DuckDuckGo for better privacy

If you find that your headphones are suddenly not working, read on as this post will help you sort out the problem. There could be several reasons why your headphone is malfunctioning, it could be due to an update you just installed, or it could also be due to incompatible operating system, drivers, and so on. Although updates are created to fix bugs on a computer, there are times when it also causes some issues in the computer. One of the issues it causes is the broken headphone. When this happens, the computer will stop playing any audio using the headphones. The problem, as pointed out, could be due to Windows Updates or incompatible or corrupted drivers in the system. To resolve this problem with the headphones, there are several fixes you can check out. Make sure that you follow each one of the given potential fixes below.

Option 1 – Try to set the headphone as the default device manually

There are times when you plug a headphone, it does not toggle the default audio device. Thus, to fix this issue, you have to set the default audio device to the headphones manually. To do that, follow these steps:

• First, right-click on the volume icon located on the system tray.
• Next, select the Open sound settings option to open the Sound section in the Windows 10 Settings app.
• After that, go to the Output section and select Headphones for the “Choose your output device” option. This should fix the problem for you.

Option 2 – Try to update, rollback or reinstall the Audio driver

If the glitch in your audio has something to do with software, chances are it might be related to the audio driver – it could be that the newest version of your Windows 10 does not work well with the old version of the driver. This is why you have to update your audio driver to the newest available version.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and then type in MSC and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
• Expand the section for the outdated device drivers.
• And then select the outdated driver(s) and right-click on it/them.
• From the drop-down menu, select the Update Driver option and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest version of the driver.
• Then also click on the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software.
• Restart your PC after the installation.

Note: If updating the Audio driver didn’t work, you can go to the website of your PC manufacturer and look for the support section where you can download the drivers for your computer. You just need to take note of your PC’s correct model and model number so you can find the appropriate driver.

Option 3 – Try checking the status of the audio-related Windows Services

The Windows Services manages audio for all Windows-based programs and if this service is stopped, audio devices, as well as effects, will also be affected and if this service is disabled, any services that depend on it explicitly will fail to start. So you need to check the status of this service. How? Follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type in “MSC” in the field and tap enter to open the Windows Service Manager.
• Next, navigate down to the Windows Audio Service and double-click on it to open Properties.
• After that, set the Startup Type to Automatic and then click on the Start button and if it has already started, stop it and then start it again.

Note: You should also make sure that the following Dependency Services are started and have Automatic Startup type:

1. Remote Procedure Call
2. Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

You should also start the Multimedia Class Scheduler and set it on Automatic if you have it in your system. The Multimedia Class Scheduler Service or MMCSS is a service in Windows that allows multimedia applications to get prioritized access to CPU for time-sensitive processing like the multimedia applications as well as prioritized disc access to make sure that the process does not lack data to process.

Option 4 – Try running the Playing Audio Troubleshooter

Since the Windows 10 operating system has the Playing Audio Troubleshooter, you can use this troubleshooter to try and fix the problem with the headphones. You can access this tool in the Control Panel or in the Taskbar Search and even on the Troubleshooters page of Windows 10. Run this troubleshooter and see if it can fix the issue or not.

Option 5– Try to rollback or install a newer Windows Update

As mentioned earlier, the issue with the headphones could be due to a Windows Update. Thus, to fix the problem, you can try to either roll back or install a newer Windows Update.

FLoC is Google’s alternative to third-party cookies and is based on machine learning. This will allow the browser, any browser, to anonymously study how users are browsing and then group them into ‘cohorts’. Following this, you will be served ads based on your cohort and not on your individual data. So, you are still going to be targeted with ads but in a more anonymous manner. Google claims that this will improve user privacy since this “federated learning” happens on the user’s device and artificial intelligence-based learning involves sharing lesser users than what happens with third-party cookies. If something like this gets widely adopted by ad companies and services, it should “protect users” from tracking methods that are more intrusive than third-party cookies, like browser fingerprinting.

Who is against it?

Privacy-focused browsers DuckDuckGo, Brave, and Vivaldi have all warned users against FLoC and have said that they are going to block it on their end. Brave says that Google FLoC has a design that does not respect the customer’s privacy and consent. It has been designed to provide browsing behavior and interest data with any website that users may interact with, and this process does not involve fully informed consent. Vivaldi, another popular Chromium-based web browser, has also made its stance clear regarding the status of FLoC. The company said in a Reddit thread that the FLoC experiment does not work in Vivaldi. It happens because for FLoC to work, some features need to be enabled under the hood, but Vivaldi does not provide those options. The company also added that it plans to stop the entire FLoC component from being a part of the browser, regardless of how Google may implement it. Considering that Brave and Vivaldi have been privacy-focused browsers since their beginnings, the decision to stay away from FLoC is not surprising.

The Motitags toolbar browser add-on was created by Mindspark Inc. and is compatible with Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. It claims to enhance users’ Internet browsing experience by enabling smileys within popular email clients such as Gmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and Outlook Live. While such added functionality may seem useful, Internet users should be aware that this browser plugin is categorized as a Browser Hijacker due to its behavior.

When installed this extension changes your default search engine, the home page, and new tab to MyWay.com, and while installed it gathers user browsing data and sends it back to Mindspark servers. This data is later used to inject additional unwanted ads into the user’s browser search results.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is actually a type of unwanted software program, often a web browser add-on or extension, which then causes modifications in the web browser’s settings. Browser hijacker malware is developed for a number of reasons. These are generally used to force hits to a specific website, manipulating web traffic to generate ad revenue. It could seem harmless, but the majority of these websites aren’t legitimate and could pose a serious threat to your online safety. In a much worst case, your internet browser could be hi-jacked to open up your computer to a host of additional computer infections.

How one can identify a browser hijack

There are several signs of browser hijacking. Here are a few of them: the home page of your browser is changed unexpectedly; you get re-directed to websites you never intended to visit; the essential web browser settings are altered and unwanted or unsafe resources are added to the trusted websites list; discover new toolbars that you didn’t add; endless pop-up adverts show up and/or your web browser popup blocker is disabled; your browser gets sluggish, buggy, crashes frequently; you can’t navigate to certain internet pages, for example, security software related websites.

So how does a browser hijacker infect a computer?

Browser hijackers infect computers via malicious email attachments, downloaded infected files, or by going to infected sites. Many internet browser hijackings come from add-on software, i.e., toolbars, browser helper objects (BHO), or plug-ins added to browsers to provide them extra capabilities. Browser hijackers sneak into your pc in addition to free software application downloads that you unwittingly install along with the original. An example of some infamous browser hijacker includes Babylon, Anyprotect, Conduit, SweetPage, DefaultTab, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are often changing. Browser hijacking can bring about severe privacy problems and also identity theft, affect your browsing experience by taking control over outgoing traffic, drastically slows down your PC by consuming lots of resources, and result in system instability also.

Getting rid of browser hijackers

Some browser hijacking could be easily stopped by discovering and eliminating the corresponding malware program through your control panel. But, most browser hijackers are difficult to eliminate manually. No matter how much you try to eliminate it, it can return over and over. Rookie PC users should not try for the manual form of removal, since it needs thorough computer knowledge to perform fixes on the system registry and HOSTS file. Professionals always recommend users to remove any malware including browser hijacker with an automatic removal tool, which is easier, safer, and quicker than the manual removal technique. Safebytes Anti-Malware has a state-of-the-art anti-malware engine that will help you stop browser hijacking in the first place, and clean up any existing issues.

What To Do If You Cannot Download Safebytes Anti-Malware?

Malware could potentially cause all sorts of damage once they invade your computer, starting from stealing your private details to erasing data files on your computer system. Some malware sits in between your computer and your internet connection and blocks some or all sites that you would like to visit. It might also prevent you from installing anything on your PC, particularly anti-virus programs. If you’re reading this, you probably have infected by malware that prevents you from downloading a computer security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are a few options you could try to get around with this particular obstacle.

Install in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to load automatically when Windows starts, entering Safe Mode could block this attempt. Only minimal required programs and services are loaded whenever you start your personal computer in Safe Mode. To start your Windows XP, Vista, or 7 computers in Safe Mode with Networking, please do as instructed below. 1) At power on/start-up, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This would conjure up the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press Enter. 3) When you are into this mode, you will have online access again. Now, get the virus removal application you want by using the web browser. To install the program, follow the directions within the setup wizard. 4) Right after the software is installed, allow the scan run to eliminate viruses and other threats automatically.

Use an alternate web browser to download security software

Malicious code could exploit vulnerabilities on a particular internet browser and block access to all anti-virus software sites. The most effective way to avoid this issue is to choose a web browser that is renowned for its security features. Firefox contains built-in Malware and Phishing Protection to keep you safe online.

Install security software on a USB drive

To effectively eliminate the malware, you need to approach the problem of installing an anti-virus software program on the infected PC from a different angle. Follow these steps to run the antivirus on the affected computer. 1) Download Safebytes Anti-Malware or Microsoft Windows Defender Offline onto a virus-free computer system. 2) Plug the pen drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose the USB stick as the destination for saving the software file. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Disconnect the flash drive. You may now use this portable anti-malware on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the USB flash drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and get rid of all sorts of malware.

Benefits and Features of SafeBytes Security Suite

To protect your laptop or computer from many different internet-based threats, it is very important to install an anti-malware program on your PC. However, with so many anti-malware companies in the marketplace, nowadays it’s difficult to decide which one you should obtain for your laptop. A few are very good ones, some are ok types, and some are simply just fake anti-malware applications that could damage your computer themselves! When looking for an anti-malware program, pick one which gives reliable, efficient, and total protection against all known viruses and malware. One of the highly recommended software by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, a popular security application for Microsoft Windows. Safebytes is one of the well-established computer solutions companies, which provide this complete anti-malware software. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application can assist you to eliminate multiples types of malware such as viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

SafeBytes possesses a variety of wonderful features that can help you protect your laptop or computer from malware attack and damage. Below are some typical features found in this application:

World-class AntiMalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application can find and remove numerous stubborn malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus applications will miss. Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes gives complete and real-time security for your computer. They’re extremely effective in screening and getting rid of numerous threats since they’re regularly improved with the latest updates and alerts. “Fast Scan” Features: Safebytes Anti-Malware, using its enhanced scanning engine, provides ultra-fast scanning which can quickly target any active online threat. Website Filtering: Through its unique safety ranking, SafeBytes notifies you whether a site is safe or not to visit it. This will ensure that you’re always certain of your online safety when browsing the internet. Light-weight: The program is lightweight and can run silently in the background, and will not have an effect on your PC efficiency. 24/7 Premium Support: SafeBytes provides you with 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and software upgrades for the best user experience. Simply put, SafeBytes has developed a meaningful anti-malware solution that is aimed to protect you against various malware. Malware issues can become a thing of the past when you put this tool to use. So if you’re seeking the very best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out a few bucks for it, go for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove Motitags without using an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the application from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. Additionally, it is advised to factory reset your web browser to its default state to fix corrupt settings. Finally, check your hard drive for all of the following and clean your computer registry manually to get rid of leftover application entries after uninstalls. Please remember that only advanced users should try to manually edit the system files simply because removing any single vital registry entry leads to a serious issue or even a PC crash. Moreover, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. Carrying out this in Safe Mode is recommended.

The new thing from Mozilla is not a browser, it is a VPN!

Besides Firefox, Mozilla offers now Firefox Relay, an app helping you to mask your email and phone number, and a new Mozilla VPN.

Mozilla has recently announced a new subscription model that will let you use all products together for $6.99 per month. Although this is a little more expensive than the competition that goes around for $5 per month note that with this subscription you are having access to all services, not just VPN.

VPN will not only hide your IP address but will also make sure websites cannot access your real location and it encrypts all of your network activity. Relay will give you protection against spam, serving as a shield for your email and limiting spammers from access to your real email address and phone number. With Mozilla subscription will let you use both services.

If you suddenly encountered a Windows Error Code 0x80070017 during an Update, Installation or System Restore then it’s probably due to some missing or corrupted system files. This kind of error code can occur during an update, installation, or system restore and the only way out of it is to download the file once again and re-run the installation from the top. Before you start to troubleshoot the problem, you need to create a System Restore Point first. After you create a System Restore point, you can follow the troubleshooting options laid out below to fix the Windows Error Code 0x80070017. You just have to follow the troubleshooting option that applies to your situation and whether you got the error during an update, installation, or during System Restore. Whether you got the error 0x80070017 while updating Windows 10 or installing it or during a system restore, the first thing you must do is run the System File Checker. As pointed out early on, the Windows Error Code 0x80070017 might be caused by corrupted or missing system files so the first thing you can try is to run the System File Checker scan.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
• After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow and hit Enter.

The command will start a system scan which will take a few whiles before it finishes. Once it’s done, you could get the following results:

1. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
2. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
3. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

If you have encountered Windows Error Code 0x80070017 during an Update, then here are some options you need to try:

Option 1 – Delete the files/contents in the SoftwareDistribution Folder

The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating system is a folder that can be found in the Windows directory and is used to store files temporarily which might be required to install the Windows Update on your PC. Thus, it is required by the Windows Update and maintained by WUAgent. A lot of users tried deleting the files in this folder to fix the problem and so far it has worked. Like them, you can try clearing the Windows Update cache by simply deleting the contents of the folder named “SoftwareDistribution” since Windows apparently can’t clear and re-download the update contents once they are corrupted. Thus, deleting the contents of this folder will make Windows download the contents again which will fix the problem. To do that, follow the steps below.

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net stop bits

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
• Once all the contents in the Software Distribution folder are deleted, restart your PC and then go back to Command Prompt and input the following commands again.

net start wuauserv net start bits

Since the folder has already been flushed, it will be populated afresh the instant your restart your computer and open Windows Update.

Option 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the Windows Update Error Code 0x80070017. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go. On the other hand, if you got the error code 0x80070017 during a Windows 10 installation, then it’s because of bad media or corruption in ISO. Here are some troubleshooting steps for this kind of situation:

Option a – Try to create Windows 10 ISO media again

In this option, you will have to create a Windows 10 bootable media and use it to install the latest Windows 10 version. Most users reported that this option works and the reason why it does have something to do with the Windows Update client since the Windows Updates downloaded from the regular Windows Update client seem to create issues such as the error 0x80070017. However, issues like this one don’t occur when the very same Windows Updates are downloaded and installed via an ISO file. Take note that when using a Windows ISO file, you will be asked to choose what you want to do with the previous settings and apps. A lot of users opted for the “Not to keep the old Windows settings” option which has resolved the issue. So if you want to keep the previous settings then you must try to update Windows first while keeping the old settings. However, if it doesn’t work, you have to try installing the latest version of Windows without keeping the previous settings.

• Click this link and then click the Download Tool Now button.
• Next, click the “Use the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file)…” option and follow the next given instructions on the screen.
• Now select the ISO file option in step 5.
• After that, you should now have an ISO file.
• Next, go to the location where you’ve downloaded the ISO file.
• Then right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select the Open with the option and then select File Explorer.
• Now click on “setup.exe” and follow the next instructions that appear on the screen. When asked, you have to select either Nothing (clean install) or Keep personal files only option. Take note that you must not select the “Keep personal files, apps, and Windows settings since it doesn’t really work.

Option b – Run Microsoft’s online troubleshooter

Running Microsoft’s online troubleshooter might also help you fix the Windows update error 0x80070017. This online troubleshooter is known to help in fixing Windows Update errors, it scans your computer for issues that might be causing the problem and then fixes them automatically. If you got the error during System Restore then this means that the files that are being copied from the disk are not making it to the hard drive. To resolve it, here’s what you can do:

Option 1 – Run System Restore in Safe Mode

You might want to run System Restore in Safe Mode and see if it works. Just reboot your PC into Safe Mode and then run System Restore.

Option 2 – Reset Repository

• Boot your PC into Safe Mode.
• Then open Command Prompt as admin.
• Next, type the “net stop winmgmt” command and hit Enter to stop the Windows Management Instrumentation Service.
• After that, go to C:/Windows/System32/wbem. From there, rename the repository folder to “repository-old”.
• Restart your computer.
• After your computer has restarted, open Command Prompt as admin again and then type the “net stop winmgmt” command and hit Enter.
• Next, type the “winmgmt /resetRepository” and hit Enter to reset Repository.
• Restart PC and check if System Restore now works.

Option 3 – Try resetting Windows 10

To fix the error 0x80070017, you can try resetting Windows 10. Doing so won’t get rid of any file in your system – instead of erasing all your media files and documents, it only resets all the system settings and files. Simply go to Settings > Recovery. From there click the Get started button under the Reset This PC section.

Error Code 16 - What is it?

Code 16 is a type of Device Manager error code. Windows XP users are most likely to encounter it. This error pops on XP systems that are running legacy or not plug-and-play hardware.

Error code 16 is displayed in the following format:

‘Windows cannot identify all the resources this device uses. (Code 16)’

Solution

Error Causes

Error code 16 occurs when you use a peripheral device such as an external drive or a printer and that device is not properly or completely configured. Though the device may have been recognized before Windows fails to verify its configuration. Simply put, error code 16 appears when devices are partially configured.

In addition to this, another cause of error 16 is outdated or corrupt device drivers. Devices often fail to run successfully because of driver problems.

Device drivers are programs that provide instructions to control different devices attached to the computer system such as audio devices and printers to name a few.

Though error code 16 is not fatal like other PC error codes such as BSoD; however, it may hamper your ability to use certain devices installed on your system and lower your work productivity.

To avoid inconvenience, it is advisable to resolve the error immediately to avoid inconvenience.

Further Information and Manual Repair

PC error codes are often considered technical and difficult to resolve which is why many prefer to hire a professional for the repair job rather than doing it themselves.

Small repair jobs like fixing error code 16 by a professional computer programmer may cost you hundreds of dollars.

So, why incur so much cost when you can repair it easily by yourself even if you are not a technical whiz.

Error code 16 is easy to repair.

Here are some effective DIY methods that you can use for resolving error code 16 on your PC. These methods require no technical background, knowledge or expertise for that matter. Just simply follow the instructions and resolve the error code 16 issue.

Let’s get started…

Method 1 - Setup from the Disk that Came with the Hardware Device

Run setup from the disk that came with the hardware device, or you can simply copy the setup software file to your hard drive/flash drive. Refer to the vendor’s direction to set up.

If for any reason you’re unable to find the directions, simply uninstall the device. Then go to the start menu, Control Panel, and select ‘Add New Hardware’.

Now pick the appropriate hardware and follow the steps that the Wizard suggests. This is most likely to resolve the error code.

Nonetheless, if the error code still persists, then try method 2.

Method 2 - Allocate More PC Resources

Another alternative method to resolve error code 16 is to allocate more PC resources to the device. To specify additional resources:

• Go to the start menu
• Type Device Manager
• Then go to the Device properties and click the resources
• Here specify the device in the Device Manager
• If you see a resource with a question mark, assign that resource to the device
• However, if for any reason the resource is unable to change, then simply click ‘Change Setting’.
• If Change Settings is not available, then click the box to the ‘Use Automatic Settings’ box. This will make the option available.

Method 3 - Install DriverFIX

As previously stated above, device manager error codes like error code 16 may also occur due to driver problems. If this is the underlying reason for error code 16 on your system, then the best way to resolve it is to install DriverFIX.

DriverFIX is user-friendly, advanced, and feature-filled software deployed with an intelligent programming system, which detects all problematic device drivers automatically in seconds.

It matches these drivers with their latest versions and updates them smoothly without any hassle, resolving error code 16 right away.

And furthermore, once you install this software on your PC, you don’t have to worry about driver problems anymore typically because it updates drivers on a regular basis with compatible and new versions, ensuring that your computer functions properly. It is easy to install and is compatible with all Windows versions.

Click here to download DriverFIX to repair error code 16

5 Windows 10 Upgrade Errors

The recently released Windows 10 captivated the mass but its rollout, polished as it might have been, proved everything but seamless. Surf the Internet and you’ll get the gist. People are complaining and they need assistance. Assistance with what you might ask? Many have attempted to make an upgrade but failed after encountering various strange combinations of letters and numbers. These are none other than error codes. If you’ve tried and failed, feast your visuals below as you might encounter one of these 5 Windows 10 Upgrade errors.

Error Code 0x80073712

Encountering error code 0x80073712 in no way implies that you need to throw out your computer system and acquire a new one. Not at all! This error code simply means that a very important file to Windows might have gone missing or corrupted. This file is crucial to Windows update so without obtaining this file, you won’t be able to proceed with the update.

Error Code 0x800F0923

Likely, there are many programs and drivers installed on your computer. They all play a vital role. However, if you’ve received error code 0x800F0923, it might be time to consider or turn your eyes to installed drivers on your system. Why? Error code 0x800F0923 means that there’s a driver or driver on your current Operating System that’s not compatible with Windows 10. There’s clearly a dilemma here.

“We couldn't complete the updates. Undoing changes. Don't turn off your computer.” Or “Failure configuring Windows Updates. Reverting changes”

That’s a pretty odd error but I will say it's slick… That Windows 10 upgrade error is straightforward. Microsoft is just letting you know that they won’t be able to complete the update to Windows 10 and so they are putting your computer back to where it was. How nice of them.

The error messages above are pretty generic and will manifest when the upgrade fails for one reason or the other. To resolve this issue, you’ll most definitely have to decipher what error code was presented. Identifying that will provide a glimpse into exactly what steps you need to take.

The Update Isn't Applicable to Your Computer

I don’t know about you but I strongly believe Microsoft is subtly letting you know that your computer system is old and needs to be thrown out. Also, this update could imply that your PC needs to install important updates to rev you up to the requirements. All relevant updates to your computer must be installed before you can get past this stage.

Error… “Something Happened”

This Windows 10 upgrade error has been the talk of the Internet. In fact, users of Windows OS have been making it a mockery. Clearly, not many have had success after encountering this error. Obviously, “something happened” but it’s just not easy to decipher what went wrong. Microsoft is still trying to figure it out.

Solution

Hive ransomware has been targeting Microsoft exchange servers lately vulnerable to ProxyShell security issues in order to deploy various backdoors. Once the backdoor has been placed various attacks can be performed including but not limited to network reconnaissance, stealing admin accounts, taking valuable data, and even installing and deploying file-encrypting algorithms.

ProxyShell wide abuse

ProxyShell is a set of three vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server that allows remote code execution without authentication on vulnerable deployments. The flaw has been used in past by various ransomware like Conti, BlackByte, Babuk, Cuba, and LockFile.

Security vulnerabilities have been reported to be fully patched on May 2021 but how Hive was able to still be successful in exploiting PowerShell and infiltrating into the system there seems to be still some unpatched and open issues.

Hive

Hive has gone a long way since it was first observed in the wild back in June 2021, having a successful start that prompted the FBI to release a dedicated report on its tactics and indicators of compromise.

In October 2021, the Hive gang added Linux and FreeBSD variants, and in December it became one of the most active ransomware operations in attack frequency.

Last month, researchers at Sentinel Labs reported on a new payload-hiding obfuscation method employed by Hive, which indicates active development.

If your VPN software blocks and disconnects the Internet or Wi-Fi connection as soon as it is connected, read on as this post will give you fixes to resolve the problem. This kind of issue is odd but not unheard of. Many users use VPN for privacy and security but if it causes internet connection problems, you have to pin down the root cause of the problem and fix it in order to continue browsing the internet with privacy and security. Here are some suggestions you need to check out to resolve the issue between your VPN software and network.

Option 1 – Try installing the latest version of the TAP adapter

Since all VPN software uses a TAP adapter which is mostly from OpenVPN, you might want to download and install the TAP adapter driver to resolve the problem.

Option 2 – Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter

• Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
• Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
• Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
• After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 3 – Configure the client computer to use the default gateway

This kind of connection problem can occur when you configure the VPN connection as the default gateway on the remote network. In such a case, the VPN settings override the default gateway settings (TCP/IP settings). Thus, you have to configure the client computers in order to use the default gateway setting on your local network for internet traffic as well as a static route on the remote network for VPN-based traffic.

Option 4 – Try to use the Google Public DNS

You might want to change your DNS to Google Public DNS as it could help you resolve the internet connection problem caused by your VPN. To do so, follow the steps below.

• The first thing you have to do is right-click on the network icon in the Taskbar and select Network and Sharing Center.
• Next, click on the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
• After that, search for the network connection that you are using to connect to the internet. Note that the option might be “Wireless Connection” or “Local Area Connection”.
• Right-click on your network connection and click on Properties.
• Then select the new window to choose the “Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
• After that, click on the Properties button and click the checkbox in the new window for the option “Use the following DNS server addresses”.
• Type in “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4” and click OK and exit.

Option 5 – Try checking the settings of your VPN software

If your VPN software has a built-in “kill switch” it prevents any internet usage every time there is a problem in connecting with the VPN server which explains why your internet connection is disconnected when your VPN software is connected. In addition, you could also try to change your VPN software’s protocol since all VPNs support multiple protocols. It could be that the protocol your VPN uses is blocked so try changing to another protocol and see if it fixes the problem.

Option 6 – Update the Network Adapter drivers

You might also want to update the Network Adapter drivers by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
• Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
• Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.

Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the “Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter” error, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.

To reinstall the network adapter driver, refer to these steps:

• Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
• Then locate the device drivers and right-click on them to open the Properties.
• After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
• Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
• Finally, restart your computer. It will just reinstall the device drivers automatically.

What is DISM Error 1726? Every time you encounter some issues in your Windows 10 computer, especially when it comes to corrupted system files, you can always use the SFC scan and if the SFC can isn’t able to resolve the issue, there is also the DISM tool you can use which usually resolve the vast majority of system file corruption sufficiently. However, there are times when even the DISM commands experience issues as well. Such is the case with the 1726 error: “The remote procedure call failed”.

Some users reported that this DISM problem happens right before the process is supposed to end. According to experts, this error in DISM occurs due to any of the following reasons:

1. A third-party program might have interrupted the DISM operation and is the one that triggered the 1726 error: “The remote procedure call failed”.
2. The error could also pop up when there is a pending corruption repair. This usually happens when you tried to run a DISM command previously that was terminated manually or was halted because of some malfunction.
3. Lastly, the error could also occur because the process that’s responsible for the procedure is disabled or was prevented from running.

Whichever the case is, here are some suggestions that might help you in resolving the 1726 error: “The remote procedure call failed”.

Option 1 – Try updating your PC to the latest Windows build available

Since the problem is specific to certain builds in Windows 10, you need to make sure that your computer is updated before you try other troubleshooting steps. Thus, follow the steps below to update your Windows 10 PC.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “ms-settings:windowsupdate” in the field and hit Enter to open the Windows Update screen.
• After that, click on Check for Updates and then follow the next on-screen instructions to apply the latest Windows update.
• Once the update has been installed, restart your PC and run the DISM command again and see if the problem is fixed.

Option 2 – Try to change the Startup Type of the Remote Procedure Call service

As stated early on, the error might also be caused by a disabled Remote Procedure Call service or RPC or that it might be prevented from running for some reason. In case you don’t know, RPC is the service control manager for both COM and DCOM servers and it’s responsible for performing object variation requests, exporting resolution as well as distributing collection for the servers. And so if the server is disabled, all programs that are using COM and DCOM including the DISM commands, will not function correctly. Thus, you need to make sure that the RPC service is scheduled to enable itself on every system boot. To do so, here’s what you have to do:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Services.
• From there, scroll down until you see the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service and then right-click on it and select Properties.
• Then go to the General tab and change the drop-down menu next to Startup type to Automatic.
• After that, click the Apply button and then OK to apply the changes made.
• Restart your PC and run the DISM command once again at the next startup.

Option 3 – Try to modify the RpcSs registry key value

If the option didn’t work, you can also try enabling the RPC service using the Registry Editor. Before you proceed, make sure to create a System Restore point first and then follow the steps below afterward.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor. And if a User Account Control prompt appears, just click on Yes.
• After that, navigate to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM CurrentControlSet Services RpcSs
• After selecting the aforementioned registry key, go to the right pane and double-click on the Start value.
• Next, change the Value data of start to 2 and click OK to save the changes made.
• Exit the Registry Editor and restart your PC and check if the 1726 error in DISM has already been resolved or not.

Option 4 – Try to disable the Windows Search service temporarily

Some users also recommended disabling the Windows Search service for the meantime as it could be the one that’s interrupting the DISM process.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• In the field, type “services.msc” to open the Services window again and hit Enter to open it.
• Next, scroll down over the services list and double-click on the Windows Update service.
• Afterward, go to Windows Search properties and click the General tab and then click the Stop button to stop the service from running temporarily.
• Now try running the DISM commands again and see if the problem’s fixed or not.
• Restart the Windows Search service and then restart your PC as well.