Global Hardware: Computer Maintenance

02/07/2026

Great news for all you (and me) 'Die hard' Windows 10 users, Microsoft quietly announced in June that Windows 10 will continue to get security updates until at least October 2027, with the free Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows.
If you’ve already enrolled for Extended Windows 10 updates, you don't have to do anything, they will be downloaded as normal every month. So your Windows 10 PC will continue to get security updates for an extra year... Long live Windows 10 !! They may well have to push it into 2028.

Have you noticed that your browsers and apps updating every couple of days on both PCs and Smartphones, I think we can thank AI for this. After being used to find weaknesses in systems and software of 'Big tech' it's been a patchathon.

Chrome has just released another massive update which includes 382 security fixes, 15 of those are rated as Critical.

And can you remember that computer game from way back in the early 2000s, 'Bioshock'..? Well, researchers have found AI browser agents can be brainwashed into excepting a false reality by 'BioShocking' (a prompt-injection attack), manipulating it into ignoring safeguards, It will be interesting to see how far this goes and what damage can be done.

29/03/2026

So, the latest thing you should do that Microsoft aren't really making much noise about is updating the 'Secure Boot certificates' on your Windows PC...

Microsoft are updating the 'Secure Boot certificates' that expire in just a few weeks, June 2026, ensuring continued protection against boot-level threats for Windows devices. Devices should receive these 2023 certificate updates automatically via Windows Update. If not updated, devices may lose security protections, affecting features like BitLocker and safe booting.

The thing is, for what ever reason lots of PCs, including two of mine haven't picked them up. A few videos have popped up on YouTube as the panic sets in, warning of doom and gloom. But there is an easy check to see if you are up-to-date, and an easy fix if you're not.

First, run the following PowerShell/terminal command as an Administrator and verify that the DB has been successfully updated:

[System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI db).bytes) -match 'Windows UEFI CA 2023'

This command should return 'true' not 'false'. If it's true you're good to go. If not...

1.
Set the regkey to perform the update to the DB. To do this, open a Command Prompt window as an Administrator, type each of the following commands separately, and then press Enter:

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Secureboot /v AvailableUpdates /t REG_DWORD /d 0x40 /f

2.
Then:

Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "\Microsoft\Windows\PI\Secure-Boot-Update"

3.
Run the following PowerShell command again as an Administrator and verify that the DB has been successfully updated. This command should return True:

[System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI db).bytes) -match 'Windows UEFI CA 2023'

(Note: A restart might be required if the Virtual Secure Mode feature is enabled on the device. Such as Credential Guard, Device Guard, or Windows Hello).
Good luck.

24/02/2026

Google has issued a Chrome patch for a high‑severity zero‑day exploit. It should update itself, but if you don't regularly exit chrome and leave it running for days on end, then maybe not...
So, to update manually, click the More menu (the three dots), then go to Settings > About Chrome.... If an update is available, Chrome will start downloading it. Relaunch Chrome to complete the update.

12/01/2026

Instagram security breach
Hackers have recently stolen sensitive information of 17.5 million Instagram accounts. Complete with usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and other info...

This data is used by cybercriminals to impersonate trusted brands, trick users, and steal their passwords etc.
Sadly, this data is already being offered up on the 'Dark web', so do a password reset ASAP... Users should get a notification from Instagram to do so, but please be careful and check any notification really is from Instagram. Log in to your Instagram account and reset your password to a new, strong, unique password, at least 12 characters long.

Check if you were exposed:
With free scanning tools like Malwarebytes’ Digital Footprint Portal,( https://www.malwarebytes.com/digital-footprint ) you can see if you were included in the Instagram and other breaches. Simply enter the email address that you used to register with Instagram and their Digital Footprint scan will report your level of exposure online.
Another good site to check if your info has been hacked is https://haveibeenpwned.com. It can show you if you've been exposed.

Some Malware writers are now using cross-platform languages such as 'Rust'to create malware that can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, mobiles, and even 'Internet of Things' devices like your smart fridge... Often disguising themselves as fake apps to steal credentials or stealthily take over devices. A recent wave of advanced banking Trojans, such as 'Herodotus', can mimic human typing behaviours to evade detection.

Bring back the High street bank, That's what I say!!

If your personal data was exposed in a data breach, you need to check your digital footprint. Use our free tool here.