Technologie Enjoy

Yubico announced its plans to support Microsoft's Windows Hello platform back in September at the Ignite conference, with the goal of bringing strong, hardware-based authentication to Windows 10.

Finally, after nearly two months of waiting, the YubiKey for Windows Hello app has landed in the Windows Store. It's a strong solution for retrofitting the additional protection of Windows Hello on systems that don't have built-in support for facial recognition or fingerprint-based sign-in.

The new app requires a YubiKey, Yubico's USB-based device that generates an encrypted, one-time password. Enterprise admins have been using hardware-based authentication for years, making it impossible for phishing attacks and password database breaches to succeed. Even if someone successfully steals your credentials, they can't sign in without proving that they also have the physical device as a second form of identification.

YubiKey support is also available on other services, including Dropbox, GitHub, WordPress, Google accounts, and a gaggle of password managers. That latter category includes LastPass Premium, which has an extension for Microsoft Edge (as well as every other modern browser), meaning you can use hardware-based authentication on Windows and the Web.

On the PC side, the YubiKey solution requires the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (specifically version 1607, build 14393.321 or later) and a Windows user account set up with a PIN.

I tested the authentication support on a Dell laptop using the YubiKey 4, a $40 device that's roughly the same size as a slim flash drive, and a $50 YubiKey 4 Nano, which fits in a USB slot with only a tiny metal protrusion you tap to authenticate. A bundle with a USB Type-C adapter is also available. (Older YubiKey devices might also work, but the newer designs are preferred.)

Setting up a YubiKey to work with Windows Hello takes literally a few seconds. (The device itself doesn't require any drivers or power.) After installing the app, follow the prompts to associate it with your Windows account, a task that requires inserting the key into a free USB slot and tapping it with a finger.

Signing in after a restart requires full credentials (password or PIN), which means a stranger who steals your PC and the YubiKey can't use it to access your device. The Windows Hello-based authentication kicks in when your device is locked or when you need to authenticate a purchase or other transaction after signing in, a process that normally requires a password or PIN.

The first release of this app, which is built on the Windows Companion Device Framework, is a single-function device, but the potential exists for its capabilities to expand to other Microsoft authentication tasks, including those associated with Windows Hello for Business.

Given the current security threat landscape, anyone who's serious about protecting their online identity should consider hardware-based two-factor authentication. In enterprise settings, a PKI-based system might make more sense, but the simplicity and ease of use of YubiKey makes it a natural choice for individuals and small businesses

What is a DLL?

Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL)s are like EXEs but they are not directly executable. They are similar to .so files in Linux/Unix. That is to say, DLLs are MS's implementation of shared libraries.

DLLs are so much like an EXE that the file format itself is the same. Both EXE and DLLs are based on the Portable Executable (PE) file format. DLLs can also contain COM components and .NET libraries.

What does a DLL contain?

A DLL contains functions, classes, variables, UIs and resources (such as icons, images, files, ...) that an EXE, or other DLL uses.

Types of libraries:

On virtually all operating systems, there are 2 types of libraries. Static libraries and dynamic libraries. In windows the file extensions are as follows: Static libraries (.lib) and dynamic libraries (.dll). The main difference is that static libraries are linked to the executable at compile time; whereas dynamic linked libraries are not linked until run-time.

More on static and dynamic libraries:

You don't normally see static libraries though on your computer, because a static library is embedded directly inside of a module (EXE or DLL). A dynamic library is a stand-alone file.

A DLL can be changed at any time and is only loaded at runtime when an EXE explicitly loads the DLL. A static library cannot be changed once it is compiled within the EXE. A DLL can be updated individually without updating the EXE itself.

Loading a DLL:

A program loads a DLL at startup, via the Win32 API LoadLibrary, or when it is a dependency of another DLL. A program uses the GetProcAddress to load a function or LoadResource to load a resource.

Even if you don't have a treasure map located in your files, your Windows password is still very important. If you suspect someone has your password,  you've been re-using passwords and decide to be safer, or simply feel like changing it, Windows 10 gives you three different options to go about changing your password.

You can always choose a regular new password--we recommend using a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Usually it's best if these passwords are at least eight characters long. Although we advise you to use an alphanumeric password format because it's safer, you can also change your password into a pin or picture that lets you sign in to your Microsoft account quicker.

Also, literally keep your eye out for Windows Hello, which allows you to sign in to your account through iris, face, or fingerprint detection. New PCs will ship later this year with this new technology. Don't wait until then to change your password if you need to!

1. Click the Start button at the bottom left of your screen.

2. Click Settings from the list to the left.

3. Select Accounts.

4. Select Sign-in options from the menu.

5. Click on Change under Change your account password.

6.  In order to change your password, you have to sign in with your current Microsoft account password. Enter your password in the box. Click Sign in.

7.  Microsoft will send you a new code to change your password through the phone number that is associated with your account. Enter the last four digits of your phone number to verify it is the correct number. Press Enter.

8. You will receive a code on your phone. Enter the code.

9. A new page will direct you to enter your old password and then type in a new password. Reenter the new password. Press Enter.

If you see this message than you successfully changed your password!

Microsoft has added the ability to use Skype Translator on calls to mobiles and landlines to its latest Skype Preview app.

Up until now, Skype Translator was available to individuals making Skype-to-Skype calls. The December 8 announcement of the expansion of Skype Translator to mobiles and landlines makes Skype Translator more widely available.