May 2023 Windows 11 Version 22H2 Non-Security Optional Preview "C" Release

 Microsoft released the monthly “C” release preview cumulative updates with non-security improvements and fixes for Windows 11, Version 22H2.  

The update includes some of the enhancements announced at MS Build for Home or Pro consumer devices or non-managed business devices that run Windows 11, version 22H2, described in Announcing new Windows 11 innovation, with features for secure, efficient IT management and intuitive user experience.

Following are the highlights for KB5026446 (OS Build 22621.1778):

• New! This update provides the full amount of storage capacity of all your Microsoft OneDrive subscriptions. It also displays the total storage on the Accounts page in the Settings app.

• New! This update adds Bluetooth LE Audio. This improves audio fidelity and battery life when you pair your device with Bluetooth audio devices. 

• This update addresses an issue that affects Narrator. It now announces text attributes correctly for words, such as "misspelled," "deletion change," and "comment."

• This update addresses an issue that affects access to Tab settings for IE mode sites.

• This update addresses a multi-function label printer issue. It affects the installation of some of them.

• This update addresses an issue that affects audio playback. It fails on devices that have certain processors.

• This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. It shows the wrong layout for the French-Canadian language.

• This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. Sometimes, it does not show the correct layout based on the current input scope.

• This update addresses an issue that affects the Chinese and Japanese Input Method Editor (IME). When you search within the Emoji Panel (Windows key + period (.) ), search might fail for some of you.

See the referenced KB article for the long list of improvements and fixes included in the update.

Update: To get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to download and install the update can be found in the Optional updates area.  To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

For information about the types of updates released by Microsoft each month, see Windows monthly updates explained.

Windows 11 update history

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

May 2023 Windows 11 Version 21H2 Non-Security Optional Preview "C" Release

 Microsoft released the monthly “C” release preview cumulative updates with non-security improvements and fixes for Windows 11, Version 21H2. 

Following are the highlights for KB5026436 (OS Build 22000.2003) for Windows 11 version 22H1: 

• This update addresses an issue that affects Narrator. It now announces text attributes correctly for words, such as "misspelled," "deletion change," and "comment."

• This update addresses an issue that affects access to Tab settings for IE mode sites.

• This update addresses an issue that affects certain printers. They fail to install if they connect to Wi-Fi automatically.

• This update addresses a multi-function label printer issue. It affects the installation of some of them.

• This update addresses an issue that affects audio playback. It fails on devices that have certain processors.

• This update improves the user experience (UX) and interactions for the search box on the taskbar.

See the referenced KB article for the list of improvements and fixes included in the update.

Update: To get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to download and install the update can be found in the Optional updates area.  To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

For information about the types of updates released by Microsoft each month, see Windows monthly updates explained.

Windows 11 update history

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

May 2023 Windows 10 Non-Security Optional Preview "C" Release

 Microsoft released KB5026435 for Windows 10 version 22H2 optional non-security release preview (Windows monthly updates explained).

Reminder: There are no more optional, non-security preview releases for the supported editions of Windows 10, version 20H2 and Windows 10, version 21H2. Only monthly security update releases will continue for these versions.  Windows 10, version 22H2 will continue to receive security and optional releases on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

The following are the highlighted changes included in the update:

• New! This update brings back an improved search box experience on the Windows 10 taskbar. If you have a top, bottom, regular, or small icons taskbar, you will see the search box appear. You can use it to easily access apps, files, settings, and more from Windows and the web. You will also have access to the latest search updates, such as search highlights. If you want to restore your previous search experience, you can do that easily. To do that, use the taskbar context menu or respond to a dialog that appears when you use search.

• New! This update now displays up to three high priority toast notifications at the same time. This feature affects apps that use Windows OS notifications to send notices for calls, reminders, or alarms. Up to four toast notifications might appear at the same time. This means that there can be three high priority notifications and one normal priority notification.

• This update addresses an issue that affects access to Tab settings for IE mode sites.

• This update addresses a multi-function label printer issue. It affects the installation of some of them.

• This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. Sometimes, it does not show the correct layout based on the current input scope.

• This update addresses an issue that sometimes fails to open the touch keyboard.

See the referenced KB Article for prerequisites and the additional improvements and fixes included in the update.

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. For general information about SSUs, see Servicing stack updates and Servicing Stack Updates (SSU): Frequently Asked Questions.

Update:  To get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to download and install the update can be found in the Optional updates available area.  To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Windows 10 update history

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Mozilla Firefox Version 113.0.2 Released

  

Mozilla sent Firefox Version 113.0.2 to the Release Channel today.

Fixed

• Fixed an issue which caused Picture-in-Picture windows to not be snappable on Windows 11 or on systems with the FancyZones PowerToy installed (bug 1832331)

• Fixed a video playback crash on some Windows systems with Intel graphics (bug 1831329)

• Fixed a bug which could cause Firefox to freeze on some pages when loading them with the Developer Tools Web Console open (bug 1828026)

• Fixed a bug which would cause the bookmarks and history sidebars to not properly react to the browser window being vertically resized (bug 1831535)

Release Notes

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Pale Moon Version 32.2.0 Released with Security Updates

 

Pale Moon has been updated to version 32.2.0.  This is a major development and security update.

Changes/Fixes:

• Implemented dynamic module imports. See implementation notes.
• Implemented exporting of async functions in modules.
• Implemented JavaScript class fields. See implementation notes.
• Implemented logical assignment operators ||=, &&= and ??=.
  
• Implemented a solution for websites using the officially deprecated ambiguous window.event. This is disabled by default but can be enabled through about:config's dom.window.event.enabled preference. See implementation notes.
• Implemented self.structuredClone() (this may be very obscure to anyone except web developers. Apologies ;-) )
• Implemented Element.replaceChildren. Once again primarily a web developer note.
• Improved Shadow DOM :host matching.
• Implemented WebComponents' CSS ::slotted() and related functionality.
• Improved page caching in our memory allocator.
  
• Added support for FFmpeg 6.0, especially important for bleeding-edge Linux distros.
• Fixed a potential drawing deadlock for images, specifically SVG. This solves a number of hang-on-shutdown scenarios.
• Fixed various crashes related to WebComponents and our recent JavaScript work.
• Fixed various build-from-source issues on secondary target platforms.
• Fixed various small browser front-end scripting issues that could lead to errors or broken functionality.
  
• Fixed handling of async (arrow) functions declared inside constructors.
• Fixed various small JavaScript conformance issues.
• Fixed an issue where JavaScript (only in modules) would not properly create async wrappers.
• Updated the DOM Performance API to the current spec (User Timing L3).
  See implementation notes, especially if you intend to use this in web content for critical functionality.
• Updated keypress event handling to send keypress events on Ctrl+Enter.
• Updated internal JavaScript structures to make future porting easier, as well as improve JavaScript performance.
• Updated window handling and styling on Mac.
• Updated the Freetype lib to 2.13.0.
• Updated the Harfbuzz lib to 7.1.0.
• Updated our DNS lookup calls to use inet_ntoa() instead of the deprecated inet_ntop().
• Updated the Fetch API to use the global's base URL instead of the entry document's base URL for spec compliance.
  
• We no longer support the outmoded fontconfig on GTK systems.
• We no longer parse or return the body of known-empty responses from servers (content-length of 0, or in case of HEAD or CONNECT methods).
• Implemented scaled font caching on GTK, improving performance.
  
• Fixed a build issue when building for Linux on ARM64 on later distros.
• Split out more parts of the browser into separate .dll files on Windows to reduce compiler strain and an oversized xul.dll
• Removed mozilla::AlignedStorage (code cleanup).
• Builds for FreeBSD now use xz for packaging instead of bzip2. By request, we now also offer GTK2 builds for FreeBSD.
  
• Merged the preference dom.getRootNode.enabled into the dom.webcomponents.enabled pref. See implementation notes.
• Fixed a potential DoS issue with JPEG decoding.
• Fixed a potential issue in Windows widget code that could lead to crashes.
• Disabled potentially hazardous external protocols on Windows.
• Added known-problematic .dlls to the internal blocklist.
• Security issues addressed: CVE-2023-32209, CVE-2023-32214 and several others that do not have a CVE designation.
• UXP Mozilla security patch summary: 4 fixed, 1 rejected, 27 not applicable.

Notes:

See the referenced Release Notes for a long list of Implementation Notes.

Pale Moon includes both 32- and 64-bit versions for Windows: Pale Moon for Windows downloads.

Update: To get the update now, select "Help" from the Pale Moon menu at the upper left of the browser window.  Select About Pale Moon > Check for Updates. 

Release Notes

Release Cycle

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Mozilla Firefox Version 113.0.1 Released

 

Mozilla sent Firefox Version 113.0.1 to the Release Channel today.

Fixed

• Fixed incorrect colors for Windows users with installed monitor/display color profiles, particularly on wide gamut displays (bug 1832215)

• Fixed borders being visible around fullscreen windows for some configurations (bug 1830721)

• Fixed an issue which may cause users in some configurations to experience tearing when watching videos in fullscreen mode (bug 1830792)

Release Notes

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Microsoft May 2023 Security Updates

 

The Microsoft May 2023 security updates have been released and consist of 38 new CVEs plus 11 CVEs in Chromium that were previously released for Edge and are now being documented in the Security Updates Guide.  Of these CVEs, 7 are rated critical and 31 are rated important in severity.  At the time of release, one is listed as being under active attack and two as publicly known.

The security updates apply to the following products, features and roles: Microsoft Windows and Windows Components; Office and Office Components; Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based); SharePoint Server; Visual Studio; SysInternals; and Microsoft Teams.

See the list of KBs at the bottom of the page at May 2023 Security Updates - Release Notes - Security Update Guide - Microsoft for information regarding known issues with the security updates as well as the CVEs with FAQs, Mitigations and/or Workarounds. 

Reminder: There are no more optional, non-security preview releases for the supported editions of Windows 10, version 20H2 and Windows 10, version 21H2. Only cumulative monthly security updates (known as the "B" or Update Tuesday release) will continue for these versions. Windows 10, version 22H2 will continue to receive security and optional releases.

Recommended Reading:   See Dustin Childs review and analysis in Zero Day Initiative -- The May 2023 Security Update Review.

 

Additional Update Notes:

• MSRT -- The Malicious Software Removal Tool is now run on a quarterly basis rather than monthly.  See Remove specific prevalent malware with Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. 
• Servicing Stack Updates -- Microsoft now combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for your operating system with the Latest Cumulative Updates (LCU). For general information about SSUs, see Servicing stack updates and Servicing Stack Updates (SSU): Frequently Asked Questions.
  
• Windows updates are cumulative. The monthly security release includes all security fixes for vulnerabilities that affect Windows, in addition to non-security updates. The updates are also available via search for the KB number in the Microsoft Update Catalog.
• For information on lifecycle and support dates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems, please see Windows 10 Home and Pro - Microsoft Lifecycle | Microsoft Docs and Windows 11 Home and Pro (Version 21H2) - Microsoft Lifecycle | Microsoft Docs.
• Windows Update History:
• Windows 11
• Windows 10

 

References

• Security Update FAQ
• Security Updates Guide

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Optional Hotfix Patch for Adobe Reader and Acrobat

 

Adobe has released an optional hotfix patch for Acrobat and Acrobat Reader that addresses some important bug fixes for Adobe Acrobat DC and Reader. 

Update or Complete Download

Reader DC and Acrobat DC were updated to version 23.001.20174 for Windows.  Updates should become available via the internal updater or checks can be manually activated by choosing Help/Check for Updates.  

Reader DC and other versions are available here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/

Note: UNcheck any pre-checked additional options presented with the update. They are not part of the software update and are completely optional.

References

• Release Notes

Mozilla Firefox Version 113.0 Released with Security Updates

 Mozilla sent Firefox Version 113.0 to the release channel.  The update includes thirteen security updates of which five (5) are rated high, seven (7) moderate, and one (1) rated low.

Firefox ESR was updated to Version 102.11.

High

#CVE-2023-32205: Browser prompts could have been obscured by popups

#CVE-2023-32206: Crash in RLBox Expat driver

#CVE-2023-32207: Potential permissions request bypass via clickjacking

#CVE-2023-32215: Memory safety bugs fixed in Firefox 113 and Firefox ESR 102.11

#CVE-2023-32216: Memory safety bugs fixed in Firefox 113

Moderate

#CVE-2023-32208: Leak of script base URL in service workers via import()

#CVE-2023-32209: Persistent DoS via favicon image

#CVE-2023-32210: Incorrect principal object ordering

#CVE-2023-32211: Content process crash due to invalid wasm code

#CVE-2023-32212: Potential spoof due to obscured address bar

#CVE-2023-32213: Potential memory corruption in FileReader:oReadData()

#MFSA-TMP-2023-0002: Race condition in dav1d decoding

 

Low

#CVE-2023-32214: Potential DoS via exposed protocol handlers

New

• Say hello to enhanced Picture-in-Picture! Rewind, check video duration, and effortlessly switch to full-screen mode on the web's most popular video websites.

• Firefox's address bar is already a great place to search for what you're looking for. Now you'll always be able to see your web search terms and refine them while viewing your search's results - no additional scrolling needed! Also, a new result menu has been added making it easier to remove history results and dismiss sponsored Firefox Suggest entries.
  

• Private windows now protect users even better by blocking third-party cookies and storage of content trackers.

• Passwords automatically generated by Firefox now include special characters, giving users more secure passwords by default.

• Firefox 113 introduces a redesigned accessibility engine which significantly improves the speed, responsiveness, and stability of Firefox when used with:

  • Screen readers, as well as certain other accessibility software;
  • East Asian input methods;
  • Enterprise single sign-on software; and
  • Other applications which use accessibility frameworks to access information.

• Importing bookmarks from Safari or a Chrome-based browser? The favicons for those bookmarks will now also be imported by default to make them easier to identify.

• Firefox 113 now supports AV1 Image Format files containing animations (AVIS), improving support for AVIF images across the web.

• The Windows GPU sandbox first shipped in the Firefox 110 release has been tightened to enhance the security benefits it provides.

• A 13-year-old feature request was fulfilled and Firefox now supports files being drag-and-dropped directly from Microsoft Outlook. A special thanks to volunteer contributor Marco Spiess for helping to get this across the finish line!

• Users on macOS can now access the Services sub-menu directly from Firefox context menus.

• On Windows, the elastic overscroll effect has been enabled by default. When two-finger scrolling on the touchpad or scrolling on the touchscreen, you will now see a bouncing animation when scrolling past the edge of a scroll container.

• Firefox is now available in the Tajik (tg) language.

Changed

• The long-deprecated mozRTCPeerConnection, mozRTCIceCandidate, and mozRTCSessionDescription WebRTC interfaces have been removed. Sites should utilize the non-prefixed versions instead.

Update: To get the update now, select "Help" from the Firefox menu, then pick "About Firefox."  Mac users need to select "About Firefox" from the Firefox menu. If you do not use the English language version, Fully Localized Versions are available for download.

References

• Security Updates
• Release Notes
• Rapid Release Calendar

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...