On October 11th, Microsoft stopped developing the Windows 10 Mobile mobile operating system. This implies that users will no longer receive important updates. Although, Microsoft still provides security updates, just that Microsoft no longer adds any new features or major changes to the operating system. In this post, I will be discussing Windows 10 Mobile vulnerability update and how to work around it.
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About windows 10 Mobile Vulnerability That is yet to be Patched
If you are still using a Windows Phone, be aware of a new vulnerability that could be exploited by an attacker to gain access to your files and folders via a lock screen. As early as a few years ago, the market share of Windows Phone dropped below 1%. But there are still some users who use the platform, and this vulnerability affects them.
Yuval Ron, Amichai Shulman and Eli Biham from Israel were the first to report this vulnerability. It has also been confirmed by Microsoft on its security platform.
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Windows 10 Mobile Vulnerability Update
According to the documentation, this vulnerability will allow an attacker to access a photo library and modify or delete photos without having to authenticate to the system. Fortunately, the vulnerability requires physical contact with the phone and requires the launch of Cortana on the lock screen. In other words, unless the phone is stolen, the vulnerability is not a threat.
The researchers said, “We reported this to Microsoft in December 2018. After 9 months of evaluation and analysis, considering the limited number of Windows 10 mobile users. Couple with the heavy physical access requirements for this issue and the difficulty of recreating the steps’, they decided not to fix the vulnerability.”
Don’t also forget that windows 10 Mobile support will end on December 10 2019.
How to Patch this Vulnerability and Secure Your Windows 10 Mobile Phone on Your own
Microsoft said it will not fix this vulnerability in Windows 10 Mobile, but users can protect the phone by following the following workarounds:
- First off, Open Cortana app.
- Next, tap on three horizontal bars to access the menu.
- Click Settings.
- Lastly, make sure you turn off the lock screen access to Cortana when the device is locked.
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