Surface Archives

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

“Congrats to the owners of a brand new $6k paperweight”: Valorant dev Riot makes players think Vanguard anti-cheat will brick their PCs, causing uproar — here’s what’s really happening

Valorant's anti-cheat system, Vanguard, has been controversial due to its interference with DMA firmware devices, which are used to cheat in the game. Riot Games posted a message suggesting that Vanguard was making these devices unusable, leading to backlash from the gaming community. Riot clarified that Vanguard does not damage hardware or disable devices but prevents DMA cheat devices from functioning while IOMMU protections are enabled. Players not using DMA devices are not affected. The situation has sparked debate about the balance between anti-cheat measures and their impact on hardware.

Winsage

May 22, 2026

Windows is entering its “Agentic Era”—and its AI architect is moving on

Yusuf Mehdi, head of product marketing for AI and Copilot at Microsoft, is transitioning to a new role focused on reimagining Windows before leaving the company after 35 years. He aims to enhance Microsoft 365 services and the vision of One Copilot in the upcoming fiscal year. In late 2022, Pavan Davuluri initiated a reorganization to develop an agentic operating system, consolidating engineering and features teams for better cohesion. Microsoft plans to introduce a new agentic workspace feature with AI agents in secure sessions, allowing users control over data sharing. The company has moderated its AI integration strategy in Windows 11 to improve user sentiment and is addressing pain points through the Windows K2 project, which will continue through 2026. Jacob Andreou has been appointed as the lead for consumer and commercial Copilot experiences, reporting to CEO Satya Nadella. Mehdi expressed gratitude for his time at Microsoft and reassured his team of a smooth transition.

Winsage

May 22, 2026

Microsoft’s Yusuf Mehdi pledges to reimagine Windows 11 for the AI era in his final year before leaving

Yusuf Mehdi is leaving Microsoft after a 35-year tenure, during which he played a significant role in launching products like Windows 95, Internet Explorer, Bing, Xbox One, and the Surface Pro lineup. He was the Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, leading Microsoft's consumer strategy and its push into AI, particularly with the Copilot brand. Mehdi announced plans to continue working on Microsoft's AI strategy, focusing on making Windows 11 an "agentic OS," which allows AI agents to operate autonomously. Despite backlash from users regarding performance issues, Mehdi remains committed to this vision. Recently, Microsoft has shifted its focus to improving Windows 11's functionality, addressing criticism about its performance while continuing to explore AI integration.

AppWizard

May 22, 2026

Friday’s Android app deals and freebies: Balatro, Samorost 3, CHUCHEL, Botanicula, more

A new lineup of game and app deals for Android includes Balatro, Samurai of Hyuga 5, Samorost 3, CHUCHEL, Botanicula, and Dawncaster: Deckbuilding RPG. Significant discounts on tech products include the Galaxy Fold 7 with a discount of up to , Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 with a discount, and LG's 77-inch B5 OLED TV now priced 0 off with a 0 Best Buy gift card.

AppWizard

May 22, 2026

Subnautica 2 could become a chilling horror game, if only it would shut up

Subnautica 2 features players as the sole survivor of a failed expedition on an alien planet, awakening disoriented after a disaster. The game incorporates an AI assistant named NoA, which provides constant reminders about survival needs, often causing frustration. The narrative heavily relies on audio logs that interrupt exploration and detract from the immersive atmosphere, as they auto-play at inconvenient times and often spoon-feed information rather than allowing for organic discovery. This reliance on audio logs diminishes the thrill of exploration and the sense of agency for players. Despite its potential, the game's narrative structure undermines the overall experience.

Winsage

May 22, 2026

Microsoft’s PowerToys is getting a low memory mode that kills idle utilities hogging Windows 11 RAM

Microsoft PowerToys is introducing a new optional low memory mode to address significant memory usage from inactive background processes. This feature, developed by an independent contributor, will close the helper process of specific utilities when not in use, allowing users to relaunch them with a hotkey, albeit with a slightly slower initial launch. The initial rollout will support four tools: Text Extractor, Color Picker, Advanced Paste, and Peek. A shared settings map and helper APIs have been introduced to facilitate this feature, which was renamed to “Close apps when inactive” during the code review process. Users can enable this memory-saving behavior globally or for specific applications, with each supported module featuring a toggle on its settings page. The feature is not yet available in PowerToys, and the default behavior will keep background processes running until users opt into the new feature. The code has passed initial validation checks and is awaiting final confirmation before public release.

Tech Optimizer

May 21, 2026

CVE-2024-55638: Highly Critical Drupal Core Vulnerability Threatens PostgreSQL Sites with Remote Code Execution (RCE)

A critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-55638, has been identified in Drupal Core, affecting installations using PostgreSQL as their backend database. This vulnerability involves PHP Object Injection, which can lead to full Remote Code Execution (RCE) when combined with another deserialization flaw. It cannot be exploited independently but increases the risk for Drupal installations that use third-party modules or custom code that improperly employs the unserialize() function. The affected versions include Drupal Core 7.x prior to 7.102, 8.0.0 and above prior to 10.2.11, and 10.3.0 prior to 10.3.9, with patched versions being 7.102, 10.2.11, and 10.3.9. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for sites using PostgreSQL, and organizations are urged to upgrade to the patched versions and audit their code for unsafe unserialize() usage. Currently, there are no confirmed reports of exploitation in the wild, but the risk remains high due to insecure deserialization bugs in third-party modules. The EPSS score for this vulnerability is 9.93%, indicating a significant likelihood of exploitation in the near future.

Winsage

May 21, 2026

Microsoft Defender Zero-Day Vulnerabilities RedSun and UnDefend Actively Exploited on Windows 10, 11, and Server (April 2026 CVE Analysis)

In April 2026, two zero-day vulnerabilities, RedSun and UnDefend, were discovered in Microsoft Defender, affecting Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server platforms. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to escalate privileges to SYSTEM and bypass Defender’s protections. RedSun exploits a flaw in Defender's remediation process, enabling low-privileged users to overwrite critical system files. UnDefend allows attackers to disrupt Defender’s updates, keeping it outdated and ineffective. Both vulnerabilities are actively being exploited, with attackers leveraging them to gain persistent access and deploy ransomware. The primary targets are organizations using Windows systems with Defender enabled, particularly in sectors like finance, healthcare, and government. Mitigation strategies include applying updates for related vulnerabilities, monitoring for suspicious activities, and implementing additional security measures.

AppWizard

May 21, 2026

A digital iron curtain? How an app is bolting Russia shut | Aleksanteri Institute

Max is a domestic app developed by the Russian regime to assert control over the digital landscape, yet its creation reveals a vulnerability as the government fears citizens' access to non-state information. Despite efforts to impose a digital iron curtain, many Russians still use VPNs and messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. Public protests against restrictions have occurred, showcasing a desire for information access. Max has not gained popularity comparable to established apps, leading to dissatisfaction among pro-Russian supporters. The Kremlin's intensified control has prompted innovative ways for the populace to bypass restrictions, indicating that while the digital iron curtain exists, it has significant weaknesses.

AppWizard

May 20, 2026

Splitgate studio reveals its new game, looks a lot like its old game

1047 Games has announced a new 6v6 movement shooter titled Empulse. The game features mechanics such as wallrunning, a grapple hook, Holojumps for vertical mobility, and P.A.I.N.T. bombs for strategic surface manipulation. Empulse will also include player-controlled mechs with heavy weaponry and unique abilities. The game is set to enter early access later this year, and players can sign up for access at playempulse.com.