Every day the tech world hums with advancements, security concerns, and shifting landscapes. Here’s a quick look at some of the top news stories from March 15, 2025.
Amazon Prime Tests Interactive Ads
Amazon Prime subscribers are already familiar with the presence of ads on the platform, and there is now an option to pay extra to remove these ads. The company, however, seems unfazed about the negative feedback. Instead, it has been testing new and, potentially, more intrusive ad formats.
According to reports, Amazon Prime is developing interactive ads. These ads will allow users to click on items featured in the ad, adding them directly to their Amazon shopping cart. Imagine seeing a watch worn by an actor and being able to purchase that watch instantly.
Amazon Prime is even planning to display ads on the pause screen. Furthermore, the company is working on “Carousel ads” that will showcase various products as you scroll using your remote control. These new ad formats are currently being tested with users in the UK.
Microsoft Retires Remote Desktop App
Microsoft has announced the retirement of its Remote Desktop app. This application allows Windows users to connect to other devices remotely.
Microsoft is encouraging users to transition to the “Windows app,” which the company claims offers a superior and unified access to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box. It allows users to customize home screens, supports multiple monitors, and dynamic display resolutions.
However, there’s a catch. The new Windows app does not support Remote Desktop connections or RDP on local networks, nor does it work with personal Microsoft accounts. Ironically, the Mac, Android, and iOS versions of the Windows app provide these features.
The Remote Desktop app will be removed from the Microsoft Store at the end of May 2025 and will no longer receive updates. Consequently, user feedback has been critical of this decision.
Windows Bug Causes Printers to Print Automatically
A peculiar bug has surfaced in Windows 11, affecting some users: printers are printing pages automatically. Microsoft has confirmed the issue, which is caused by the Windows Update.
The printing issue occurs on computers with the January 29, 2025 Preview Update or later updates. The printer may spontaneously print random text and data, which sometimes begins with “POST /ipp/print HTTP/1.12”.
This is triggered when the Print Spooler service sends IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) messages to the printer. USB Print and IPP over USB printers are affected. The problem occurs in Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, but not in Windows 11 24H2.
Microsoft has issued a Known Issue Rollback to fix the issue on non-managed devices, whereas PCs administered by system administrators will need to modify a Group Policy to resolve it.
Beware of Polymorphic Chrome Extensions
Malicious Chrome extensions are unfortunately nothing new. However, the techniques hackers use and the malware they deploy continue to evolve. Researchers at SquareX Labs have discovered a new kind of harmful Chrome extension: the polymorphic extension.
These extensions mimic other extensions, using their icons and even behaving like the original extension. These malicious plugins will prompt the user to pin the extension’s icon to the toolbar and begin scanning the user’s list of installed extensions. If the malware discovers a high-value extension, such as a password manager or financial extension, it will run malicious code. The hacker’s polymorphic extension will then change its icon to resemble the targeted extension. This could, for instance, include an HTML prompt asking for the user’s password manager login. The user’s login information is then stolen and sent to the hackers.
The only way to protect yourself from these attacks is to verify the authenticity of the Chrome extension in the Web Store.
Microsoft Releases March 2025 Windows Security Updates
Microsoft has released this month’s security updates for Windows, tackling numerous vulnerabilities. The security patches have resolved a total of 57 vulnerabilities in various Microsoft products, along with 10 security issues linked to third-party software.
The March 2025 Windows Update is available for Windows 10 versions 1809, 21H2, 22H2, and Windows 11 versions 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2. Windows 10 users will see the new Outlook app, which is installed automatically by the March 2025 Windows Update. This month also marks the final security update for Windows 11 version 22H2 Home and Pro. Users will be upgraded to a more recent version of Windows.
