Linux, Open Source, & anti Microsoft news

Flaws in Microsoft PatchGuard create a means for hackers to plant rootkits on Windows 10, 64-bit OS devices. The newly discovered attack technique, dubbed GhostHook, allows attackers to completely bypass PatchGuard, security researchers at CyberArk Labs warn.

Windows 10 does disable some third-party security software, Microsoft has admitted, but because of compatibility – not competitive – issues.

The latest teardowns from the team at iFixit show the inherent lack of repairability or even access to the internals of the Surface machines. In the case of 2017’s Surface Pro the one element that was potentially repairable from the Surface Pro 4 was the SSD. Not any more as the M.2 connector has been removed and the SSD is soldered to the main board.

Microsoft has released new security updates for older versions of Windows as it warns of potential cyber-attacks by government organisations.  The patches include updates to Windows XP, the operating system that was targeted by the WannaCry ransomware attack in May that attacked parts of the NHS and other companies worldwide.

Microsoft first revealed its concerns over Chromebooks in an attack on Google’s laptops more than three years ago. While Chromebooks haven’t become best-sellers for consumers just yet, they have started to become popular with students in the US and slowly with some businesses. Microsoft is now revealing it’s worried about this threat with two new videos on its Windows YouTube channel today.

Kaspersky Lab has filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft over allegations that Redmond is hobbling third-party antivirus software.

Microsoft has apologised for accidentally releasing a pair of Windows builds that caused serious problems for customers. The company has admitted it didn’t intend to release the dodgy software, which affected both desktop and mobile users. The desktop build exposed people to a high number of usability issues, while the mobile build trapped users in a never-ending loop, forcing them to reset their phones and lose their data.

The Linux Foundation’s Automotive Grade Linux project is celebrating its first big-name user, after Toyota said it will employ the OS in the 2018 Camry model it will sell in the United States.

Microsoft’s new reward scheme pays computer users for searching on Bing and shopping through the Microsoft and Windows store.

CoreOS CEO Alex Polvi spent his morning on Wednesday biting the hands that fed attendees at his company’s conference, CoreOS Fest 2017.  “Every shift in infrastructure that we’ve seen … has promised more efficiency, reliability and agility,” said Polvi. “But every single one has resulted in a massive proprietary software vendor that has undermined all the work done in the free software community. And we’re beginning to believe cloud is looking the same.”