Weekly Tech Wrap-Up 5-13-2023, a week in which Firefox web browser and Google I/O product and feature announcements captivated our readers the most. Today, we look back at this week’s ten most engaging stories from the Tech Help Knowledgebase social media feeds. We order the story summaries below by user engagement — the stories our users interacted with the most. Stories are in descending order with the most engaging story first. Our human-curated social media feeds include links to technology news, how-to and help articles, and video tutorials for common issues.
Stories curated for our feeds are from our staff writers or culled from third-party sources that produce content related to the categories covered by our site. See the summaries and links below for this week’s top stories by user engagement. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to interact with our feeds.
Top 10 Most Engaging Stories This Week
1. Microsoft May 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 3 zero-days, 38 flaws (Bleeping Computer)
Microsoft released security updates on May 9, 2023, to fix three zero-day vulnerabilities and 35 other flaws. They classified six of the vulnerabilities as Critical. The updates also address a privilege elevation vulnerability in the Win32k Kernel driver that could allow attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges. Microsoft recommends that all users install the updates as soon as possible.
2. The best web browser just got an update to make it even better (TechRadar)
Mozilla released Firefox 113 this week, which significantly improves accessibility. The update overhauls the browser’s accessibility code, enhances screen readers and other assistive technologies, and makes Firefox run 20 times faster on large, complex pages and two to three times faster on everyday tasks. The update is available now for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
3. New Android updates fix kernel bug exploited in spyware attacks (Bleeping Computer)
Google released its monthly Android security update to fix a high-severity zero-day vulnerability that installs commercial spyware on compromised devices. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-0266, is a use-after-free weakness in the Linux Kernel sound subsystem that may result in privilege escalation without requiring user interaction. The exploit is part of a complex chain of multiple 0-days and n-days in a spyware campaign targeting Samsung Android phones. The May Android updates also address dozens of other security bugs, most high-severity privilege escalation issues in the OS, and various components.
4. Google Drive is getting a Spam folder (Chrome Unboxed)
Google Drive is getting a new Spam folder that will automatically quarantine suspicious files. The new feature will also unsubscribe users from any mailing lists that send the files, and the files will not show up in Google Drive unless users navigate directly to the Spam folder. This new feature will help users keep their Google Drives clean and safe from malicious files.
5. The new ransomware strain is picking off big businesses one by one (TechRadar)
A new ransomware group called Akira is targeting big businesses and demanding even bigger payouts from its victims. The MalwareHunterTeam group discovered Akira in March 2023 and has since claimed to have raided 16 companies. Akira is known for its aggressive tactics, including threatening to release stolen data if victims don’t pay up. Businesses of all sizes need to be aware of the threat posed by ransomware and take steps to protect themselves. This includes having strong security measures in place, such as firewalls and antivirus software, and regularly backing up data.
6. Firefox 113 released with improved picture-in-picture, search, and security (Tech Help Knowledgebase)
Mozilla released Firefox 113 this week across all platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This update includes several new features and improvements, such as a more useful picture-in-picture mode, improved tab management, and better performance. Firefox 113 also includes some bug fixes and security updates. Mozilla also updated Firefox to version 113.0.1 during the week to fix color management and full-screen issues associated with Firefox 113.
7. Even $500 Million a Year From Google Isn’t Enough to Save Firefox (Bloomberg)
Google Chrome has a dominant market share in the browser market, accounting for about two-thirds of global usage. Mozilla Firefox, once a major competitor, has seen its market share decline to less than 3%. The decline of Firefox has led to an identity crisis at Mozilla, which is now searching for ways to stay relevant. One source of revenue for Mozilla is Google, which pays the company to be the default search engine on the Firefox home page. These payments account for 83% of Mozilla’s revenue.
8. The most significant Google Pixel news no one’s noticing (Computerworld)
Computerworld discusses the recent Google I/O event where Google announced several new Pixel products, including the Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel 7a. However, the author argues that the most significant announcement is actually last year’s Pixel 6a. The article goes on to explain why this is the case and provides more details about the new products.
9. The next big Windows 11 feature update is imminent — here’s what’s new (Windows Central)
Windows 11 is getting a new feature update in May or June of 2023. The update, known as Moment 3, will include changes to the Taskbar, Widgets Board, Settings, and accessibility features. Some of the changes include an updated Widgets Board layout and pinning experience, new animated Taskbar weather icons, a Bing AI button in the Taskbar search bar, 2FA code recognition in notifications, multi-app kiosk mode, and more.
10. Android 14: The Biggest Features Announced at Google I/O 2023 (CNET)
Google announced Android 14 at its annual I/O developer conference, with a focus on customization and personalization. The new version of Android will allow users to customize their lock screen with different fonts, colors, and shortcuts. It will also introduce new AI-powered features, such as the ability to generate custom wallpapers and edit text messages. Look for the release of Android 14 later this year.
Thank you for visiting Tech Help Knowledgebase to read the Weekly Tech Wrap-Up 5-13-2023, a summary of this week’s ten most engaging stories. If you liked this article, follow us on Twitter @techhelpkb and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep in the loop.
Henry Irvine, Contributing Technology Writer, translates more than a decade of internet technology experience in product and customer relationship management into practical help and how-to content. Look for him on Bay Area trails, music venues, or sausage shacks when he’s not writing. Don’t call him Hank if you see him. Seriously. Hank on Twitter
