overflow Archives

Winsage

August 13, 2025

Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday gives sys admins a baker’s dozen

Microsoft's August Patch Tuesday addressed 111 vulnerabilities, including 12 classified as critical. A known elevation of privilege flaw in the Windows Kerberos protocol, CVE-2025-53779, has a CVSS score of 7.2 and requires authenticated access for exploitation. Two critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities, CVE-2025-50165 and CVE-2025-53766, both rated 9.8, were identified in the Windows Graphics Device Interface. SharePoint has a critical RCE bug, CVE-2025-49712, with a severity score of 8.8. Other critical flaws include vulnerabilities in Microsoft Message Queuing, Office, Hyper-V, and Azure Stack Hub. Adobe released fixes for 68 CVEs, including eight critical RCE bugs in InCopy and critical issues in other products like Commerce, InDesign, and Substance 3D applications. SAP issued 15 security notes, including three critical vulnerabilities rated at 9.9 related to code injection in SAP S/4HANA. Intel released 34 advisories addressing 66 vulnerabilities, including high-severity issues in Xeon 6 processors and Intel Ethernet Drivers. Google updated Android to fix several flaws, including two actively exploited Qualcomm vulnerabilities.

Winsage

August 13, 2025

Microsoft Teams RCE Vulnerability Let Attackers Read, Write and Delete Messages

Microsoft has identified a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in its Teams software, designated as CVE-2025-53783, during the August 2025 Patch Tuesday updates. This heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability allows unauthorized attackers to manipulate user messages and data through network code execution. It has a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5, categorized as “Important.” Exploitation requires user interaction, such as clicking a malicious link or opening a specially crafted file. Microsoft has issued a fix and recommends users implement the latest security updates. There have been no public disclosures or active exploitation of this vulnerability, and its likelihood of exploitation is assessed as “Less Likely.” The vulnerability is part of a broader update addressing 107 flaws, including a zero-day vulnerability in Windows Kerberos. Security experts advise organizations using Microsoft Teams to prioritize the August 2025 security updates due to the serious risk of data compromise.

AppWizard

August 4, 2025

Google Home app fixes edge-to-edge Routines bug on Android

Users of the Google Home app on Android 16 experienced a bug in the Routines creator and editor, which was resolved with the release of Google Home version 3.37. The update restored accessibility to buttons at the top and bottom of the Routines interface, allowing users to navigate to the Automations tab and access options for Household or Personal routines. The close ‘x’ and “Save” buttons are now available, improving user experience. The three-dot overflow menu, which includes actions like the Script editor and Help, has also returned. Previously, page titles were obscured by the front-facing camera, and users faced challenges with actions like “Remove action.” The issue originated from Android 16's restrictions on apps targeting the latest version. The resolution was implemented via a server-side rollout with no visible changes in the initial release of Google Home 3.37.

AppWizard

August 3, 2025

I still love VLC, but this lightweight video player changed the game for me

VLC Player has been a popular video application since the early days of Windows XP and is available on both desktop and mobile platforms. Next Player is a simpler alternative that offers a visually appealing design and user-friendly interface, making it easy to access content quickly. It features customizable home screen options and readily accessible controls, including a lock icon to prevent accidental taps. Next Player provides a smoother navigation experience compared to VLC, which can feel sluggish and has hidden controls. However, VLC remains superior for tasks like browsing NAS video files, streaming media, and creating playlists, which Next Player does not support.

Winsage

July 12, 2025

Windows 11 Build 27898 introduces taskbar icon scaling and system recovery improvements

Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 to the Canary Channel, introducing several new features aimed at enhancing usability and recovery. Key features include: - Taskbar Icon Scaling: The taskbar will automatically reduce icon sizes when it reaches capacity, with three customizable options for users regarding icon size. - Quick Machine Recovery: This feature allows automatic recovery from boot issues using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), connecting to the internet for targeted fixes from Windows Update. - Accessibility Enhancements: Users can add custom words to the voice access dictionary, and a new Screen Curtain feature for the Narrator screen reader enhances privacy by blacking out the display. - Energy Saver Feature: An adaptive energy saver mode is being rolled out for battery-powered devices, managing energy saver settings based on power state and system load. - Sharing Features: The Windows share window now shows visual previews of shared content and allows users to select compression settings for images. - Performance Improvements: Enhancements have been made to file extraction for large archives, and the Snipping Tool now has a shortcut for launching the text extractor. - Default Browser Management: Users can set their default browser to handle PDFs and pin it to the Start menu and taskbar. The build also addresses various issues within File Explorer and Settings, although some known problems remain, such as display distortion in Remote Desktop on Arm64 PCs.

Winsage

July 10, 2025

Microsoft fixes critical wormable Windows flaw (CVE-2025-47981)

Microsoft released patches for 130 vulnerabilities in the July 2025 Patch Tuesday update. Notable vulnerabilities include CVE-2025-49719, an uninitialized memory disclosure in Microsoft SQL Server, and CVE-2025-47981, a wormable remote code execution flaw in Windows. CVE-2025-49719 is assessed as having "unproven" exploit code, while CVE-2025-47981 has a high likelihood of exploitation within 30 days. Other vulnerabilities include CVE-2025-49717, a buffer overflow in SQL Server, and CVE-2025-49704, which allows code injection in SharePoint. Additionally, updates address vulnerabilities in Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) and Microsoft Edge, including CVE-2025-6554, which has been actively exploited. Administrators are advised to prioritize patching internet-facing assets and consider additional mitigations for RRAS vulnerabilities.

Winsage

July 9, 2025

Zero Day Initiative — The July 2025 Security Update Review

In July 2025, Adobe released 13 bulletins addressing 60 unique CVEs across various applications, including ColdFusion, After Effects, and Illustrator. ColdFusion received a Priority 1 patch for 13 CVEs, five of which are Critical. FrameMaker's patch fixed 15 CVEs, including 13 Critical vulnerabilities. Illustrator's update addressed 10 bugs, with the most severe enabling code execution. Other applications like InCopy and InDesign also had Critical vulnerabilities fixed. Microsoft released 130 new CVEs across its products, with 10 rated Critical. Notable vulnerabilities include CVE-2025-47981, a heap-based buffer overflow in Windows SPNEGO, and CVE-2025-49717 affecting Microsoft SQL Server. CVE-2025-49704 allows code injection in SharePoint, while CVE-2025-49695 highlights an attack vector in Microsoft Office's Preview Pane.

Tech Optimizer

July 7, 2025

Databricks, Snowflake deals put Postgres in the spotlight

Snowflake has acquired Crunchy Data, a Postgres database provider, during its recent conference. This follows Databricks' investment in the Postgres startup Neon. Postgres has been recognized as the “most wanted” database in Stack Overflow’s annual developer survey for two consecutive years. Neon, founded in 2021, offers a serverless open-source alternative to AWS Aurora Postgres with a decoupled compute and storage architecture. Databricks aims to enhance its capabilities in the AI database sector through this acquisition, noting that 80% of databases on Neon’s platform were generated by AI agents. Crunchy Data, established in 2012, focuses on security for organizations and uses 100% mainstream open-source software. Snowflake plans to introduce Snowflake Postgres, designed for mission-critical AI and transactional systems at an enterprise scale. Industry experts suggest that operational data stores (OLTP) are becoming increasingly important for AI applications.

Tech Optimizer

June 18, 2025

DataStrike Expands Open-Source Database Management Business by 600% as Demand for PostgreSQL Expertise Surges

DataStrike has reported a 600% increase in its open-source database management business over six months, largely due to the growing adoption of PostgreSQL. In response, the company has doubled its team of database management professionals, focusing on recruiting PostgreSQL-certified experts. PostgreSQL has surpassed MySQL as the most utilized database among professional developers, with 49% of developers reporting extensive experience with it. Additionally, 51% of organizations have seen increased PostgreSQL usage in the past year. DataStrike offers 24/7 U.S.-based support for various database platforms and has found that 54% of IT leaders feel they lack the resources for data infrastructure management. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DataStrike serves over 200 clients across North America.

Winsage

June 15, 2025

Windows 95 testing almost stalled from cash reg overflow

Microsoft employed unconventional testing methods for Windows 95, emphasizing compatibility by acquiring a wide range of applications for testing. A manager purchased one copy of every PC program available at a local store, resulting in a large stack of software for the team to test. Engineers were tasked with testing selected programs, logging issues, and could keep the software after the official release. This approach contrasted with modern testing practices. An unforeseen issue arose when the store's cash register crashed due to the total exceeding ,000, highlighting a limitation in the retail system rather than the operating system. The solution involved breaking the total into smaller transactions to proceed with testing.