[German]Research by several German media outlets reveals that US data brokers are offering the locations of cell phone users in Germany. Some of the data can even be accessed free of charge, as research by netzpolitik.org and BR shows. A data set with 3.6 billion entries reveals precise movement profiles and a new dimension of mass surveillance.
[German]On July 9, 2024, Microsoft also released the update KB5040711 (Security Update for Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server). However, I have received a reader report that an installation error occurs during the update installation. There are also reader reports of "hiccups" during the installation of SQL Server updates under Windows Server. Here is a quick overview of what has been reported to me – however, the errors do not appear to be widespread.
[German]The preview phase of the new Microsoft Outlook for Windows will end on August 1, 2024. The client in question will then be generally available for commercial accounts. However, users can still use the classic Outlook client, as the new Outlook for Windows lacks essential features and some things will not be implemented at all. Here is a look at the current status and some background information on what the switch to the new Microsoft Outlook for Windows means at the end of the day. Continue reading
[German]Microsoft has fixed some annoying bugs in Windows 10 and Windows 11 in recent weeks (since the release of the preview updates at the end of June 2024) (these fixes can be found on this Microsoft website). The problem of jumping desktop icons has supposedly been fixed. A problem in the Windows 11 Update API has also been fixed. Microsoft has also fixed problems with the taskbar in Windows 11 and a bug that triggered restarts. Here is a summary of the fixes that were classified as fixed on July 9, 2024 or as "Mitigated" on July 12, 2024.
[German]Security researchers have disclosed the Blast RADIUS vulnerability. In this context, Microsoft has released security updates for its Windows systems. I have now received a user report that certain Radius authentications no longer work after installing the July 2024 updates. Here is an overview and the question of whether this is an isolated case or whether there are other cases.
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[English]German security expert Lilith Wittmann discovered an unprotected API from Deutsche Telekom, that can be used, to retrieve details about landline connections via their internet access. She set up a website that can be used to retrieve data from Telekom's landline network connections. The IP address is sufficient, and the data obtained can be used to permanently track Telekom subscribers on the Internet. This could be a veritable data breach at Deutsche Telekom – and it could be GDPR-relevant. Here's a quick rundown of what's going on.
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[German]With the security updates of July 9, 2024, Microsoft has patched some bugs and vulnerabilities in the relevant Windows versions. However, I have received reports from readers that the July 2024 updates are causing problems with the print service. Users report that the LPD service crashes after the first printout. Printing is then no longer possible – another problem with the July 2024 patchday.
[German]A small note for administrators whose users are using OutlookWeb Access (OWA) and are now complaining that emails that have been moved to other folders are suddenly appearing there several times. A reader has informed me that Microsoft is aware of the problem and is working on a fix. The fix has been rolled out.
[German]An exciting story: everything is (at least it feels like it is) moving into the cloud. But the German companies that are already in the cloud are facing serious security problems. Security provider Tenable has taken a closer look and published its 2024 Cloud Security Outlook. In short: most IT managers are planning to expand their company's cloud environments next year. However, there is a lack of feasibility, as those responsible have identified a lack of expertise as an obstacle to cloud migration.
[German]Luca Casonato already pointed out an issue in connection with Chromium browsers on July 9, 2024. In the browser, all Google websites are granted full access to system data such as CPU usage, GPU utilization, memory usage and processor information via a hidden extension. Allows Google sites to provide detailed information about the system, which enables fingerprinting. Furthermore, this information can also benefit Google during debugging. This would be a violation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). I'll extract the relevant information in a blog post. Continue reading
MVP:
2013 – 2016
WIMVP:
2017 – 2020
