“Some potential reasons for the overall decrease in malware encounter rates in 2018 are the growth in adoption of Windows 10, and increased use of Windows Defender for protection,” said the company. The average encounter rate for malware fell from 4.40% in October 2018 to 3.21% in 2019. Year-over-year month comparisons to March show a more drastic 4.33% change. On average, 2018 saw a 5.07% encounter rate versus 2019’s 3....

In a blog post, Microsoft says Collabora will help build on Microsoft’s existing mapping layers. For example, D3D11On12, D3D9On12, and the D3D12 Transition Layer library. However, the new collaboration will be seeking to extend further into open source libraries. This will be achieved by leveraging Mesa 3D, which is an open source implementation of OpenGL and other graphics APIs. Microsoft and Collabora will integrate a D3D12 backend to Mesa 3D, allowing it to support OpenGL and OpenCL....

Publications have tried various ways to circumvent this, from asking users to disable their blocker to denying access entirely. However, reports from PageFair show that 77% of users are willing to view “some ad formats”. An End to Intrusive Advertising? It’s taken a while, but the big tech powers are starting to accept that reality. According to AdAdge, the Coalition for Better Ads is considering browser-wide blocking for the more intrusive methods....

For the Redmond company, this means a rollout of its AccountGuard feature in Canada, which it began offering in August last year. As its name suggests, Microsoft’s service looks to reduce the instances of hacking. To do so, it checks for malware in attachments, phishing emails, failed login attempts, and other suspicious activity. If something is found, a notification is sent to the account holder. If a genuine cyber threat is uncovered, Microsoft provides remediation and ongoing support to stop the threat....

In an accompanying blog, Microsoft says the 100X100X100 program is an initiative that unites 100 companies with 100 startups and early growth businesses. All the participants have enterprise-ready services available. Committed companies have pledged to fund $100,000 over 18 months to buying solutions developed by SaaS startups. Anant Maheshwari, President of Microsoft India, says the program can drive adoption of SaaS ideas in India. “India has one of the largest B2B SaaS startup ecosystems in the world, and it’s growing exponentially....

The company says that CodePlex was originally created as there was a need for a platform to share software. GitHub has since grown to be the repository of choice for millions. Microsoft says it has already shared and migrated most its open source projects to GitHub. Of course, GitHub is not a Microsoft service, but the company also has its own place for proprietary projects. Visual Studio Team Services is that solution....

If you are unfamiliar with Immersive Reader, it is a tool that helps users with dyslexia and other reading challenges. While it functions alone, it is part of OneNote Learning Tools and comes with the following feature: Read Aloud—Reads text out loud with simultaneous highlighting that improves decoding, fluency and comprehension while sustaining the reader’s focus and attention. Spacing—Optimizes font spacing in a narrow column view to improve reading fluency for users with visual crowding issues....

Microsoft’s developments for Chromium Edge will be accessible on Chrome, and Google’s developments on Chrome would be accessible on Edge. A new tool is a classic example as it is a co-development between Google and Microsoft. Specifically, the companies worked on refreshed controls, creating new modernized forms. The new feature is available on Microsoft Chromium Edge Insider builds and other Chromium-based browsers. For Edge testers, the change is currently available on the Data Canary and Dev channels....

Packaged with Windows 11 Preview build 22478, the update also makes some other important changes. For example, fixes for emojis in Fluent Design. Still, it is Update Stack Packages that is the main addition. However, Microsoft has not offered a lot of detail on the service. What the company does say is the packages are a method to “deliver update improvements outside of major OS updates, such as new builds....

In a blog announcement, Microsoft says its commitment to privacy is steadfast as technology advances through AI and smart devices. Of course, some would argue Windows 10 is itself not very good at maintaining privacy. The platform has been criticized for the level of user data it takes, something Microsoft has tried to address. Either way, the company has new privacy tools for Windows 10, available no to Windows Insiders....

And that is what is happening with the KB5005033 patch rolled out as part of September Patch Tuesday last week. Microsoft confirms this patch is breaking general printing capabilities for organizations with specific configurations. In an advisory for the patch, Microsoft explains the following issues: “After installing KB5005033 or a later update, certain printers in some environments using Point and Print might receive a prompt saying, “Do you trust this printer” and requiring administrator credentials to install every time an app attempts to print to a print server or a print client connects to a print server....

According to Microsoft’s official Security Advisory, there are two remote execution vulnerabilities. These flaws are found in the Adobe Type Manager Library, which displays Adobe Type-1 PostScript in Windows. “Microsoft has become aware of limited targeted Windows 7 based attacks that could leverage un-patched vulnerabilities in the Adobe Type Manager Library and is providing the following guidance to help reduce customer risk until the security update is released. We appreciate the efforts of our industry partners and are complying with a 7-day timeline for disclosing information regarding these limited attacks....

To showcase Timeline, Microsoft demoed the feature during yesterday’s Windows Insider webcast. The feature is expected to make its debut in upcoming Redstone 4 preview releases. Microsoft says the next Insider release will be coming on Thursday, although it is not clear if Timeline will be in the next release. The live demo of Windows Timeline highlights some of the abilities of the tool. Timeline gives users in Windows 10 the ability to see what they are doing at a particular time....

Speaking of builds with the 17035 numbering, Microsoft also sent out Windows 10 SDK Preview Build 17035 to developers. The client and server feature updates known as Redstone 4 are going to launch March, 2018 (hence the 1803 number. Microsoft has yet to officially announce Redstone 4, but the company has been testing early versions through the Skip Ahead feature on the Insider Program. For Windows Server, Insiders can use build 17035 to select between VHDX format or ISO format....

Furthermore, Redmond has introduced new web standards proposals for developing both pieces of hardware. The Surface Neo Windows 10X 2-in-1, and the Surface Duo Android smartphone are moving ahead with development. We have already seen numerous Microsoft patents reflecting features for both devices. Now, Microsoft will introduce a preview SDK for Windows 10X in the “coming weeks”. This means Insiders will be able to start working with the platform that underpins the Surface Neo....

To be clear, Timeline will not be debuting with the Fall Creators Update. Instead, the company will likely roll it out with Redstone 4 early in 2018. That is the next build of Windows 10 to launch after the FCU. Some Windows Insiders are already testing the Redstone 4 branch with the Skip Ahead tool. Kevin Gallo, head of the Windows Developer Platform, showed the feature at Microsoft’s Developer Day....

For example, Microsoft has only highlighted how the pen will do basic tasks such as note-taking. Nothing new there. Of course, we have only seen a prototype of the Neo and hints of 10X’s capabilities. Could Microsoft be planning something more ambitious and really aiming for the pen-first UI? Well, Microsoft Research has showcased a technology that adds a potent sensor to tablets. This will allow the OS to adapt to however the user is holding the device....

Well, it is important to know Microsoft is not saying it is a requirement to move from UWP to Windows App SDK. The company makes it clear that UWP is staying, and developers are free to continue building apps in that way: “If you are happy with your current functionality in UWP, there is no need to migrate your project type.” Microsoft also points out that the Windows platform will also use UWP apps where it makes sense....

With Windows 11 scheduled for launch on October 5, Microsoft is ramping up its gatekeeping for who is allowed to the upgrade party. We already know that Windows 10 users can upgrade for free, but some will be shut out because of hardware requirements. Chief among them a 4GB of RAM and TPM 2.0 requirement. Microsoft has said the platform will only be available for laptops with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2....

For the unfamiliar, TLS is a cryptographic protocol and the successor to SSL. It protects data in transit and sees use in email and general web browsing. TLS 1.0 is now almost 18 years old and has some issues. In TLS 1.0 attackers can downgrade user’s connection to SSL 3.0 before making use of other exploits. TLS 1.1 doesn’t have any glaring vulnerabilities, it doesn’t have the many security features of 1....