Google is rolling out Version 107 of its Chrome browser which adds a variety of under-the-hood additions and makes some important tweaks to better protect you on the internet.
Because of the 14 individual security fixes included in Chrome 107, we strongly recommend that you download the update as soon as it’s available to you. The most important one revolves around a zero-day vulnerability called CVE-2022-3723. It's a Type Confusion flaw affecting Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine. As it’s described by cybersecurity company Avertium, the flaw allows bad actors to “trick” the browser into running malware and making users think it’s legitimate data.
Avertium states that while Chrome V8 engine attacks are uncommon, they are among the most dangerous. And it appears this is the third time Google has patched a Type Confusion bug this year. One occurred back in March and the other in April.
As for the rest of the security patch, things aren’t as severe. You see fixes for data validation and for browser extensions. But considering there are billions of Chrome users, there are a lot of avenues for bad actors to use. We repeat: update the browser.
New tools
The rest of the update is more focused on future-proofing Chrome. HEVC (High Efficient Video Coding) is now partially supported on the browser. Also known as H.265, HEVC is a codec that more efficiently compresses files to speed up download times. It's more commonly seen on electronic devices. With this update, Chrome joins Safari and Microsoft Edge as the only major web browsers with HEVC support.
Video conferencing tools are also seeing a few changes to make them more user-friendly. Developers of these tools can now include a button allowing people to switch between tabs whenever they’re screen sharing. It’s essentially a type of hotkey to save you from having to dig through a mass of tabs. Chrome 107 will also alert you if you share the same tab that you’re video conferencing from. Doing so causes a “hall of mirrors” effect, according to the patch notes.
Other reports claim additional features are present in the update, but we couldn’t find them. Android Police states Chrome now has the ability to import passwords from an external password manager or other browsers. And apparently, the media picker for Chrome 107 on Android has been updated. We reached out to Google to see if this is true, as well as if there are other hidden features. This story will be updated if we hear back.
Availability
You can download the update by going to "About Google Chrome" in the browser menu to automatically install it. Despite the slew of security fixes in the update, Google still has its work cut out. Recent reports claim that 300 new security vulnerabilities were discovered in Chrome this year alone. It’s possible there could be another high-severity Type Confusion bug in there waiting to be discovered.
Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange that has invested $500 million into Elon Musk's buyout of Twitter, is creating a team to work on how blockchain and crypto could be helpful to Twitter, the company's spokesperson said on Friday. As one of Elon Musk's equity co-investors to fund his $44 billion (nearly Rs. 3,62,300 crore) deal, Binance said it will brainstor...
The metaverse could be used not just to facilitate crime in the physical realm, but could also be used for various other dangerous forms of cybercrime, as well, a new warning from Interpol has warned.
Interpol’s executive director for technology and innovation, Madan Oberoi, explained that member countries are growing increasingly concerned about possible metaverse crime and are already coming up with possible remedies.
There are multiple ways the metaverse could be abused for crime, he said: "Some of the crimes may be new to this medium, some of the existing crimes will be enabled by the medium and taken to a new level."
Phishing evolved
One of the most popular fraud methods - phishing - could take on a whole new meaning when virtual reality and augmented reality are thrown into the mix, Oberoi stated. What’s more, the question of child safety cannot be understated.
There are also ways for threat actors to use virtual realities to plan and practice future physical attacks: "If terror group wants to attack a physical space they may use this space to plan and simulate and launch their exercises before attacking."
Many games come with map-making ability, and with virtual reality, criminals could be able to explore specific locations with frightening detail.
Europe’s Interpol counterpart - Europol - says it is also on track to tackle future crime, and recently warned that if the metaverse uses blockchain technology to record user interaction, it might be possible to “follow everything someone does based on one interaction with them - providing valuable information for stalkers or extortionists."
Blockchain, the technology that underlines bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, stores data in a decentralized ledger which makes it immutable and incorruptable.
Microsoft keeps a list of old and vulnerable drivers, which threat actors can use to sneak viruses, ransomware, and other malware into endpoints of their choosing.
However, the last update was in 2019 - until now. After two years of sitting idly, the list has finally been updated - but not for all Windows users at once, though.
In an announcement published on the company blog, Microsoft said that the blocklist used by the hypervisor-protected code integrity (HVCI) tool will, from now on, be updated once or twice a year.
More ways to update
“The blocklist is updated with each new major release of Windows, typically 1-2 times per year, including most recently with the Windows 11 2022 update released in September 2022,” Microsoft said. “The most current blocklist is now also available for Windows 10 20H2 and Windows 11 21H2 users as an optional update from Windows Update. Microsoft will occasionally publish future updates through regular Windows servicing.”
Users who always want the latest update to the driver blocklist can use Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) to apply the latest blocklist, the company further stated. For the sake of convenience, the company provided a download of the most up-to-date vulnerable driver blocklist, as well as instructions on how to apply it, found here.
Microsoft has been getting a lot of criticism lately for the lack of updates to the vulnerable driver blocklist - mainly because the number of attacks using this method skyrocketed.
The method is called Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD), and it’s quite a simple thing: a threat actor would trick a victim, usually through social engineering or phishing, into downloading a Windows driver that’s known for being faulty.
Being a signed driver, it doesn’t trigger any antivirus or endpoint protection services alarms. It just installs like any other non-malicious thing. The driver, being flawed, gives the hackers access to the device, which they can later use for any other attack they see fit - ransomware, botnets, data exfiltration, etc.
Global police agency Interpol said it was preparing for the risk that online immersive environments — the "metaverse" — could create new kinds of cybercrime and allow existing crime to take place on a larger scale. Interpol's member countries have raised concerns about how to prepare for possible metaverse crime, Madan Oberoi, Interpol's executive director for te...
It's almost November which means Christmas sales will be here before you know it, with deals from Amazon, Walmart, and Target on best-selling items like TVs, vacuums, AirPods, air fryers, and more. The Christmas sales event is an excellent opportunity to score a holiday gift at a record-low price so you can cross someone off your holiday shopping list and save money.
We've created this guide to bring you this year's best Christmas sales and stand-out deals. We'll be scouring all your favorite retailers to bring you the best offers and bargains on everything from tech gadgets, home appliances, clothing, toys, beauty items, and more.
Christmas sales typically begin right after the upcoming Black Friday deals event, with promotions launching the day after Cyber Monday on November 29. Christmas sales will run right up to Christmas Eve for last-minute shoppers, and then after Christmas, sales will kick off on December 26.
We'll update this guide as soon as offers begin to launch, so make sure to bookmark this page for all the best Christmas sales.
When do Christmas sales start?
We expect Christmas sales to start as soon as the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales end, which will be on Monday, November 28. Retailers want to extend the holiday shopping season with leftover deals from Black Friday and roll them into Christmas sales.
Christmas sales will run up until Christmas Eve, and then retailers will begin their after-Christmas sales on December 26.
What are the best Christmas sales
The best Christmas sales are from retailers offering a wide variety of categories, like Amazon, so that you can do all your holiday shopping in one place. Amazon's Christmas sales also offer impressive discounts and fast shipping, so you can grab record-low prices and last-minute gifts on tech gadgets, home appliances, clothing, toys, smart home devices, and more.
Walmart is another favorite retailer for Christmas sales with deals throughout its site, plus you can always order online and pick up in-store if you live close to the retailer. Target, Overstock, and Wayfair are also favorites for Christmas sales, and if you're after tech gadgets, Best Buy and Dell offer fantastic deals throughout the month of December.
Last year's best Christmas sales
Taking a look back at last year's Christmas sales can give us a good idea of what deals we can expect to see. You'll find our top picks below which included cheap TVs, AirPods, workout equipment, and mattresses to name a few.
Fitbit Sense:$299.95$190 at Amazon
Save $110 - Amazon has the Fitbit Sense on sale for a record-low price of $190 when you apply the additional $10 savings at checkout. The Fitbit Sense goes beyond everyday activity tracking to offer additional stress, skin temperature, and heart monitoring for a more holistic understanding of your health and fitness.View Deal
Ninja Professional 1000-Watt Blender:$87$69 at Walmart
Save $18 - Start off the new year with this top-rated blender from Ninja on sale for $69 at Walmart. The 1000-Watt blender features a full 72 ounce XL pitcher which is perfect for making large batches of margaritas, daiquiris, shakes, and smoothies.View Deal
Samsung 55-inch 4K Smart TV:$499$398 at Walmart
Save $100 – If you're looking for a mid-size TV deal, Walmart has the Samsung 55-inch 4K TV on sale for just $398. You're getting a stunning 4K Crystal display and smart capabilities, so you can easily stream all your favorite movies and TV shows from apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more.View Deal
YnM Weighted Blanket:$49.80$39.80 at Amazon
Save $10 - Amazon has the top-rated YnM blanket on sale for $39.80 when you apply the additional $10 coupon at checkout. With over 44,000 positive user reviews on Amazon - it averages 4.6 out of 5 stars - it's incredibly popular. It's made from seven different layers, which contour to the shape of your body for a peaceful night's rest. View Deal
Eufy Smart Scale C1:$32.99$22.99 at Amazon
Save $5 - Get the Eufy smart scale on sale for $22.99 at Amazon. The Eufy Smart Scale C1 can measure your body's body fat ratio, BMI, bone mass, muscle mass, as well as your weight and gives you a more detailed way of checking in with your health and what that number on the scales actually means.View Deal
DEWALT 20V Max Cordless Drill Combo Kit:$999$599 at Amazon
Save $400 - Amazon is offering a massive $400 discount on this Dewalt Max cordless drill combo kit bringing the price down to $599. You're getting over ten tools, including; drill/driver, impact driver, blower, light, Bluetooth speaker, oscillating tool, grinder, circ saw, recipe saw, and a charger.View Deal
SuperFit 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill:$559.99$299.99 at Walmart
Save $260 - Walmart is offering a massive $260 discount on this handy folding treadmill from SuperFit. The 2 in 1 treadmill features a compact and foldable design and includes two sport modes that can be used as a running treadmill and an under-desk walking treadmill.View Deal
All-new Apple AirPods Pro:$249$197 at Amazon
Save $53 - Amazon has Apple's best-selling AirPods Pro in stock and on sale for $197. While we saw the earbuds drop to $159 over Black Friday, this is the best deal you'll find on these now. The all-new AirPods Pro includes a MagSafe Charging Case alongside the classic AirPods.View Deal
Beckham Hotel Collection Bed Pillows for Sleeping:$49.99$29.99 at Amazon
Save $20 - Another great idea, these top-rated pillows were a top-seller at this year's Black Friday sale and the queen-size pillow set is currently on sale for $29.99 when you apply the additional 40% coupon at checkout. With over 149,000 positive reviews, who wouldn't pass up that price?View Deal
Apple Watch 7 (41mm, GPS):$399.99$349 at Amazon
Save $50 - The Apple Watch is always a best-seller during the holidays and Amazon has the all-new Series 7 on sale for $349 - just $10 more than the record-low price. The smartwatch has a 20% larger screen than the Apple Watch 6, plus more tracking and color options, and faster charging.View Deal
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones:$349.99$299.99 at Best Buy
Save $50 - Hands-down the best headphones on the market, these XM4s deliver class-leading noise cancellation, audio upscaling, superior comfort, and a sleek design. While they're certainly not cheap, this is the best price you can find right now, so they're definitely worth considering.View Deal
Instant Vortex Plus 7-in-1 Air Fryer Oven:$139.95$99.95 at Amazon Save $40 - Amazon has knocked $40 off the cost of this air fryer oven, which has a pull-down door and can hold two trays of food at the same time. While this isn’t the lowest price we’ve ever seen for this air fryer – it dropped as low as $69.95 on Black Friday – it’s still very good value, and we suggest you grab this deal while it’s available.View Deal
Insignia 70-inch 4K UHD Smart Fire TV:$749.99$549.99 at Best Buy
Save $200 - Best Buy has this 70-inch 4K TV from Insignia on sale for just $549.99. The Insignia set packs 4K Ultra HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, and features the Fire OS for seamless streaming and a handy Alexa voice remote - all for under $600, which is an incredible value.View Deal
Nectar Memory Foam mattress: from $798 $499 + $399 free gifts at Nectar Sleep
Editor's choice - If you want to start the year off with a new mattress, Nectar's memory foam sits at number two in our mattress rankings and is exceptional value for money. It's extremely competitively priced, with a queen down from $1,298 to $799, and you'll get two free cooling pillows, sheets, and a mattress protector worth $399 added to your order. There's also a year-long risk-free trial to decide whether you like it, and a forever warranty.View Deal
