Intel Processor Vulnerability to slow down all Intel PCs as much as 30%

This is huge…if you have ever followed updates you know that the kernel often has holes plugged, but apparently this vulnerability is huge. Clearly to properly fix a hardware vulnerability properly requires a hardware upgrade. But operating system updates can address it. But the kernel is addressed so frequently that this type of fix will significantly slow down all computers. This new vulnerability, which is being kept hush-hush until it’s all been patched, affects ALL computers and laptops with Intel processors, whether they are Windows, Mac, or Linux based. Yes, that’s right…since Apple always has what has previously been the best hardware, they are also affected on this one. This vulnerability affects all Intel-based PC’s going back 10 years. I’ve read in some places that some newest processors may not be as affected “quite” as much, i.e. the slowdown won’t be as dramatic, but they are all affected. This is a sad day. I know I’m sad. I can’t afford to upgrade hardware, I just built my current rig about a year ago. Upgrading a processor usually requires a new motherboard also, unless you just got one maybe. Anyway, if you look on the web, you will see many articles on this subject, all them current news. I’ll give you some for some reading if you are concerned. Even though the specifics of the vulnerability won’t be released until the patch is out, they have said that it’s a memory leak…so basically it would give hackers the ability to read data, but not to write, delete, or modify it. (whatever comfort that may be) …I’m wondering if simple encryption helps in this case. ??? What say you?

Tech Republic

PC World

Tech Crunch

PC Word gets Intel’s Response to the news

Website Technology Changes for Video Playback, Important!

If you have a website, or you are involved in web development, you know that things are constantly changing, right? Do you remember not too long ago before HTML 5 and CSS 3 came out and brought along all the wonderful responsive website technology that made things so nice for cell phones and tablets? Do you remember that once upon a time, we had to have a .mobile TLD (top level domain) for your URL so you could have an entire separate website for cell phones? And then came along HTML5 and CSS3 and all this wonderful new stuff that removed the scroll bar from the bottom of the webpage, and now things just AUTOMATICALLY resize depending on screen size? It seems like ages ago, but really it wasn’t that many years ago. Things change rapidly when it comes to internet technology. Sometimes, for those of us who work in it, it’s difficult to keep up with.

Anyway, today I have some information about the WebKit engine. WebKit engine is the technology used for Safari browsers, and the Kindle browser. (why can’t they just use the same HTML as everyone else, right?) Anyway, there are some new changes that have to do how AUTOPLAY on videos works. So if you have video on your website, you are probably going to want to study this issue. I have read that the changes that Apple made, Chrome will also be making in early 2018. The main thing is that AUDIO will not autoplay any more. If you want sound, you have to have controls enabled. Only videos without sound will autoplay. If you want to read about the OSX and iOS Webkit changes, you can read about them here: https://webkit.org/blog/7734/auto-play-policy-changes-for-macos/

WordPress 4.9 Released

WORDPRESS VERSION 4.9 UPDATE RELEASED

Be sure to update your WordPress sites and keep them secure. (and get all the wonderful additional features they add in major version releases). Today version 4.9, nick-named “Tipton” was released. It has a lot of new features, new widgets, a lot of customizer improvements, coding enhancements, and much more, GO READ ABOUT IT if you are interested. It is sitting there on your dashboard, waiting for you to run the update, so take the 5 minutes and go do it. Don’t forget to backup both the files and the database first, so if something on your site for some reason is not compatible, you can restore it to the prior configuration.

GET HELP

If you need any help, Everything I.T. has wonderfully affordable WordPress annual maintenance packages that cover updating and backups, and in some cases restoration from a successful hack. (If someone hacks your site, we’ll put it back for you, a feature of the advanced maintenance package) We can also install SSL on your site for around $75, and we also have a full security configuration as well that covers putting a firewall, setting blocking of known blacklists, and about 30 other deterrent features that are wonderful, and entirely worth the price. CALL TODAY!