really assist with tasks that involve moving to different locations. And that’s where the idea of this robot patent was coming from.
“As computing devices facilitate interactions between automated assistants and users, most computing devices cannot autonomously navigate to various destinations without being manually controlled by a user,” the tech giant says.
Google, a part of Big Tech, is a leading player in the home assistant market.
Earlier this year, the company transitioned the Nest Protect smoke and CO alarm to the Hogle Home app so that alerts and controls are coming through Home, while keeping the Nest app in maintenance mode. The company is also now enlisted alongside Apple and Samsung to accept Matter certification for smart home products.
« Last post by javajolt on February 10, 2025, 11:15:13 PM »
Bard is a new generative AI technology from Google that is being integrated into Google Assistant. It is still under development, but we have our first look at what it will look like and how it will work.
According to Twitter, the Assistant with Bard will soon be accessible on smartphones and smart speakers. This AI-powered assistant will be capable of comprehending and answering natural language queries and generating various creative text formats such as poems, code, scripts, musical compositions, emails, letters, and more.
One of the most interesting features of Assistant with Bard is the ability to ask questions related to screenshots. This could be incredibly helpful for research or understanding complex visuals.
Assistant with Bard can also switch back to the Classic Assistant. This flexibility ensures that everyone can find the experience that works best for them.
You should know these features are still under development and may change before they’re officially released. Still, it is exciting to glimpse what’s to come, and I’m eager to see how Assistant with Bard evolves in the future.
In addition to the features mentioned above, Assistant with Bard is also expected to be able to:
• Set alarms and timers
• Play music and podcasts
• Control smart home devices
• Get directions and traffic updates
• Make calls and send texts
And much more
As an Android user, I am excited to see how Assistant with Bard will change how we interact with our devices.
A custom Android-based operating system (sometimes referred to as a custom ROM) can be a way to achieve a higher level of privacy and security on your device. This is in contrast to the "stock" version of Android which comes with your phone from the factory, and is often deeply integrated with Google Play Services as well as other vendor software.
We recommend installing GrapheneOS if you have a Google Pixel as it provides improved security hardening and additional privacy features. The reasons we don't list other operating systems or devices are as follows:
• Support is frequently dropped when the maintainer loses interest or upgrades their device, which is in contrast to the predictable support cycle that GrapheneOS follows.
• They generally have few or no notable privacy or security improvements that make installing them worthwhile.
GrapheneOS is the best choice when it comes to privacy and security.
GrapheneOS provides additional security hardening and privacy improvements. It has a hardened memory allocator, network and sensor permissions, and various other security features. GrapheneOS also comes with full firmware updates and signed builds, so verified boot is fully supported.
GrapheneOS supports sandboxed Google Play, which runs Google Play Services fully sandboxed like any other regular app. This means you can take advantage of most Google Play Services, such as push notifications, while giving you full control over their permissions and access, and while containing them to a specific work profile or user profile of your choice.
By default, Android makes many network connections to Google to perform DNS connectivity checks, to sync with current network time, to check your network connectivity, and for many other background tasks. GrapheneOS replaces these with connections to servers operated by GrapheneOS and subject to their privacy policy. This hides information like your IP address from Google, but means it is trivial for an admin on your network or ISP to see you are making connections to grapheneos.network, grapheneos.org, etc. and deduce what operating system you are using.
If you want to hide information like this from an adversary on your network or ISP, you must use a trusted VPN in addition to changing the connectivity check setting to Standard (Google). It can be found in ⚙ Settings → Network & internet → Internet connectivity checks. This option allows you to connect to Google's servers for connectivity checks, which, alongside the usage of a VPN, helps you blend in with a larger pool of Android devices.
Criteria
Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend. In addition to our standard criteria, we have developed a clear set of requirements to allow us to provide objective recommendations. We suggest you familiarize yourself with this list before choosing to use a project, and conduct your own research to ensure it's the right choice for you.
• Must be open-source software.
• Must support bootloader locking with custom AVB key support.
• Must receive major Android updates within 0-1 months of release.
• Must receive Android feature updates (minor version) within 0-14 days of release.
• Must receive regular security patches within 0-5 days of release.
• Must not be "rooted" out of the box.
• Must not enable Google Play Services by default.
• Must not require system modification to support Google Play Services.
« Last post by javajolt on February 10, 2025, 08:51:15 PM »
Mobile spyware attacks are on the rise globally. That's why you should treat your phone like a computer, according to this cybersecurity expert.
In the last decade, spyware tools have been repeatedly found on the phones of journalists, activists, and politicians, including US officials, raising concerns over the unprecedented proliferation of spyware technologies and, subsequently, the lack of protections within the tech space amid growing threats.
Last Friday, Meta's WhatsApp revealed that it had discovered a hacking campaign targeting about 90 users, mostly journalists and civil society members across two dozen countries. According to a WhatsApp spokesperson, the Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions -- now acquired by Florida-based private equity firm AE Industrial Partners -- was behind the attack.
What is a zero-click capability?
Graphite, Paragon's spyware, was found to have infiltrated WhatsApp groups by simply sending users a malicious PDF attachment. Without users' knowledge, it can access and read messages on encrypted applications like WhatsApp and Signal.
This is also known as a zero-click attack, which means that targets do not have to take any actions for their devices to become compromised. In contrast, phishing or one-click attacks require user interaction with a malicious link or attachment. Once a phone is infected with a zero-click capability, the operator of the attack can secretly gain total access to the phone by exploiting a security vulnerability.
In an interview with ZDNET, Rocky Cole, co-founder of mobile threat protection company iVerify, said that "in the case of graphite, via WhatsApp, some kind of payload, like a PDF or an image, [was sent to the victims' devices] and the underlying processes that receive and handle those packages have vulnerabilities that the attackers exploit [to] infect the phone."
While public reporting does not specify "whether graphite can engage in privilege escalation [vulnerability] and operate outside WhatsApp or even move into the iOS kernel itself, we do know from our own detections and other work with customers, that privilege escalation via WhatsApp in order to gain kernel access is indeed possible," Cole said.
iVerify has uncovered instances where "a number of WhatsApp crashes on [mobile] devices [they're] monitoring with iVerify" have appeared to be malicious in nature, leading the iVerify team to believe that the malicious attacks are "potentially more widespread" than just the 90 people reported to have been infected by graphite.
While the WhatsApp attack was predominantly launched against members of civil society, mobile spyware is an emerging threat against everyone because mobile exploitation is more widespread than one might think, Cole said. Moreover, "the result is an emerging ecosystem around mobile spyware development and an increasing number of VC-backed mobile spyware companies are 'under pressure to become profitable enterprises,'" he said.
This ultimately "creates marketing competition" for spyware merchants and "lowers barriers" that would deter these mobile exploitation attacks.
Just a month ago, WhatsApp won a lawsuit against NSO after a federal judge in California found that NSO was exploiting a security vulnerability within the messaging app to deliver Pegasus. The infamous NSO Group -- known for infecting the phones of journalists, activists, and Palestinian rights organizations -- has used similar zero-click capabilities through their Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, a commercial spyware and phone hacking tool.
Historically, the NSO Group has avoided selling to US-based clients and has also been banned by the US Commerce Department under the Biden administration for allegedly supplying spyware to authoritarian governments. However, "shifting political dynamics [under the Trump administration] raises the possibility that spyware may become more prevalent in the United States" -- exacerbating mobile exploitation.
"And the world is totally unprepared to deal with that," Cole said.
« Last post by javajolt on February 10, 2025, 08:24:52 PM »
Time to changeNurPhoto via Getty Images
With Google confirming that Gmail is under attack, warning users to change behaviors to stay safe, the stakes have rarely been higher. Fortunately, Google is pushing hard to upgrade Gmail for its 2.5 billion users, raising the bar for attackers. And while that means the usual server-side spam and malware protection, it also promises innovations like shielded email addresses this year to help stop the threat at source.
But there’s a glaring issue here — email itself. This is a horribly archaic technology that has not really changed in a decade. Genuinely, where is the innovation and disruption? Our inboxes are still broadly open to anyone, anywhere. Spam and phishing remain a ridiculous problem, despite Google blocking “more than 99.9%” of it. The reality is that malicious emails still get through, despite obvious telltale signs. Yes, new AI-fueled threats will make everything worse, but it’s bad enough as it is.
Email needs a rethink — a total revamp. Something more akin to secure messaging, with consent-based contacts and aggressive filtering, rather than a modern interpretation of Microsoft Mail and Lotus Notes. Check out the video below from nearly twenty-years ago, and ask yourself how much has fundamentally changed.
When Elon Musk teased that he might consider launching X-Mail as a disruptive alternative to Gmail, this is what he had in mind. It’s the reason we turn to Slack or Teams or smartphone messaging apps instead of email. Less spam, shorter, snappier interfaces, more direct comms better aligned with how we work and play today. Even the concept of CCing lots of disinterested people into your emails has had its time.
And on the security front, Gmail and other leading email platforms are woefully far behind messaging. As I suggested last year, "we need a radically different approach:
1. "On-device AI to flag spam and malicious email that beat central screening to reach inboxes. Too many emails make it though despite the email address and presentational “sender” address not matching, even when the the latter is a clear impersonation. How is it possible in 2024 that my inbox contains emails from ‘Apple Support’ or ‘X verification,’ when the senders have random email addresses such as ‘sayio[at]hosai.co.jp’.
2. A better opt-in, known sender solution—mimicking secure messaging. Even the differentiation of trusted and unknown senders is too basic. Google has made email sender advances here, but it’s far from a wholesale solution. There needs to be better deployment of AI or an easy- button for user to opt into a trusted discussion and advocate for a sender.
3. Rather than upping the ante centrally, email security needs to do a better front-end (device- side) job. This is where safe browsing and malware defenses are now heading, making use of new device AI processing. Email needs a complete rethink to do the same."
We are seeing fast-paced innovation across edge devices to use private, on-device AI to make real-time calls as to when a message might be dangerous or spammy. For email, this would kill the fake Microsoft, X, Apple, FedEx, UPS, Google emails we get daily, but also the smaller volume, more targeted approaches. And it’s within reach. But the front-end apps and UIs need a start from scratch rethink. A device can use a unified approach to privately screen messages or emails on any platform, learning as it goes.
With that in mind, look no further than Google’s own “new protections on Google Messages to help keep you safe.” These were announced last October, and bring “AI-powered filters and advanced security that protects users from 2 billion suspicious messages a month.” And critically, these messaging innovations “use on-device machine learning models to classify these scams, so your conversations stay private and the content is never sent to Google unless you report spam.”
GrapheneOS, which specializes in hardening Android, has raised the wider potential of the Android System SafetyCore app launched by Google that makes all this work. “The app doesn't provide client-side scanning used to report things to Google or anyone else. It provides on-device machine learning models usable by applications to classify content as being spam, scams, malware, etc. This allows apps to check content locally without sharing it with a service and mark it with warnings for users.”
While “it’s unfortunate that it’s not open source and released as part of the Android Open Source Project and the models also aren’t open let alone open source,” meaning it will fail the transparency test for serious security applications, this approach can be adopted across multiple email platforms, in tandem with a new UI and consent-based approach to keep our inboxes locked beyond certain geographies or domains.
We are approaching a pivot-point with email. If it can’t change, it can’t work. In a world with AI-polished text and imagery, and tone crafted to mimic those we know or love, an open platform cannot be safe. Someone needs to grasp this nettle and take a different approach. I suspect only Google or Apple could do so. Whether it’s a new Gmail/email app or a more universal “System SafetyCore” style app, you do need a new app.
Unfortunately, Gmail attacks have never been more sophisticated and there are no signs yet of the server-side approach changing. And on the device AI side, Apple’s iOS 18 Mail upgrade has seriously failed to hit the mark. We’re far from there yet.
« Last post by javajolt on February 10, 2025, 07:49:32 PM »
Do you have to switch to Windows 11 or can you continue to use Windows 10? We explain and tell you what happens after the end of support.
Microsoft will release the last update for Windows 10 with the Patchday on October 14, 2025, after which this version of Windows will no longer receive any updates. What does this mean for users?
Windows 10 is not immediately insecure or no longer usable
First of all, there is no need to panic about this date. Windows 10 will theoretically continue to run indefinitely, as Microsoft is not discontinuing the functionality of the operating system, there will “only” be no more updates from November. This means that you can continue to use Windows 10 in principle, but no more security gaps will be closed, for example.
Image: Chris Hoffman / IDG
Of course, given that cyber attacks on companies and private individuals continue to increase, this can be a problem for Windows 10 users in the long term. This is because newly discovered security gaps in the operating system can give attackers access to the computer, its data, and the network. PCs connected to the internet in particular are then fundamentally less protected. However, the security functions of the operating system remain active, including malware protection.
As a precaution, you can disconnect your PC from the internet completely, but this reduces the usefulness of the computer, especially in a private environment. In principle, there is nothing to be said against Windows 11, especially as Microsoft still allows you to update for free.
Windows 10 upgrade to Windows 11 Image: Ralf Liebhold/Shutterstock.com
These are the real dangers for Windows 10 without support
New security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered in the various versions of Windows — even years later. From October 2025, Microsoft will no longer close these in Windows 10, so the likelihood of malware gaining access to a PC increases with each passing day. As most PCs are connected to the internet via a router with a firewall, there is often no danger to be expected via this route. However, there are numerous websites that are contaminated with malware.
Image: MacPaw Moonlock Lab
There are also emails that you receive or programs that you download. These can contain malware that spreads on your PC if the malware scanner does not recognize it. If you actively use your PC with the internet, especially in sensitive areas such as online banking, you should always update the operating system or switch to Linux, for example. In this case, using Windows 10 is too high a risk.
As soon as Windows 10 is no longer supported, the developers of third-party software will also stop releasing updates for Windows 10 at some point. This will also make these programs less secure and in some cases no longer usable. This will not happen immediately, but it is an inevitable development. It therefore also makes sense to update your software for reasons of compatibility and security.
Cyber criminals will focus heavily on Windows 10
According to Statcounter, Windows 10 still has a large market share of over 60 percent compared to just over 30 percent for Windows 11. The security company ESET estimates that 32 milion PCs are still running Windows 10 in Germany alone. This means that cyber criminals will increasingly focus on Windows 10 security vulnerabilities after the end of support because it will be worth it. As soon as these gaps are publicly known, tools and programs will appear that exploit them. From this moment on, users of the outdated operating system risk losing their data.
Windows 10 blue screen Image: Mashka/Shutterstock.com
At the end of support for Windows 7 in 2020, the operating system only had a market share of 20 percent. It is therefore to be expected that many criminals are already working on attacks on Windows 10, if only because of the enormous spread of the operating system.
If malware has infiltrated a PC in the home network, all data is at risk, including that on internal network storage such as NAS devices.“It’s five to twelve to avoid a security fiasco in 2025. We strongly advise all users not to wait until October, but to switch to Windows 11 immediately or choose an alternative operating system if their device cannot be updated to the latest Windows operating system. Otherwise, users expose themselves to considerable security risks and make themselves vulnerable to dangerous cyber attacks and data loss,” explains IT security expert Thorsten Urbanski from ESET.
Can you continue to use Windows 10 safely?
Of course, it is not advisable to panic and immediately disconnect your PC from the internet or network in October. If you want to continue using Windows 10, you can book the Extended Security Updates program from Microsoft. This costs around $60 for the first year until October 2026. In this case, you will continue to receive updates from Microsoft. This extension runs a total of three times until October 2028, after which updates will also stop.
An alternative that you can already use now is the 0Patch security solution. This is a company that provides security updates for Windows 10 until 2030. However, the company’s cloud-based software does not update the Windows 10 system files, but activates the patches in the computer’s RAM. This means they have to be reloaded every time the computer is started. The software is even free to use. If you want more comprehensive protection, you can book the paid version for a little more than $25 per year (25 euros).
Image: Thomas Joos
There are many tips on the internet about using the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 operating system. This basically corresponds to Windows 10 Enterprise with all functions and will receive updates until 2032, but its use as an office PC is not permitted under licence law. Technically, however, you can safely use the operating system after purchase until 2032. There are also enough solutions for protection against malware that you can use in parallel, some of which are completely free of charge.
For most people, updating to Windows 11 is the easiest option
Of course, not all hardware supports Windows 11, but where installation is not a problem, you should carry out the free update. The operation of Windows 11 is still very similar to that of Windows 10 and you will continue to receive security updates and new functions. Before updating, check that all the applications and tools you use are compatible with Windows 11.
In general, it is also very useful to make a complete backup of the operating system on an external hard drive and create a rescue disc beforehand. This can be done free of charge in Windows 10 and Windows 11 with on-board tools.
The data snooping of Windows 11 can be deactivated with on-board resources and free tools, for example with ShutUp10 . Run “tpm.msc” to check whether your PC has a TPM module. This is necessary for the update. If the tool does not display the TPM, check the BIOS to see if it is switched off. If your PC’s hardware has problems with Windows 11, it may be time to buy a new PC.