alarm Archives

Tech Optimizer

February 27, 2026

Fake Avast Website Steals Users’ Credit Card Information

A phishing scam is targeting French-speaking users in Europe by impersonating Avast antivirus software. Victims are lured to a fraudulent website that mimics Avast's official portal, where they are tricked into providing credit card details due to a fabricated €499.99 charge and promises of a refund. The scam uses realistic branding, dynamic JavaScript for urgency, and live chat features to collect personal information. Users are asked to select refund reasons and submit their personal details, after which they are prompted for credit card information. The scam employs the Luhn algorithm to validate card numbers and displays a fake confirmation message after data submission. Key red flags include dynamic dates, tight deadlines, requests for full card re-entry, and suspicious live chat interactions. Avast has warned users about these scams and encourages reporting to authorities.

AppWizard

February 24, 2026

Android mental health apps with 14.7M installs filled with security flaws

Recent analysis by Oversecured identified 1,575 security vulnerabilities across ten mental health mobile applications, which include 54 high-severity, 538 medium-severity, and 983 low-severity issues. These apps, with over 14.7 million downloads, assist users with conditions like clinical depression and anxiety. Vulnerabilities include improper handling of user-supplied URIs, weak local data storage practices, and cryptographically weak session token generation. Six of the ten apps had no high-severity vulnerabilities, but medium-severity issues still pose risks to user privacy. The scans were conducted between January 22 and 23, 2026, and only four apps had received recent updates.

Winsage

February 20, 2026

The New Windows Update Discontinued Support For A Bunch Of Popular Printers

Microsoft has decided to discontinue support for V3 and V4 printer drivers as part of its Windows 11 updates. Printers using these drivers will continue to function, but lack of updates may lead to future support challenges. Starting January 2026, Microsoft will stop distributing new drivers for V3 and V4 models through Windows Update. User feedback has been mostly positive, with some expressing relief at the focus on modern architecture, while concerns remain about reliance on printer manufacturers for driver updates.

AppWizard

February 17, 2026

‘This shouldn’t be normal’: developers speak out about bigotry on Steam, the world’s biggest PC gaming storefront

Steam has faced criticism for its inadequate moderation policies, allowing abuse and bigotry to proliferate, particularly affecting marginalized creators, including those from the transgender community. Developers have reported issues with bigoted reviews and campaigns against games deemed politically incorrect by Steam curators. Nathalie Lawhead, a designer, experienced harassment and found it difficult to have harmful reviews removed, with Steam moderators initially clearing abusive comments that violated community guidelines. Despite some reviews being removed after public outcry, the moderation process highlighted systemic issues, with developers feeling unsupported and overwhelmed by the volume of support tickets. Some games have been targeted by organized campaigns based on developers' perceived political stances, contributing to a hostile environment for marginalized creators. The lax moderation has economic implications for developers, as negative reviews can significantly impact a game's success on a platform that dominates the gaming market. Many developers feel compelled to endure this hostile environment to maintain visibility and sales on Steam, leading some to enhance their security measures or challenge hateful comments publicly.

Winsage

February 16, 2026

Microsoft changes how it manages MILLIONS of old printers

Microsoft has stopped distributing V3 and V4 printer drivers through Windows Update as of last month, affecting printers up to 12 years old. Support for these drivers will end in January 2026, as they were marked as deprecated in September 2023. Users with printers relying on these drivers may experience functionality issues after support ends. Printer manufacturers are now responsible for providing driver updates via their websites, but existing drivers will remain operational. Microsoft confirmed that vendor-supplied drivers can still be installed using separate packages. Most modern printers do not use V3 and V4 drivers, as they are typically over a decade old. Microsoft aims to enhance system security and streamline the printing process by phasing out outdated drivers. After July 2026, Windows will prioritize built-in printer drivers during installation, and from July 2027, manufacturers will no longer be able to submit driver updates to Windows, although Microsoft will continue to provide critical security updates for existing drivers.

Tech Optimizer

February 11, 2026

The malware your antivirus can’t see and the AI making 560,000 new viruses every day

Hackers are generating 560,000 new malware variants daily using artificial intelligence, contributing to a 131% increase in malware attacks over the past year. AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude enable rapid malware creation, with 80% of phishing attacks now utilizing AI. Malware is being sold on the dark web, with packages available for 0 for 1,000 installations and monthly subscriptions ranging from 0 to ,000, including customer support. Mac malware incidents have increased by 50% this year, targeting users through deceptive downloads. Red flags for malware include sluggish performance, excessive pop-ups, a hijacked home page, and unfamiliar programs. Paid antivirus solutions can stop 95%-99% of malware, while free options may only catch 60%-80% of threats. Webroot is noted as an effective antivirus solution that uses less memory and scans faster than competitors.

AppWizard

February 10, 2026

I tried Nothing’s AI app builder — and ended up with a screaming tea timer

Nothing’s Essential App Builder allows users to create personalized applications without extensive coding experience. The platform enables users to articulate app ideas and facilitates their creation through a series of edits. One user successfully created a tea timer app that tracks steeping times and provides boiling temperatures for different teas, despite facing minor design issues during development. The Essential App community showcases diverse creativity, with applications ranging from practical tools to whimsical creations. Currently, Essential Apps are exclusive to the Nothing Phone 3, with plans for future expansion to other models and enhanced functionality.

BetaBeacon

February 1, 2026

Two Top-Rated Games – Available for Free Right Now

The app Effects Studio allows users to apply effect filters to their photos, making them look like digital works of art.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

DoubleVerify warns of ‘zombie’ Android app fraud surge

DoubleVerify has raised concerns about a mobile scam involving the hijacking of dormant Android developer accounts, referred to as "zombie" accounts, which are exploited to publish fraudulent gaming applications on Google Play. This new tactic allows fraudsters to bypass automated checks due to the accounts' history of legitimate activity. The fraudulent apps generate invalid traffic, drain advertiser budgets, and excessively consume device battery power. DoubleVerify has identified unusual traffic patterns, such as surges at early morning hours, which do not align with typical gaming behavior, indicating the presence of bot clusters generating ad requests. Specific examples include dormant accounts that suddenly shifted to publishing gaming apps after years of inactivity. The reliance on developer history as a trust signal poses risks for advertisers, as it can lead to distorted campaign measurements and brand risks. DoubleVerify advocates for real-time behavioral analysis to enhance detection and protection against these threats.

Winsage

January 15, 2026

Windows info-disclosure 0-day bug gets a fix as CISA sounds alarm

Microsoft and the U.S. government have issued a warning about a vulnerability in Windows, designated CVE-2026-20805, which is currently being exploited. This flaw allows an authorized attacker to leak a memory address from a remote ALPC port, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. It has a medium severity rating of 5.5 on the CVSS scale. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and requires federal agencies to implement a patch by February 3. Additionally, two other vulnerabilities were acknowledged: CVE-2026-21265, a secure boot certificate expiration bypass with a CVSS rating of 6.4, and CVE-2023-31096, an elevation of privilege flaw affecting third-party Agere Modem drivers, rated at 7.8. Two more vulnerabilities, CVE-2026-20952 (CVSS 7.7) and CVE-2026-20953 (CVSS 7.4), are use-after-free flaws in Office that could allow unauthorized code execution.