Microsoft has addressed a critical security vulnerability in its Notepad application that could have allowed malicious actors to remotely execute code on a user's computer. The fix, announced in the company's Tuesday patch notes, prevents attackers from exploiting a flaw in how Notepad handles Markdown files, according to The Verge.
The vulnerability allowed attackers to trick users into clicking malicious links within Markdown files, potentially leading to the remote loading and execution of harmful files. The Verge reported that the fix addresses this security risk.
In other tech news, Anthropic released its Claude Cowork AI agent software for Windows on Monday, expanding its reach to approximately 70 percent of the desktop computing market, VentureBeat reported. The Windows version offers full feature parity with the macOS version, including file access, multi-step task execution, and plugin support. Users can also set global and folder-specific instructions, a feature described as a "game-changer" by developers on Reddit, according to VentureBeat.
Meanwhile, researchers at MIT, the Improbable AI Lab, and ETH Zurich have developed a new fine-tuning method for large language models (LLMs) that allows them to learn new skills without losing existing knowledge. This technique, called self-distillation fine-tuning (SDFT), enables models to learn directly from demonstrations and their own experiments, VentureBeat reported. Experiments show that SDFT consistently outperforms traditional supervised fine-tuning.
Additionally, a more secure version of the open-source AI assistant OpenClaw, called NanoClaw, has been released. The original OpenClaw, developed by Peter Steinberger, gained rapid adoption but raised security concerns due to its "permissionless" architecture, VentureBeat noted. NanoClaw addresses these issues, offering a lighter and more secure alternative.
Finally, The Verge also reported on a variety of deals available for Presidents Day, including discounts on earbuds, speakers, TVs, and smart home tech.
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