Technology
Hackers find a way around built-in Windows protections
All Windows PCs come with a built-in security feature called Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC), which helps prevent unauthorized software from running by allowing only trusted applications.
However, despite its purpose, hackers have discovered several ways to bypass WDAC, exposing systems to malware, ransomware and other cyber threats.
As a result, what was once considered a strong layer of defense may now serve as a potential vulnerability if not properly managed.
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Image of a Windows laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What is Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) bypass?
Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) is a security feature in Windows that enforces strict rules about which applications can run. It helps block unauthorized software, but researchers have found ways to bypass these protections.
Bobby Cooke, a red team operator at IBM X-Force Red, confirmed that Microsoft Teams could be used as a WDAC bypass. He explained that during Red Team Operations, they were able to get around WDAC and execute their Stage 2 Command and Control payload.
To find and fix these security gaps, Microsoft runs a bug bounty program that rewards researchers for reporting vulnerabilities in WDAC and other security components. However, some bypass techniques go unpatched for long periods.
Teams Electron API Surface revealed. (IBM)
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How hackers bypass Windows Defender Application Control
One of the key ways attackers get around WDAC is by using Living-off-the-Land Binaries, or LOLBins. These are legitimate system tools that come pre-installed with Windows, but hackers can repurpose them to execute unauthorized code while avoiding security detection. Since these tools are trusted by the system, they provide an easy way to slip past defenses.
Some bypass techniques involve DLL sideloading, where attackers trick legitimate applications into loading malicious DLLs instead of the intended ones. Additionally, if WDAC policies are not enforced properly, attackers can modify execution rules to allow unauthorized software to run.
Hackers also use unsigned or loosely signed binaries. WDAC relies on code signing to verify an application’s authenticity. However, attackers sometimes exploit misconfigurations where loosely signed or unsigned binaries are mistakenly allowed, letting them execute malicious payloads.
Once an attacker bypasses WDAC, they can execute payloads without being flagged by traditional security solutions. This means they can deploy ransomware, install backdoors, or move laterally within a network without triggering immediate suspicion. Since many of these attacks use built-in Windows tools, detecting malicious activity becomes even more difficult.
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Image of a Windows laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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3 ways you can protect your PC from WDAC hackers
Since this attack exploits a vulnerability within WDAC, there is little you can do to fully protect yourself. It is up to Microsoft to fix the issue. However, here are three best practices you can follow to reduce your risk.
1. Keep Windows updated: Microsoft regularly releases security updates that patch vulnerabilities, including those related to WDAC. Keeping Windows and Microsoft Defender up to date ensures you have the latest protection against known threats. If you’re not sure how to do that, see my guide on how to keep all your devices and apps updated.
2. Be cautious with software downloads: Only install applications from trusted sources like the Microsoft Store or official vendor websites. Avoid pirated software, as it can come bundled with malicious code that bypasses security protections like WDAC.
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3. Use strong antivirus software: Based on the report, it does not appear that hackers require user interaction to bypass WDAC. The methods described suggest that an attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities without direct user input, especially if they already have some level of access to the system.
However, in real-world scenarios, attackers often combine such exploits with social engineering or phishing to gain initial access. For example, if an attacker gains access through a phishing attack, they might then use WDAC bypass methods to execute further malicious payloads.
So, while direct user input may not be necessary for some bypass techniques, attackers often use user actions as an entry point before exploiting WDAC vulnerabilities. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to have a strong antivirus software installed. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
While Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) offers a valuable layer of security, it isn’t foolproof. Hackers are actively developing and using WDAC bypass techniques to exploit gaps in system defenses. Understanding how WDAC bypass works is essential to protecting your devices. By keeping your software up to date, using trusted applications, and relying on reputable security tools, you can significantly lower your risk.
Do you think Microsoft is doing enough to patch these vulnerabilities, or should it take stronger action? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Technology
Apple just had a record-breaking iPhone quarter
Apple says the iPhone had its “best-ever” quarter, with revenue hitting more than $85.3 billion over the past few months. The company announced the news as part of its Q1 2026 earnings report, which also revealed record-breaking revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16 percent when compared to the same time last year.
“iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment, and Services also achieved an all-time revenue record, up 14 percent from a year ago,” Apple CEO Tim Cook says in the press release.
Apple’s services revenue, which includes subscriptions like Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple TV surged 14 percent year over year, while Mac and wearable revenue were down.
In the coming months, Apple will bring promised AI-powered personalization features to Siri. Apple is partnering with Google to power this upgrade, which will use a custom version of Google’s Gemini AI model.
The company is also acquiring an AI startup, called Q.ai, for $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. Though there aren’t any details on how Apple plans to use the startup’s technology, the Financial Times reports that Q.ai’s patents “show its technology being used in headphones or glasses, using ‘facial skin micro movements’ to communicate without talking.”
Technology
Humanoid robot makes architectural history by designing a building
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What happens when artificial intelligence (AI) moves from painting portraits to designing homes? That question is no longer theoretical.
At the Utzon Center in Denmark, Ai-Da Robot, the world’s first ultra-realistic robot artist, has made history as the first humanoid robot to design a building.
The project, called Ai-Da: Space Pod, is a modular housing concept created for future bases on the Moon and Mars. CyberGuy has covered Ai-Da before, when her work focused on drawing, painting and performance art. That earlier coverage showed how a robot could create original artwork in real time and why it sparked global debate.
Now, the shift is clear. Ai-Da is moving beyond art and into physical spaces designed for humans and robots to live in.
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Ai-Da Robot is the humanoid artist that made architectural history by becoming the first robot to design a building. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Inside the ‘I’m not a robot’ exhibition
The exhibition “I’m not a robot” has just opened at Utzon Center and runs through October. It explores the creative capacity of machines at a time when robots are increasingly able to think and create for themselves. Visitors can experience Ai-Da’s drawings, paintings and architectural concepts. Throughout the exhibition period, visitors can also follow Ai-Da’s creative process through sketches, paintings and a video interview.
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How Ai-Da creates art and architecture
Ai-Da is not a digital avatar or animation. She has camera eyes, specially developed AI algorithms and a robotic arm that allows her to draw and paint in real time. Developed in Oxford and built in Cornwall in 2019, Ai-Da works across disciplines. She is a painter, sculptor, poet, performer and now an architectural designer whose work is meant to provoke reflection.
“Ai-Da presents a concept for a shared residential area called Ai-Da: Space Pod, a foreshadowing of a future where AI becomes an integrated part of architecture,” explains Aidan Meller, creator of Ai-Da and Director of Ai-Da Robot. “With intelligent systems, a building will be able to sense and respond to its occupants, adjusting light, temperature and digital interfaces according to needs and moods.”
A building designed for humans and robots
The Space Pod is intentionally modular. Each unit can connect to others through corridors, creating a shared residential environment.
Through a series of paintings, she envisions a home and studio for humans or robots alike. According to the Ai-Da Robot team, these designs could evolve into fully realized architectural models through 3D renderings and construction. They could also adapt to planned Moon or Mars base camps.
Aidan Meller presents Ai-Da robot, the first AI-powered robot artist during the UN Global Summit on AI for Good, where they are giving the keynote speech, on July 7, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images for Aidan Meller)
While the concept targets future bases on the Moon and Mars, the design can also be built as a prototype on Earth. That detail matters as space agencies prepare for longer missions beyond our planet.
“With our first crewed Moon landing in 50 years coming in 2027, Ai-Da: Space Pod is a simple unit connected to other Pods via corridors,” Meller said. “Ai-Da is a humanoid designing homes. This raises questions about where architecture may go when powerful AI systems gain greater agency.” The timing also aligns with renewed lunar exploration tied to NASA missions.
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Why this exhibition is meant to challenge you
According to Meller, the exhibition is meant to feel uncomfortable at times. “Technology is developing at an extraordinary pace in these years,“ he said, pointing to emotional recognition through biometric data, CRISPR gene editing and brain computer interfaces. Each carries promise and ethical risk. He references Brave New World and warnings from Yuval Harari about how powerful technologies may be used.
In that context, Ai-Da becomes a mirror of our time. “Ai-Da is confrontational. The very fact that she exists is confrontational,” said Line Nørskov Davenport, Director of Exhibitions at Utzon Center. “She is an AI shaker, a conversation starter.”
Aidan Meller, British Gallery owner and specialist in modern and contemporary art, stands beside the AI robot artist “Ai-Da” at the Great Pyramids of Giza, where she exhibits her sculpture during an international art show, on the outskirt of Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 23, 2021. (REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)
What this means for you
This story goes beyond robots and space travel. Ai-Da’s Space Pod shows how quickly AI is moving from a creative tool to a decision-maker. Architecture, housing and shared spaces shape daily life. When AI enters those fields, questions about control, ethics and accountability become unavoidable. If a robot can design homes for the Moon, it may soon influence how buildings function here on Earth.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
A humanoid robot designing a building once sounded impossible. Today, Ai-Da’s work sits inside a major cultural institution and sparks real debate. She offers no easy answers. Instead, she pushes us to think more critically about creativity, technology and responsibility. As the line between human and machine continues to blur, those questions matter more than ever.
If AI can design the homes of our future, how much creative control should humans be willing to give up? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Technology
Halide co-founder Sebastiaan de With is joining Apple’s design team
I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of Lux and Halide. Today we launched the public preview of Halide Mark III, and the reception is more positive than we possibly could have hoped.
As we mentioned in the announcement post today, we’ve been working with legendary team at The Iconfactory on Mark III. We’re also super excited to be collaborating with the renowned colorist Cullen Kelly on the new looks in Mark III.
Ten years ago I started Halide, and for ten years, I lead product, ran the business, and coded almost everything. Except for the paywall. I hate working on payment screens. But I built everything else, and design was always a collaborative experience.
So in short, Halide is going nowhere. This has been my full time job since 2019, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
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