Security News
Microsoft is testing a new hidden feature in the latest Windows 11 preview build that rejuvenates the user interface for Task Manager with a new design and modern appearance. Task Manager is one of the most commonly used built-in Windows apps, allowing users to see how much a process uses CPU and memory, terminate processes, manage auto-starting programs, or simply see what programs are running on a computer.
Microsoft has backpedaled its decision to forcefully redirect users from the Network Connections control panel to the Advanced Network Settings screen in Windows 11 preview builds. Microsoft has slowly begun to chip away at the old Control Panel interface for the past few years by redirecting users to similar settings found under the modern Settings feature.
McAfee has patched two high-severity vulnerabilities in a component of its McAfee Enterprise product that attackers can use to escalate privileges, including up to SYSTEM. According to McAfee's bulletin, the bugs are in versions prior to 5.7.5 of McAfee Agent, which is used in McAfee Endpoint Security, among other McAfee products. Cnf in a location used by McAfee Agent and thus potentially be able to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges on a Windows system that has the vulnerable McAfee Agent software installed.
McAfee has patched a security vulnerability discovered in the company's McAfee Agent software for Windows enabling attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. McAfee Agent is a client-side component of McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator that downloads and enforces endpoint policies and deploys antivirus signatures, upgrades, patches, and new products on enterprise endpoints.
Microsoft has started the forced rollout of Windows 10, version 21H2 to more devices approaching the end of service as part of a first machine learning training phase. Windows 10 21H2 is also rolling out to seekers on Windows 10 2004 or newer through a fast update experience similar to a monthly update.
Microsoft released a list of twenty-five group policies that admins should not use in Windows 10 and Windows 11 as they do not provide optimal behavior or cause unexpected results. Windows Senior Program Manager Aria Carley hinted in December warned admins that admins should avoid using various group policies in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Microsoft has fixed a known issue causing search issues for Outlook users after installing Windows 10 security updates released since November 2021. While a fix for the Outlook search issue is already rolling out to all impacted Windows 10 devices, Microsoft says it's still "Working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release" for affected Windows 11 systems.
Microsoft has fixed a known issue causing search issues for Outlook users after installing Windows 10 security updates released since November 2021. While a fix for the Outlook search issue is already rolling out to all impacted Windows 10 devices, Microsoft says it's still "Working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release" for affected Windows 11 systems.
Microsoft has released an emergency out-of-band update for Windows Server 2019 that fixes numerous critical bugs introduced during the January 2022 Patch Tuesday. Soon after Windows Server admins installed the January 2022 updates, they began reporting severe issues, including domain controllers entering into boot loops, Hyper-V no longer starting, L2TP VPN connections failing, and ReFS volumes becoming inaccessible.
A Microsoft developer document has leaked the company's plans for third-party widgets coming soon to the Windows 11 Widgets feature. With Windows 11, Microsoft converted the feature into a new app called 'Widgets,' which also pops up from the Windows taskbar.