Attacks and payments are down -- but don't write off ransomware yet
A quarter of US organizations were victims of ransomware attacks over the past 12 months, a steep 61 percent decline over the previous year when 64 percent fell victim.
In addition a new report from Delinea finds that the number of targeted companies who paid the ransom declined from 82 percent to 68 percent, which could be a sign that warnings and recommendations from the FBI to not pay ransoms are being heeded.
Microsoft unveils VALL-E, an advanced text-to-speech AI that can speak in anyone's voice based on a 3-second sample
Microsoft has revealed details of its latest foray into the world of artificial intelligence. Billed as a "neural codec language model", VALL-E is an advanced AI-driven text-to-speech (TTS) system that the developers say can be trained to speak like anyone's based on just a three-second sample of their voice.
The result is an incredibly natural-sounding TTS system that takes an entirely different approach to existing systems. Able to convey tone and emotion better than ever, VALL-E sounds realistically human, but there are concerns that it could be used for audio deepfakes.
Microsoft ends Windows 7 extended support today -- install all updates now to fix all known issues... and gain Secure Boot support
If you have been keeping up with Windows news, you will probably be aware that today is the day that Microsoft finally ends support for Windows 7. This means that after today there will be no further updates, even for anyone paying for Extended Support Updates -- but 0patch is willing to help out.
Any company that does still have Windows 7 and is paying for ESU should install today's cumulative update, as well as any others that may have been missed. And there's a nice surprise: Microsoft has added support for Secure Boot to Windows 7, but has kept quiet about it.
Go forth and conquer: New technologies shaping IT in 2023
One of the IT sector’s great strengths is its ability to embrace innovation and new services. As we enter the new year, this trait will be called upon -- with IT departments under more strain than ever.
A combination of sky-high expectations for digital services from users and customers, as well as skilled professionals like software developers in short supply, means IT teams are feeling the pressure. To continue to meet soaring demand, while streamlining workloads, IT teams are exploring new technologies and working methods.
OBS Studio 29 extends AV1 encoding support, adds new audio filters
Open source video broadcasting, recording and streaming tool OBS Studio 29.0 has been released for Windows, macOS and Linux.
With this release, the Windows build now supports AV1 encoding on both AMD (Radeon RX 7000 upwards) and Intel (Arc Graphics) chipsets in addition to prior support for NVIDIA. Support on Linux is expected to follow in a future release.
How CISOs can communicate cyber risk to the board [Q&A]
The current economic downturn has meant significant budget cuts for many enterprises. But cyberthreats continue to escalate and businesses need to take them seriously.
This means that more than ever CISOs must prove the value of their cybersecurity programs to senior management. But how can they do this effectively? We spoke with Tim Erlin, VP of product innovation at SecurityScorecard to find out.
The latest Start menu change in Windows 11 shows Microsoft is finally listening
Many of the changes introduced by Microsoft in Windows 11 have been controversial. This is perhaps not entirely surprising as change has a tendency to upset, but some things have proved rather more unpopular than others -- in particular changes to the Start menu.
While users have long viewed the Start menu as a way to launch app and navigate Windows, in recent times Microsoft has used it as more of an advertising platform. The company has used the iconic feature of its operating system push (or "recommend", depending on your point of view) apps and websites, but now it has performed a U-turn and scrapped at least some of its recommendations.
Implementing automation? Plan for the long-term
It is now widely understood that automation can offer huge benefits to the business world. And yet, for every story of a company successfully leveraging automation to streamline its operations and boost productivity, there seems to be another example where it has failed to deliver on initial hopes.
In 2022, I had the privilege of chairing an OpenOcean roundtable on automation with a robust line-up of leading thinkers and business leaders. One of the central takeaways from the event was that stories of automation and AI’s failure are very often the result of the same mistakes in implementation being made repeatedly. However, there are a few key areas that organizations need to focus on to ensure they can avoid these common pitfalls and introduce automation successfully.
0patch will keep releasing security updates for Microsoft Edge on Windows 7, Server 2008 and Server 2012
We've already written about Microsoft completely ending support -- even paid-for options -- for Windows 7 and Windows 8, and as part of this, the company will also stop releasing security update for its Edge browser on these platforms.
There are large numbers of both home users and businesses that are opting to stick with these operating systems, or have little choice for one reason for another. As far as Microsoft is concerned, Edge 109 is the last version of the browser that will be released for these OSes, and as of January there will be no more security update released. Thankfully, 0patch is here to save the day again, with the company announcing that it is "security-adopting" Microsoft Edge on Windows 7, Server 2008 and Server 2012.
Best Windows apps this week
Five-hundred-and-twenty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft released the first Windows 11 development builds of 2023 this week. The company removed two features that it tested in development versions: website recommendations in Start and the Bing Search suggested action.
How usage data can strengthen software monetization initiatives [Q&A]
Today's software customers have varied requirements about how that software is deployed and how they pay for it. So how can software companies provide high-value offerings that support customer retention?
As software suppliers offer a mix of monetization and deployment models, they need clarity into how their products are being used. We spoke to Vic DeMarines, vice president, software monetization product management, at Revenera, for insights into current trends and best practices in software monetization.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.66.0 with self-contained .NET 7 and lots of fixes for 2023
We're less than a week into the new year, but Microsoft has already started to push out new software. Having released a new build of Windows 11, the company has also rolled out a significant PowerToys update.
With the release of PowerToys v0.66.0, Microsoft has added a self-contained .NET 7, eliminating the need to add .NET as part of the installer. In addition to a batch of significant fixes, this latest update also includes new options and settings for the Quick Accent and Text Extractor modules.
WhatsApp adds proxy support to help users bypass blocks
WhatsApp may be one of the most popular communications apps available, but it is not available everywhere. The very thing that makes it appealing to anyone concerned about privacy and security -- namely end-to-end encryption -- is the same thing that causes some countries to block access to it.
To help out people whose governments deny them access to WhatsApp, the app now offers proxy support. As well as being useful to anyone whose internet is censored or controlled, support for proxy connections can also prove helpful in case of internet shutdowns.
Microsoft releases the first new Windows 11 build of 2023
After taking a well-deserved break for the holidays, Microsoft returns with a brand new Windows 11 build for insiders in the Dev Channel.
Build 25272 comes with a set of improvements and fixes, including moving Quick Assist from Windows Tools to the Start menu’s All apps list where it will be easier to find.
Windows Vienna is the new version of Windows Vista you didn't know you needed (install it now!)
Windows Vista doesn’t get the same degree of love as other versions of Microsoft’s operating system. People have an enduring fondness for Windows XP and Windows 7, but not so much for Vista. Part of the problem is although Vista had much to recommend it, the OS always felt unfinished.
If you’re one of those people who actually loved Vista and miss it, then Windows Vienna is for you. After nearly five years of development, the new OS has been completed and is ready to download and install -- for free.