ISSUE 23.31.1 • 2026-08-06 By Susan Bradley The upcoming August updates include several promised fixes for Windows Search. The August updates will include several fixes, a few of which specifically target Search. I anticipate that the August updates will also bring a bumper crop of other vulnerabilities being patched, so I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level […]

ON SECURITY Tracking the attacker By Susan Bradley Recently, Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, and others released updates illustrating how much we are being impacted by AI. The three major vendors either sped up releases or released updates with a massive number of vulnerabilities. But does that make us more unsecure? Before I discuss some side effects […]

ISSUE 23.29 • 2026-07-20 PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Well, the benefits of AI are clearly here — at least in terms of bug counts. Microsoft fixed 621 vulnerabilities this time around. However, take a breath — a big breath. Even with all those fixes that encompass both Windows and .NET, the updates are pushed […]

WINDOWS 11 By Martin Brinkmann To fix a bloated Windows 11, Microsoft has reportedly launched “Project K2” — a massive internal repair campaign For years, Windows fans have watched Microsoft stuff the operating system with features barely anyone asked for, all while core features such as File Explorer, Windows Search, and the general reliability of […]

ISSUE 23.27.1 • 2026-07-09 By Susan Bradley As a result of researchers’ using AI to do more in-depth code reviews of operating systems and applications, expect to see more security updates and more vulnerability counts. As Apple indicated to Reuters, the recent release of Apple security updates was done in an accelerated fashion because “… […]

On June 29, 2026, Apple released Updates for MacOS Tahoe 26.5.2 and iOS/iPadOS 26.5.2. Apple is expected to release the next version of their Operating Systems, v26.6, in early July. Normally they package the Security Updates along with the new versions. But,  as reported by Reuters, Apple is releasing the updates early for macOS/iOS/iPadOS in […]

ON SECURITY By Susan Bradley When I started writing this column, I planned to open with the forthcoming end of the Windows 10 ESU. Oops. On June 24, Microsoft changed its mind. It decided to extend the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for another year, until October 12, 2027. You can find the […]

ISSUE 23.22.1 • 2026-06-04 By Susan Bradley Microsoft is starting to roll out its much-promised, dribbled fixes. Included in the upcoming June updates — and already included in the preview updates released on May 26, 2026 — KB5089573 includes the Secure Boot fixes and the beginning of many changes about which you’ve complained. Nonetheless, it’s […]

SILICON By Matthew S. Smith Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 chips are mighty, but Windows on Arm can still be a mighty pain in the neck. In May 2024, I took the train up to Seattle for Microsoft’s Build developer conference. It’s usually a series of nerdy talks from passionate developers that end up overshadowed by hyper-corporate […]

ISSUE 23.18.1 • 2026-05-07 By Susan Bradley It’s time to prepare for the May updates, which includes pausing and deferring them. That’s why the MS-DEFCON level is going to 2. There may be some confusion about the recent changes to the level. You’ll recall that I changed the level to 4 on April 28 and […]

Apple released Updates for iOS 26.4.2/iPadOS 26.4. and iOS 18.7.8/iPadOS 18.7.8 on April 22, 2026.  The updates address CVE-2026-28950, a bug in the Notification Services. Updates that Apple released today address a security vulnerability that the FBI recently used to extract Signal message previews from an iPhone even after the app was deleted. Apple claims the […]