Chinese FamousSparrow hackers deploy upgraded malware in attacks
A China-linked cyberespionage group known as ‘FamousSparrow’ was observed using a new modular version of its signature backdoor ‘SparrowDoor’ against a US-based trade organization. The activity and new malware version were observed by security researchers at ESET, who found evidence the threat actor has been more active than initially thought since its last operations were exposed in […]
Windows 11 KB5053656 update released with 38 changes and fixes
Microsoft has released the KB5053656 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2 with 38 changes, including real-time translation on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs and fixes for authentication and blue-screen issues. The KB5053656 update is part of the company’s “optional non-security preview updates” schedule, which pushes updates at the end of each month to let Windows admins test bug fixes, […]
Microsoft: New Windows scheduled task will launch Office apps faster
In May, Microsoft plans to roll out a new Windows scheduled task that launches automatically to help Microsoft Office apps load faster. The company says the “Startup Boost” task will launch in the background on logon, with the roll-out to start in mid-May and worldwide general availability to be reached by late May 2025. On systems […]
The 4 WordPress flaws hackers targeted the most in Q1 2025
A new report sheds light on the most targeted WordPress plugin vulnerabilities hackers used in the first quarter of 2025 to compromise sites. All four flaws are vulnerabilities discovered and fixed in 2024 but remain unpatched in many cases, giving hackers the opportunity to execute arbitrary code or exfiltrate sensitive data. Among the four flaws, […]
Mozilla warns Windows users of critical Firefox sandbox escape flaw
Mozilla has released Firefox 136.0.4 to patch a critical security vulnerability that can let attackers escape the web browser’s sandbox on Windows systems. Tracked as CVE-2025-2857, this flaw is described as an “incorrect handle could lead to sandbox escapes” and was reported by Mozilla developer Andrew McCreight. The vulnerability impacts the latest Firefox standard and extended […]
WhatsApp’s Meta AI is now rolling out in Europe, and it can’t be turned off
You can’t escape Meta AI in WhatsApp even if you are based in one of the 41 European countries, with the feature now rolling out to more devices. On March 19, WhatsApp owner Meta announced that a variety of AI upgrades would be coming to users in Europe after the company paused the rollout last year. Since […]
Recent Windows Server 2025 updates cause Remote Desktop freezes
Microsoft says a known issue is causing Remote Desktop freezes on Windows Server 2025 systems after installing security updates released since the February 2025 Patch Tuesday. “After installing the February 2025 Security update (KB5051987), released February 11, 2025, and later updates, on Windows Server 2025 devices, you might experience Remote Desktop sessions freezing shortly after connection,” […]
Vivaldi integrates Proton VPN into the browser to fight web tracking
Vivaldi has announced the integration of Proton VPN directly into its browser without requiring add-on downloads or plugin activations, allowing users to protect their data against ‘Big Tech’ surveillance for free. When enabled, browsing activity will be transmitted through Proton VPN’s encrypted tunnels while also obfuscating the user’s IP address, safeguarding their privacy and protecting them […]
Dozens of solar inverter flaws could be exploited to attack power grids
Dozens of vulnerabilities in products from three leading makers of solar inverters, Sungrow, Growatt, and SMA, could be exploited to control devices or execute code remotely on the vendor’s cloud platform. The potential impact of the security problems has been assessed as severe because they could be used in attacks that could at least influence […]
UK fines software provider £3.07 million for 2022 ransomware breach
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a £3.07 million fine on Advanced Computer Software Group Ltd for a 2022 ransomware attack that exposed the sensitive personal data of 79,404 people, including National Health Service (NHS) patients. The cyberattack was announced in early August 2022 when various NHS services, including 111 emergency services, suffered significant outages, pointing […]