Project Zero – Policy and Disclosure: 2025 Edition
News and updates from the Project Zero team at Google
Stay updated with the latest in technology, AI, cybersecurity, and more
News and updates from the Project Zero team at Google
As Microsoft gets ready to sunset Windows 10, security support is scheduled to end in October. You can get a one-year extended security update for $30. But if you want to stick with Windows 10 for another year, you might be better off with Microsoft's free option -- you'll just need to use cloud backup and connect it with your OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty big deal because it is still the most widely used Windows OS, accounting for just over 53% of
What’s next for Murena, though? Well, the company confirmed that it will be making some improvements: Murena is taking security issues seriously, and our policy about integration of security patches in /e/OS is very comparable to or even better in some cases than many of mobile OS vendors in the smartphone industry. However, as part of our ongoing efforts to continuously improve we have decided to reduce the integration time of monthly security updates in /e/OS. Therefore we’ll progressively u
What’s next for Murena, though? Well, the company confirmed that it will be making some improvements: Murena is taking security issues seriously, and our policy about integration of security patches in /e/OS is very comparable to or even better in some cases than many of mobile OS vendors in the smartphone industry. However, as part of our ongoing efforts to continuously improve we have decided to reduce the integration time of monthly security updates in /e/OS. Therefore we’ll progressively u
Apple has released new RC (release candidate) betas of iOS 18.6, macOS 15.6, and more to developers and public beta testers alike. Here’s what to expect. RC indicates iOS 18.6 launch is imminent Today Apple released brand new betas to developers and public beta users at the same time. However, those betas are not part of the iOS 26 release cycle. Instead, they’re the RC betas for iOS 18.6 and its companion updates. New RCs include: iOS 18.6 iPadOS 18.6 macOS 15.6 tvOS 18.6 watchOS 11.6
The Windows 10 era is almost at an end. Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 and stopping security support in October. Initially, Microsoft was offering a one-year extended security update for $30, but we've got some good news: Microsoft has added a free option, allowing you to stick with Windows 10 for another year. However, in order to access it, you'll need to use cloud backup and connect it with your OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty big deal
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Microsoft is due to cut off support for Windows 10 in October. That means no more security patches, bug fixes, or technical help for the OS (unless you pay for extended security updates or can make the free options work for you). But what does that entail for Microsoft 365? In a recent online support article, Microsoft revealed the status of its popular office suite once Windows 10 becomes persona non grata. First off, Microsoft would rather all Microsoft 365 users
The era of Windows 10 is almost at an end. In October 2025, Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 and stopping security support. Initially Microsoft was offering a one-year extended security update for $30, but we've got good news. Microsoft has added a free option, allowing you to stick with Windows 10 for another year. However, in order to access it, users will need to use cloud backup and connect it with their OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty b
Microsoft has confirmed a widespread issue in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) that prevents organizations from syncing with Microsoft Update and deploying the latest Windows updates. Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a Microsoft product that allows businesses to manage and distribute Windows updates to computers within their network. By default, WSUS synchronizes with Microsoft Update servers once a day, when it downloads the latest metadata on available Windows updates. Admins ca
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google is adding a new dashboard to streamline updates of crucial background services on Android. It’s called “System services” and can be found on your Android device’s Privacy & Security settings. The System services dashboard lets you manage existing services or install new ones. Alongside the core Android firmware on your phone, Google adds a layer of additional services responsible for enabling various features on your device, strengthening its s
Microsoft is closing the door on Windows 10 in October 2025, and will be ceasing security support for that operating system unless users pay $30 for a one-year extended security update. Now, Microsoft has added a free option. Users need to turn on cloud backup and connect it to their OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty big deal because it is still the most widely used Windows OS, accounting for just over 53% of installs as of May 2025. That leaves million
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung’s One UI 8 will enhance its Live Notifications feature by adopting Android 16’s new “Live Updates” API for broader third-party app support. This new API allows any app to create live, ongoing notifications, a major improvement from the previous version limited to mostly first-party Samsung apps. The feature is currently available in the One UI 8 beta behind a developer flag but is expected to be enabled for everyone in the final stable release.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google is preparing to launch “Live Updates,” a feature similar to iOS’s Live Activities that prominently displays progress-style notifications. Once live, these special notifications will appear fully expanded on the lock screen and as a persistent chip in the status bar for at-a-glance updates. The feature is already fully functional in the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, suggesting it will likely roll out in the next quarterly update. Google’s stable
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR The latest Samsung Wallet update brings real-time alerts for journeys using stored travel tickets. These updates show in One UI’s Now Bar, live notification, and Now Brief. Along with new functionality, Samsung Wallet gets a new animation showing all cards in a stacked view. Samsung Wallet is one of the company’s finest apps, especially in regions where Google Wallet doesn’t fully work just yet. It holds passes, travel tickets, cards, and even allows
Microsoft is closing the door on Windows 10 in October 2025, and will be ceasing security support for that operating system unless users pay $30 for a one-year extended security update. On June 24, with less than four months on the clock until support expires, Microsoft has added a free option. Users need to turn on cloud backup and connect it to their OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty big deal because it is still the most widely used Windows OS, accoun
Microsoft has confirmed a new known issue causing delivery delays for June 2025 Windows security updates due to an incorrect metadata timestamp. As Redmond explains in recent advisory updates, this bug affects Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems in environments with quality update deferral policies that enable admins to delay update installation on managed devices. While update deployment delays are an expected result when using such policies, the wrong timestamp for the June security updates wi
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Most people reading this know that Google Pixel phones are some of the best you can get if you prioritize fast, reliable software updates. Most of the time, you’ll get a notification on your phone within a few days after an update goes live. And, if you don’t want to wait, it’s very easy to pop into the Settings app to see if you’re on the latest version. If not, a quick tap of the Check for updates button will get you there. Strangely, this system does not a
Last fall, Microsoft announced that individuals who wanted to keep using Windows 10 past its official end-of-support date could do so by opting into the company's Extended Security Update (ESU) program at a cost of $30 per PC. That payment would get users a single year of additional security updates. Today, less than four months before that October 14, 2025, cutoff, Microsoft is announcing additional options for people who can't or don't want to pay that fee. Individuals who want to pay $30 for
Microsoft has found a new use for Reward Points – and another incentive to upload everything you hold dear to someone else's servers. You know the drill by now. Windows 10 is approaching its end of life (although the special LTSC edition has years to go, and we told you how to get it a couple of months ago). In April last year, The Register described the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, and then in October when the scheme was extended to individual consumers for a bargain-tastic $30 for
In brief: Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 this October despite its enduring popularity and the fact that hundreds of millions of usable PCs don't support Windows 11. The company recently introduced a new option for personal devices to receive another year of security updates, but it requires using OneDrive. After Windows 10 reaches end-of-life status on October 14, users who enroll in Windows Backup will continue receiving security updates through October 13, 2026, at no extra cos
Microsoft is closing the door on Windows 10 in October 2025, and will be ceasing security support for that operating system unless users pay $30 for a one-year extended security update. On Tuesday, with less than four months on the clock until support expires, Microsoft has added a free option. Users need to turn on cloud backup and connect it to their OneDrive account. The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty big deal because it is still the most widely used Windows OS, accoun
As we edge closer to Windows 10's end-of-support on October 14, 2025, Microsoft is throwing its more stubborn users another bone. The company previously announced that, for the first time, consumers would be able to purchase one year of Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for $30. Today, Microsoft revealed that you'll also be able to use 1,000 reward points to snap up an ESU. That could be helpful if, like me, you've been slowly amassing Microsoft Rewards and completely forgot they exist
Microsoft says Windows 10 home users who want to delay switching to Windows 11 can enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program at no additional cost using Microsoft Rewards points or enabling Windows Backup to sync their data to the cloud. Windows 10 will reach the end of support on October 14, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will stop providing bug fixes and security updates to fix newly discovered vulnerabilities, with unpatched systems exposed to attacks and malware. Windows Insi
Microsoft is rolling out a configuration update designed to address a known issue causing Windows Update to fail on some Windows 11 systems. The KB5062324 update is available for Windows 11 version 24H2 devices that have not yet applied the May Windows non-security preview update or later updates. "This Windows configuration update addresses an issue in Windows that can cause the scan for Windows updates to stop responding. Restarting Windows should allow the scan for Windows updates to be com
Last fall, Microsoft announced that individuals who wanted to keep using Windows 10 past its official end-of-support date could do so by opting into the company's Extended Security Update (ESU) program at a cost of $30 per PC. That payment would get users a single year of additional security updates. Today, less than four months before that October 14, 2025, cutoff, Microsoft is announcing additional options for people who can't or don't want to pay that fee. Individuals who want to pay $30 for
is a senior editor and author of Notepad , who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years. Microsoft revealed last year that it will charge consumers $30 for a year of extra security updates to Windows 10. Now, it’s allowing consumers to enroll into its Extended Security Updates (ESU) free of charge ahead of the Windows 10 end of support on October 14th. But there’s a catch. Consumers will have three options to get ESU on their personal Windows 10 PCs, and the free
Max Jambor on X TL;DR Nothing has confirmed that the Phone 3 will get a 5+7 update policy, which most likely means five years of Android OS updates and seven years of security patches. This is the longest software support for any Nothing phone to date. The device will be powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which the company claims outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in several areas. In a big leap forward for longevity, Nothing’s Co-Founder and Head of Marketing, Akis Evangelidis, has confirm
What just happened? WhatsApp promised a few years ago that advertising would eventually become part of its app experience. Now, the company is starting to deliver on that promise. Privacy, encryption, and safety, however, are still guaranteed, the Meta-owned messaging service states. WhatsApp recently confirmed that advertising is gradually rolling out to a significant portion of its users. According to a new help page, people using the app solely for personal messaging will not see any ads for
For the first time since launching in 2009, WhatsApp will now show users advertisements. The ads are “rolling out gradually,” the company said. For now, the ads will only appear on WhatsApp's Updates tab, where users can update their status and access channels or groups targeting specific interests they may want to follow. In its announcement of the ads, parent company Meta claimed that placing ads under Updates means that the ads won’t “interrupt personal chats.” Meta said that 1.5 billion pe
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. WhatsApp is rolling out ads. In an update on Monday, Meta announced that it will now show ads from businesses through its Stories-like status feature. The status feature lives within WhatsApp’s “Updates” tab and allows users to share disappearing text, photo, voice notes, or video messages. But now, you might see sponsored content in addition to th