Microsoft

Security experts say they're upset with Microsoft after the Redmond, Washington-based firm recently took actions to disable botnets associated with the 'Citadel' malware. The problem: Microsoft also disrupted important research being carried out by ... security experts. Citadel is a form of keylogging malware used by hackers to steal login information and passwords, thereby giving cybercriminals access to banking accounts and other web services. It's estimated that more than one thousand botnets were using the Citadel malware to carry out cybercriminals' attacks. At the time Microsoft acted on ... (view more)

A new report has found that Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser uses less power than the competition. According to a study commissioned by the Redmond, Washington-based firm, Internet Explorer is 18 per cent more energy-efficient than Google ... Chrome (version 26) and Mozilla's Firefox (version 21). The study was carried out by the Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, which examined the power consumption of web browsers running on laptop and desktop computers. PC Magazine notes that if every user of Chrome or Firefox switched to using Internet Explorer 10 and the Windows 8 operating ... (view more)

Microsoft is being accused of manipulating comments about the soon-to-be released Xbox One on social media site Reddit. Reddit users (called 'Redditors') can post news articles, reviews, photos, etc., on the site and have the public vote a ... submission "up" or "down" in an effort to rank the post and determine its position on the site's pages. Now, a Redditor using the alias "mistysilver" claims Microsoft representatives have been voting up positive comments about the Xbox One and voting down negative posts about the console, which is expected to be released later this year. Microsoft Employees ... (view more)

Microsoft's June 2013 Patch Tuesday security update includes a fix for an Internet Explorer flaw that could allow hackers to remotely take control of a system. The update, which will arrive tomorrow, addresses a serious vulnerability affecting ... versions 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser. Internet Explorer Vulnerability "Downright Scary" "This one would make it easy to remotely gain access to someone's machine via a malicious webpage," noted CORE Security development manager, Ken Pickering. "Bulletin One is downright scary." To exploit the flaw, hackers ... (view more)

Microsoft has slashed the price of Windows 8 and Windows RT licenses for tablet computers in an effort to drive up interest in its latest operating system. The firm has also revealed plans to include free Microsoft Office software packages with new ... tablet devices running Windows 8.1 or Windows RT. Microsoft OEM division vice president Nic Parker made the announcement at the Computex trade show taking place in Taiwan. Licensing Costs for Manufacturers Slashed Parker says the discount will apply to devices running Windows RT and Windows 8.1 / Windows Blue , the updated version of Microsoft's ... (view more)

If Microsoft wants its Windows 8 operating system (OS) to be successful with business users, it will need to convince them that the new OS contains useful features not seen in previous versions of Windows. Microsoft recently revealed that Windows ... Blue will revive the beloved Start button and will allow Windows 8 users to boot directly to the desktop. However, at the TechEd conference currently being held in New Orleans, Microsoft focused exclusively on the features Windows Blue -- or Windows 8.1 -- will offer enterprise users. Windows Azure, Windows Server Integration First, Microsoft says ... (view more)

It's not a mystery: Microsoft is having a hard time selling its Surface RT tablet computer. To help boost sales, the firm is now offering previously very pricey peripherals for free with the purchase of the original device. Microsoft's Surface RT ... was released alongside Windows 8 last fall. However, unlike most Windows 8-based laptops and the more recently released Surface Pro tablet PC, Surface RT runs Windows RT, a slimmed-down version of the Windows 8 operating system (OS). The big difference between Windows RT and Windows 8: the only way to get apps for the former is through Microsoft's ... (view more)

We've known for some time that Microsoft is planning to update its newest operating system, Windows 8, with Windows Blue (otherwise known as Windows 8.1). Now, the firm has revealed the changes Windows Blue will bring. For one, the long-missed Start ... button is making a return. The bad news: the Start menu isn't coming with it. According to reports, clicking the Start button will bring users to Windows 8's new Start screen. That means they won't gain access to the list of recent and popular applications that popped up when someone clicked the Start button in Windows 7. Boot Directly to the ... (view more)

Microsoft now says that more than 1 million people have signed up for the firm's new Office 365 Home Premium service. The firm feels this is an indication that consumers are willing to forego physical software and embrace cloud-based services. On ... Wednesday Microsoft announced that the new Office "is officially the best-selling Office edition yet, with more than one sold every second on average since it launched." To reach that conclusion Microsoft is counting all sales of Office, not just Office 365. Office 365 the Fastest-Selling Office, Ever However, the firm did note that it has now sold ... (view more)

What's the best way for Microsoft to improve its financial outlook? Sell off two prominent properties: its Xbox video game division and its Bing search engine. At least, that's the opinion of Rick Sherlund, an analyst for Nomura Equity Research. In ... a report released earlier this week, Sherlund argues that selling off the Xbox and Bing properties could help Microsoft from a financial standpoint. Bing Division Consistently in the Red First, selling Bing does make some sense. After several years competing with industry heavyweight Google, Microsoft's online services division continues to report ... (view more)