Something to be aware of…
Razer is a household name when it comes to gaming mice and keyboards. Many gamers worldwide have Razer as their go-to when it comes to their gaming gear. However, it turns out these serpentine peripherals have a rather unnerving hidden talent. It has come to our attention that simply plugging a Razer device into your Windows 10 (or 11) PC and installing their Razer Synapse software is enough to grant admin privileges for your device.
Twitter user jonhat discovered the exploit, which was easily replicated by Bleeping Computer. The issue revolves around how Windows Update automatically downloads the Synapse software: because Windows Update has SYSTEM (i.e. admin) privileges, it grants that same level of access to Synapse.
During Synapse installation, things can get really dicey. An intruder, or someone trying to damage your PC, can open a PowerShell window from within the installer. Due to Windows effectively giving Synapse admin powers, this also gives the PowerShell window the same powers. Therefore, anyone who knows how to perform commands in PowerShell will essentially have admin authority over the PC, thanks to that daisy chain of shaky security.
While there’s something darkly amusing about a plastic RGB rodent knocking down someone’s otherwise secure rig, there’s clearly room for some very nefarious behaviour, such as erasing crucial data or planting malware.
However, it appears that this is a relatively simple exploit to guard against. For one thing, it requires the baddie to have physical access to your computer, and there are a lot worse things they could do to it if they’ve gotten that far. If you’re concerned about leaving your computer alone, you can always disable the USB ports in Device Manager, then re-enable them upon return. Of course, it is highly unlikely anyone will take advantage of this, but for anyone with Razer gear (like myself) it definitely does not hurt to be cautious.
Go2Games has been nominated for two separate awards (by the Croydon Awards) for our efforts in our community. The first award is for community collaboration in response to Covid-19, and the second, for Covid-19 business commitment to education, training, and skills. Any votes from our fellow Go2Gamers would mean the world to us. You can click on the above links for more information on the individual awards and to vote.
We also have various sales going on at the moment. Use the following discount codes on the items within their partnered URLs:
Use BACK2SCHOOL – For 5% off all Pixie Crew stock!
https://www.go2games.com/back-2-school-g2g
Use MOON10 – For 10% off Harvest Moon: One World (Switch)
https://www.go2games.com/g2g-harvest-moon-one-world-nintendo-switch-plus-key-ring
**Ends Sept 3rd 2021**
Use CODMW5 – For 5% off COD Modern Warfare (Xbox One)
https://www.go2games.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-xbox-one
**Ends Sept 3rd 2021**
Use TOON5 – For 5% off Splatoon 2 (Switch)
https://www.go2games.com/cl-splatoon-2-nintendo-switch
**Ends Sept 3rd 2021**
To keep updated with the shop activities and weekly competitions, follow Go2Games on social media:
Instagram: Go2Gamesshop
Twitter: Go2Games
YouTube: Go2games.com
Facebook: Go2Games.com
