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Microsoft warns of a potentially serious zero-day vulnerability in Windows print spooler code. Although Microsoft hasn’t identified the severity of the vulnerability – known as “PrintNightmare” – it sounds pretty bad.

The company says external users could take advantage of PrintNightmare to gain elevated administrative privileges and run code remotely. In other words, it is an open invitation for hackers to take control of a PC and install malware, ransomware, steal or destroy important data, and more without the need for physical access to the computer. You know, real black hat stuff.

PrintNightmare affects the Windows print spooler in all versions of Windows, including versions installed on personal computers, corporate networks, Windows servers, and domain controllers. Even worse, PrintSpooler is already being actively exploited by hackers due to a faked proof-of-concept attack (PoC).

Sangfor security researchers discovered the PrintNightmare exploit along with several other zero-day bugs in Windows print spooler services. The group created PoC exploits as part of an upcoming presentation on the bugs. The researchers believed the vulnerabilities were already patched and posted them on Github.

While Microsoft has patched some of the zero-day print spooler vulnerabilities in a recent security update, PrintNightmare remains unpatched. Although Sangfar’s original PringNightmare PoC is no longer on Github, the project was replicated before it could be removed.

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Microsoft says it is working on a patch to fix the PrintNightmare bug, but there is evidence that the PoC exploit was used. Businesses and corporate users are the most vulnerable to the exploit, but general users could also be at risk. Microsoft is asking users to disable the Windows print spooler service on their PCs.

Network administrators can disable (and restore) the Windows print spooler and remote printing with a group policy, but general users must disable it with Powershell commands to protect their PC from PrintNightmare threats:

1. Use the system tray or the Windows Start menu to search for “Power Shell.”
2. Right click Powershell and select “Execute as administrator.”
3. At the Powershell command prompt, run the following command to disable the Windows print spooler: Stop-Service -Name Spooler -Force
4. Then run this command to prevent Windows from re-enabling Print Spooler services at startup: Set-Service -Name Spooler -StartupType Disabled

Keep your Windows print spooler services disabled until the patch from Microsoft is available and installed on your PC in the near future. As soon as it is securely patched, you can reactivate the print spool services in Powershell with the commands Set-Service -Name Spooler -StartupType Automatic and Start-Service -Name Spooler.

[The Verge]

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The ideal morning routine will help you start the day You feel successful, able, and ready to tackle anything in front of you. It’s a great feeling, but you may not have the energy to go through a complex routine every day. A relaxed, minimalist morning routine also has its advantages. Instead of trying to find the perfect balance, you may need more than a routine.

Redditor u / marlene-leonora suggests The solution to this problem is to have three routines, and I think it’s awesome. A routine when you are low on energy, one when you can’t wait, and one when you feel like you’re somewhere in between. If you only have the energy to accomplish what is necessary, you’ve still done something and you won’t feel like a failure. You just choose the routine that suits your energy level for the day.

As a natural night owl, my first thought of my own morning routines was that if I sleep late or wake up tired, my minimum is brushing my teeth, getting dressed, making toast, and spending a little time being silly on social media. When I have more time, I go for a walk and listen to a podcast. And my ideal is to take a run before breakfast and then come home with enough time to relax on the porch before I have to sign up for work.

However, this works for all types of routines. Are you struggling to find the time or energy to exercise? Break down your exercise routine into essentials and extras; On these time-sensitive days, only do the important things. Do you have a million things to do at work every morning? Make a checklist of the things that will get you off to a good start to your work day, even if you don’t have time for the rest.

Bedtime too: when you’re exhausted, stick to a minimalist evening routine that relaxes you and makes the next morning better in at least one way (like doing a few dishes so the sink isn’t full and you’ve got all the utensils you need to Need breakfast). When you’re able to do more than the minimum, unleash a more ambitious version of your routine that allows you time to take a bath and read a book – or whatever the ideal night for you.

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Routines build momentum, so after you’ve done your low-energy routine for a few days, you’ll likely be a little more interested in planning ahead to have time for the medium version, and maybe even the days that you can do it all

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LEGOs are all about the possible: what can you build when you get a full box? I spent a good part of my childhood browsing our LEGO collection at home and building all kinds of gadgets and gadgets. My older brother, when he didn’t beat me up, would join in sometimes, and we would spend hours building all kinds of structures we could think of – that’s probably why he’s an architect now and I’m an amateur boxer. He learned to build; I learned how to throw a good punch. Both are useful life skills.

However, the hard thing about LEGOs – especially if you’ve been collecting them for a while – is keeping track of what you have. After a while everything just fits together and some parts are lost. Not having a keen sense of what you have and in what amounts is especially irritating when you’re trying to build something in particular only to lose the right pieces before you’re done.

How to use Brickit, the new LEGO scanning app

A new app called Brick, available for download from the App Store, scans your LEGOs to create an inventory of your collection. This includes counting the total number of stones as well as sorting them by size. All you have to do is spread out your LEGOs on a flat surface and take a picture, and the app will suggest different characters to build with the bricks in your collection, including step-by-step instructions .

Some of the suggested figurines you can make include a platypus, typewriter, racing car, train, and peacock, while more are undoubtedly more to come in the coming weeks. Brickit even shows you where the LEGOs are in the stack you just scanned. If you’re not quite the size or color of the blocks, the spirit of LEGO building encourages you to be creative.

This app is still in beta, which means it still has quirks and limitations. For starters, it’s only available for Apple products, although an Android version is slated to come out in the fall. It also doesn’t scan the Duplo series or any part of Techno yet.

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However, apart from the limitations, it helps to open up a world of possibilities. So get out your LEGOs, take a picture and start building.

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Los Angeles Angeles District recently sought-after residents again to wear masks in public due to the increased risk posed by the Delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19. Days later, the CDC director said that vaccinated people are still “safe” and do not have to mask themselves in most public institutions. Who’s Right and Why the Conflicting News?

Vaccines are still highly effective against Delta

Vaccines may be a little less effective against Delta when compared to older forms of the virus, but they still work. Initial data show that the Pfizer vaccine is 88% effective against Delta (compared to 93% for Alpha, an earlier variant) if you are fully vaccinated. Moderna announced that laboratory tests suggest his vaccine can neutralize all variants, including Delta, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine appears to be 60% effective.

The vaccines against serious illnesses are also likely to be effective, so if you get a breakthrough chances are it will be milder than if you hadn’t been vaccinated; Pfizer was 96% effective Prevent hospitalization.

So if you’ve been vaccinated, you’re still largely protected, but it’s reasonable to be a little extra careful.

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Delta is more contagious than other forms of the virus

Delta is a “questionable variant” for good reason: It’s more transmissible than other forms of the virus, it can cause more serious illness, and it’s less likely to be stopped by vaccines. Portability is currently the most worrying aspect.

In the UK, Delta accounts for almost all new infections; in the US it is still only 20 percent. Delta might be the dominant strain here too because it is more transmissible. The fact that we recently dropped the mask requirement could help it spread, and low vaccination rates in some communities mean these places could be particularly vulnerable. Virologist Angela Rasmussen said Scientific American that hot weather in places like Arizona and Texas could cause more people to share air if they congregate in air-conditioned indoor spaces, which could lead to increased transmission in those areas.

Masking yourself more often could be a good idea

With what we know about Delta, the likelihood that people who are vaccinated will not contract or transmit the virus are still not very likely – but the likelihood is greater than vanilla COVID.

Some environments, such as hospitals and airports, require masks for everyone. (I recently traveled by plane for the first time in ages; I appreciated the mask rule as the planes were crammed.) If you are vaccinated, you may want to wear a mask in crowded indoor areas or in places that are otherwise a high risk deal for you. I don’t wear a mask on most of my trips, but I always have one in my pocket.

Here is a helpful metaphor of a New York Times article to the contradicting reports:

“Thinking about wearing a mask at this point is a bit like adapting to the weather,” said Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and one of the professors world leading experts on virus transmission. “You have to consider the number of cases and vaccination rates, wherever you go, what activities you do and your own health.”

In parts of the world where Delta is the dominant variety, cases are high, and many people are unvaccinated, masks can help manage the situation. In other places, including parts of the United States, cases are low and vaccination rates are high, which means it is relatively safe to go without a mask when vaccinated.

If you are not vaccinated, it is more important than ever to keep masking yourself to protect yourself. Children may no longer have to wear masks in settings like schools, but if cases spread around you, wearing them anyway might be a good idea. Masks can also help people with weakened immune systems, some of them may be more susceptible to the virus even if they have been vaccinated.