categories Archives

Tech Optimizer

July 22, 2026

Migrating mission-critical payments at Nubank to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL

Nubank, a digital banking platform with approximately 135 million customers in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, faced challenges with its payment infrastructure due to inefficiencies in managing 7.5 TB of self-hosted PostgreSQL databases. Queries took over 13 minutes to execute, and replication lags exceeded four minutes during peak times. To address these issues, Nubank evaluated database solutions based on developer productivity, operational efficiency, performance reliability, and scalability. They selected Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition for its compatibility, performance improvements, and automated features. The migration to Aurora was facilitated by AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS), which minimized downtime and allowed for efficient transition. Post-migration, query performance improved significantly, with some queries executing up to 1,900 times faster, and overall end-to-end service latency decreased, enhancing customer experience. The migration resulted in a 25 percent cost reduction and ensured compliance with regulatory requirements.

Winsage

July 18, 2026

Windows 11 bug hogging over 70GB of SSD storage, Microsoft confirms

Microsoft has acknowledged a bug in Windows 11 related to the Capability Access Manager (camsvc) that causes significant storage issues for users. The bug leads to an abnormal increase in the size of the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal SQLite Write-Ahead Log file, which typically should be a few megabytes but has been reported to grow to 70-80 GB, and in some cases, over 200 GB or even up to 500 GB. This growth depletes available SSD space without any new files being added by users. The issue was highlighted by a user on the Microsoft Q&A forum, prompting others to check their disk space and find similar problems. Additionally, Windows Storage Settings misreported capacity usage. Microsoft confirmed the bug and released a hotfix in the KB5095093 update, urging users to install it to prevent further expansion of the log file.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

University Awards Scholarships Worth Thousands of Dollars to Players Who Complete a Minecraft Challenge

Silicon Valley University in California is offering scholarships, called "Max Achievement Scholarships," to students who demonstrate exceptional gaming abilities, particularly in Minecraft. To qualify, applicants must unlock all 115 achievements in Minecraft and provide verified proof of their accomplishments. Successful candidates can receive up to ,000 to help cover tuition fees. Additionally, applicants must submit a written report connecting their gaming experiences to their educational and career goals and maintain a strong GPA to retain the scholarship. The university also offers similar scholarships for other games like Terraria, No Man’s Sky, and Ark: Survival Evolved.

Winsage

July 14, 2026

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for July 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities

Microsoft's July 2026 security update addresses 622 vulnerabilities, with 57 classified as "critical." Two critical vulnerabilities, CVE-2026-56155 (Active Directory Federation Services) and CVE-2026-56164 (Microsoft SharePoint Server), have been exploited in the wild. The critical vulnerabilities include 48 remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities, seven elevation of privilege (EoP) vulnerabilities, one spoofing vulnerability, and one security feature bypass vulnerability. RCE vulnerabilities affect various Microsoft services, including Windows Media, Microsoft Office, and SQL Server, with eleven rated as "more likely" to be exploited. Additional important vulnerabilities include CVE-2026-49170, CVE-2026-49795, and CVE-2026-50325. Talos is releasing a new Snort ruleset to detect these vulnerabilities, and Cisco Security Firewall customers are advised to update their ruleset.

BetaBeacon

July 14, 2026

The best app for Linux handhelds is now on Android

The Starboard app is an unofficial PortMaster client for Android that allows users to easily install and play games that have been ported to Linux. The app runs games via a Debian-based Linux runtime on Android and offers a community-driven review system to help users determine if a game will work on their device before installation. The app categorizes games as "ready to run" or "setup required" and offers additional settings for troubleshooting specific games. Users can download Starboard via GitHub or Obtainium and it is recommended for Android handheld users looking for a large repository of free titles.

Tech Optimizer

July 10, 2026

I tested Norton Antivirus on my PC – and it found a hidden Trojan in 15 minutes

Norton Antivirus is a well-regarded malware protection tool, consistently ranking among the top in the industry with a robust suite of security features. It has a user-friendly interface similar to Malwarebytes, but intrusive upselling tactics detract from usability. Norton offers comprehensive scanning tools, including Quick Scan, Full Scan, Smart Scan, Targeted Scan, and Startup Scan, which successfully detected a Trojan missed by other antivirus software. Its Scam Protection tools provide alerts for online scams and phishing attempts, and it includes unique features like Deepfake Protection and an AI assistant named Genie. According to MRG Effitas, Norton blocked 98% of malware samples with a 0.33% miss rate, achieving a Level 2 certification. Pricing includes several plans, with Norton 360 Deluxe offering the best value at an introductory price of .99 for the first year, rising to .99 annually. Despite its strengths, the intrusive upselling makes it less recommendable compared to Malwarebytes, although it has unique capabilities in threat detection and a comprehensive suite of security tools.

Winsage

July 10, 2026

Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 Bug That Eats 500GB Of Your Storage

Microsoft has acknowledged a significant issue affecting Windows 11 users on versions 24H2 and 25H2, where a bug can consume up to 500GB of storage, leading to critical space shortages and potential system failure. This bug has been reported since May 2025, with a solution disclosed on June 29, but it will not be automatically rolled out until July 14. Users can check if they are affected by navigating to Settings > System > Storage and examining the “System files” category; if it exceeds 100GB, they are likely impacted. The issue is linked to a hidden file named CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal in the “%ProgramData%MicrosoftWindowsCapabilityAccessManager” directory. Microsoft has released an optional update (KB5095093) to address the bug, which also includes feature previews that may affect performance. Users are advised against deleting the problematic file to avoid disrupting WiFi connectivity and screen capture functionalities. An automatic fix will be deployed during the July 14 update.

AppWizard

July 9, 2026

This open-source app fixed my notification chaos when Android couldn’t

Megan Ellis shared her experience using the app DoNotNotify, which helped her manage and reduce the number of notifications on her smartphone. She found that many apps, including Pokémon Go and Temu, sent numerous vague notifications that were difficult to filter effectively. Despite Android's notification channels, she often had to disable notifications entirely for certain apps. DoNotNotify allowed her to customize her notification preferences without requiring personal data or account creation. The app features tabs for History, Rules, and Blocked notifications, enabling users to track and manage alerts. Ellis successfully used DoNotNotify to block unwanted notifications, particularly from games and shopping apps, and appreciated its privacy-focused design and adaptability to changes in notification content. She recommends the app for users overwhelmed by notifications.

Winsage

July 9, 2026

Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 Bug That Can Consume Over 500GB of Storage Through Permission Log File

Microsoft has acknowledged a bug in Windows 11 that causes the Capability Access Manager's write-ahead log file to expand indefinitely, potentially exceeding 500GB of storage on affected devices. This issue is addressed in update KB5095093, which includes builds 26200.8737 and 26100.8737. Users can manually install this update via the optional updates section of Windows Update or wait for its automatic rollout during the July 2026 Patch Tuesday. The Capability Access Manager manages app permissions and logs usage of privacy-sensitive features, but the WAL file continues to grow unchecked on affected systems. The file can reach sizes from 70GB to over 513GB. To check if a system is affected, users can check storage settings or use Robocopy to verify the file size. The update is available through the Optional updates section and will be included in the cumulative update on July 8, 2026. The excessive size of the WAL file can lead to critical storage shortages and related issues, but it does not compromise the security or core functionality of the permission system. Microsoft has not confirmed if Windows 11 26H1 Insider builds are affected.

AppWizard

July 9, 2026

Expert anglers, can you name all of these videogames with fishing in them after seeing just one screenshot of a successful catch?

Engaging card games and fishing minigames can significantly extend playtime in video games. Fishing minigames are popular for their charm and the blend of patience and excitement they offer, despite the challenging controls and frantic button-mashing involved. A quiz is available that challenges players to identify fish from 21 different games within a 16-minute time limit.