Windows 11 26H2 is now being offered

Windows 11 26H2 is being offered up – or in my case when I went to scan for updates  – it offered to download and install.  It is not being pushed at this time, just offered.

For those of you in a business setting, Abbodii found the links to:

September 28, 2026 Apple Updates

Apple has released Updates again on Sept 28, 2026. The updates for the newer versions of the Operating Systems, macOS Golden Gate 27.0.1, iOS/iPadOS 27.0.1, watchOS 27.0.1, and visionOS 27.0.1, have no published CVE entries, and deal mostly with bug fixes that typically show up after a major version release. The iPhone 18 Pro and Max experienced unexpected restarts when Face ID failed to authenticate. The touchscreen could become unresponsive when the Notification Center and Control Center were opened simultaneously.

On the other hand, the updates for the older versions of the Operating Systems, macOS Tahoe 26.7.1, macOS Sequoia 15.8.1, and  iOS/iPadOS 26.7.1, fixed a security vulnerability dealing with CoreGraphics. Apple’s Release Notes say this:

CoreGraphics
Available for: (list of devices updated)

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 27.

Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2026-86950: Meta Product Security

Out of the listed fixes in Apple’s release notes, only the Notification Center and Control Center issue applies to all iPhone models. Otherwise, the release Notes are vague with noncommittal statements like “This update provides security fixes for your iPhone” or “This update provides bug fixes for your Mac.”

Reminder: Caution should be taken if updating immediately after the updates are released when unintended consequences are not known. Also, before attempting to upgrade your devices, be sure to back up your data and check that you have the free space available to accommodate the updates.
I have included the update size observed on my devices, updating over-the-air using WiFi, for reference only. Your sizes may vary depending on your setup.

AKB2000014 has been updated on 9/28/2026 for the Sept 28, 2026 updates: (see top Post for links to info on these updates.)

macOS Golden Gate 27.0.1  (22.2GB on M1 MacMini, 18.36GB on M2Max MacBook Pro, 18.36GB on M4 Pro MacMini)
macOS Tahoe 26.7.1  (2.12GB on M1 MacMini, 2.12GB on M2Max MacBook Pro, 2.12GB on M4 Pro MacMini)
macOS Sequoia 15.8.1
iOS 27.0.1   (4.83GB on iPhone SE2, 12.91GB on iPhone 26e, 12.65GB on iPhone 17e)
iOS 26.7.1  (298.2MB on iPhone SE2,  327.2MB on iPhone 26e, 511.7MB on iPhone 17e)
iPadOS 27.0.1 ( 19.41GB on 11″ M4 iPad Pro)
iPadOS 26.7.1  ( 637.5MB on 11″ M4 iPad Pro)
watchOS 27.0.1
visionOS 27.0.1

TMOG modernizes the Windows Task Manager

BEN’S WORKSHOP

By Ben Myers

Dave Plummer, author of the original Windows Task Manager, has written the 21st-century “Task Manager OG.”

TMOG is a modern Task Manager providing far more information about tasks than Windows’ own built-in Task Manager. TMOG also installs and runs on a Windows 10 system, displaying a message the first time it runs, admonishing the user for employing an unsupported operating system. The TMOG download page (Figure 1) reveals the availability of versions for MacOS (both Apple silicon and Intel X64), Windows (Intel X64 and ARM), and Linux (Intel X64 and ARM). The focus of this article is entirely on the free TMOG for 64-bit Windows 11.

Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (23.39.0, 2026-09-28).
This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

How to manage and control your updates in Windows 11

WINDOWS 11

By Lance Whitney

There’s more to Windows Update than just installing the latest patches and bug fixes. Here’s how to better manage the process and handle trouble along the way.

Keeping Windows updated seems like it should be relatively quick and painless. Just wait for Microsoft to roll out the latest updates, and then simply download and install them. Well, there’s more to it than that, especially if you want to control what gets updated and how and when those updates are applied.

Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (23.39.0, 2026-09-28).

Migrating the tricky bits

ON SECURITY

By Susan Bradley

Years ago, my first iPhone-to-iPhone migration was flawless.

I did a full encrypted backup to a hard drive on my personal computer, tethered the new phone to the computer, and performed a restore to the new phone. All applications came across, along with all the saved passwords. All settings and tweaks came over as well.

Sadly, it was the last migration I experienced that was utterly uneventful.

Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (23.39.0, 2026-09-28).

I was wrong about the iPhone 17e — again!

APPLE

By Will Fastie

I can’t remember the last time I was this confused. Apple’s marketers are messing with my head.

On September 16, I posted a quick note to the blog venting my frustration over learning that Apple AI was not supported by my iPhone 17e — despite earlier information from Apple suggesting otherwise. I cited an Apple product page and one of the footnotes; that footnote is still there.

Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (23.39.0, 2026-09-28).

A bit of reorganization

The side bar has always been a bit messy.  Rather than having a long “Recent topics” list, I’ve collapsed it into a single link to the shorter “Latest Topics” section of the forum. It presents the same list, but with more detail and in a larger font that is easier to read.

I also moved it up right below the “View the forum” section.

See the note below regarding the new reorganization.

While I’m doing some tidying up, let me ask the Apple forum folks a question. I noticed the other day that Apple is calling macOS 27 “Golden Gate.”  This is the OS for Apple silicon. I have not made forums unique to processors, but now with that distinction and considering Microsoft’s having a slightly different Windows 26H1 for Snapdragon, should I?

Snapdragon also announced being supported by Linux. Let me know whether I should have separations by processor type.

(note – I moved “Recent topics” to above “View the forum” so it’s faster to click to.)

September 23, 2026 Apple Update

Apple has released one Update on Sept 23, 2026, watchOS 27.01, for Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. This update has no published CVE entries.
This update fixes a bug that caused Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, on watchOS 27, to unexpectedly reboot while the User was performing a number of actions. Though this was not specified by Apple on the Update Page, this was reportedly due to a Neural Engine timeout.

Software can only be installed when the Apple Watch is on the charger and has over 50 percent battery.

AKB2000014 has been updated on 9/24/2026 for the Sept 23, 2026 updates: (see top Post for links to info on these updates.)

watchOS 27.0.1  For Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4

When was the start of the security industry?

What do you think was the official start of the security industry? Some will say it was when the Morris Worm hit in November 1988.  It started people thinking more about firewalls and a vulnerability disclosure process.

The official start of the AI security industry?  Hugging Face and the resulting fallout. We’re still coming to terms with what will change in AI as a result.

When did you first become aware of the need to be more secure in your computing habits?

The hits for September just keep on coming

Although the fix for the File History bug has been fixed in a preview update for Windows 11, there is no such advanced fix for those of you on Windows 10. Your choice is to uninstall the September updates if you happened to inadvertently install them, or to just wait out the month with a broken File history.

Note for Windows 11: I do not recommend installing preview updates.

Also out yesterday is word that Always on VPN has been impacted, and admins need to do a workaround.

MS-DEFCON 2: Guiding you in for a landing

By Susan Bradley

What. A. Mess.

Remember that scene at the end of the second Die Hard movie? You know — the one where terrorists have taken over the air-traffic control system, there’s a swirling winter storm, the circling planes are all running out of fuel, and our hero is just trying to get all the planes landed and save his wife’s life.

Oh, there’s more chaos. The bad guys’ plane explodes while taking off, leaving a burning flame trailing down the runway and lighting it up so that the circling planes can land. Remember that scene?

I feel like John McClane when each month’s Windows updates roll around.

Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (23.38.1, 2026-09-22).

Pope Leo on AI and the Internet

RATIONAL AI

By Michael A. Covington

Pope Leo XIV has issued an encyclical about digital culture and artificial intelligence.

In what follows, I’ll summarize what computer professionals need to know about it, referencing its sections for those who want to dig deeper. I won’t address religious or political claims, theology, whether this is something the Pope should teach about, or even whether there should be a pope.

The new encyclical is titled Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”).

Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (23.38.0, 2026-09-21).
This story also appears in our public Newsletter.