software tools

Winsage
August 11, 2025
An all-in-one bundle is available for .97, featuring lifetime licenses for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro, discounted from the regular price of 9.99. The Office Pro 2021 suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams, and operates offline without a subscription. Windows 11 Pro offers advanced features like BitLocker encryption, Hyper-V virtualization, Remote Desktop support, and integrates the AI assistant Copilot. The licenses are permanently linked to a single PC and are not compatible with virtual machines.
Winsage
August 4, 2025
The Notepad application in Windows 11 now supports the Markdown (.md) file format, allowing users to create and edit Markdown documents without needing additional software. To enable Markdown, users must open Notepad, access the Settings, and toggle the "Formatting" switch to on. To create a Markdown document, users save their file with a ".md" extension and can utilize a toolbar for formatting options such as headings, lists, and links. Markdown syntax supported includes titles, bold and italic text, and lists. Users can switch between formatted and raw views and can disable Markdown support by toggling the "Formatting" switch to off in the Settings. While Markdown support is a useful addition, it is limited compared to dedicated text editors, and users may encounter formatting warnings for unsupported syntax.
Winsage
April 10, 2025
Around 60% of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are seeking affordable technology solutions, according to McKinsey. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows is currently available for .97, reduced from its regular price of 9. This lifetime license includes essential applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with no ongoing subscription fees. Office 2019 is compatible with Windows 10 and 11 and offers improved inking tools, advanced data analysis features in Excel, and new presentation capabilities in PowerPoint. The one-time purchase model eliminates monthly fees and hidden costs, providing long-term stability for users.
Tech Optimizer
March 31, 2025
Antivirus and endpoint security tools are increasingly challenged by ransomware groups that use sophisticated strategies to disable defenses early in attacks. Cisco Talos reported that in nearly half of the ransomware incidents they handled in 2024, attackers successfully employed "EDR killers" to neutralize endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems, achieving success 48 percent of the time. Tools such as EDRSilencer, EDRSandblast, EDRKillShifter, and Terminator pose significant threats to organizational security. EDRKillShifter exploits vulnerable drivers on Windows machines to terminate EDR products, a tactic observed in operations by rival gangs like Medusa, BianLian, and Play. The primary goal of these tools is to disable EDR protections, allowing attackers to operate undetected, complicating system recovery efforts. Recovery often requires wiping and rebuilding entire networks if robust backups are available. Some EDR killers, like HRSword, are legitimate software tools misused by ransomware actors to disable endpoint protection systems. Attackers have exploited misconfigured systems, particularly EDR products set to audit-only mode, which detect but do not block malicious activity. LockBit has remained the most active ransomware-as-a-service group for the third consecutive year, accounting for 16 percent of claimed attacks in 2024. Newcomer RansomHub secured the second position with 11 percent of posts to leak sites. The effectiveness of law enforcement actions plays a significant role in shaping the ransomware landscape.
AppWizard
March 26, 2025
Cybercriminals are using legitimate software tools to create deceptive Android applications that steal sensitive user information. McAfee's findings indicate that hackers are exploiting the .NET MAUI framework to develop sophisticated malware that can evade traditional antivirus detection. The malware uses a multi-stage dynamic loading process, incrementally loading and decrypting code, making it difficult for security software to identify the applications' true nature. Hackers add extraneous settings and permissions to confuse security scanners and use encrypted communications for data transmission instead of standard internet requests. These malicious applications are not found in reputable app stores like Google Play but are distributed through unofficial app stores, often accessed via phishing links. Examples include a counterfeit banking app and a fraudulent social networking service targeting the Chinese-speaking community. The main goal of these apps is to secretly extract user data and send it to the attackers' servers. Users are advised to download apps only from official repositories and to be cautious by reviewing user feedback before installation.
Winsage
March 17, 2025
Obscure#Bat is a malware campaign targeting Windows users that uses obfuscated batch scripts to deploy a user-mode rootkit, which can hide its activities from standard security measures. It stores hidden scripts in the Windows Registry and can conceal files, registry entries, and running processes through application programming interface hooking. The malware can embed itself within legitimate Windows processes, making it undetectable by conventional security methods, and is capable of deleting evidence of its activity. Attackers use social engineering tactics, such as fake CAPTCHA tests and legitimate software tools, to lure victims into executing the malicious batch file. The rootkit obscures files, processes, or registry keys that begin with the “$nya-” prefix and is identified as an open-source ring-3 rootkit known as r77. It avoids kernel modifications and relies on registry and scheduled tasks for persistence, allowing it to evade detection by traditional kernel-based security tools. Windows users are advised to be cautious of social engineering tactics and to inspect batch files in a text editor before execution.
Winsage
March 7, 2025
Microsoft Defender can obstruct the functionality of certain applications for Windows users. Users can selectively disable Microsoft Defender for specific apps by following these steps: 1. Open Windows Security via the Start menu. 2. Navigate to the 'Virus & threat protection' section. 3. Click on 'Manage settings' under 'Virus & threat protection settings.' 4. Select 'Add or remove exclusions' in the 'Exclusions' section to specify the app or file to exempt. 5. Save the changes to allow the app to run without interference. This process helps maintain a balance between security and functionality.
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