Adobe Flash 19 emergency patch

Earlier this week, Adobe released an update to Adobe Flash player to fix various issues. Unfortunately, a new vulnerability was discovered which affects this version (19.0.0.207) and previous versions.

Successful exploitation could cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.

This issue was patched on Friday (10/16/2015) with version 19.0.0.226.

If you are using Google Chrome, it will automatically update Flash for you. For users of Firefox, Internet Explorer and other browsers, check the version of Flash that you are using.

http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

To download the latest version of Adobe Flash, visit this site:

https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

SOURCE: Adobe

Apple released iOS 8.2 software update

ios82

Last week Apple released an update (iOS 8.2) to their iPhone/iPad operating system. Besides fixing numerous issues including the FREAK vulnerability, it also adds support for the upcoming Apple Watch.

To install the update directly from your device, go into Settings –> General –> Software Update.

Once you install it, you may notice a new icon on your device called Apple Watch. If you have no plans on getting the Apple Watch, you may be wondering how to get rid of the app. While you can’t delete the app, you can move it into a folder so it is out of the way.

For a full list of all the fixes in this update, please check out the Apple support document.

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1794?locale=en_US

Apple repairing Macbook Pro laptops

macbookpro-repair

For the past 3 or 4 months, my 2011 Macbook Pro started exhibiting strange behavior. Sometimes the computer would lock up on me, other times I would see lines or distorted graphics on the screen. Recently it got so bad the computer would not even start up. Very frustrating to see it fail when you spent several thousand of dollars on it just a few years ago.

The issue appears to be the discrete graphics chip was not properly soldered to the motherboard and over time the connection becomes brittle and fails. One website has extensive information on the issue and various ways to contact Apple.

https://mbp2011.org

As of February 19, 2015, Apple is now repairing free of charge certain Macbook Pro computers that experience this issue. Here are the affected models:

2011 – 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro
Mid 2012 – Early 2013 – 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina display

If you have already paid to have this issue fixed, you can contact Apple for a reimbursement. I have started the return process and I am currently waiting for the prepaid shipping box to arrive. Once my machine has been fixed, I will update this post.

For more further information, please visit Apple’s repair website:

http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

Has anyone else experienced this issue on their Macbook Pro? Were you able to get it fixed? Let me know in the comments below.

Beware of Superfish software on Lenovo computers

lenovo-superfish

According to an article on The Verge, Lenovo has been selling computers with questionable advertising software called Superfish. It can circumvent regular security certificates and spy on all your normally secured web traffic like online purchasing and bank transactions. Eek!

If you have a Lenovo computer and want to test to see if you are at risk, check out the website below.

https://filippo.io/Badfish/

Uninstalling the Superfish software will not completely fix the problem if you are already compromised. You will also need to remove the Superfish security certificate. Follow the instructions on the testing site above to remove this software.

Are any of you impacted by this issue? Let me know in the comments below respond on Facebook or Twitter.

The end of RadioShack

radioshack

Well it’s the end of an era for us techies. Radio Shack filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. Some stores will close and others will be purchased by Sprint.

For my local followers here in Illinois, I only saw the Savoy store on the list and not Champaign or Urbana.

Here is a preliminary list of stores that are closing.

http://radioshackcorporation.com/pdfs/RS-Store-Closure-List_020415.pdf

I remember going to RadioShack in the 80s with my parents and buying a Tandy 1000 TX computer. It had no hard drive (ran on floppy drives), a 286 processor and used the MS-DOS command line operating system. Now that makes me feel old!

The folks working there actually knew stuff about computers and electronics and would help us with anything. I remember getting a shortwave radio one time and they made me a custom adapter to hook up an external antenna.

Anyone have any good, bad, or funny stories about their RadioShack visits before they turned into PhoneShack? 🙂 Post in the comments below.

SOURCE: RadioShack