Say it's not so! Windows 12 is coming in 2024. Apple iPhone malware/exploits.

Windows 12 is coming soon in 2024

I've read too many emails and articles hinting at a new Windows in the months leading up to 2024 and now it's not even a secret any more.  Microsoft is readying it's latest iteration of it's Windows operating system, Windows 12.

It was July 15, 2015 when Windows 10 was released.  It came after the "seemed like a good idea, Windows 8" which tried to merge the phone/tablet and desktop devices.  Unfortunately it was so different users found the learning curve of Windows 8 delayed them from accomplishing their daily tasks.

Why can't Windows be more like Apple OS, new features, fixes but essentially feels the same.  Voila, Windows 10 was supposed to be the answer.  It was but then came Windows 11 with it's centered Apple like taskbar, which can be modified.

It may be that Windows 12 will support ARM processors as well as Intel/AMD processors.  Sometimes it is easier to start from scratch rather that try to make an existing code do something not inherent to it's original intent.

ARM processors are found in small, battery-powered devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.  However, ARM processors are also used for desktops and servers, including the world's fastest supercomputer (Fugaku) from 2020 to 2022(1).

It may be that Windows 12 can accomplish the meshing of the myriad of devices in a way that Windows 8 was unable to do.

BTW, Windows 10 End of Life is October 14, 2025.  See footnote 3 below.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-12-faq-yes-its-coming-in-2024-and-more-surprising-predictions/

Scammers, thieves and ne'er do wells.

More than likely, we've all received emails or maybe texts that reference products or services we didn't buy.  The invoices sometimes mimic PayPal invoices and are very legit in appearance.  Many do not contain links but only a phone number for you to call.  Once on the phone the scammers are very cunning, they're your friend and willing to help.  Beware of any such emails and feel free to forward them to me.  You can comment and ask for my help.

Watch out for your neighbors.

Gwinnett couple lost life savings to scammers pretending to be Geek Squad

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/gwinnett-couple-lost-life-savings-to-scammers-pretending-to-be-geek-squad/ar-AA1maQoK

Apple iPhones Viruses and Malware

Apple has always claimed that their phones are not susceptible to viruses.  I know that's not true because I've a client who has had services compromised in the past through a mobile app on their phone.

Last night I called Apple support about an issue with the Wallet on my iPhone.  I was experiencing a non-transmit error when I tried to pay.  It was related to a glitch in my time zone setting.

The tech was nice, Indian I'm guessing because of accent.  I asked him about Apple's claim of being virus/malware proof.  He said maybe it was because every time you update your phone, the new IOS scans for malware.

I next asked him about the iPhones in Pakistan that were delivered with the Blast Pass Exploit.  This code is a zero-day, zero-click malware deployment exploit capable of infecting the latest Apple IOS versions (up to v16.6) without any assist from the user.  It specifically downloads Pegasus spyware.

In response to this threat, Apple has issued a remedial advisory for iPhone users and is sending alerts to its users to notify them of the potential targeting by NSO Pegasus spyware or state-sponsored attackers. (2)

I want to advise clients of mine who have Kaspersky AV, that there is a KAV app for your smartphones, both IOS and Android included with your subscription.

BTW, I told the Apple tech what to search for to find the article.  The Pakistan government has been dealing with iPhone issues since 2021, may be earlier.

Government Warns About IPhone User Hacking in Pakistan

https://newsguru.pk/government-warns-about-iphone-user-hacking-in-pakistan/

footnotes

(1) WikiPedia

(2) NewsGuru - Pakistan

(3) The final version of Windows 10 is version 22H2, which will reach end of servicing on October 14, 2025. Beginning with Windows 10, version 21H2, feature updates for Windows 10 release are released annually, in the second half of the calendar year, to the General Availability Channel. For information about servicing timelines, see the Windows lifecycle FAQ1.

DFORCE Elite Workstations (not consumer crap!)

Our workstations are designed using the best available components to include, Intel unlocked processors matched to Z chipset mainboards.  The SSDs are M2, Western Digital/Samsung high end.  Not all solid state drives are the same, read/write speeds vary greatly.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IQGrU_fIP-N1L6iJ1bhiLYCZph76uL6I/view?usp=drive_link

Two new Security Vulnerabilities affect every Computer and Phone manufactured since 1995.

Two new vulnerabilities, "Meltdown" and "Spectre" can let an attacker access whatever data is in an affected devices memory.  Meltdown can access sensitive data and files by melting down security boundaries typically enforced by the hardware.  The Spectre exploit tricks apps into leaking secrets.

Though there has been no known exploits at this time you can believe that the bad guys are already looking at ways to exploit these new flaws.  There are many innocent websites that have been unwittingly compromised with malicious code that is downloaded and executed when that page is visited.

An example of a worst-case scenario is a low-privileged user on a vulnerable computer could run JavaScript code on an ordinary-looking web page, which could then gain access to the contents of protected memory.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/security-flaws-affect-every-intel-chip-since-1995-arm-processors-vulnerable/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_featured&ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=27630927001468733386426006914379

The vulnerabilities were discovered by Google's Project Zero team.

Last year, Google’s Project Zero team discovered serious security flaws caused by “speculative execution,” a technique used by most modern processors (CPUs) to optimize performance.
The Project Zero researcher, Jann Horn, demonstrated that malicious actors could take advantage of speculative execution to read system memory that should have been inaccessible. For example, an unauthorized party may read sensitive information in the system’s memory such as passwords, encryption keys, or sensitive information open in applications. Testing also showed that an attack running on one virtual machine was able to access the physical memory of the host machine, and through that, gain read-access to the memory of a different virtual machine on the same host.
These vulnerabilities affect many CPUs, including those from AMD, ARM, and Intel, as well as the devices and operating systems running on them.

https://security.googleblog.com/2018/01/todays-cpu-vulnerability-what-you-need.html


Meltdown and Spectre: Here’s what Intel, Apple, Microsoft, others are doing about it

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/01/meltdown-and-spectre-heres-what-intel-apple-microsoft-others-are-doing-about-it/

http://www.eweek.com/security/microsoft-delivers-emergency-windows-10-patch-for-meltdown-cpu-bug


Apple responds to Intel, ARM chip flaws: All Macs and iOS devices are vulnerable, but don’t panic

http://bgr.com/2018/01/05/apple-security-chip-flaws-iphone-ipad-all-macs/


Microsoft issues patch for Meltdown and Spectre Vulnerabilities

Microsoft has issued an emergency patch for Windows 10 users already.  It can be downloaded and installed directly from the following link;

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4056892/windows-10-update-kb4056892

Some AVs may block you from installing the patch.  If you are having difficulty check the following article.

Windows Meltdown-Spectre fix: How to check if your AV is blocking Microsoft patch
Antivirus firms play patch catch-up, as Microsoft releases Meltdown firmware updates for Surface devices.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-meltdown-spectre-fix-how-to-check-if-your-av-is-blocking-microsoft-patch/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_featured&ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=27630927001468733386426006914379