Short Takes – 7-12-23

Windows 95, 98, and other decrepit versions can grab online updates again. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: “These old versions of Windows relied primarily on a Windows Update web app to function rather than built-in updaters like the ones used in current Windows versions. Microsoft took down the version of the site that could scan and update Windows 95 and 98 sometime in mid-2011. The Windows Update Restored site is a lightly modified version of Microsoft's original code, and the site itself doesn't use any kind of SSL or TLS encryption, so ancient Internet Explorer versions can still access it without modification.”

Scientists Have Found a Hot Spot on the Moon’s Far Side. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “At Compton-Belkovich, the heat flow was as high as 180 milliwatts per square meter, or about 20 times the average for the highlands of the moon’s far side. That measure corresponds to a temperature of minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit about six feet below the surface, or about 90 degrees warmer than elsewhere.”

Florida waters now 'bona fide bathtub conditions' as heat dome engulfs state. LiveScience.com article. Pull quote: “The Sunshine State is in the midst of its hottest year in modern history, with temperatures over land averaging in the mid 90s F (35 C) — 3 to 5 F (1.7 to 2.8 C) above normal for this time of year. Ocean waters have absorbed much of this heat, causing sea temperatures to soar to record highs, which could spell trouble for marine ecosystems and strengthen storms and hurricanes.”

CISA warns of dangerous Rockwell industrial bug being exploited by gov’t group. TheRecord.media article. Pull quote: “Dragos experts compared the access provided by CVE-2023-3595 to the zero-day used in conjunction with the TRISIS malware that was developed and deployed in 2017 against at least one victim in the Middle East to target safety instrumented systems (SIS) — automated processes that kick in when a plant detects anomalous behavior.”