patches

Winsage
October 14, 2026
Microsoft's October 2026 Patch Tuesday updates addressed 1,413 vulnerabilities, including 1,102 in Windows, 134 in Office applications, 61 in developer tools, and 36 related to SharePoint Server. This total surpasses the vulnerabilities fixed by Microsoft in all of 2025, with over 4,000 vulnerabilities resolved in 2026. A critical zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2026-96951, with a CVSS score of 8.8, was also patched; it allows attackers to bypass Windows shell security features. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has included this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Additionally, two publicly disclosed vulnerabilities were patched, and Microsoft introduced 'risk cohorts' to help manage security updates.
BetaBeacon
October 13, 2026
- Replaced, a cyberpunk platformer game, will be released on Android via Google Play Games on December 8, 2026 - The game has over 900,000 players across all platforms since its launch in spring 2026 - The Android version features the complete story of AI protagonist R.E.A.C.H. navigating Phoenix City in an alternate 1980s America setting - Replaced is a 2.5D cyberpunk action platformer with pixel art visuals and combines cinematic exploration with free-flow combat - Post-launch patches have addressed initial bugs and rough edges that affected the original release.
Winsage
October 12, 2026
Microsoft has reminded IT administrators about the expiration of certificates that enable trusted connections between Windows devices and Windows Update servers, set to expire in May and June of 2027. Devices without replacement certificates by these deadlines may lose access to Windows Update services. Most supported Windows devices will receive new certificates automatically through security updates, but older or infrequently updated systems may require manual intervention. Organizations that do not update their devices risk losing access to critical updates, particularly unsupported Windows versions that will not receive necessary certificate updates. IT teams should audit device inventories and ensure compliance with updates, as systems on supported versions will obtain replacement certificates seamlessly. Upgrading unsupported systems is essential, and organizations are encouraged to conduct audits and expedite upgrade projects to avoid losing access to Windows Update.
BetaBeacon
October 12, 2026
Samsung links software support to the price of the device, with flagships getting up to seven years of updates, midrange phones getting five to six years, and budget models getting up to four years. The A-series models are affected the most by this difference. Samsung does not announce when support ends, so users must check their model's support status. Once security patches end, the phone is vulnerable to hackers and apps may stop working. It is important to check a phone's support date before purchasing.
AppWizard
October 12, 2026
LineageOS has released version 24, transitioning to Android 17, which includes numerous security patches. The update features a new image editor called Canvas, enhancements to the Android TV launcher Catapult with a battery indicator, and improvements to the music application Twelve for faster loading times. It also expands support to 24 additional devices. A comprehensive list of supported hardware and a downloads page are available in Changelog 32. LineageOS aims to provide a version of Android free from Google's ecosystem, allowing users to reduce bloatware and unwanted services, although some Google-dependent applications may face issues.
AppWizard
October 11, 2026
A research team from Turkey, led by Erdal Başaran and Ömer Okucu of Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, along with Yusuf Alaca from Hitit University, has developed an innovative detection framework for Android malware that utilizes a visual approach. This framework transforms key features of Android applications into images, allowing a Vision Transformer to differentiate between benign software and malware. The researchers created two types of images from static and dynamic analysis features: a conventional 2D grayscale image and a QR code image. Separate Vision Transformer models were trained on each image type, and spatial pooling features were extracted from deeper layers to create a comprehensive representation of application behavior. To refine the fused feature vector, Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) was employed, enhancing classification clarity and reducing computational load. The final classification utilized a majority-voting ensemble strategy, achieving a detection accuracy of 98.72 percent, surpassing standalone models. The study demonstrates that the multimodal system outperforms individual grayscale or QR code pathways. The dataset used is publicly available, promoting reproducibility. The framework's reliance on static and dynamic analysis features allows it to adapt to new threats, and the novel QR code representation offers distinctive visual signatures of malicious behavior. However, challenges remain regarding feature extraction quality and computational demands.
Winsage
October 11, 2026
Windows machines that are not current with updates will face changes in access to Windows Update due to two critical certificate expirations on May 17, 2027, and June 19, 2027. Supported versions must install specific security updates before these dates to maintain access. - Windows 11, version 25H2 and later: No action required. - Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025: Must install the September 2025 Windows security update or later, before June 19, 2027. - Other in-support Windows 11 versions and Windows Server 2022: Must install the July 2026 Windows security update or later, before June 19, 2027. - In-support Windows 10 versions: Must install the July 2026 Windows security update or later, before June 19, 2027. - Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2016: Must install the July 2026 Windows security update or later, before May 17, 2027. - Any other Windows version: Upgrade to a supported release to maintain access. Devices that are up to date will continue receiving updates without interruption, while those that are behind will lose access to Windows Update services after the expiration dates. Out-of-support versions will lose access entirely. The notice regarding the certificate expiration was posted on October 8, 2026, and reiterated on October 10, 2026.
Winsage
October 10, 2026
Windows 7 was released in 2009 and has received positive reviews for nearly two decades. A performance evaluation was conducted by installing Windows 7 on a modern PC and testing it against Windows 11 across ten games, including eight DirectX 11 titles and two DirectX 9 titles. In the game Metro 2033 Redux, Windows 11 achieved a higher average frame rate, but Windows 7 had better handling of CPU-related performance drops, resulting in stronger 1% lows. In Batman: Arkham Origins, Windows 7 outperformed Windows 11 in both average frame rate and 1% lows at 1080p and 4K. For Batman: Arkham Knight, Windows 7 showed higher performance when CPU-limited at 1080p, while Windows 11 led in GPU-limited scenarios at 1440p and 4K. In Batman: Arkham City, Windows 11 had the advantage across all resolutions as the game was GPU-bound. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Windows 7 outperformed Windows 11 in 1% lows at 1080p, but Windows 11 took the lead at higher resolutions. Control showed Windows 11 outperforming Windows 7 across all resolutions due to GPU optimizations. Hitman: Absolution also favored Windows 11 in GPU-limited scenarios. For DirectX 9 games, Windows 7 demonstrated significant advantages in average frame rate and 1% lows in Batman: Arkham Asylum, especially at lower resolutions, while performance in Borderlands 2 was nearly identical across both operating systems at 4K. Overall, Windows 7 excels in CPU-limited scenarios, while Windows 11 performs better in GPU-bound situations, aided by advanced graphics drivers. Microsoft’s ongoing efforts aim to improve Windows 11's performance and reliability.
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