businesses Archives

Tech Optimizer

June 30, 2025

‘PostgreSQL Eats the World, But CockroachDB Digests It’

The database market is shifting due to increasing demands for scalability, resilience, and AI integration. CockroachDB, led by CEO Spencer Kimball, focuses on distributed SQL databases built on PostgreSQL, emphasizing horizontal scaling capabilities. CockroachDB is designed for high operational data volumes, aiming to support hundreds of terabytes to petabytes. The company prioritizes operational databases over analytical ones, catering to both human and AI access for high concurrency and strong consistency. Kimball envisions AI enhancing observability and support, potentially reducing issue resolution times significantly. CockroachDB is also developing vector indexing for nearest-neighbor searches in high-dimensional spaces but does not aim to compete with general-purpose vector databases. Cost reduction is a priority, with potential improvements in utilization and cloud cost efficiencies projected to reduce costs by 10 to 16 times. CockroachDB's geographic scalability allows it to serve customers across multiple regions, ensuring compliance with data locality laws. The database is cloud-agnostic, supporting hybrid deployments, and is positioned as a solution for self-hosted enterprise customers. Kimball highlights the challenges of integrating AI into distributed systems and notes that cloud vendors view CockroachDB as both a competitor and a partner. CockroachDB maintains a PostgreSQL-like experience while adapting for distributed environments, particularly in ID generation. The company was founded in 2015 by former Google employees, inspired by Google’s Bigtable and Spanner databases, and aims to combine the benefits of SQL with the scalability of distributed systems.

Winsage

June 30, 2025

Windows 7 still supported by major anti-virus solution makers as ESU program persists

Businesses are increasingly leveraging their own research and testing to gain a competitive edge, fostering innovation and tailoring strategies to meet the needs of their target audiences. Organizations are finding that valuable insights often come from internal resources, allowing them to conduct experiments that reflect specific market conditions and consumer behaviors. A/B testing is being used to refine marketing strategies by comparing campaign versions to identify which resonates more with audiences, enhancing engagement and optimizing return on investment. Data analytics tools are essential for interpreting findings, enabling organizations to identify trends and patterns that inform product development and customer service enhancements. Tailoring offerings based on feedback can improve customer satisfaction, while understanding market demands leads to more relevant product features and higher conversion rates in marketing campaigns. Encouraging a culture of experimentation empowers employees to test new ideas, driving creativity and collaboration. Companies that prioritize internal research and testing can adapt swiftly to changing market dynamics, positioning themselves to thrive in a competitive landscape.

Winsage

June 28, 2025

Windows 10 still powers millions of business PCs with support set to end in just four months

Millions of enterprise devices are still using Windows 10, with a report indicating that half of all business-managed Windows devices have not transitioned to Windows 11. In the healthcare sector, 19% of devices are too outdated to upgrade without replacement, and the finance sector also shows slow modernization. The Americas have only 43% of enterprise devices upgraded to Windows 11, while Europe has a 70% upgrade rate. Larger organizations managing over 10,000 devices have completed only 42% of their migrations due to complex environments and aging infrastructure. Microsoft is offering paid support through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, and third-party provider 0patch plans to deliver security fixes for at least five years after Microsoft's support ends.

Tech Optimizer

June 27, 2025

ClickFix fake error message malware spikes over 500%, takes second place as the most abused attack vector

The ClickFix attack vector has increased by 517% since the latter half of 2024, becoming the second most exploited method for cyberattacks, following phishing. Hackers are using ClickFix to deploy various infostealing malware, including Lumma Stealer, VidarStealer, StealC, and Danabot. The ClickFix mechanism involves a counterfeit reCAPTCHA that misleads users into executing harmful Powershell commands. This method is primarily spread through phishing emails directing users to fraudulent websites. ESET’s Threat Report indicates that SnakeStealer has surpassed Agent Tesla as the most frequently detected infostealer, targeting businesses in the US and EU for credential theft. The ransomware landscape has been disrupted by internal conflicts among groups, with DragonForce launching defacement campaigns against other ransomware entities. On mobile devices, Kaleidoscope infections have caused a 160% increase in Android adware detections, and the SparkKitty malware has been found in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Kaleidoscope generates revenue through intrusive ads while infecting devices with a malicious app from third-party stores.

Winsage

June 27, 2025

Microsoft Officially Retires ‘Blue Screen of Death’ After 40 Years of Frowny-Faces

Microsoft is replacing the "blue screen of death" with a "black screen of death" for Windows 11, version 24H2, set to roll out this summer. The new screen will provide crucial information such as the stop code and faulty system driver to aid IT administrators in diagnosing issues more efficiently. This change is part of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative, aiming to reduce recovery time to two seconds after a PC crash. The transition was prompted by the CrowdStrike outage in 2024, which affected over 8 million devices.

Winsage

June 26, 2025

Windows killed the Blue Screen of Death

Windows has replaced the Blue Screen of Death with a new Black Screen of Death. This change marks a significant shift in error screens that began with Windows 1.0 in 1985. The update follows the CrowdStrike outage that affected 8.5 million Windows devices and led to the introduction of the Windows Resiliency Initiative, aimed at enhancing security and reducing disruptions from unexpected restarts. The new Black Screen of Death features a "simplified UI" and includes a quick machine recovery feature to help PCs regain functionality faster after unsuccessful restarts.

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

WhatsApp gives users ‘Message Summaries’ for when those texts pile up

WhatsApp is introducing a "Message Summaries" feature to help users manage unread messages by providing concise overviews of conversations. This feature, powered by Meta AI, will display a banner in chats with many unread messages, allowing users to access key points in bullet form, including mentions of individuals. Currently, it is being rolled out to English-speaking users in the U.S., with plans for broader availability later. The feature is disabled by default to prioritize user privacy, and users can enable it in their settings. WhatsApp has also introduced "Ads in Status" for business growth, "Promoted Channels" for recommending channels, new video call effects, and improved emoji reaction sharing. Additionally, Meta AI has launched a dedicated app with features like Live Translation and AI discussions.

Winsage

June 26, 2025

The Windows Resiliency Initiative: Building resilience for a future-ready enterprise

Resilience is now a strategic necessity for organizations, prompting Microsoft to launch the Windows Resiliency Initiative (WRI) to integrate resilience and security into the Windows platform. In September 2024, Microsoft held the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit (WESES) with endpoint security vendors and government representatives to discuss enhancing resilience. Following the summit, collaboration with Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) partners has increased, focusing on improving Windows security and reliability through rigorous testing and safe deployment practices. Next month, Microsoft will begin a private preview of a new Windows endpoint security platform for select MVI partners, allowing security solutions to operate outside the Windows kernel for better reliability. Microsoft has released the Windows Resiliency Initiative e-book to guide organizations in building resilience. Innovative products introduced under the WRI include: - Quick machine recovery (QMR) for faster recovery from unexpected restarts, reducing downtime to approximately two seconds. - Microsoft Connected Cache to enhance bandwidth efficiency during updates by caching content locally. - Universal Print anywhere for secure printing from any location. - Hotpatch updates for critical security updates without requiring a restart. - Windows 365 Reserve for secure access to a temporary Cloud PC during device disruptions.

Winsage

June 26, 2025

The Great Migration Starts Here

Organizations must transition to Windows 11 Pro by October 14, 2025, as Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates, increasing vulnerability to cyber threats. The upgrade is complimentary for eligible Windows 10 devices, but compatible hardware is necessary to utilize enhanced security and performance features. Windows 11 Pro PCs include built-in security tools like Windows Hello, BitLocker encryption, and TPM 2.0. Windows AI PCs feature intelligent tools like Windows Copilot for improved efficiency, while Copilot+ PCs, launching in mid-2024, will have dedicated AI processors for advanced capabilities. Security features such as Secure Boot, Virtualization-Based Security, and BitLocker encryption are integral to Windows 11 Pro devices, mitigating risks of malware and unauthorized access. Upgrading to Windows 11 Pro enhances device stability and aligns with sustainability goals through energy-efficient designs.

Winsage

June 25, 2025

Microsoft opens a free tier for Windows 10 extended updates

Microsoft is introducing new enrollment options for its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program as Windows 10 approaches its end of life. Users can enroll by utilizing Windows Backup to sync settings to the cloud at no cost, redeeming 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or paying a fee with local pricing variations. The Windows Backup app stores data on Microsoft OneDrive, which offers limited free storage, necessitating the purchase of additional storage for larger files. Users can subscribe to Microsoft 365 for extra OneDrive space and updates. Businesses can subscribe to ESU for a fee per device, covering security updates for one year, renewable annually for up to three years. Windows 10 devices accessing Windows 11 Cloud PCs through Windows 365 or Virtual Machines will receive ESU at no additional cost.