Today’s topics include Microsoft finishing up work on its Windows 10 Fall Creators Update; the
FBI arresting a Chinese hacker with alleged links to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management breach; IBM announcing new storage software for virtual machines; and the upcoming fifth-generation Apple TV including 4K video capabilities.
In a sure sign that Microsoft’s coders are wrapping up development on the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, upcoming preview builds released to the Windows Insider Fast and Slow rings will feature more bug fixes and fewer new features.
Microsoft is now at the point of the development cycle for the operating system where its focus is now on stabilization for release to the world, according to Dona Sarkar, head of the Windows Insider early-access program.
“This means that [Microsoft intends] to release these builds to Insiders more quickly to both the Fast and Slow rings as these builds … include mostly bug fixes,” she said.
The FBI last week arrested a Chinese national malware broker identified as Yu Pingan in Los Angeles, where he was attending a conference.
Pingan, also known by the alias “GoldSun,” was allegedly involved in the creation of malware that has impacted multiple U.S. organizations. He has been charged with one count of conspiracy computer hacking, according to a Department of Justice indictment.
The DoJ complaint alleges Pingan was a malware broker in the People’s Republic of China and from April 2011 until January 2014 transmitted malware code that was used in attacks against multiple organizations.
According to the DoJ complaint, Pingan used the Sakula malware to compromise networks. The Sakula malware has previously been linked to the Anthem breach in 2015 as well as the breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
IBM has announced a new data protection software package for virtual machines that it claims can be set up in as little as one hour.
IBM Spectrum Protect Plus, which will be made available in the fourth quarter of this year, will offer two different deployment options, either as stand-alone software installed into virtualized environments or as an integrated function with IBM’s Spectrum Protect software, which can be used by large enterprise clients with diverse data protection and availability requirements.
In addition, Spectrum Protect’s hybrid cloud capabilities enable data movement from on-premises back-end storage to public or private clouds. Spectrum Protect Plus also provides data availability by using snapshots for rapid backup, recovery and data management.
Apple will be including 4K video capabilities in its upcoming fifth-generation Apple TV set-top box when it is announced in September alongside the company’s 10th anniversary iPhones and new Apple Watch models.
The upgraded Apple TV product will also be able to stream live TV content, including news and sports, according to an Aug. 24 story by Bloomberg based on details from unnamed sources who are familiar with the company’s plans.
The upcoming Apple TV set-top box will have a “renewed focus on the living room” to bring new capabilities to users through a faster processor that can handle 4K video requirements.
Video resolution in 4K is twice that of 1080p high-definition video, providing improved video quality. If the 4K feature is launched, viewers will have to use the improved set-top box with a television that is capable of 4K picture reproduction.