Latest news with #MicrosoftWindows
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
How this TikTok trend promising free Spotify and Microsoft software updates is ‘dangerous' for you
Hackers are reportedly using short promotional videos disguised as offers for free Spotify Premium and Windows 365 on TikTok to spread malware. These ten-second videos, which have garnered millions of views on the platform, claim to provide an easy method to unlock paid subscriptions or features for popular services like Microsoft Windows, Office 365 and Spotify Premium, a report claims. The method involves a simple prompt to be typed into the PowerShell command-line tool in Windows. However, this command does not unlock any premium services. Instead, it downloads and installs malware designed to steal various types of private information from an infected PC. This stolen data can include personal documents, cryptocurrency, and social media login credentials. What cybersecurity researchers said about these TikTok videos According to a report by Forbes, a cybersecurity researcher at Trend Micro who discovered the attack said that traditional security tools are likely to miss this malware. This is because the malicious software is not delivered via typical methods such as email attachments or software exploits. Instead, it is unwittingly installed by users who are seeking free subscriptions. In a report on the attack, the company explained: 'There is no malicious code present on the platform for security solutions to analyse or block. All actionable content is delivered visually and aurally.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo In a statement to Forbes, Trend Micro researcher Junestherry Dela Cruz said that the company believes AI is enabling the scam as the promotional videos all use similar synthetic voices and feature nearly identical shots and camera angles. Meanwhile, TikTok informed Forbes that it had removed all accounts identified by the researchers as dangerous but declined to elaborate further. However, the report didn't mention how many viewers installed the malware, but it noted that the videos were popular, as one clip promising to 'boost your Spotify experience instantly' received over 500,000 views, and two TikTok accounts posting 11 such videos collectively reached nearly 1 million views. In the comments on a video offering pro Windows features, which had over 550,000 views, one user asked, 'Is this safe?' One of the replies also reportedly warned of serious consequences, saying: 'My hard drive had been wiped after running the code,' and 'All my accounts were hacked because of these videos.' AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Mint
26-05-2025
- Mint
CERT-In issues high-risk advisory over critical Microsoft vulnerabilities: Report
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has issued a high-risk security advisory for users of Microsoft products,reported Business Standard. As per the publication, the alert, published on CERT-In's official platform, highlights serious vulnerabilities that could potentially expose users and organisations to a range of cyber threats. You may be interested in According to the advisory, the identified flaws reportedly affect a wide range of Microsoft services and tools, including Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Azure, Office, Developer Tools, Dynamics, System Centre, and extended security updates for older Microsoft products. CERT-In has raised concerns that the vulnerabilities could be exploited by attackers to gain elevated privileges, access confidential data, bypass security mechanisms, execute remote code, or initiate denial-of-service (DoS) and spoofing attacks. 'These multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft products could be exploited to compromise system integrity and put sensitive information at risk,' the agency warned, urging IT administrators, cybersecurity teams, and general users to act promptly. As of now, Microsoft has not issued any official workaround or mitigation for the vulnerabilities. Users are being advised to install the latest security patches released by Microsoft in its May 2025 update to minimise potential risks. It is noteworthy that the advisory serves as a crucial reminder for organisations and individuals to remain vigilant and to ensure that all systems are updated regularly to avoid potential exploitation. Install the latest security updates as detailed in Microsoft's May 2025 release notes. Monitor systems for unusual activity and apply best practices in access management and endpoint security. Engage security professionals to assess vulnerabilities and ensure appropriate defences are in place. With cyberattacks growing increasingly sophisticated, CERT-In's alert underscores the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures in safeguarding digital infrastructure.
News18
26-05-2025
- News18
Windows 10, 11 And Microsoft Office Users Face Major Security Risks, Indian Govt Raises Alert
Last Updated: Windows and Office users are facing multiple security issues that can leave them vulnerable to cyber attacks and hacking. Microsoft Windows and Office among other products are facing another big security risk that has forced the Indian government to alert the users across the country. Windows is the popular OS used by millions for their PCs and laptops, while Office lets you use apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The latest concerning issue has been detailed by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team or CERT-In in May 2025, sharing some worrying details about the security risks that make millions of Windows PCs vulnerable to hacking attacks. The CERT-In alert explains the security risks that are plaguing not just the Windows and Office users but other Microsoft products that are heavily relied on by businesses. 'Multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in various Microsoft Products which could allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges, obtain Information Disclosure, bypass Security restriction, conduct remote code execution attacks, perform spoofing attacks, or cause denial of service (DoS) conditions," the security bulletin says. The government alert also points out the Microsoft users who are at risk because of the latest issues: Windows, both latest and legacy versions are vulnerable to the security issues, which makes it critical that everyone using a Windows PC should install the latest patch at the earliest. You also have businesses targeted with products like Azure and dynamics also in the mix. And yes, like we said, Office has a wide suite of apps that are used by both personal and business users. The agency also informs that Individuals and IT administrators, security teams responsible for maintaining and updating Microsoft products could be targeted with ransomware or cyber attacks. So what can you do to protect your systems from the issues? Microsoft has already discovered the risks, and released the patches that will keep your machine safe. We suggest you go to settings, enable auto-update Windows and reboot the system to have the new version installed to keep your PC safe.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Fico Stock To $1,000?
Fair Isaac (NYSE:FICO) stock dropped big on Wednesday - more than 15%. In fact, the stock has plummeted almost 23% in the last two days and is down about 30% from its highs in December, about 6 months ago. It was trading at about $1,704 per share at the end of market close yesterday. Could it drop lower - another 25-30%? What about 40% to $1,000 levels? Well, here's the concern - even at $1,704 per share the stock isn't cheap. It trades at close to 60x last twelve months' cash flow. Not 16 times, rather 60 times. Let's flip that number, and you get about 1.6% cash flow yield (ratio of cash flow to price). Correct, that's paltry. Nvidia for context, trades at 50x cash flow, and Nvidia is the AI king in an AI era, and has clocked between 80-100% revenue growth the last few years. Revenue growth for FICO isn't bad, about 14%. But this is not Nvidia. FICO revenue growth picked up from the 10% levels over the last few years. But not enough to justify the 60x multiple. What you pay, matters. Now, FICO was part of Trefis High Quality portfolio (HQ) back in 2024 when it was much cheaper. We construct HQ with an eye toward relative valuation - HQ clocked >91% return since inception and outperformed S&P, Nasdaq, Dow, all of them. Well, margins have been expanding. FICO has been increasing prices - and its operating and cash flow margins have swelled from low 30s - around 32% a few years ago - to now close to 40%. That is huge. And that's not easy. The market has been rewarding the margin expansion, until now. Federal Housing and Finance Agency (FHFA) executive Bill Pulte raised concerns about FICO score pricing, and that resulted in the stock dropping on Wednesday. The reason FICO could increase prices is because it's the only game in town. Ever bought a house on mortgage, an auto loan, or even just took out a new credit card? Your lender used the FICO score to see if you qualify for the loan. It's used all the time. By everyone - all lenders - your bank, credit card companies, and mortgage lenders. Now much criticism has been made in the last five years, lawsuits have been filed. FICO is not going to be able to increase prices. Too much focus of the wrong kind on FICO's monopoly-like power. Revenue growth will slow down. Margins are not going to expand, might even compress. All this will mean it should be valued like many other 10% revenue growth companies. That is, assuming it can sustain even that growth. Sure, FICO is stable, and maybe even more resilient - maybe even more solidly entrenched - think how Microsoft Windows and Office are embedded in large enterprises. But that's debatable. Microsoft traded at about a 48x multiple and is growing 15% annually. Even at 48x cash flow FICO is going to be at $1,350 per share. Could it be lower than the 48x that Microsoft fetches? You can judge how much you'd like to pay for FICO. FICO relies on lending volumes. Personal lending - home mortgages, autos, credit cards. There is always a possibility that home buying will turn around. If the Trump administration gets off the tariff horse, and the Fed drops interest rate as inflation actually cools, things can look up. Why? Lower rates will energize home buyers, auto loans, and all sorts of personal loan activity. As loan activity and volumes pick up, so will FICO revenues. There is a lot of pent up demand for housing. FICO does not need to raise prices for credit score lookup. It just needs more activity. Here is a little more positive perspective on FICO stock: Buy Or Fear Fair Isaac (FICO) Stock? Comparison as a tool: The purpose of comparing FICO with Nvidia and Microsoft is all about understanding the risk-reward tradeoff of an investment of interest, in this case FICO. In practice, investment decisions are about understanding relative attractiveness. Buy FICO stock, or keep your money as interest earning cash and avoid current market risk associated with FICO? Or buy an ETF on the S&P 500? Is expected return on FICO stock more than that on cash - by how much? What's the downside risk you bear to earn that extra return on the stock? Drawing contrast with a specific 'anchor' asset, in this case Nvidia and Microsoft, serves as a powerful tool to assess the risk-reward tradeoff. Note: Always use an appropriate comparison for a ticker. FICO is a 'high valuation' stock. For something trading close to 60x P/FCF ratio, using Nvidia and Microsoft as anchors provides a critical perspective on risk-reward. These stock trade at high multiples, too - yet offer much more than FICO. No matter the trade-off, investing in a single stock can be risky. On the other hand, the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a selection of 30 stocks, has demonstrated a history of comfortably outperforming the S&P 500 over the past 4-year span. What accounts for this? As a collective, HQ Portfolio stocks achieved superior returns with reduced risk compared to the standard index, with a smoother performance evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Daily Record
Windows 10 and Windows 11 critical update as users urged 'not to ignore'
Microsoft Windows has released a critical update, with users being urged to check immediately if their PC and laptop are up to date. Those who are operating their PC or laptops on Windows 10 or Windows 11 have been urged to check their settings immediately. It comes as Microsoft launch a major update which people are being cautioned not to ignore. As part of the platforms Patch Tuesday programme, the latest upgrade from the Redmond firm fixes a total of 72 flaws within its popular operating systems. Not worrying enough? Six of these bugs have been deemed 'critical' and given a 'zero-day' rating. To break it down for users further, 'zero-day' essentially means hackers are aware of the gremlins and are actively exploiting them in the wild. This is why Microsoft has rushed so quickly to fix the problems in a bid to keep people safe, as reported by the Express. The bugs include Privilege Vulnerabilities, Bypass Vulnerabilities and Spoofing Vulnerabilities, with it now being vital that you check your PC or laptop is running the very latest version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 without delay. Explaining more, the security team at Action1 said: "Attackers exploiting these vulnerabilities can escalate privileges to system level, granting them full control to run arbitrary code, install malware, modify data or disable security protections. "With low complexity and minimal privileges needed, these flaws pose a serious risk, especially given the confirmed in-the-wild." How do I check my system is updated? To check if your PC or laptop is up to date, you can head to settings, navigate to update and security, then Windows update, and select 'Check for updates'. This new patch offers a glimpse into why Windows 10 users should consider switching to Windows 11. From October, free updates like the one released this week will no longer be available, and that will put Windows 10 users at much higher risk of issues and cyber attacks. "Starting Oct. 14, 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates," explained Yusuf Mehdi, Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer. "As security threats evolve and adapt, so must our operating systems and hardware. Because of this, we designed Windows 11 to be the most secure version of Windows ever — by default and design — to help you stay ahead of those risks."
