Category: Google

Database Cleanup and Optimisation: A Quick Guide for WordPress Users

FEBRUARY 23, 2024
BY PAUL G.

Much like a well-oiled machine, your WordPress requires regular maintenance to ensure peak performance and security. Without it, you can end up with a disorganised and bloated database, which can affect your site’s speed and leave it vulnerable to online threats.

But fear not! The solution lies in a simple yet often overlooked aspect of website management – database cleanup and optimisation.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you how a little housekeeping can not only give your site the speed boost it desperately needs, but also strengthen its security against lurking threats. From manual tweaks to security plugins like Shield Security Pro, you’ll learn how to cleanse your digital space efficiently!

Understanding WordPress database health: Why it matters

Over time, a WordPress database accumulates old and unused data. Think of this as digital clutter – rows upon rows of data that are no longer in use but still take up space. This includes old post revisions, trashed items, spam comments, and data left by uninstalled plugins.

This clutter doesn’t just take up digital space. Every time your website performs a task, your server has to sift through everything. This creates an unnecessary workload that slows down your site, affecting user experience and potentially harming your SEO rankings.

Regular database maintenance ensures seamless website performance and significantly lowers the risk of malware infection. Since malware often hides in the clutter, a clean and optimised database is less vulnerable to attacks.

Here’s what to do to make sure your database is well-maintained:

  • Regular backups: Before any cleanup, ensure you have a recent backup. It’s your safety net in case something goes wrong.
  • Routine scanning for malware: Use reliable tools like the Shield Security Pro plugin for regular scans. Catching and removing malware early can prevent more significant issues down the line.
  • Removing unused themes and plugins: Inactive themes and plugins are not just dead weight; they’re potential security risks. Regularly clean them out.
  • Spam comment cleanup: Spam comments bloat your database and can harm your site’s credibility. Regularly purging them is crucial.

Optimising database tables

Table optimisation, or defragmentation, is about removing excess data from your site’s data tables. Think of it like organising a messy bookshelf so you can find books faster. It rearranges the data to use space more efficiently, improving performance. This process is important for larger websites, where data operations can become significantly slower over time.

Popular plugins like WP-Optimize, WP-DBManager, and Advanced Database Cleaner offer a user-friendly way to handle database optimisation without needing deep technical expertise. They help automate the cleanup process, ensuring your WordPress site remains speedy and efficient.

Backing up your site before initiating cleanup

Before you dive into the nitty-gritty of database cleanup, you must always back up your site first.

While database cleanup aims to remove only redundant data, the process isn’t infallible. There’s always a risk, however small, that something might go wrong. In such cases, a backup is your quick ticket to recovery, allowing you to restore your site to its pre-cleanup state with minimal fuss.

Here are some scenarios where backups save the day:

  • User error: Sometimes, the biggest threat to your website can be accidental mishaps, like deleting important files or making erroneous changes.
  • Platform and plugin updates: Updates are essential for security and performance, but they can occasionally lead to compatibility issues or data loss.
  • Security breaches: In the unfortunate event of a hack or malware infection, a backup can be vital in restoring your site to a secure state.

The good news is that backing up your WordPress site can be made easy via backup plugins like WP-Staging, UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, and VaultPress (Jetpack Backup). These tools automate the process, ensuring that your site is regularly backed up without requiring manual intervention every time. 

How often should you back up?

The frequency of backups should reflect how often your site is updated. For a dynamic site with daily changes, a daily backup is ideal. However, for smaller sites with less frequent updates, weekly or even monthly backups might suffice. 

The key is to never skip backups altogether. It’s a small effort that can save a lot of time and stress in the long run.

Manual cleanup vs. plugin-assisted optimisation

When it comes to optimising your WordPress database, you have two primary approaches: manual cleanup or using plugins. While manual cleanup requires more technical know-how, it also gives you more precise control over the optimisation process.

Manual cleanup

  1. Before any changes, ensure you have a recent backup of your WordPress site, including the database. This step is non-negotiable and serves as your safety net.
  2. Log in to your database using phpMyAdmin, which is typically available through your web hosting control panel.
  3. In phpMyAdmin, select your WordPress database from the list on the left. 
Accessing the WordPress database via phpMyAdmin.
  1. You’ll see a list of all the tables in your database. Check the tables you want to optimise (or select all).
  2. From the drop-down menu, select Optimize table. This will defragment the selected tables and can improve performance.
Defragmenting (optimising) the WordPress database table via phpMyAdmin.
  1. Navigate to the SQL tab.
Opening the SQL window in phpMyAdmin to run SQL queries.
  1. WordPress saves every change you make in the posts as revisions. This can lead to a bloated database. To delete these post revisions, run this command:
DELETE FROM wp_posts WHERE post_type = "revision";

Make sure to change the wp_ table prefix to the prefix you or your hosting provider set up during installation.

  1. To delete spam comments, run the following SQL command:
DELETE FROM wp_comments WHERE comment_approved = 'spam';
  1. In WordPress, ‘trash’ is a post status used for content that has been moved to the trash but not yet permanently deleted. To empty the trash and permanently delete what’s in it, run this query:
DELETE FROM wp_posts WHERE post_status = 'trash';
  1. Transients are used to speed up WordPress by caching data that is expensive to compute or retrieve. They are typically temporary and can be safely removed:
DELETE FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE ('%\_transient\_%');
  1. Unused tags can be removed with a query like:
DELETE FROM wp_terms wt INNER JOIN wp_term_taxonomy wtt ON wt.term_id = wtt.term_id WHERE wtt.taxonomy = 'post_tag' AND wtt.count = 0;

This command deletes all tags (from both wp_terms and wp_term_taxonomy tables) that are not assigned to any posts on your WordPress website.

  1. After cleaning up, it’s a good idea to check the database for any errors. Select your database and use the Check table or Repair table options if needed.
Checking and repairing database tables via phpMyadmin.
  1. You might have tables from old plugins that are no longer used – many will leave tables behind even when the plugin itself have been removed from the site. Review these tables and delete them if they’re not needed. Be very careful with this step, as deleting the wrong table can cause issues with your site. If you’re in doubt, you can always reach out to the plugin developers to ensure you’re deleting the right items. 

For plugin-assisted optimisation

For WordPress users who prefer a more straightforward, less technical approach to database optimisation, plugin-assisted methods are a game-changer. These tools offer:

  • Ease of use: Plugins provide a simple interface for tasks that would otherwise require technical expertise. They’re designed to be intuitive and accessible, even for those with minimal technical background.
  • Automation: Many WordPress plugins can operate in the background, performing routine cleanups and optimisations without your constant oversight. This automation saves time and ensures regular maintenance is carried out.
  • Less technical involvement: By automating database optimisation, you free up valuable time and resources to focus on other areas of your business, like content creation, marketing, and customer engagement.

Among the most notable plugins for database optimisation include:

  • WP-Optimize: This popular plugin cleans your database, compresses images, and caches your site, making it a comprehensive tool for site optimisation.
WP-Optimize download page
  • WP-DBManager: Known for its database backup, repair, and optimisation features, WP-DBManager is a solid choice for those looking to maintain their database’s health.

WP-DBManger download page

  • Advanced Database Cleaner: If you’re looking for a plugin that goes beyond basic cleanup, this tool helps you get rid of orphaned items and old revisions with ease.
Advanced Database Cleaner download page.

If you want even more plugin options, check out our post on the best backup plugins for WordPress websites.

Setting up and using database optimisation plugins

For the sake of this tutorial, we’re going to be using the WP-Optimize plugin:

  1. From your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin.
Adding a new plugin in WordPress.
  1. Search for the WP-Optimize plugin and click on Install Now, then Active.
Installing the WP-Optimize plugin.
  1. A new icon for WP-Optimize will appear in your WordPress left-hand side menu. Click on it and go through the plugin settings to configure the optimisation tasks you want to automate, like spam comment cleanup, post-revision removal, and database table optimisation.
Configuring the WP-Optimize plugin settings.
  1. Many plugins offer the option to schedule regular cleanups. Setting this up ensures your database remains optimised without manual intervention.
Setting up automatic database cleanup using WP-Optimize.

Choosing the right plugin

When selecting a plugin, especially those designed to modify or remove data, it’s necessary to pick one that is well-reviewed and regularly updated. Check the plugin’s ratings, user reviews, and update history to ensure reliability and compatibility with your version of WordPress.

By choosing the right plugin, you can significantly reduce the effort required in database maintenance, ensuring your WordPress site remains optimised, fast, and secure with minimal hassle.

Using Shield Security Pro for malware removal

When it comes to safeguarding your WordPress site against malware, Shield Security PRO stands out as a robust solution. Its advanced malware scanning and removal tool is specifically designed to protect your website by detecting and eliminating malicious code.

Features of Shield Security PRO’s malware scanner

  • Comprehensive scanning: The malware scanner in Shield Security PRO thoroughly examines your files, looking for patterns that indicate malware infiltration. This proactive approach ensures that even the most cunningly hidden malware is identified.
  • Detailed reporting: When it detects malware, the plugin creates a detailed report alerting you to the affected files. This feature allows you to download and inspect these files closely, giving you a clear understanding of the nature and extent of the malware.
  • Automatic repair option: For those seeking a hands-off approach, Shield Security PRO offers an automatic repair feature. This functionality enables the plugin to edit and remove suspicious code autonomously, saving you the time and effort of manual intervention.
  • Customisable repair settings: You have the flexibility to set automatic repairs for core files, plugin files, theme files, or all three, depending on your preference and website structure.

While automatic repair is a convenient feature, it’s essential to use it wisely, especially if you regularly modify your WordPress files. In such cases, automatic repairs might unintentionally alter your customisations. Therefore, if you often tweak your WordPress code, manual inspection and repair might be more suitable.

Regardless of whether you choose automatic repairs or prefer to handle file fixes manually, the key advantage of Shield Security PRO’s malware scanning lies in its prompt detection. Fast identification of malicious data is crucial in preventing it from causing significant damage to your site.

Enhance your WordPress site’s performance & security with Shield Security PRO

Regular WordPress database cleanups and optimisations are necessary for maintaining a high-performing, secure website. 

While manual database maintenance is certainly an option, it can be time-consuming and requires a certain level of technical expertise. This is where plugins come into play, offering a simpler, more efficient solution. By automating key aspects of the maintenance process, these tools significantly reduce the workload on website owners.

Shield Security PRO is designed to address both the performance and security needs of your WordPress site. It features advanced vulnerability and malware scanning capabilities, which play a vital role in identifying and removing unused data and potentially dangerous elements from your site.

Don’t let the health and security of your WordPress site take a backseat. With Shield Security PRO, you have a powerful tool at your disposal to keep your site running smoothly and securely. 

Download Shield Security PRO today, and take the first step towards a faster, safer, and more efficient WordPress experience!

Source :
https://getshieldsecurity.com/blog/clean-wordpress-database/

SQL Injection Vulnerability Patched in Tutor LMS WordPress Plugin

István Márton
March 19, 2024

Did you know we’re running a Bug Bounty Extravaganza again?

Earn over 6x our usual bounty rates, up to $10,000, for all vulnerabilities submitted through May 27th, 2024 when you opt to have Wordfence handle responsible disclosure!

On February 15th, 2024, during our second Bug Bounty Extravaganza, we received a submission for an authenticated SQL Injection vulnerability in Tutor LMS, a WordPress plugin with more than 80,000+ active installations. This vulnerability can be leveraged to extract sensitive data from the database, such as password hashes.

Props to Muhammad Hassham Nagori who discovered and responsibly reported this vulnerability through the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program. This researcher earned a bounty of $625.00 for this discovery during our Bug Bounty Program Extravaganza. Our mission is to Secure the Web, which is why we are investing in quality vulnerability research and collaborating with researchers of this caliber through our Bug Bounty Program. We are committed to making the WordPress ecosystem more secure, which ultimately makes the entire web more secure.

All Wordfence Premium, Wordfence Care, and Wordfence Response customers, as well as those using the free version of our plugin, are protected against any exploits targeting this vulnerability by the Wordfence firewall’s built-in SQL Injection protection.

We contacted Themeum on February 22, 2024, and received a response on February 23, 2024. After providing full disclosure details, the developer released a patch on March 11, 2024. We would like to commend Themeum for their prompt response and timely patch.

We urge users to update their sites with the latest patched version of Tutor LMS, which is version 2.6.2, as soon as possible.

Vulnerability Summary from Wordfence Intelligence

Description: Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution <= 2.6.1 – Authenticated (Subscriber+) SQL Injection
Affected Plugin: Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution
Plugin Slug: tutor
Affected Versions: <= 2.6.1
CVE ID: CVE-2024-1751
CVSS Score: 8.8 (High)
CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Researcher/s: Muhammad Hassham Nagori
Fully Patched Version: 2.6.2
Bounty Award: $625.00

The Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to time-based SQL Injection via the question_id parameter in all versions up to, and including, 2.6.1 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber/student access or higher, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.

Technical Analysis

Tutor LMS is a WordPress plugin which includes many features, such as a course builder, quiz and assignment types, dashboard, payment and WooCommerce integration, and a lot of other add-ons.

Unfortunately, insecure implementation of the plugin’s Q&A questions query functionality allows for SQL injection. Examining the code reveals that the plugin uses the get_qa_questions() function in the Utils class to query Q&A questions, where the id can be specified with the ‘question_id’ parameter.

This function is called in several view files. In some cases, the ‘question_id’ GET input value is sanitized in the view file:

1$question_id= Input::get( 'question_id', 0, Input::TYPE_INT );

However, there are also cases where it is not sanitized:

1$question_id= Input::get( 'question_id');

The get_qa_questions() function contains the following code:

4451$question_clause= $question_id? ' AND _question.comment_ID='. $question_id: '';

Here we can see that no sanitization function is being used on the question id in the get_qa_questions() function although this id is always meant to be an integer.

45554556455745584559456045614562456345644565456645674568456945704571457245734574457545764577$query= $wpdb->prepare(    "SELECT  {$columns_select}    FROM {$wpdb->comments} _question            INNER JOIN {$wpdb->posts} _course                    ON _question.comment_post_ID = _course.ID            INNER JOIN {$wpdb->users} _user                    ON _question.user_id = _user.ID            LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->commentmeta} _meta                    ON _question.comment_ID = _meta.comment_id            LEFT JOIN {$wpdb->commentmeta} _meta_archive                    ON _question.comment_ID = _meta_archive.comment_id    WHERE   _question.comment_type = 'tutor_q_and_a'            AND _question.comment_parent = 0            AND _question.comment_content LIKE %s            {$in_course_id_query}            {$question_clause}            {$meta_clause}            {$qna_types_caluse}            {$filter_clause}    {$order_condition}    {$limit_offset}",    $search_term);

Typically, the prepare() function would parameterize and escape the SQL query for safe execution in WordPress, thereby providing protection against SQL injection attacks. But, in this instance, the $question_clause value is not used as a parameter, it is just appended to the query as a string. This means that prepare() will not actually escape the data being passed to the SQL query, thus making it possible to break out of the current SQL query and inject new queries to extract data.

Union-Based SQL injection is not possible due to the structure of the query, which means an attacker would need to use a Time-Based blind approach to extract information from the database. This means that they would need to use SQL CASE statements along with the SLEEP() command while observing the response time of each request to steal information from the database. This is an intricate, yet frequently successful method to obtain information from a database when exploiting SQL Injection vulnerabilities.

Wordfence Firewall

The following graphic demonstrates the steps to exploitation an attacker might take and at which point the Wordfence firewall would block an attacker from successfully exploiting the vulnerability.

The Wordfence firewall rule detects the malicious SQL query and blocks the request.

Disclosure Timeline

February 15, 2024 – We receive the submission of the SQL Injection vulnerability in Tutor LMS via the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program.
February 22, 2024 – We validate the report and confirm the proof-of-concept exploit.
February 22, 2024 – We initiate contact with the plugin vendor asking that they confirm the inbox for handling the discussion.
February 23, 2024 – The vendor confirms the inbox for handling the discussion.
February 24, 2024 – We send over the full disclosure details. The vendor acknowledges the report and begins working on a fix.
March 11, 2024 – The fully patched version of the plugin, 2.6.2, is released.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we detailed a SQL Injection vulnerability within the Tutor LMS plugin affecting versions 2.6.1 and earlier. This vulnerability allows authenticated threat actors to inject malicious SQL queries to steal sensitive information from the database. The vulnerability has been fully addressed in version 2.6.2 of the plugin.

We encourage WordPress users to verify that their sites are updated to the latest patched version of Tutor LMS.

All Wordfence users, including those running Wordfence Premium, Wordfence Care, and Wordfence Response, as well as sites running the free version of Wordfence, are fully protected against this vulnerability.

If you know someone who uses this plugin on their site, we recommend sharing this advisory with them to ensure their site remains secure, as this vulnerability poses a significant risk.

Did you enjoy this post? Share it!

Source :
https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2024/03/sql-injection-vulnerability-patched-in-tutor-lms-wordpress-plugin/

Sonicwall How can I setup CFS policies with LDAP and SSO to restrict Internet access on CFS?

02/20/2024

Description

This article explains about how to integrate Content Filtering Service with LDAP (With Single Sign On) by using SonicOS 7.0.1 or older.

Restricted user group on the active directory is imported to SonicWall and give restricted web access to those users in that group.

Where in the Full Access User group has full access or partial access to websites.

Image

Resolution

  1. Enable  Content Filtering Service  from Policy | Security Services | Content FilterImage
  2. Navigate to Profile Objects| Content Filter and access the Profile Objects tab. Create the new Content Filter Profile and Allow/Block for each category according with your need.

    Image
  3. Make sure to Enable HTTPS content Filtering. This option is disabled by default.Image

    4. Create another Content Filter Profile as Restricted Access CFS Policy for Restricted User Group.Click on Add, Add a Policy for Restricted Group with most of the categories enabled (Depends on what should be Blocked) 

    5. Creating a Full Access CFS Policy for Full Access User Group.Add second Policy for the Full Access Group with certain category enabled or all categories enabled (Depends on what should be allowed).


 Configuring LDAP on SonicWall

For more information about how to enable LDAP on Sonicwall, please reach below link.

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-integrate-ldap-active-directory-user-authentication/170707170351983/
  1. Navigate to Users | Settings page, in the Authentication method for login drop-down list, select LDAP + Local Users and click Configure.                     Image
  2. On the Settings tab of the LDAP Configuration window, configure the following fields. 

    Name or IP address: IP address of the LDAP serverPort Number: 389 (Default LDAP Port)Server timeout (seconds): 10 Seconds (Default)Overall operation timeout (minutes): 5(Default)Select Give login name/location in tree
    Image
  3. On the Login/Bind, Give login name/loction in three. Set the admin user and password to access on your LDAP server. 
  4. On the Schema tab, configure the following fields: LDAP Schema:Microsoft Active Directory.
  5. On the Directory tab, configure the following fields.
    • Primary domain:The user domain used by your LDAP implementation.
    • User tree for login to server:The location of where the tree is that the user specified in the settings tab.
    • Click Auto-configure. (This will populate the Trees containing users and Trees containing user groups fields by scanning through the directories in search of all trees that contain user objects.)

      Image
  6. On the LDAP Test tab, Test LDAP connectivity to make sure that the communication is successful.

Image

Importing Groups from LDAP to the SonicWall unit

  1. Navigate to Users | Local Groups.
  2. Click Import from LDAP  

  3. Click  Configure for the Group that is imported from LDAP.
  4. Go to CFS Policy tab , Select the appropriate CFS Policy from the drop down and Click OK.

Configuring Single Sign-On Method on SonicWall 

For more information about how to enable SSO Agent and Enable SSO on Sonicwall, please reach below link.

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/knowledge-base/how-can-i-install-single-sign-on-sso-software-and-configure-the-sso-feature/170505740046553/
  1. Navigate to Users | Settings.
  2. In the Single-sign-on method , select SonicWall SSO Agent and Configure
    Image
  3. Click Configure button. The SSO configuration page is displayed.
  4. Under the Settings tab, Click Add button to add the IP address of the work station that has SSO agent running. 
    • Click on the ADD button: settings window is displayed
    • In the Host Name or IP Address field, enter the name or IP Address of the workstation on which SonicWall SSO Agent is installed
    • In Port Number, enter the port number of the workstation on which SonicWall SSO Agent is installed. The default port is 2258
    • In the Shared Key field, enter the shared key that you created or generated in the SonicWall SSO Agent. 
      The shared key must match exactly. Re-enter the shared key in the Confirm Shared Key field.
      Click Apply.
       Image
  5. Once the SSO Agent is successfully added, under the Authentication Agent Settings a green light is shown for status.
  6. Click Test tab. The Test Authentication Agent Settings page displays.
  7. Select the Check agent connectivity radio button then click the Test button. This will test communication with the authentication agent. If the SonicWall security appliance can connect to the agent, you will see the message Agent is ready.

  8. Select the Check user radio button, enter the IP address of a workstation in the Workstation IP address field, then click Test. This will test if the agent is property configured to identify the user logged into a workstation.

     NOTE: Performing tests on this page applies any changes that have been made.
     TIP: If you receive the messages Agent is not responding or Configuration error, check your settings and perform these tests again.
  9. When you are finished, click OK. 


Enabling CFS for the LAN Zone and applying Imported LDAP Group

 CAUTION: It is not recommended to do this change on a Production Environment because this changes are instant and can affect all the computers on the LAN. So it is best to schedule a downtime before proceeding further.

  1. Navigate to Network | Zones, click Configure Button for LAN Zone.
  2. Check the box Enforce Content Filtering Service, select the Default CFS Policy from the drop down.
    Image

How to TEST

  • Log out from the windows domain computer and log in back with a user from either the full access or restricted access groups and check whether the policy is getting enforced correctly for the user.

Related Articles

Categories

Source :
https://www.sonicwall.com/support/knowledge-base/how-can-i-setup-cfs-policies-with-ldap-and-sso-to-restrict-internet-access-on-cfs/170505721991619/

Windows 11 KB5034765 won’t install, taskbar issues, and explorer.exe crashes

By Mayank Parmar -February 19, 2024

You’re not alone if you have issues with the Windows 11 KB5034765. February 2024 security update for Windows 11 causes File Explorer to crash when rebooting the system, and some have found it’s causing the taskbar to disappear. Additionally, many users are having problems installing the Windows 11 February 2024 update.

Microsoft sources have confirmed to Windows Latest that the company is aware of an issue that causes the taskbar to crash or disappear briefly after installing KB5034765. I’m told the company has already rolled out a fix. This means some of you should be able to see the taskbar again after reinstalling the patch (remove and install it again).

But that’s not all. The February 2024 update has other problems, too. In our tests, we observed that the Windows 11 KB5034765 update repeatedly fails to install with 0x800f0922, 0x800f0982, and 0x80070002.

Multiple users told me that when they tried to install the security patch, everything seemed fine at first. The update downloads and asks for a restart. But during the installation, Windows Update stopped and confirmed there was a problem. It tries a few more times and then goes back to the desktop without updating.

KB5034765 is not installing, but there’s a fix

Windows 11 KB5034765 won't install
Windows 11 January 2024 Update fails with 0x80070002 | Image Courtesy: WindowsLatest.com

Our device also attempted the “rollback” after successfully downloading the February 2024 cumulative update, but the process was stuck on the following screen for ten minutes:

  • Something didn’t go as planned. No need to worry—undoing changes. Please keep your computer on.

I tried tried a few things to fix it. For example, I removed programs that didn’t come with Windows, cleared the Windows Update cache and used the Windows Update troubleshooter. None of these solutions have worked.

However, there’s some good news. It looks like we can successfully install KB5034765 by deleting a hidden folder named $WinREAgent. There are multiple ways to locate and delete this folder from Windows 11 installation, and you choose your preferred one:

  • Method 1: Run Disk Cleanup as an administrator, select the system drive, and check the boxes for “Temporary files” and other relevant options. Finally, click “OK” to remove the system files, including Windows Update files. This will delete unnecessary files within $WinREAgent.
  • Method 2: Open File Explorer and open the system drive, but make sure you’ve turned on view hidden items from folder settings. Locate $WinREAgent and remove it from the system.
  • Method 3: Open Command Prompt as Administrator, and run the following command: rmdir /S /Q C:\$WinREAgent
Windows 11 0x800f0922 0x800f0982 and 0x80070002

Windows Update causes File Explorer to crash on reboot

Some PC owners are also running into another problem that causes the File Explorer to crash when rebooting or shutting down the system.

This issue was previously observed in Windows 11’s January 2024 optional update, and it seems to have slipped into the mandatory security patch.

The error message indicates an application error with explorer.exe, mentioning a specific memory address and stating, “The memory could not be written”.

“The instruction at 0x00007FFB20563ACa referenced memory at 0x0000000000000024. The memory could not be written. Click on OK to terminate the program,” the error message titled “explorer.exe – Application Error” reads.

KB5034765 crashes explorer
explorer.exe crashes with a referenced memory error when rebooting

This issue seems to persist regardless of various troubleshooting efforts. Users have tried numerous fixes, including running the System File Checker tool (sfc /scannow), testing their RAM with Windows’ built-in tool and memtest86+, and even performing a clean installation of the latest Windows 11 version.

Despite these efforts, the error remains.

Interestingly, a common factor among affected users is the presence of a controller accessory, such as an Xbox 360 controller for Windows, connected to the PC. This connection has been observed, but it’s unclear if it directly contributes to the problem.

Microsoft’s release notes for the KB5034765 update mentioned a fix for an issue where explorer.exe could stop responding when a PC with a controller accessory attached is restarted or shut down.

However, despite this so-called official fix, users report that the problem still occurs, and it’s not possible to manually fix it.

Windows 11 taskbar crashes or disappears after the patch

As mentioned at the outset, the Windows 11 KB5034765 update causes the taskbar to disappear or crash when you reboot or turn on the device.

KB5034765 taskbar disappears
Taskbar is missing/disappeared in Windows 11 virtual machine after new update | Image Courtesy: WindowsLatest.com

According to my sources, Microsoft has already patched the issue via server-side update, but if your taskbar or quick settings like Wi-Fi still disappear, try the following steps:

  1. Open Settings, go to the Windows Update section and click Update History. On the Windows Update history page, click Uninstall updates, locate KB5034765 and click Uninstall.
  2. Confirm your decision, click Uninstall again, and reboot the system.
  3. Go to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates to reinstall the security patch.

The above steps are unnecessary, as the server-side update will automatically apply to your device.

About The Author

Mayank Parmar

Mayank Parmar is Windows Latest’s owner, Editor-in-Chief and entrepreneur. Mayank has been in tech journalism for over seven years and has written on various topics, but he is mostly known for his well-researched work on Microsoft’s Windows. His articles and research works have been referred to by CNN, Business Insiders, Forbes, Fortune, CBS Interactive, Microsoft and many others over the years.

Source :
https://www.windowslatest.com/2024/02/19/windows-11-kb5034765-wont-install-and-causes-other-issues-but-theres-a-fix/

Lineage OS Changelog 28 – Fantastic Fourteen, Amazing Applications, Undeniable User-Experience

WRITTEN ON FEBRUARY 14, 2024 BY NOLEN JOHNSON (NPJOHNSON)

21 – Finally old enough to drink (at least in the US)!

Hey y’all! Welcome back!

We’re a bit ahead of schedule this year, we know normally you don’t expect to hear from us until April-ish.

This was largely thanks to some new faces around the scene, some old faces stepping up to the plate, and several newly appointed Project Directors!

With all that said, we have been working extremely hard since Android 14’s release last October to port our features to this new version of Android. Thanks to our hard work adapting to Google’s largely UI-based changes in Android 12/13, and Android 14’s dead-simple device bring-up requirements, we were able to rebase our changes onto Android 14 much more efficiently.

This lets us spend some much overdue time on our apps suite! Applications such as Aperture had their features and UX improved significantly, while many of our aging apps such as Jelly, Dialer, Contacts, Messaging, LatinIME (Keyboard), and Calculator got near full redesigns that bring them into the Material You era!

…and last but not least, yet another new app landed in our apps suite! Don’t get used to it though, or maybe do, we’re not sure yet.

Now, let’s remind everyone about versioning conventions – To match AOSP’s versioning conventions, and due to the fact it added no notable value to the end-user, we dropped our subversion from a branding perspective.

As Android has moved onto the quarterly maintenance release model, this release will be “LineageOS 21”, not 21.0 or 21.1 – though worry not – we are based on the latest and greatest Android 14 version, QPR1.

Additionally, to you developers out there – any repository that is not core-platform, or isn’t expected to change in quarterly maintenance releases will use branches without subversions – e.g., lineage-21 instead of lineage-21.0.

New Features!

  • Security patches from January 2023 to February 2024 have been merged to LineageOS 18.1 through 21.
  • Glimpse of Us: We now have a shining new app, Glimpse! It will become the default gallery app starting from LineageOS 21
  • An extensive list of applications were heavily improved or redesigned:
    • Aperture: A touch of Material You, new video features, and more!
    • Calculator: Complete Material You redesign
    • Contacts: Design adjustments for Material You
    • Dialer: Large cleanups and code updates, Material You and bugfixes
    • Eleven: Some Material You design updates
    • Jelly: Refreshed interface, Material You and per-website location permissions
    • LatinIME: Material You enhancements, spacebar trackpad, fixed number row
    • Messaging: Design adjustments for Material You
  • A brand new boot animation by our awesome designer Vazguard!
  • SeedVault and Etar have both been updated to their newest respective upstream version.
  • WebView has been updated to Chromium 120.0.6099.144.
  • We have further developed our side pop-out expanding volume panel.
  • Our Updater app should now install A/B updates much faster (thank Google!)
  • We have contributed even more changes and improvements back upstream to the FOSS Etar calendar app we integrated some time back!
  • We have contributed even more changes and improvements back upstream to the Seedvault backup app.
  • Android TV builds still ship with an ad-free Android TV launcher, unlike Google’s ad-enabled launcher – most Android TV Google Apps packages now have options to use the Google ad-enabled launcher or our ad-restricted version.
  • Our merge scripts have been largely overhauled, greatly simplifying the Android Security Bulletin merge process, as well as making supporting devices like Pixel devices that have full source releases much more streamlined.
  • Our extract utilities can now extract from OTA images and factory images directly, further simplifying monthly security updates for maintainers on devices that receive security patches regularly.
  • LLVM has been fully embraced, with builds now defaulting to using LLVM bin-utils and optionally, the LLVM integrated assembler. For those of you with older kernels, worry not, you can always opt-out.
  • A global Quick Settings light mode has been developed so that this UI element matches the device’s theme.
  • Our Setup Wizard has seen adaptation for Android 14, with improved styling, more seamless transitions, and significant amounts of legacy code being stripped out.
  • The developer-kit (e.g. Radxa 0, Banana Pi B5, ODROID C4, Jetson X1) experience has been heavily improved, with UI elements and settings that aren’t related to their more restricted hardware feature-set being hidden or tailored!

Amazing Applications!

Calculator

calculator

Our Calculator app has received a UI refresh, bringing it in sync with the rest of our app suite, as well as a few new features:

  • Code cleanup
  • Reworked UI components to look more modern
  • Added support for Material You
  • Fixed some bugs

Glimpse

glimpse

We’ve been working on a new gallery app, called Glimpse, which will replace Gallery2, the AOSP default gallery app.

Thanks to developers SebaUbuntu, luca020400 and LuK1337 who started the development, together with the help of designer Vazguard.

We focused on a clean, simple and modern-looking UI, designed around Material You’s guidelines, making sure all the features that you would expect from a gallery app are there.

It’ll be available on all devices starting from LineageOS 21.

Aperture

This has been the first year for this new application and we feel it has been received well by the community. As promised, we have continued to improve it and add new features, while keeping up with Google’s changes to the CameraX library (even helping them fix some bugs found on some of our maintained devices). We’d like to also thank the community for their work on translations, especially since Aperture strings changed quite often this year.

Here’s a quick list of some of the new features and improvements since the last update:

  • Added a better dialog UI to ask the user for location permissions when needed
  • UI will now rotate to follow the device orientation
  • Added Material You support
  • Improved QR code scanner, now with support for Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Easy Connect™ QR codes
  • Added support for Google Assistant voice actions
  • Added photo and video mirroring (flipping) options
  • Audio can be muted while recording a video
  • Better error handling, including when no camera is available
  • Added configurable volume button gestures
  • The app will now warn you if the device overheats and is now able to automatically stop recording if the device temperature is too high
  • Added an information chip on top of the viewfinder to show some useful information, like low battery or disabled microphone
  • Added some advanced video processing settings (noise reduction, sharpening, etc.)
  • You can now set the flash to torch mode in photo mode by long-pressing the flash button
  • Added support for HDR video recording

Jelly

jelly

Our browser app has received a UI refresh, bringing it in sync with the rest of our app suite, as well as a few new features:

  • Code cleanup
  • Reworked UI components to look more modern
  • Added support for Material You
  • Fixed some bugs regarding downloading files
  • Added Brave as a search engine and suggestions provider
  • Dropped Google encrypted search engine, as Google defaults to HSTS now
  • Baidu suggestion provider now uses HTTPS
  • Implemented per-website location permissions

Dialer, Messaging, and Contacts

Dialer

Since AOSP abandoned deprecated the Dialer, we have taken over the code base and did heavy cleanups, updating to newer standards (AndroidX) and redesigning:

  • Code cleanup
  • Changed to using Material You design
  • Proper dark and light themes
  • Several bugfixes, specifically with number lookups and the contact list

While Messaging was also deprecated by AOSP, at least the Contacts app was not. Nonetheless we gave both of them an overhaul and made them also follow the system colors and look more integrated.

Careful Commonization

Several of our developers have worked hard on SoC-specific common kernels to base on that can be merged on a somewhat regular basis to pull in the latest features/security patches to save maintainers additional effort.

Go check them out and consider basing your device kernels on them!

Supported SoCs right now are:

SoC (system-on-chip)Kernel VersionAndroid Version 
Qualcomm MSM89963.1811 
Qualcomm MSM8998/MSM89964.413 
Qualcomm SDM8454.913 
Qualcomm SM81504.1413 
Qualcomm SDM6604.1913 
Qualcomm SM82504.1913 
Qualcomm SM83505.413 
Qualcomm SM84505.1013– Coming soon!
Qualcomm SM85505.1513 

Additionally, many legacy devices require interpolating libraries that we colloquially refer to as “shims” – these have long been device and maintainer managed, but this cycle we have decided to commonize them to make the effort easier on everyone and not duplicate effort!

You can check it out here and contribute shims that you think other devices may need or add additional components to additional shims and compatibility layers provided via Gerrit!

Deprecations

Overall, we feel that the 21 branch has reached feature and stability parity with 20 and is ready for initial release.

For the first time in many cycles, all devices that shipped LineageOS 19.1 were either promoted or dropped by the maintainer by the time of this blog post, so LineageOS 19.1 was retired naturally. As such, no new device submissions targeting the 19.1 branch will be able to ship builds (you can still apply and fork your work to the organization, though!).

LineageOS 18.1 builds were still not deprecated this year, as Google’s somewhat harsh requirements of BPF support in all Android 12+ device’s kernels meant that a significant amount of our legacy devices on the build-roster would have died.

LineageOS 18.1, is still on a feature freeze, and building each device monthly, shortly after the Android Security Bulletin is merged for that month.

We will allow new LineageOS 18.1 submissions to be forked to the organization, but we no longer will allow newly submitted LineageOS 18.1 devices to ship.

LineageOS 21 will launch building for a decent selection of devices, with additional devices to come as they are marked as both Charter compliant and ready for builds by their maintainer.

Upgrading to LineageOS 21

To upgrade, please follow the upgrade guide for your device by clicking on it here and then on “Upgrade to a higher version of LineageOS”.

If you’re coming from an unofficial build, you need to follow the good ole’ install guide for your device, just like anyone else looking to install LineageOS for the first time. These can be found at the same place here by clicking on your device and then on “Installation”.

Please note that if you’re currently on an official build, you DO NOT need to wipe your device, unless your device’s wiki page specifically dictates otherwise, as is needed for some devices with massive changes, such as a repartition.

Download portal

While it has been in the making for quite a while and already released a year ago, it’s still news in regards to this blog post. Our download portal has been redesigned and also gained a few functional improvements:

  • Dark mode
  • Downloads of additional images (shown for all devices but not used on all of them, read the instructions to know which ones you need for your device’s installation!)
  • Verifying downloaded files (see here) – if you go with any download not obtained from us, you can still verify it was originally signed by us and thus untampered with

Wiki

The LineageOS Wiki has also been expanded throughout the year and now offers, in addition to the known and tested instructions for all supported devices, some improvements:

  • The device overview allows filtering for various attributes you might be interested in a device (please note: choosing a device only based on that list still does not guarantee any device support beyond the point of when you chose it)
  • The device overview now lists variants of a device and other known marketing names in a more visible way, also allowing for different device information and instructions per variant to be shown
  • The installation instructions have been paginated, giving users less chance to skip a section involuntarily

In addition to that we’d like to take this time to remind users to follow instructions on their device’s respective Wiki Page given the complexity introduced by AOSP changes like System-As-Root, A/B Partition Scheme, Dynamic Partitions, and most recently Virtual A/B found on the Pixel 5 and other devices launching with Android 11, the instructions many of you are used to following from memory are either no longer valid or are missing very critical steps. As of 16.0, maintainers have been expected to run through the full instructions and verify they work on their devices. The LineageOS Wiki was recently further extended, and maintainers were given significantly more options to customize their device’s specific installation, update, and upgrade instructions.

Developers, Developers, Developers

Or, in this case, maintainers, maintainers, maintainers. We want your device submissions!

If you’re a developer and would like to submit your device for officials, it’s easier than ever. Just follow the instructions here.

The above also applies to people looking to bring back devices that were at one point official but are no longer supported – seriously – even if it’s not yet completely compliant, submit it! Maybe we can help you complete it.

After you submit, within generally a few weeks, but in most cases a week, you’ll receive some feedback on your device submission; and if it’s up to par, you’ll be invited to our communications instances and your device will be forked to LineageOS’s official repositories.

Don’t have the knowledge to maintain a device, but want to contribute to the platform? We have lots of other things you can contribute to. For instance, our apps suite is always looking for new people to help improve them, or you can contribute to the wiki by adding more useful information & documentation. Gerrit is always open for submissions! Once you’ve contributed a few things, send an email to devrel(at)lineageos.org detailing them, and we’ll get you in the loop.

Also, if you sent a submission via Gmail over the last few months, due to infrastructural issues, some of them didn’t make it to us, so please resend them!

Generic Targets

We’ve talked about these before, but these are important, so we will cover them again.

Though we’ve had buildable generic targets since 2019, to make LineageOS more accessible to developers, and really anyone interested in giving LineageOS a try, we’ve documented how to use them in conjunction with the Android Emulator/Android Studio!

Additionally, similar targets can now be used to build GSI in mobile, Android TV configurations, and Android Automotive (we’ll talk more about this later) making LineageOS more accessible than ever to devices using Google’s Project Treble. We won’t be providing official builds for these targets, due to the fact the user experience varies entirely based on how well the device manufacturer complied with Treble’s requirements, but feel free to go build them yourself and give it a shot!

Please note that Android 12 (and by proxy Android 13/14) diverged GSI and Emulator targets. Emulator targets reside in lineage_sdk_$arch, while GSI targets reside in lineage_gsi_$arch.

Translations

Bilingual? Trilingual? Anything-lingual?

If you think you can help translate LineageOS to a different language, jump over to our wiki and have a go! If your language is not supported natively in Android, reach out to us on Crowdin and we’ll take the necessary steps to include your language. For instance, LineageOS is the first Android custom distribution that has complete support for the Welsh (Cymraeg) language thanks to its community of translators.

Please, contribute to translations only if you are reasonably literate in the target language; poor translations waste both our time and yours.

Build roster

Added 21 devices

Device nameWikiMaintainersMoved from
ASUS Zenfone 5Z (ZS620KL)Z01Rrohanpurohit, Jackeagle, ThEMarD20
Banana Pi M5 (Tablet)m5_tabnpjohnson, stricted20
Essential PH-1matahaggertk, intervigil, npjohnson, rashed20
F(x)tec Pro¹ Xpro1xBadDaemon, bgcngm, mccreary, npjohnson, qsnc, tdm20
F(x)tec Pro¹pro1BadDaemon, bgcngm, intervigil, mccreary, npjohnson, tdm20
Fairphone 4FP4mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 2 XLtaimenchrmhoffmann, Eamo5, npjohnson, jro197920
Google Pixel 2walleyechrmhoffmann, Eamo5, npjohnson, jro197920
Google Pixel 3 XLcrosshatchrazorloves, cdesai, intervigil, mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 3bluelinerazorloves, cdesai, intervigil, mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 3a XLbonitocdesai, mikeioannina, npjohnson20
Google Pixel 3asargocdesai, mikeioannina, npjohnson20
Google Pixel 4 XLcoralcdesai, Eamo5, mikeioannina, npjohnson20
Google Pixel 4flamecdesai, Eamo5, mikeioannina, npjohnson20
Google Pixel 4a 5Gbramblealeasto, mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 4asunfishPeterCxy, cdesai, mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 5redfinaleasto, mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 5abarbetaleasto, mikeioannina20
Google Pixel 6 Proravenmikeioannina20
Google Pixel 6oriolemikeioannina20
Google Pixel 6abluejaymikeioannina20
Google Pixel 7 Procheetahmikeioannina, npjohnson20
Google Pixel 7panthermikeioannina, neelc20
Google Pixel 7alynxmikeioannina, niclimcy20
Google Pixel 8 Prohuskymikeioannina 
Google Pixel 8shibamikeioannina 
Google Pixel Foldfelixmikeioannina 
Google Pixel TablettangorproLuK1337, mikeioannina, npjohnson, neelc20
Google Pixel XLmarlinnpjohnson, electimon20
Google Pixelsailfishnpjohnson, electimon20
HardKernel ODROID-C4 (Tablet)odroidc4_tabnpjohnson, stricted20
LG G5 (International)h850aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, x86cpu20
LG G5 (T-Mobile)h830aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, x86cpu20
LG G5 (US Unlocked)rs988aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, x86cpu20
LG G6 (EU Unlocked)h870aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, x86cpu20
LG G6 (T-Mobile)h872aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, x86cpu20
LG G6 (US Unlocked)us997aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, x86cpu20
LG V20 (AT&T)h910aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V20 (GSM Unlocked – DirtySanta)us996daleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V20 (GSM Unlocked)us996aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V20 (Global)h990aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V20 (Sprint)ls997aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V20 (T-Mobile)h918aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V20 (Verizon)vs995aleasto, AShiningRay, npjohnson, ROMSG, xxseva44, x86cpu20
LG V30 (Unlocked) / LG V30 (T-Mobile)joanlifehackerhansol, SGCMarkus20
Motorola edge 20 propstarnpjohnson, SGCMarkus20
Motorola edge 20berlinnpjohnson, SGCMarkus20
Motorola edge 2021berlnaSyberHexen20
Motorola edge 30dubaithemard, sb6596, Demon00020
Motorola edge s / Motorola moto g100niodianlujitao20
Motorola moto g200 5G / Motorola Edge S30xpengthemard, rogers260220
Motorola moto g32devonDhina17, mikeioannina20
Motorola moto g42hawaoDhina17, mikeioannina20
Motorola moto g52rhodeDhina17, mikeioannina20
Motorola moto g6 plusevertjro197920
Motorola moto g7 playchannelSyberHexen, deadman96385, erfanoabdi, npjohnson20
Motorola moto g7 pluslakejro1979, npjohnson20
Motorola moto g7 poweroceanSyberHexen, erfanoabdi, npjohnson20
Motorola moto g7rivererfanoabdi, npjohnson, SyberHexen20
Motorola moto x4paytonerfanoabdi, ThEMarD, electimon20
Motorola moto z2 force / Motorola moto z (2018)nasherfanoabdi, npjohnson, qsnc20
Motorola moto z3 playbeckhamjro197920
Motorola moto z3messinpjohnson20
Motorola one actiontroikaStricted, npjohnson20
Motorola one vision / Motorola p50kaneStricted, npjohnson20
Nokia 6.1 (2018)PL2npjohnson, theimpulson20
Nokia 6.1 PlusDRGnpjohnson, theimpulson20
Nubia Mini 5GTP1803ArianK16a, npjohnson20
OnePlus 11 5Gsalamibgcngm 
OnePlus 5cheeseburgertrautamaki20
OnePlus 5Tdumplingtrautamaki, qsnc20
OnePlus 6enchiladaLuK133720
OnePlus 6TfajitaEdwinMoq20
OnePlus 7 ProguacamoleLuK1337, Tortel20
OnePlus 7guacamolebshantanu-sarkar20
OnePlus 7T Prohotdogqsnc20
OnePlus 7ThotdogbLuK133720
OnePlus 8 ProinstantnoodlepLuK133720
OnePlus 8instantnoodlejabashque20
OnePlus 8TkebabLuK133720
OnePlus 9 ProlemonadepLuK1337, bgcngm, mikeioannina20
OnePlus 9lemonademikeioannina, tangalbert919, ZVNexus20
OnePlus 9Rlemonadesmikeioannina20
OnePlus 9RTmartinimikeioannina20
OnePlus NordaviciiMajorP93, KakatkarAkshay20
Radxa Zero (Tablet)radxa0_tabbgcngm, npjohnson, stricted20
Razer Phone 2auramikeioannina, npjohnson20
Razer Phonecherylmikeioannina, npjohnson20
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 10.4 2020 (LTE)gta4lchrmhoffmann20
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 10.4 2020 (Wi-Fi)gta4lwifichrmhoffmann20
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e (LTE)gts4lvbgcngm, LuK133720
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e (Wi-Fi)gts4lvwifiLuK1337, bgcngm20
Sony Xperia 1 IIpdx203hellobbn20
Sony Xperia 1 IIIpdx215hellobbn20
Sony Xperia 10 PlusmermaidLuK133720
Sony Xperia 10kirinLuK133720
Sony Xperia 5 IIpdx206kyasu, hellobbn20
Sony Xperia 5 IIIpdx214kyasu, hellobbn20
Sony Xperia XA2 PlusvoyagerLuK133720
Sony Xperia XA2 UltradiscoveryLuK133720
Sony Xperia XA2pioneerLuK1337, Stricted, cdesai20
Xiaomi Mi 5geminibgcngm, ikeramat20
Xiaomi Mi 5s PlusnatriumLuK133720
Xiaomi Mi 6sagitArianK16a20
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Editionursabgcngm20
Xiaomi Mi 8 Proequuleusbgcngm20
Xiaomi Mi 8dipperinfrag20
Xiaomi Mi 9 SEgrusSebaUbuntu20
Xiaomi Mi CC 9 / Xiaomi Mi 9 Litepyxisceracz20
Xiaomi Mi CC9 Meitu Editionvela0xCAFEBABE20
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2chironmikeioannina20
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2Spolarisbgcngm20
Xiaomi Mi MIX 3perseusbgcngm, rtx4d20
Xiaomi Poco F1berylliumbgcngm, warabhishek20
Xiaomi Redmi 3S / Xiaomi Redmi 3X / Xiaomi Redmi 4 (India) / Xiaomi Redmi 4X / Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Prime / Xiaomi Redmi Y1 PrimeMi89370xCAFEBABE20
Xiaomi Redmi 4A / Xiaomi Redmi 5A / Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Lite / Xiaomi Redmi Y1 LiteMi89170xCAFEBABE20
Xiaomi Redmi 8 / Xiaomi Redmi 8A / Xiaomi Redmi 8A DualMi4390xCAFEBABE20

Added 20 devices

Device nameWikiMaintainersMoved from
10.or GGkardebayan 
ASUS ZenFone 8sakeZVNexus, Demon000, DD3Boh19.1
ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1X00TDVivekachooz19.1
BQ Aquaris X ProbardockproQuallenauge, jmpfbmx18.1
BQ Aquaris XbardockQuallenauge, jmpfbmx18.1
Banana Pi M5 (Android TV)m5stricted 
Dynalink TV Box 4K (2021)wadenpjohnson, bgcngm, stricted, webgeek1234, deadman96385, trautamaki, luca020400, aleasto19.1
Fairphone 3 / Fairphone 3+FP3dk1978, teamb5819.1
Google ADT-3deadpoolnpjohnson, stricted, webgeek1234, deadman96385, trautamaki, luca020400, aleasto19.1
HardKernel ODROID-C4 (Android TV)odroidc4stricted 
Motorola one fusion+ / Motorola one fusion+ (India)liberWilliam, Hasaber819.1
Motorola one zoomparkerHasaber819.1
Nubia Play 5G / Nubia Red Magic 5G Litenx651jCyborg2017 
Nubia Red Magic 5G (Global) / Nubia Red Magic 5G (China) / Nubia Red Magic 5S (Global) / Nubia Red Magic 5S (China)nx659jDD3Boh 
Nubia Red Magic Marsnx619jCyborg2017 
Nubia Red Magicnx609jCyborg2017 
Nubia Z17nx563jBeYkeRYkt, Cyborg201719.1
Nubia Z18 Mininx611jCyborg201719.1
Nubia Z18nx606jCyborg2017 
OnePlus Nord N200dretangalbert91919.1
Radxa Zero (Android TV)radxa0bgcngm, npjohnson, stricted 
SHIFT SHIFT6mqaxolotlamartinz, joey, mikeioannina19.1
Samsung Galaxy A52 4Ga52qSimon151119.1
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5Ga52sxqSimon1511 
Samsung Galaxy A72a72qSimon151119.1
Samsung Galaxy A73 5Ga73xqSimon1511 
Samsung Galaxy F62 / Samsung Galaxy M62f62Linux4 
Samsung Galaxy M52 5Gm52xqSimon1511 
Samsung Galaxy Note 9crownltebaddar9017.1
Samsung Galaxy Note10d1Linux419.1
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5Gd2xLinux419.1
Samsung Galaxy Note10+d2sLinux419.1
Samsung Galaxy S10 5GbeyondxLinux419.1
Samsung Galaxy S10beyond1lteLinux419.1
Samsung Galaxy S10+beyond2lteLinux419.1
Samsung Galaxy S10ebeyond0lteLinux419.1
Samsung Galaxy S9starltebaddar9017.1
Samsung Galaxy S9+star2ltebaddar9017.1
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019)gtowifilifehackerhansol 
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (LTE)gta4xlhaggertk, Linux419.1
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (Wi-Fi)gta4xlwifiLinux4, haggertk19.1
Sony Xperia XZ2 Compactxz2cdtrunk9019.1
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premiumauroradtrunk9019.1
Sony Xperia XZ2akaridtrunk9019.1
Sony Xperia XZ3akatsukidtrunk9019.1
Walmart onn. TV Box 4K (2021)dopindernpjohnson, bgcngm, stricted, webgeek1234, deadman96385, trautamaki, luca020400, aleasto 
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE / Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G / Xiaomi Mi 11 LElisaItsVixano19.1
Xiaomi Mi 10T / Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro / Xiaomi Redmi K30S UltraapollonRamisky, SebaUbuntu19.1
Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G / Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G / Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 5GgauguinHridaya, Lynnrin19.1
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5GrenoirArianK16a19.1
Xiaomi Mi 11 PromarsFlower Sea 
Xiaomi Mi 11i / Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro / Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro+ / Xiaomi Mi 11X ProhaydnAdarshGrewal, erfanoabdi19.1
Xiaomi Mi 9T / Xiaomi Redmi K20 (China) / Xiaomi Redmi K20 (India)davinciArianK16a17.1
Xiaomi Mi A1tissotabhinavgupta37119.1
Xiaomi POCO F2 Pro / Xiaomi Redmi K30 ProlmiSebaUbuntu19.1
Xiaomi POCO F3 / Xiaomi Redmi K40 / Xiaomi Mi 11XaliothSahilSonar, SebaUbuntu, althafvly19.1
Xiaomi POCO M2 Pro / Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S / Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (Global) / Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (India) / Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max / Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Litemiatolldereference23, ItsVixano19.1
Xiaomi POCO X3 NFCsuryaShimitar, TheStrechh19.1
Xiaomi POCO X3 ProvayuSebaUbuntu19.1
Xiaomi Redmi 7 / Xiaomi Redmi Y3oncliteDhina1719.1
Xiaomi Redmi 9lancelotsurblazer 
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro / Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro (India) / Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (India)sweetbasamaryan, danielml3 
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S / Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S NFC / Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S Latin Americarosemarysurblazer 
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Provioletjashvakharia, raghavt2016.0
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9merlinxsurblazer, bengris32 
ZUK Z2 Plusz2_plusDD3Boh19.1

Added 18.1 devices

Device nameWikiMaintainersMoved from
Google Nexus 7 2013 (LTE, Repartitioned)debxnpjohnson, surblazer, Elektroschmock, hpnightowl, ROMSG 
Motorola moto zgriffinerfanoabdi, npjohnson17.1

Source :
https://lineageos.org/Changelog-28/

Part 5: See How Customers Are Unlocking the Power of Hybrid Cloud with VMware Cloud on AWS

Cheryl Young
November 24, 2020

Looking to rapidly migrate to the cloud? Scale cost-effectively and strengthen disaster recovery? You’re not alone. Here’s how organizations are unlocking the power of hybrid cloud with VMware Cloud on AWS.

Visit Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 of the series for more customer stories across various use cases.

Organizations across different industries continue to benefit from hybrid cloud with VMware Cloud on AWS. Their goals are to increase agility, improve business continuity, scale cost-effectively and rapidly migrate or extend to the public cloud with an integrated, highly available and secure solution.

In this blog, we’ll share more of our customers’ stories and their experiences across various use cases, the business outcomes and how VMware Cloud on AWS helped them overcome the challenges of implementing a hybrid cloud.

Scale beyond on-premises infrastructure to the public cloud

IHS Markit 

IHS Markit is a global leader in information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. With more than 5,000 analysts, data scientists, financial experts and industry specialists, their information expertise spans numerous industries, including leading positions in finance, energy and transportation.

“VMware Cloud on AWS helps us build on our success with VMware in our private, on-premises environment and cost-effectively extend services to a global hybrid cloud.”
– Ben Tanner, Director of Cloud Enablement, IHS Markit

Get more details about IHS Markit’s experience in this summary.

ZOZO

ZOZO Technologies is the platform developer of ZOZOTOWN, the largest online fashion store in Japan. With the infrastructure supporting ZOZOTOWN built around an on-premises environment, coping with the winter sale – which generates the highest amount of traffic each year – was a challenge. Therefore, the company expanded its existing environment with VMware Cloud on AWS, which has excellent compatibility with conventional infrastructure, and moved to a pay-as-you-go system. 

“Expanding our data center to the cloud was a huge challenge for us. By using VMware Cloud on AWS, we not only successfully survived our winter sale, which has the highest volume of traffic each year, but our company also accumulated knowledge that we’ll be able to use in the future.”
– Nobuhiko Watanabe ZOZO-SRE Team Leader, SRE Department, Technology Development Division, ZOZO Technologies, Inc.

Read more about ZOZO’s success in this summary.

Rapidly migrate to the public cloud

IndusInd Bank

IndusInd Bank’s vision to provide best-in-class digital banking services required the right technology support to achieve industry dominance. VMware’s solutions helped the bank get centralized control over its applications, hosted either on-premises or in the public cloud. This increased the bank’s agility to deliver business outcomes and consumer applications with a mobile-first strategy, keeping the employee experience in mind. VMware helped IndusInd Bank deploy a hybrid cloud, running on both on-premises infrastructure and VMware Cloud on AWS.

“To create a robust platform for our evolving digital experience capabilities, we needed a scalable and agile solution that could handle a significant increase in customer transactions in both assisted and direct channels. For mission-critical workloads, VMware Cloud on AWS allowed us to enhance the on-premise private cloud set-up, with the flexibility to scale up on demand across private clouds in AWS and on-premise, thereby ensuring that we leverage the proven capabilities of scale with consistency and availability for our businesses.”
– Biswabrata Chakravorty, CIO, IndusInd Bank

Get more details about IndusInd Bank’s experience in this case study.

ZENRIN DataCom

ZENRIN DataCom Co., Ltd. is a leading Japanese map publisher. To develop a consistent hybrid cloud IT infrastructure, the company adopted VMware Cloud on AWS. They’re now benefiting from simplified hybrid operations and expect reduced server costs.

“There will be cumulative cost benefits as more services are offered on VMware Cloud on AWS. Without VMware Cloud on AWS, our development costs may have been double or triple!”
– Masayoshi Oku, Director and Executive Officer, Engineering Division, ZENRIN DataCom

Learn more about ZENRIN DataCom’s story.

Strengthen Disaster Recovery

888 Holdings

888 Holdings Public Limited Company (888) is one of the world’s most popular online gaming entertainment and solutions providers. 888’s headquarters and main operations are in Gibraltar, and the company has licenses in Gibraltar, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, Romania, and the U.S. 

888 wants to reduce customer ‘churn’. It operates in a market with little brand loyalty and wants to enhance the end-user experience. It also wants to leverage big data to stay competitive. The company also must cope with the unexpected. The U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union (EU) has impacted where data can be held. 888 needed to move workloads from its data center in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, to a new center somewhere in the EU. VMware Cloud on AWS enables 888 Holdings to rapidly extend, migrate and protect its VMware environment in the AWS public cloud. 

“VMware Cloud on AWS means we have a disaster recovery site that is on-call only when we need it – we’re not paying for it when it’s at rest.”
– Eran Elbaz, CIO, 888 Holdings

Read more about 888’s story in this case study.

EMPLOYERS

EMPLOYERS strives to meet the needs of its small business insurance policyholders while working to bolster the long-term success of its thousands of appointed agents, many running small businesses of their own. After experiencing new growth of 29 percent in 2018 during its 105th year in business, EMPLOYERS needed to ensure its IT environment would continue to support evolving business needs. In particular, the company’s strategic plans included rolling out new capabilities centered on improving the agent and end-customer experience to help foster the organization’s growth and retention goals.

They selected VMware solutions for the underpinnings of their new foundation, with VMware HCX for accelerated migration to the cloud and VMware Cloud on AWS for their disaster recovery needs. Read more about their story.

Scale and protect on-premises VDI needs in the public cloud

PennyMac 

PennyMac, a leading national mortgage lender, is committed to providing every customer with the right home loan and superior service long after closing. 

They needed to scale their virtual environment very rapidly in response to changing market conditions. In this video, hear how they leveraged VMware Cloud on AWS to migrate their VDI environment to the public cloud.

OSRAM Continental

OSRAM Continental develops innovative automotive lighting systems to meet the needs of modern mobility concepts. Launched in 2018, the joint venture quickly set up an entirely new, ready-to-run IT infrastructure based on a cloud principle and VMware Cloud on AWS. Thanks to a virtual desktop infrastructure, the company benefits from time and cost savings, maximum flexibility and centralized management, thereby creating the infrastructural prerequisites for an industry in transition. 

“VMware Cloud on AWS enabled us to build our entire IT and process landscape from scratch in just six months.”
– Michael Schöberl, CIO, OSRAM Continental

Learn more about OSRAM Continental’s journey in this case study.

As the above examples show, customers are increasing agility, improving business continuity, scaling cost-effectively and rapidly migrating or extending to the public cloud with VMware Cloud on AWS, an integrated, highly available and secure solution.

To learn more about VMware Cloud on AWS, check out these resources. Or, you can get started with VMware Cloud on AWS online.

Resources

Cheryl Young

Cheryl Young is a Product Line Marketing Manager in the Cloud Infrastructure Business Group at VMware focused on Google Cloud VMware Engine. She has been working in the enterprise software…

Source :
https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud/2020/11/24/part-5-see-customers-unlocking-power-hybrid-cloud-vmware-cloud-aws/

Enhancing RFC-compliance for message header from addresses

06/02/2024

Hornetsecurity is implementing an update to enhance email security by enforcing checks on the “Header-From” value in emails, as per RFC 5322 standards.
This initiative is driven by several key reasons:

  1. Preventing Email Delivery Issues: Historically, not enforcing the validity of the originator email address has led to emails being accepted by our system but ultimately rejected by the final destination, especially with most customers now using cloud email service providers that enforce stricter validation.
  2. Enhanced Protection Against Spoofed Emails: By strictly validating the “Header-From” value, we aim to significantly reduce the risk of email spoofing.
  3. Enhance Email Authentication for DKIM/DMARC Alignment: By enforcing RFC 5322 compliance in the “Header-From” field, we can ensure better alignment with DKIM and DMARC standards, thereby significantly improving the security and authenticity of email communications.

The cause of malformed “From” headers often stems from incorrect email server configurations by the sender or from bugs in scripts or other applications. Our new protocol aims to rectify these issues, ensuring that all emails passing through our system are fully compliant with established standards, thus improving the overall security and reliability of email communications.

Implementation Timeline

  • Stage 1 (Starting 4 March 2024): 1-5% of invalid emails will be rejected.
  • Stage 2 (Second week): 30% rejection rate.
  • Stage 3 (Third week): 60% rejection rate.
  • Final Stage (By the end of the fourth week): 100% rejection rate.

Impact Assessment

Extensive testing over the past six months indicates that the impact on legitimate email delivery is expected to be minimal. However, email administrators should be prepared for potential queries from users experiencing email rejections.

Handling Rejections

When an email is rejected due to a malformed “Header-From”, the sender will receive a bounce-back message with the error “510 5.1.7 malformed Header-From according to RFC 5322”. This message indicates that the email did not meet the necessary header standards.

Identifying Affected Emails

Email administrators can identify affected emails in the Hornetsecurity Control Panel (https://cp.hornetsecurity.com) using the following steps:

  1. Navigate to ELT in the Hornetsecurity Control Panel.
  2. Select your tenant in the top right field.
  3. Choose a date range for your search. A shorter range will yield quicker results.
  4. Click in the “Search” text box, select the “Msg ID” parameter, and type in “hfromfailed” (exact string).
  5. Press ENTER to perform the search.

When email administrators identify emails affected by the “Header-From” checks in the Email Live Tracking (ELT) system, immediate and appropriate actions are necessary to verify if the email application or server settings are correctly configured to comply with RFC 5322 standards. This will help maintain email flow integrity.


Defining Exceptions

In implementing the new “Header-From” checks, Hornetsecurity recognizes the need for flexibility in certain cases. Therefore, we have provisioned for the definition of exceptions to these checks.

This section details how to set up these exceptions and the timeline for their deprecation:

Configuring Exceptions

  1. Accessing the Control Panel: Log in to the Hornetsecurity Control Panel at https://cp.hornetsecurity.com.
  2. Navigating to the Compliance Filter.
  3. Creating Exception Rules: Within the Compliance Filter, you can create rules that define exceptions to the “Header-From” checks. This should be based on the envelop sender address.
  4. Applying the Exceptions: Once defined, these exceptions will allow certain emails to bypass the strict “Header-From” checks.

Timeline for Deprecation of Exceptions applied to the new Header-From checks

  • Initial Implementation: The ability to define exceptions is available as part of the initial rollout of the “Header-From” checks.
  • Deprecation Date: These exception provisions are set to be deprecated by the end of June 2024.

The provision for exceptions is intended as a temporary measure to facilitate a smoother transition to the new protocol. By June 2024, it is expected that all email senders would have had sufficient time to align their email systems with RFC 5322 standards. Deprecating the exceptions is a step towards ensuring full compliance and maximizing the security benefits of the “Header-From” checks.

Conclusion

The enhancement of our RFC-compliance is a significant step toward securing email communications. Adherence to these standards will collectively reduce risks associated with email. For further assistance or clarification, please reach out to our support team at support@hornetsecurity.com.

 

Invalid “Header From” Examples:

Header From Reason 
From: <> Blank addresses are problematic as they cause issues in scenarios requiring a valid email address, such as allow and deny lists. 
From: John Doe john.doe@hornetsecurity.com Non-compliant with RFC standards. The email address must be enclosed in angle brackets (< and >) when accompanied by a display name. 
From: “John Doe” <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> (Peter’s cousin) While technically RFC-compliant, such formats are often rejected by M365 unless explicit exceptions are configured. We do accept certain email addresses with comments. 
From: John, Doe <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> Non-compliant with RFC standards. A display name containing a comma must be enclosed in double quotes. 
From: “John Doe <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com>” Non-compliant with RFC standards. The entire ‘From’ value is incorrectly enclosed in double quotation marks, which is not allowed. 
From: “John Doe <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com>” john.doe@hornetsecurity.com Non-compliant with RFC standards. The display name is present, but the email address is not correctly enclosed in angle brackets. 
From: “John Doe”<john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> Non-compliant with RFC standards due to the absence of white-space between the display name and the email address. 
From: “Nested Brackets” <<info@hornetsecurity.com> Nested angle brackets are not allowed in the “addr-spec” part of the email address. 
From: Peter Martin <e14011> Non-compliant with RFC standards. The domain part of the email address (“addr-spec”) is missing. 
From: “News” <news.@hornetsecurity.com> Non-compliant with RFC standards. The local part of the email address must not end with a dot. 
Missing “From” header altogether A “From” header is mandatory in emails. The absence of this header is a clear violation of RFC standards. 

Valid “Header From” Examples:

Header From Reason 
From: john.doe@hornetsecurity.com RFC-compliant 
From: <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> RFC-compliant 
From: “Doe, John” <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> RFC-compliant 
From: “John Doe” <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> RFC-compliant 
From: < john.doe@hornetsecurity.com > RFC-compliant but not recommended because of the spaces between the email address and angle brackets 
From: John Doe <john.doe@hornetsecurity.com> Acceptable, although it is recommended that the display name is enclosed in double quotes if it contains any white-space. 

Source :
https://support.hornetsecurity.com/hc/en-us/articles/22036971529617-Enhancing-RFC-compliance-for-message-header-from-addresses

How to Set Up Google Postmaster Tools

Updated: Jan 31, 2024, 13:03 PM
By Claire Broadley Content Manager
REVIEWED By Jared Atchison Co-owner

Do you want to set up Postmaster Tools… but you’re not sure where to start?

Postmaster Tools lets you to monitor your spam complaints and domain reputation. That’s super important now that Gmail is blocking emails more aggressively.

Thankfully, Postmaster Tools is free and easy to configure. If you’ve already used a Google service like Analytics, it’ll take just a couple of minutes to set up.

In This Article

Who Needs Postmaster Tools?

You should set up Postmaster Tools if you meet any of the following criteria:

1. You Regularly Send Emails to Gmail Recipients

Postmaster Tools is a tool that Google provides to monitor emails to Gmail users.

Realistically, most of your email lists are likely to include a large number of Gmail mailboxes unless you’re sending to a very specific group of people, like an internal company mailing list. (According to Techjury, Gmail had a 75.8% share of the email market in 2023.)

Keep in mind that Gmail recipients aren’t always using Gmail email addresses. The people who use custom domains or Google Workspace are ‘hidden’, so it’s not always clear who’s using Gmail and who isn’t. To be on the safe side, it’s best to use it (it’s free).

2. You Send Marketing Emails (or Have a Large Website)

Postmaster Tools works best for bulk email senders, which Google defines as a domain that sends more than 5,000 emails a day.

If you’re sending email newsletters on a regular basis, having Postmaster Tools is going to help.

Likewise, if you use WooCommerce or a similar platform, you likely send a high number of transactional emails: password reset emails, receipts, and so on.

Reset password email

If you don’t send a large number of emails right now, you can still set up Postmaster Tools so you’re prepared for the time you might.

Just note that you may see the following message:

No data to display at present. Please come back later.
Postmaster Tools requires your domain to satisfy certain conditions before data is visible for this chart.

This usually means you’re not sending enough emails for Google to be able to calculate meaningful statistics.

It’s up to you if you want to set it up anyway, or skip it until your business grows a little more.

How to Add a Domain to Postmaster Tools

Adding a domain to Postmaster Tools is simple and should take less than 10 minutes.

To get started, head to the Postmaster Tools site and log in. If you’re already using Google Analytics, sign in using the email address you use for your Analytics account.

The welcome popup will already be open. Click on Get Started to begin.

Add a domain in Postmaster Tools

Next, enter the domain name that your emails come from.

This should be the domain you use as the sender, or the ‘from email’, when you’re sending emails from your domain. It will normally be your main website.

Enter domain name in Postmaster Tools

If your domain name is already verified for another Google service, that’s all you need to do! You’ll see confirmation that your domain is set up.

Domain added to Google Postmaster Tools

If you haven’t used this domain with Google services before, you’ll need to verify it. Google will ask you to add a TXT record to your DNS.

Postmaster Tools domain verification

To complete this, head to the control panel for the company you bought your domain from. It’ll likely be your domain name registrar or your web host. If you’re using a service like Cloudflare, you’ll want to open up your DNS records there instead.

Locate the part of the control panel that handles your DNS (which might be called a DNS Zone) and add a new TXT record. Copy the record provided into the fields.

Note: Most providers will ask you to enter a Name, which isn’t shown in Google’s instructions. If your provider doesn’t fill this out by default, you can safely enter @ in the Name field.

Verify domain by adding TXT record for Google Postmaster Tools

Now save your record and wait a few minutes. Changes in Cloudflare can be near-instant, but other registrars or hosts may take longer.

After waiting for your change to take effect, switch back to Postmaster Tools and hit Verify to continue.

Verify domain in Postmaster Tools

And that’s it! Now your domain has been added to Postmaster Tools.

Verified domain in Postmaster Tools

How to Read the Charts in Google Postmaster Tools

Google is now tracking various aspects of your email deliverability. It’ll display the data in a series of charts in your account.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can see.

As I mentioned, keep in mind that the data here is only counted from Gmail accounts. It’s not a domain-wide measurement of everything you send.

Spam Rate

Your spam rate is the number of emails sent vs the number of spam complaints received each day. You should aim to keep this below 0.1%.

You can do that by making it easy for people to unsubscribe from marketing emails and using double optins rather than single optins.

Example of a Postmaster Tools report for Gmail recipients

It’s normal for spam complaint rates to spike occasionally because Google measures each day in isolation.

If you’re seeing a spam rate that is consistently above 0.3%, it’s worth looking into why that’s happening. You might be sending emails to people who don’t want to receive them.

IP Reputation

IP reputation is the trustworthiness of the IP address your emails come from. Google may mark emails as spam if your IP reputation is poor.

IP reputation in Postmaster Tool

Keep in mind that IP reputation is tied to your email marketing provider. It’s a measure of their IP as well as yours.

If you see a downward trend, check in with the platform you’re using to ask if they’re seeing the same thing.

Domain Reputation

Domain reputation is the trustworthiness of the domain name you’ve verified in Postmaster Tools. This can be factored into Google’s spam scoring, along with other measurements.

Domain reputation in Postmaster Tools

The ideal scenario is a consistent rating of High, as shown in our screenshot above.

Wait: What is IP Reputation vs Domain Reputation?

You’ll now see that Google has separate options for IP reputation and domain reputation. Here’s the difference:

  • IP reputation measures the reputation of the server that actually sends your emails out. This might be a service like Constant Contact, ConvertKit, or Drip. Other people who use the service will share the same IP, so you’re a little more vulnerable to the impact of other users’ actions.
  • Domain reputation is a measure of the emails that are sent from your domain name as a whole.

Feedback Loop

High-volume or bulk senders can activate this feature to track spam complaints in more detail. You’ll need a special email header called Feedback-ID if you want to use this. Most likely, you won’t need to look at this report.

Authentication

This chart shows you how many emails cleared security checks.

In more technical terms, it shows how many emails attempted to authenticate using DMARC, SPF, and DKIM vs. how many actually did.

Postmaster Tools authentication

Encryption

This chart looks very similar to the domain reputation chart we already showed. It should sit at 100%.

If you’re seeing a lower percentage, you may be using outdated connection details for your email provider.

Check the websites or platforms that are sending emails from your domain and update them from an SSL connection to a TLS connection.

wp mail smtp host and port settings

Delivery Errors

Last but not least, the final chart is the most useful. The Delivery Errors report will show you whether emails were rejected or temporarily delayed. A temporary delay is labeled as a TempFail in this report.

This chart is going to tell you whether Gmail is blocking your emails, and if so, why.

If you see any jumps, click on the point in the chart and the reason for the failures will be displayed below it.

Delivery errors in Postmaster Tools

Small jumps here and there are not a huge cause for concern. However, very large error rates are a definite red flag. You may have received a 550 error or a 421 error that gives you more clues as to why they’re happening.

Here are the 3 most important error messages related to blocked emails in Gmail:

421-4.7.0 unsolicited mail originating from your IP address. To protect our users from spam, mail sent from your IP address has been temporarily rate limited.

550-5.7.1 Our system has detected an unusual rate of unsolicited mail originating from your IP address. To protect our users from spam, mail sent from your IP address has been blocked.

550-5.7.26 This mail is unauthenticated, which poses a security risk to the sender and Gmail users, and has been blocked. The sender must authenticate with at least one of SPF or DKIM. For this message, DKIM checks did not pass and SPF check for example.com did not pass with ip: 192.186.0.1.

If you’re seeing these errors, check that your domain name has the correct DNS records for authenticating email. It’s also a good idea to examine your emails to ensure you have the right unsubscribe links in them.

Note: WP Mail SMTP preserves the list-unsubscribe headers that your email provider adds. That means that your emails will have a one-click unsubscribe option at the top.

One click unsubscribe link

If you’re using a different SMTP plugin, make sure it’s preserving that crucial list-unsubscribe header. If it’s not there, If not, you may want to consider switching to WP Mail SMTP for the best possible protection against spam complaints and failed emails.

Fix Your WordPress Emails Now

Next, Authenticate Emails from WordPress

Are your emails from WordPress disappearing or landing in the spam folder? You’re definitely not alone. Learn how to authenticate WordPress emails and ensure they always land in your inbox.

Ready to fix your emails? Get started today with the best WordPress SMTP plugin. If you don’t have the time to fix your emails, you can get full White Glove Setup assistance as an extra purchase, and there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee for all paid plans.

If this article helped you out, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more WordPress tips and tutorials.

Source :
https://wpmailsmtp.com/how-to-set-up-google-postmaster-tools/

Local File Inclusion Vulnerability Patched in Shield Security WordPress Plugin

István Márton
February 5, 2024

On December 18, 2023, right before the end of Holiday Bug Extravaganza, we received a submission for a Local File Inclusion vulnerability in Shield Security, a WordPress plugin with more than 50,000+ active installations. It’s important to note that this vulnerability is limited to just the inclusion of PHP files, however, it could be leveraged by an attacker who has the ability to upload PHP files but can not directly access those files to execute.

Props to hir0ot who discovered and responsibly reported this vulnerability through the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program. This researcher earned a bounty of $938.00 for this discovery during our Bug Bounty Program Extravaganza.

All Wordfence Premium, Wordfence Care, and Wordfence Response customers, as well as those still using the free version of our plugin, are protected against any exploits targeting this vulnerability by the Wordfence firewall’s built-in Directory Traversal and Local File Inclusion protection.

We contacted the Shield Security Team on December 21, 2023, and received a response on December 23, 2023. After providing full disclosure details, the developer released a patch on December 23, 2023. We would like to commend the Shield Security Team for their prompt response and timely patch, which was released on the same day.

We urge users to update their sites with the latest patched version of Shield Security, which is version 18.5.10, as soon as possible.

Vulnerability Summary from Wordfence Intelligence

Description: Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security <= 18.5.9 – Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion
Affected Plugin: Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security
Plugin Slug: wp-simple-firewall
Affected Versions: <= 18.5.9
CVE ID: CVE-2023-6989
CVSS Score: 9.8 (Critical)
CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Researcher/s: hir0ot
Fully Patched Version: 18.5.10
Bounty Awarded: $938.00

The Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 18.5.9 via the render_action_template parameter. This makes it possible for an unauthenticated attacker to include and execute PHP files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files.

Technical Analysis

Shield Security is a WordPress website security plugin that offers several features to stop attackers, protect and monitor the website, including a firewall, malware scanner and also logs activities.

The plugin includes a template management system that renders .twig, .php or .html files. Unfortunately, the insecure implementation of the plugin’s file template including and rendering functionality allows for arbitrary file inclusion in vulnerable versions. The template path is set with the setTemplate() function.

242243244245246247248publicfunctionsetTemplate( $templatePath) {    $this->template = $templatePath;    if( property_exists( $this, 'sTemplate') ) {        $this->sTemplate = $templatePath;    }    return$this;}

The renderPhp() function in the Render class uses the path_join() function to join the template file. It then checks that the template file is an existing file and includes it.

8182838485868788899091929394959697privatefunctionrenderPhp() :string {    if( \count( $this->getRenderVars() ) > 0 ) {        \extract( $this->getRenderVars() );    }    $template= path_join( $this->getTemplateRoot(), $this->getTemplate() );    if( Services::WpFs()->isFile( $template) ) {        \ob_start();        include( $template);        $contents= \ob_get_clean();    }    else{        $contents= 'Error: Template file not found: '.$template;    }    return(string)$contents;}

Examining the code reveals that there is no file path sanitization anywhere in these functions. This makes it possible to include arbitrary PHP files from the server.

The file inclusion is limited to PHP files in the vulnerability. This means that threat actors cannot exploit one of the most popular remote code execution methods via a log file poisoning attack. Since the plugin also uses isFile() function to file checking, the other popular remote code execution method using wrappers attack is also not possible. Nevertheless, the attacker has several options to include and exploit a malicious PHP file and execute on the server. This can be achieved by chaining the attack and exploiting vulnerabilities in other plugins. However, it’s worth mentioning that the attack possibilities are limited. This would likely be leveraged in an instance where an attacker has access to upload a PHP file, but does not have direct access to the file to execute it.

Wordfence Firewall

The following graphic demonstrates the steps to exploitation an attacker might take and at which point the Wordfence firewall would block an attacker from successfully exploiting the vulnerability.

The Wordfence firewall rule detects the malicious file path and blocks the request.

Disclosure Timeline

December 18, 2023 – We receive the submission of the Local File Inclusion vulnerability in Shield Security via the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program.
December 20, 2023 – We validate the report and confirm the proof-of-concept exploit.
December 21, 2023 – We initiate contact with the plugin vendor asking that they confirm the inbox for handling the discussion.
December 23, 2023 – The vendor confirms the inbox for handling the discussion.
December 23, 2023 – We send over the full disclosure details. The vendor acknowledges the report and begins working on a fix.
December 23, 2023 – The fully patched version of the plugin, 18.5.10, is released.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we detailed a Local File Inclusion vulnerability within the Shield Security plugin affecting versions 18.5.9 and earlier. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated threat actors to include and execute PHP files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files, which can be used for complete site compromise. The vulnerability has been fully addressed in version 18.5.10 of the plugin.

We encourage WordPress users to verify that their sites are updated to the latest patched version of Shield Security.

All Wordfence Premium, Wordfence Care, and Wordfence Response customers, as well as those still using the free version of our plugin, are protected against any exploits targeting this vulnerability by the Wordfence firewall’s built-in Directory Traversal and Local File Inclusion protection.

If you know someone who uses this plugin on their site, we recommend sharing this advisory with them to ensure their site remains secure, as this vulnerability poses a significant risk.

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Source :
https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2024/02/local-file-inclusion-vulnerability-patched-in-shield-security-wordpress-plugin/

Reflecting on the GDPR to celebrate Privacy Day 2024

26/01/2024
Emily Hancock

10 min read

This post is also available in Deutsch, Français, 日本語 and Nederlands.

Reflecting on the GDPR to celebrate Privacy Day 2024

Just in time for Data Privacy Day 2024 on January 28, the EU Commission is calling for evidence to understand how the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been functioning now that we’re nearing the 6th anniversary of the regulation coming into force.

We’re so glad they asked, because we have some thoughts. And what better way to celebrate privacy day than by discussing whether the application of the GDPR has actually done anything to improve people’s privacy?

The answer is, mostly yes, but in a couple of significant ways – no.

Overall, the GDPR is rightly seen as the global gold standard for privacy protection. It has served as a model for what data protection practices should look like globally, it enshrines data subject rights that have been copied across jurisdictions, and when it took effect, it created a standard for the kinds of privacy protections people worldwide should be able to expect and demand from the entities that handle their personal data. On balance, the GDPR has definitely moved the needle in the right direction for giving people more control over their personal data and in protecting their privacy.

In a couple of key areas, however, we believe the way the GDPR has been applied to data flowing across the Internet has done nothing for privacy and in fact may even jeopardize the protection of personal data. The first area where we see this is with respect to cross-border data transfers. Location has become a proxy for privacy in the minds of many EU data protection regulators, and we think that is the wrong result. The second area is an overly broad interpretation of what constitutes “personal data” by some regulators with respect to Internet Protocol or “IP” addresses. We contend that IP addresses should not always count as personal data, especially when the entities handling IP addresses have no ability on their own to tie those IP addresses to individuals. This is important because the ability to implement a number of industry-leading cybersecurity measures relies on the ability to do threat intelligence on Internet traffic metadata, including IP addresses.  

Location should not be a proxy for privacy

Fundamentally, good data security and privacy practices should be able to protect personal data regardless of where that processing or storage occurs. Nevertheless, the GDPR is based on the idea that legal protections should attach to personal data based on the location of the data – where it is generated, processed, or stored. Articles 44 to 49 establish the conditions that must be in place in order for data to be transferred to a jurisdiction outside the EU, with the idea that even if the data is in a different location, the privacy protections established by the GDPR should follow the data. No doubt this approach was influenced by political developments around government surveillance practices, such as the revelations in 2013 of secret documents describing the relationship between the US NSA (and its Five Eyes partners) and large Internet companies, and that intelligence agencies were scooping up data from choke points on the Internet. And once the GDPR took effect, many data regulators in the EU were of the view that as a result of the GDPR’s restrictions on cross-border data transfers, European personal data simply could not be processed in the United States in a way that would be consistent with the GDPR.

This issue came to a head in July 2020, when the European Court of Justice (CJEU), in its “Schrems II” decision1, invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield adequacy standard and questioned the suitability of the EU standard contractual clauses (a mechanism entities can use to ensure that GDPR protections are applied to EU personal data even if it is processed outside the EU). The ruling in some respects left data protection regulators with little room to maneuver on questions of transatlantic data flows. But while some regulators were able to view the Schrems II ruling in a way that would still allow for EU personal data to be processed in the United States, other data protection regulators saw the decision as an opportunity to double down on their view that EU personal data cannot be processed in the US consistent with the GDPR, therefore promoting the misconception that data localization should be a proxy for data protection.

In fact, we would argue that the opposite is the case. From our own experience and according to recent research2, we know that data localization threatens an organization’s ability to achieve integrated management of cybersecurity risk and limits an entity’s ability to employ state-of-the-art cybersecurity measures that rely on cross-border data transfers to make them as effective as possible. For example, Cloudflare’s Bot Management product only increases in accuracy with continued use on the global network: it detects and blocks traffic coming from likely bots before feeding back learnings to the models backing the product. A diversity of signal and scale of data on a global platform is critical to help us continue to evolve our bot detection tools. If the Internet were fragmented – preventing data from one jurisdiction being used in another – more and more signals would be missed. We wouldn’t be able to apply learnings from bot trends in Asia to bot mitigation efforts in Europe, for example. And if the ability to identify bot traffic is hampered, so is the ability to block those harmful bots from services that process personal data.

The need for industry-leading cybersecurity measures is self-evident, and it is not as if data protection authorities don’t realize this. If you look at any enforcement action brought against an entity that suffered a data breach, you see data protection regulators insisting that the impacted entities implement ever more robust cybersecurity measures in line with the obligation GDPR Article 32 places on data controllers and processors to “develop appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk”, “taking into account the state of the art”. In addition, data localization undermines information sharing within industry and with government agencies for cybersecurity purposes, which is generally recognized as vital to effective cybersecurity.

In this way, while the GDPR itself lays out a solid framework for securing personal data to ensure its privacy, the application of the GDPR’s cross-border data transfer provisions has twisted and contorted the purpose of the GDPR. It’s a classic example of not being able to see the forest for the trees. If the GDPR is applied in such a way as to elevate the priority of data localization over the priority of keeping data private and secure, then the protection of ordinary people’s data suffers.

Applying data transfer rules to IP addresses could lead to balkanization of the Internet

The other key way in which the application of the GDPR has been detrimental to the actual privacy of personal data is related to the way the term “personal data” has been defined in the Internet context – specifically with respect to Internet Protocol or “IP” addresses. A world where IP addresses are always treated as personal data and therefore subject to the GDPR’s data transfer rules is a world that could come perilously close to requiring a walled-off European Internet. And as noted above, this could have serious consequences for data privacy, not to mention that it likely would cut the EU off from any number of global marketplaces, information exchanges, and social media platforms.

This is a bit of a complicated argument, so let’s break it down. As most of us know, IP addresses are the addressing system for the Internet. When you send a request to a website, send an email, or communicate online in any way, IP addresses connect your request to the destination you’re trying to access. These IP addresses are the key to making sure Internet traffic gets delivered to where it needs to go. As the Internet is a global network, this means it’s entirely possible that Internet traffic – which necessarily contains IP addresses – will cross national borders. Indeed, the destination you are trying to access may well be located in a different jurisdiction altogether. That’s just the way the global Internet works. So far, so good.

But if IP addresses are considered personal data, then they are subject to data transfer restrictions under the GDPR. And with the way those provisions have been applied in recent years, some data regulators were getting perilously close to saying that IP addresses cannot transit jurisdictional boundaries if it meant the data might go to the US. The EU’s recent approval of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework established adequacy for US entities that certify to the framework, so these cross-border data transfers are not currently an issue. But if the Data Privacy Framework were to be invalidated as the EU-US Privacy Shield was in the Schrems II decision, then we could find ourselves in a place where the GDPR is applied to mean that IP addresses ostensibly linked to EU residents can’t be processed in the US, or potentially not even leave the EU.

If this were the case, then providers would have to start developing Europe-only networks to ensure IP addresses never cross jurisdictional boundaries. But how would people in the EU and US communicate if EU IP addresses can’t go to the US? Would EU citizens be restricted from accessing content stored in the US? It’s an application of the GDPR that would lead to the absurd result – one surely not intended by its drafters. And yet, in light of the Schrems II case and the way the GDPR has been applied, here we are.

A possible solution would be to consider that IP addresses are not always “personal data” subject to the GDPR. In 2016 – even before the GDPR took effect – the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) established the view in Breyer v. Bundesrepublik Deutschland that even dynamic IP addresses, which change with every new connection to the Internet, constituted personal data if an entity processing the IP address could link the IP addresses to an individual. While the court’s decision did not say that dynamic IP addresses are always personal data under European data protection law, that’s exactly what EU data regulators took from the decision, without considering whether an entity actually has a way to tie the IP address to a real person3.

The question of when an identifier qualifies as “personal data” is again before the CJEU: In April 2023, the lower EU General Court ruled in SRB v EDPS4 that transmitted data can be considered anonymised and therefore not personal data if the data recipient does not have any additional information reasonably likely to allow it to re-identify the data subjects and has no legal means available to access such information. The appellant – the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) – disagrees. The EDPS, who mainly oversees the privacy compliance of EU institutions and bodies, is appealing the decision and arguing that a unique identifier should qualify as personal data if that identifier could ever be linked to an individual, regardless of whether the entity holding the identifier actually had the means to make such a link.

If the lower court’s common-sense ruling holds, one could argue that IP addresses are not personal data when those IP addresses are processed by entities like Cloudflare, which have no means of connecting an IP address to an individual. If IP addresses are then not always personal data, then IP addresses will not always be subject to the GDPR’s rules on cross-border data transfers.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, having a standard whereby an IP address is not necessarily “personal data” would actually be a positive development for privacy. If IP addresses can flow freely across the Internet, then entities in the EU can use non-EU cybersecurity providers to help them secure their personal data. Advanced Machine Learning/predictive AI techniques that look at IP addresses to protect against DDoS attacks, prevent bots, or otherwise guard against personal data breaches will be able to draw on attack patterns and threat intelligence from around the world to the benefit of EU entities and residents. But none of these benefits can be realized in a world where IP addresses are always personal data under the GDPR and where the GDPR’s data transfer rules are interpreted to mean IP addresses linked to EU residents can never flow to the United States.

Keeping privacy in focus

On this Data Privacy Day, we urge EU policy makers to look closely at how the GDPR is working in practice, and to take note of the instances where the GDPR is applied in ways that place privacy protections above all other considerations – even appropriate security measures mandated by the GDPR’s Article 32 that take into account the state of the art of technology. When this happens, it can actually be detrimental to privacy. If taken to the extreme, this formulaic approach would not only negatively impact cybersecurity and data protection, but even put into question the functioning of the global Internet infrastructure as a whole, which depends on cross-border data flows. So what can be done to avert this?

First, we believe EU policymakers could adopt guidelines (if not legal clarification) for regulators that IP addresses should not be considered personal data when they cannot be linked by an entity to a real person. Second, policymakers should clarify that the GDPR’s application should be considered with the cybersecurity benefits of data processing in mind. Building on the GDPR’s existing recital 49, which rightly recognizes cybersecurity as a legitimate interest for processing, personal data that needs to be processed outside the EU for cybersecurity purposes should be exempted from GDPR restrictions to international data transfers. This would avoid some of the worst effects of the mindset that currently views data localization as a proxy for data privacy. Such a shift would be a truly pro-privacy application of the GDPR.

1 Case C-311/18, Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland and Maximillian Schrems.
2 Swire, Peter and Kennedy-Mayo, DeBrae and Bagley, Andrew and Modak, Avani and Krasser, Sven and Bausewein, Christoph, Risks to Cybersecurity from Data Localization, Organized by Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures (2023).
3 Different decisions by the European data protection authorities, namely the Austrian DSB (December 2021), the French CNIL (February 2022) and the Italian Garante (June 2022), while analyzing the use of Google Analytics, have rejected the relative approach used by the Breyer case and considered that an IP address should always be considered as personal data. Only the decision issued by the Spanish AEPD (December 2022) followed the same interpretation of the Breyer case. In addition, see paragraphs 109 and 136 in Guidelines by Supervisory Authorities for Tele-Media Providers, DSK (2021).
4 Single Resolution Board v EDPS, Court of Justice of the European Union, April 2023.

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Source :
https://blog.cloudflare.com/reflecting-on-the-gdpr-to-celebrate-privacy-day-2024/