Fixit Solutions

18/12/2021

Microsoft Windows10 – Update Now Warning For Millions As Attackers Strike
Most information security professionals are scrambling to deal with the ongoing and truly scary Log4J (also known as Log4Shell) vulnerability. But, sadly, Log4J is not the only shark in the security swimming pool: millions of Windows 10 users need to be aware of one zero-day threat in particular.

The bad news is that attackers are already exploiting CVE-2021-43890 to install the very nasty Emotet, or Trickbot, credential-stealing malware. The good news is that Microsoft has the fix, and you need to apply it. Now.

Yes, this week sees Microsoft's final Patch Tuesday round of security fixes in 2021, and it's a big one. In all, more than sixty vulnerabilities have been addressed across the Microsoft product range, including Windows, Visual Studio, Office, PowerShell and SharePoint Server, to name but a few. Seven of the patched vulnerabilities have been given a critical rating, and there are six zero-days fixed for good measure.

However, of concern to millions of Windows 10 users is that zero-day, publicly disclosed, and exploited by attackers in the wild. CVE-2021-43890 is a spoofing vulnerability in the Windows AppX installer and is being used to deliver some genuinely gruesome malware.

Exploits take the form of malicious software packages installed when unsuspecting users open infected documents and the like. Obviously, those users with admin account rights will be most at risk here. That said, when chained with another exploit it could be possible to impact those with fewer user rights to gain enough privilege to execute the malware code.

Microsoft has confirmed that exploitation is already ongoing: "Microsoft is aware of attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using specially crafted packages that include the malware family known as Emotet/Trickbot/Bazaloader," it stated in the latest security update guide.

"Given the critical nature of this vulnerability and the fact that there is active exploitation," Chad McNaughton, technical community manager at Automox, said, "organizations should take immediate action to remediate within the next 24 hours."

That warning was given, dear reader, on 14 December. The clock is, therefore, well and truly ticking on this one.

The remaining zero-day vulnerabilities that have been addressed by Microsoft this Patch Tuesday are:

CVE-2021-43240 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server users.
CVE-2021-41333 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server users.
CVE-2021-43880 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Windows 11 users.
CVE-2021-43883 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server users.
CVE-2021-43893 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Windows 10, Window

18/07/2021

12/10/2020

The 12 Lords of the Programming World

11/09/2020

Which OS Crashes Less Often: Mac OS X, Linux or Windows?

In the world of technology, there is hardly “one best suited” operating system that works just fine for everyone. A large business corporation might choose to stick with Windows 7 despite its often-sluggish nature in comparison to other operating systems.
This might be because of it’s software compatibility component and user-friendly nature in addition to various other points. Others might opt for Mac OS X because of its reliability being that Apple hardware are controlled by manufacturer making it less susceptible to virus attack.
Again, others might choose a GNU/Linux because of it’s stability as it has a way of combating hardware faults leaving the system unharmed.
The purpose of this article however, is to take a look at which operating system crashes less often.
Mac OS X
Mac OS X, BDS-based and part of the UNIX family, is the operating system developed in the year 2001 to succeed Mac OS. Designed specifically to operate on Mac computers, it has been the default operating system on all Mac computers since the year 2002.
Generally, Mac OS X are seen to be safer in terms of security compared to windows. In the past, it was even thought to be immune to viruses or malware. However, this is no longer the case. A Mac OS X might survive for a while without an anti-virus but that doesn’t mean that the system is invulnerable to virus attack. One advantage a Mac OS X has over others is that it’s drivers are very stable due to the fact that they can only be targeted to very few devices.
Again, this makes the system less susceptible to crashing. However, as little chances there are of a Mac OS X crashing, it still does crash. The crash can be caused by software bugs and incompatibilities, there might not be enough system memory for applications to run, too many applications running at once or applications vying for disk access.
GNU/Linux Operating System
Linux, just like the Mac OS X, is also part of the UNIX family. It was created in 1991 by a student called Linus Torvalds. Not only is Linux the dominant operating system for most market segments, it is the most widely developed operating system.
What makes Linux different from others is that it is an open source software. It is free and available to everyone to view or edit. Unlike the Mac OS X, there are numerous distributions of Linux including various software options offering users the choice of choosing the one that best suits the need.
Ubuntu OS
It is also common knowledge that Linux system rarely crashes and even in the advent of it crashing, the whole system normally won’t go down. The programming code is available to all for viewing and as such, the Linux is also less susceptible to malware due to its numerous viewers constantly watching it.
Spyware, viruses, Trojans and the like, which often compromise computer performance are also a rare occurrence with the Linux operating system.
Windows Operating System
Windows 7 is an operating system part of the Windows NT family, developed by Microsoft. Vast majority of software are written for windows making it more compatible with other software in comparison to Linux.
However, a Window 7 has been known to crash for various reasons ranging from bad memory or motherboard to corrupt registry or drivers. Windows 7 is also quite susceptible to viruses and Trojans without a good anti-virus in place.
Also, Window 7 has little or no control over hardware and as such it’s quite open to attacks which can lead to crashing. For people who just want to fulfil basic needs with their PC, windows 7 is more user friendly in comparison to Mac OS X and Linux.
However, although Window 7 remains popular, Microsoft has released Windows 8 and Window 10 respectively. The question is, how much do they improve on the vulnerabilities of windows 7? the answer is not very much.
Windows 10 the most recent version and has a longer period of extended support which is the period in which Microsoft will stop supporting security updates for the Operating System. With Windows 10 you get 2 years more than Windows 8 and five years more than windows 7.
This may be a great help when it comes to solving crashes but does not stop the crashes itself. One can recall the KB 3081438 update which was forced on users shortly after the launch of windows to fix a bug that caused frequent crash loops. There were reports popping up in the web that not only did the update force a reboot but would install only partially, and after the reboot would re-install again. This would never happen with a Linux distro.
This is may be debatable but to my mind, the only other advantage that Windows 10 has on its two predecessors is that it was offered as a “free upgrade”. But of course, is this has nothing on Linux which is also free to download amongst many other advantages.
In conclusion, just like it was stated at the beginning of the article, there isn’t one perfect operating system that suits everyone. That being said, most reports show that all things considered, a Linux operating system is less likely to crash. Mac OS X too has very limited chances of crashing and some would prefer it over a Linux.

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25/03/2020

Blockchain: What is it, how it works and how it is being used in the market

Blockchain is generally associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. This technology was originally conceived in 1991, when Stuart Haber and W. Scott Stornetta described their first work on a chain of cryptographically secured blocks, but only gained notoriety in 2008, when it became popular with the arrival of Bitcoin. It is currently gaining demand in other commercial applications and its annual growth is expected to reach 51% by 2022 in numerous markets, such as those of financial institutions and the Internet of Things (IoT), according to MarketWatch.

What is blockchain?

A blockchain is a unique, consensual record that is distributed over multiple network nodes. In the case of cryptocurrencies, think of it as the accounting ledger where each transaction is recorded.

A blockchain transaction is complex and can be difficult to understand if you delve into the inner details of how it works, but the basic idea is simple to follow.

Each block stores:

• A number of valid records or transactions.
• Information referring to that block.
• A link to the previous block and next block through the hash of each block—a unique code that can be thought of as the block’s fingerprint.

Accordingly, each block has a specific and immovable place within the chain, since each block contains information from the hash of the previous block. The entire chain is stored in each network node that makes up the blockchain, so an exact copy of the chain is stored in all network participants.
As new records are created, they are first verified and validated by the network nodes and then added to a new block that is linked to the chain.

How is blockchain so secure?
Being a distributed technology in which each network node stores an exact copy of the chain, the availability of the information is guaranteed at all times. So if an attacker wanted to cause a denial-of-service attack, they would have to annul all network nodes since it only takes one node to be operative for the information to be available.
Besides that, since each record is consensual, and all nodes contain the same information, it is almost impossible to alter it, ensuring its integrity. If an attacker wanted to modify the information in a blockchain, they would have to modify the entire chain in at least 51% of the nodes.
Ultimately, since each block is mathematically linked to the next block, once a new block is added to the chain, it is rendered unchangeable. So if a block’s relationship with the chain is modified, it is broken. In other words, all information recorded in blocks is immutable and perpetual
Therefore, blockchain technology allows us to store information that can never be lost, modified, or deleted.

Moreover, each network node uses certificates and digital signatures to verify the information and validate the transactions and data stored in the blockchain, which ensures the authenticity of this information

You could say that blockchain is like a record keeper. A means of certifying and validating any type of information. A reliable, decentralized registry, resistant to data manipulation, in which everything is recorded

We are currently used to working with centralized models. We give all our information to companies like Google or Facebook to administer, send all our messages through Telegram or WhatsApp servers so that they can send them, or spend fortunes on record keepers and institutions to certify and store our important deeds or documentation.
In blockchain, data is distributed across all network nodes. With no central node, all participate equally, storing, and validating all information. It is a very powerful tool for transmitting and storing information in a reliable way; a decentralized model in which the information belongs to us, since we do not need a company to provide the service.
What else can blockchain be used for?
Essentially, blockchain can be used to store any type of information that must be kept intact and remain available in a secure, decentralized and cheaper way than through intermediaries. Moreover, since the information stored is encrypted, its confidentiality can be guaranteed, as only those who have the encryption key can access it.

Use of blockchain in healthcare…

Health records could be consolidated and stored in blockchain, for instance. This would mean that the medical history of each patient would be safe and, at the same time, available to each doctor authorized, regardless of the health center where the patient was treated. Even the pharmaceutical industry could use this technology to verify medicines and prevent counterfeiting.
Use of blockchain for documents…

Blockchain would also be very useful for managing digital assets and documentation. Up to now, the problem with digital is that everything is easy to copy, but Blockchain allows you to record purchases, deeds, documents, or any other type of online asset without them being falsified.
Other blockchain uses

This technology could also revolutionize the Internet of Things (IoT) market where the challenge lies in the millions of
devices connected to the internet that must be managed by the supplier companies. In a few years’ time, the centralized model won’t be able to support so many devices, not to mention the fact that many of these are not secure enough. With blockchain, devices can communicate through the network directly, safely, and reliably with no need for intermediaries.

Blockchain allows you to verify, validate, track, and store all types of information, from digital certificates, democratic voting systems, logistics and messaging services, to intelligent contracts and, of course, money and financial transactions.

25/03/2020

Avast and AVG collect and sell your personal info via their free antivirus programs.....

Avast and its subsidiary AVG, caught selling customer data to corporate clients last year, are at it again—this time using its free antivirus programs if you opt in to data collection.

The joint report by Vice’s Motherboard and PCMag build upon reports by Adblock Plus creator Wladimir Palant, who reported in October, 2019 that the Avast Online Security Extension as well as the AVG Secure Browser spy on users, harvesting their information.

Palant alleged that the information—which included a unique user ID, the page you visited, whether you’d visited that page before, and other information—could be provided to third parties, and suggested that Jumpshot could be a possible destination. (Avast acquired Jumpshot in 2013, and a statement on the company’s website says that it “provides insights into consumers’ online journeys by measuring every search, click and buy across 1,600 categories from more than 150 sites, including Amazon, Google, Netflix, and Walmart.”) At the time, the news caused browser makers like Google to remove both from its web store, though the extensions have since returned.

In the report, Avast told Motherboard/PCMag that data collected by the Avast browser extensions is no longer provided to Jumpshot. But other sources alleged that it is instead collecting that same information from the Avast and AVG free antivirus programs. That data is then passed along to Jumpshot, those sources said, and from there to its corporate clients.

“Last week, months after it was spotted using its browser extensions to send data to Jumpshot, Avast began asking its existing free antivirus consumers to opt-in to data collection, according to an internal document,” Motherboard wrote.

In a statement, Avast said that it “acted quickly to meet browser store standards,” and in December completely discontinued the practice of using any data from the browser extensions for any other purpose than improving the core security engine. “We ensure that Jumpshot does not acquire personal identification information, including name, email address or contact details,” the statement said.

The statement went on to describe the opt-in and opt-out choices available. “Users have always had the ability to opt out of sharing data with Jumpshot,” it said. “As of July 2019, we had already begun implementing an explicit opt-in choice for all new downloads of our AV, and we are now also prompting our existing free users to make an opt-in or opt-out choice, a process which will be completed in February 2020.”

Avast supplies a long list of optional modules to install as part of its free security software.

Avast’s statement also sought to minimize concerns about its practices. “We have a long track record of protecting users’ devices and data against malware, and we understand and take seriously the responsibility to balance user privacy with the necessary use of data for our core security products,”
The policy allows Avast to “enable use of your personal data to create a de-identified data set that is provided to Jumpshot to build trend analytics products and services.”

When installing the free Avast antivirus software, users are given the option to uncheck virtually all of the optional modules that the software installs: password storage, disk cleanup, and more. By default, the Avast security browser extension and SafePrice browser extension have a check mark next to them, showing that they will be installed. Those can be unchecked and not installed.

Out of curiosity, PCWorld unchecked every option. The Avast software reported that the installation process completed, and Windows Security reported that the Avast software was installed. However, we weren’t able to open the Avast software itself, including its dashboard. We've reached out to the company for more information and will update this story if we hear back.

There’s an old adage: When you’re not paying for the product, you’re the product. For now, this seems to be the case with Avast’s antivirus software.

27/10/2019

12 Best Anti-Ransomware Tools To Protect Your Computer

Well, we must admit that Ransomware attacks are one of the growing threats when it comes to the security and privacy of computers. We have just seen the malicious software WanaCryptor 2.0 is being used to carry out one of the biggest ransomware attacks of its kind.

Security researchers at Avast have recorded over 57,000 detections of WanaCryptor 2.0 ransomware in 99 countries. Let me tell you, after the attack, the ransom being demanded
is $300 worth of bitcoins.

We have already shared an article in which we have listed some working methods to protect you from Wannacrypt0r ransomware. Here we are going to mention 5 best Anti-Ransomware software that you must have on your computer to protect your files.

This Anti-ransomware will prevent ransomware from entering your system. It might also help you to decrypt the file in case if your computer has been compromised. So, let’s have a look at the best Anti-ransomware software.

#1 Trend Micro Internet Security
Trend Micro Internet Security provides advanced online protection for 1 PC so you can enjoy your digital life safely. It’s designed to safeguard your privacy on social networks. It features the latest in anti-ransomware technology.

#2 MalwareBytes Anti-Ransomware
Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware monitors all activity on the computer and identifies actions which are typical of ransomware activity. It keeps track of all activity and, once it has enough evidence to determine a certain process or thread to be ransomware, blocks the infection and quarantines the ransomware before it has a chance to encrypt users’ files.
#3 Cybereason Ransom free
ybereason RansomFree protects against 99 percent of ransomware strains. RansomFree detects ransomware, suspends the activity, displays a popup that warns users that their files are at risk and lets the user stop the attack with one click.
#4 Zemana Antimalware
Ransomware has become a top security threat in the last couple of years. Due to the massive spread of ransomware, everyone is at risk. Zemana antimalware have a ransomware protection tool which is very effective.
#5 Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware
Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware is a free security tool that can protect against existing and emerging ransomware attacks. Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware prevents the following families of ransomware from encrypting your files: CTB-Locker, Locky, Pertya, and TeslaCrypt.
#6 HitmanPro Alert
HitmanPro.Alert is another best security tool that you can use in 2019. The great thing about HitmanPro.Alert is that it can recognize any types of ransomware attack. Not just that, but the security tool also promises some advanced and real-time protection against all hackings, program exploits, we**am spying. So, it’s another best anti-ransomware tool which you can use.

#7 Kaspersky Anti-ransomware Tool
Well, Kaspersky is one of the leading names in the security section. Kaspersky is known for its security products like internet security, antivirus tools, etc. Recently, Kaspersky launched an anti-ransomware tool which provides complete protection against all recent ransomware attacks. So, Kaspersky Anti-ransomware Tool is another best anti-ransomware tool which you can use.
#8 Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus
Well, Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is an antivirus tool which comes with lots of other unique features. One of the notable features of Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is its ransomware security, and the tool promises to protect your computer against all recent ransomware attacks. Not just that, but the security tool also offers a firewall which can monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic.
#9 McAfee Ransomware Interceptor
McAfee Ransomware Interceptor is one of the best and leading anti-ransomware tool which you can use on your Windows computer. The security tool promises to offer protection against all recent ransomware attack. Not just that, but McAfee Ransomware Interceptor is extremely lightweight, and it doesn’t consume much of your RAM resources. So, McAfee Ransomware Interceptor is one of the leading anti-ransomware tools to have.
#10 QuickHeal Decryption Tool
Well, QuickHeal Decryption Tool is a free Ransomware decryption tool which can decrypt the encrypted files from your computer. However, the tool can decrypt files encrypted by selected types of ransomware. QuickHeal Decryption Tool can decrypt Nemucod, ODC, LeChiffre, Globe 1, Globe 2, and many other types of ransomware. So, QuickHeal Decryption Tool is another best decryption tool which you can use right now.
#11 Comodo Cleaning Essential
Comodo Cleaning Essential is basically a set of security tools which can detect and remove malware. Apart from that, Comodo Cleaning Essential also offers a powerful virus scanning tool, rootkits removals, malicious registry key removal tool, etc. So, all those things make Comodo Cleaning Essential a perfect anti-ransomware tool. So, Comodo Cleaning Essential is another best anti-ransomware tool which you can use today.
#12 Avast Ransomware Decryption Tools
Avast the leading security company also provides a wide range of tools to remove different types of ransomware. It doesn’t have an all-in-one tool to decrypt the encrypted files, but it has tools for every different ransomware types. Users just need to visit this link to download the decryption tool for any particular ransomware. So, Avast Ransomware Decryption Tools is another best Ransomware decryption tool which you can use right now.

All the best……

Yours
Joseph Kumar Dande @ 9000398800

29/07/2019

UEFI Vs Legacy Boot

24/03/2019

Windows 7 end is coming - and Microsoft wants to make it easier to upgrade​

Upgrade process is well under way, but help is still at hand for the millions of Windows 7 users​

Microsoft has reassured Windows 7 users they still have time to migrate to Windows 10 before support for the former ends soon. With the official Windows 7 End of Life set for January 14 2020, companies and consumers still running the aged software still have around ten months remaining to upgrade, and Microsoft is ready to assist the process any way it can.
A new Microsoft update released recently will see Windows 7 users reminded of the 10-year-old software's impending end, and the need to upgrade to the latest version as soon as possible.

Microsoft is set to start nudging Windows 7 users to upgrade soon, with pop-up notifications informing the imminent end of life due to start soon.
But for those companies that need to remain on Windows 7 a little longer than next January (such as those needing to address certain compliance regulations), Microsoft will still provide support for up to three years - although you will need to pay.

06/01/2019

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is a type of blue screen of death (BSoD) error.

This error occurs when a memory address triggers an unauthorized access. This leads to the suspension of your login session and the computer screen turns blue.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error occurs due to several reasons, but the most common causes are listed below:

- Incompatible device drivers
- Poor device driver installation
- Faulty hardware
- Disk fragmentation
- Registry issues
- Viruses and malware attack

If this error is not resolved timely, it can lead to serious PC issues system crash, failure, and data loss.Luckily, there are 5 easy ways to fix this error. You might have to try each of these methods and see which one will work.

Method 1
Repair Registry and Fragmented Disk Due to poor PC maintenance, you may experience registry issues and later on lead to various PC errors including IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error. The best way to repair the registry is to install a repair tool like Total System Care.

Method 2
Roll Back Drivers

If the underlying cause of IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error is poor driver installation, then try this method to resolve the issue. This can be done by following these steps:

1. Click the start menu.
2. Go to the control panel
3. Double click the system icon and locate the System Properties window
4. Click the hardware tab
5. Then, click device manager button
6. Now locate the device you recently installed and double click on it
7. Click driver tab and then the roll back driver button

This will take a while, so wait for the process to finish. After that, reboot the system.

Method 3
Run Hardware Diagnostic The IRQL error may also be triggered by faulty hardware. To identify which hardware is the causing the error, you will have to run hardware diagnostic.

1. For this, go to start menu, type Memory Diagnostic in the search bar.
2. Now access this tool and click on Diagnose your memory problems. As you click it, it will ask you to perform the check by either restarting the PC immediately or on the next restart. Select the immediate one to get going.
3. The system will carry a scan on the memory and show you the list of problematic errors detected during the scan. To resolve this error then all you have to do is replace the piece of faulty hardware. Nonetheless if no faulty hardware is detected, this means the error is related to memory. If so, try method 3 to resolve.

Method 4
Disable Memory Caching

To fix IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error, try disabling the memory caching option. This is called the BIOS memory caching. This can be done by restarting your PC and pressing the BIOS set up keys to enter the settings screen. Mostly it is F2 key, however it may be different in some computers as the motherboards of different makes have their own respective keys.

Once you enter the BIOS settings look for options stating memory settings. Access these options and disable the memory caching feature.

Method 5

As mentioned above this error message can also result due to the intrusion of malicious software like malware, viruses and spyware.

To detect and remove them from your PC, download an antivirus and perform a system scan. Remove the detected viruses and malware to resolve. Please note, antivirus installation may lower the speed of your PC.

Related Errors:
stop error code 0x0000000A
blue screen error irql not less or equal
irql_not_less_or_equal fix
bug check 0x0A

It Might be Helpful for everyone.