Seasonal Hacks & Phish

Definitions
Holiday exploits, hacks, and phish

It’s that time. The time when turkeys send email. No, that’s an insult to our dinners. Around the holidays, expect and delete seasonal attempts to hack you and your email and bank accounts.

  • Shipping and tracking fakes with bad attachments.
  • Receipts for expensive goods you didn’t order, with a convenient cancellation phone number that will make full use of any card number you provide.
  • Donation links for the holidays, and for any new disaster that’s in the news.

Here’s what to look for, the free November issue of PC Updater News, or get back issues and a free subscription here.

Windows 10 Ends Today: October 14th, 2025

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Windows 10 Security patching ends today, when the last set of scheduled patches arrives sometime in the afternoon. Really? No. Windows 10 will still receive updates to Microsoft software installed within, mostly Office, but other software, probably Edge, will get updates, for now. And ‘Extended Software Updates’ are available until Patch Tuesday of October 2026. See how to sign up for ESU, and if it’s even worthwhile, in the free October issue of PC Updater News, or see back issues and signup to get the news every month.

Phish Spotting

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#Phish spotting in #Email

Phish are smarter with AI, more difficult to spot, but scammers are still relying on everyone who gets email to click and allow their hoaxes, because using non-Admin Windows accounts blocks most of the attachment malware they try to send. They rely on you to let them into your computer. Here’s how to spot a phish, in the new October PC Updater News. Or free subscriptions and back issues are online here.