Category: Windows Update

Ms Patch Tuesday For June 2009

Paul

Photo by Andrew Magill Photo by Andrew Magill

Microsoft has released the upcoming patch information for this Tuesday, and boy does it look like a big one. It looks like there will be 10 bulletins this time around:

  • Bulletin 1: Critical (Remote Code Execution):   Windows

  • Bulletin 2: Critical (Remote Code Execution):   Windows

  • Bulletin 3: Critical (Remote Code Execution):   Windows, Internet Explorer

  • Bulletin 4: Critical (Remote Code Execution):   Office

  • Bulletin 5: Critical (Remote Code Execution):   Office

  • Bulletin 6: Critical (Remote Code Execution):   Office

  • Bulletin 7: Important (Elevation of Privilege):        Windows

  • Bulletin 8: Important (Elevation of Privilege):        Windows

  • Bulletin 9: Important (Elevation of Privilege):        Windows

  • Bulletin 10: Moderate (Information Disclosure):    Windows

It will also include one or more updates on WSUS and Windows update, and Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.   This looks to be quite a big set of updates.   Each one is very serious and will probably be a big download.   If your in corporate IT you may want to get ready the [intlink id=”2883″ type=”post”]Autopatcher program [/intlink]this will help update all the important files on each system without having to have a internet Connection.

[ad]We don’t know what they will be until they have dropped from Microsoft, but we can guess that the Latest Directx vulnerability isn’t going to be one of them.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this was going to be pushed out of cycle but that is going to have to wait a see.

The Affected systems are Windows 2000 Through Windows Vista and Server 2008.   Which means if you have windows it most likely will need to be updated.   Although on a side not the Office suite from 2000 to 2008 also will be patched and that includes the Macintosh systems.

It also looks like 7 out of the 10 will require restarts, so the autopatcher will save you time.  I wouldn’t expect this to notbe exploited on Wensday because most of them are Remote Code Execution which means it is easy for a hacker to take control of your system.   These should be installed ASAP and you also should have a [intlink id=”2205″ type=”page”]Firewall and Antivirus installed[/intlink] to better protect your system.

Microsoft makes Firefox more insecure with the .NET 3.5 Framework (KB951847)!

Paul

Photo by Daniel F. Pigatto

In February, Microsoft quietly installed .NET Framework Assistant (ClickOnce) Firefox Extension. This extension is a bad idea because of what this could do.

This update adds to Firefox one of the most dangerous vulnerabilities present in all versions of Internet Explorer: the ability for websites to easily and quietly install software on your PC. Since this design flaw is one of the reasons you may’ve originally choosen to abandon IE in favor of a safer browser like Firefox, you may wish to remove this extension with all due haste.

[Via Annoyances.org]

As you see, this is a way to make Firefox less secure and almost like Internet Explorer.   We’ve seen the problems with all the [intlink id=”2946″ type=”post”]Malware exploits[/intlink] that people have used in the past.   If you want to uninstall it, well you can’t.   Microsoft as went out if its way to prevent users from uninstalling.    Here is what Brad Abrams talked about on his blog:

[ad]We added this support at the machine level in order to enable the feature for all users on the machine.Seems reasonable right? Well, turns out that enabling this functionality at the machine level, rather than at the user level means that the “Uninstall” button is grayed out in the Firefox Add-ons menu because standard users are not permitted to uninstall machine-level components.

If you went to your Addons Menu and then to your extensions tab you would see that the uninstall button is grey out. You can disable it but you can’t uninstall it. It looks like Microsoft has sent out a patch to let regular users uninstall this addon(KB963707).

I am really surprised that Microsoft did this little stunt. I would of expected more from Microsoft, but to their credit they did this for a reason to allow users who don’t use IE8 but Firefox , to be able to use the .net Framework but this plugin makes browsing just unsafe. Don’t forgot about the [intlink id=”1010″ type=”post”]MobileMe apple installed on Vista[/intlink] without your knowledge. Microsoft and Apple have both had problems but this is very disturbing.  This patch they are letting people download to fix the problem doesn’t mean much because it hasn’t been sent out to the Auto updates and requires people go download it manually.  So Microsoft believes if you don’t know, it won’t your.

Microsoft Issues a Security Advisory KB971778

Paul

Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerability in Microsoft DirectShow could allow remote code execution

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971778

The systems that are vulnerable are Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.   I like this new way Microsoft is helping the less educated.   They now havea Fix it button on the site.  This fix it button is a registry change to there system.   It does all the work for the End user.   Although the corporate field will have to modify the registry there own way.

[ad]It looks like Microsoft is thinking of making this more user friendly.  Here is how to do a manual registry fix for your computer:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.

  2. Locate and then click the following subkeys in the registry:

    • For 32-bit Windows systems:
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D51BD5A0-7548-11CF-A520-0080C77EF58A}

    • For 64 bit Windows Systems:
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D51BD5A0-7548-11CF-A520-0080C77EF58A}
      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{D51BD5A0-7548-11CF-A520-0080C77EF58A}

  3. On the File menu, click Export.

  4. In the Export Registry File dialog box, type Quicktime_Parser_Backup.reg, and then click Save.

    Note By default, this will create a backup of this registry key in the My Documents folder.

  5. Press DELETE on the keyboard to delete the registry key. When prompted to delete the registry key in the Confirm Key Delete dialog box, click Yes.

  6. Exit Registry Editor.

This will fix the problem until Microsoft has come out with a patch.  If you are not comfortable doing it this way, you can always go hit the fix it button to have it do it automatically.  This will help prevent someone from using this exploit!!

Service Pack 2 For Vista is out — Working good on the Cricket Broadband A600

Paul

Microsoft has sent out Service pack 2 for Vista, and so I installed it on my machine to see what happens with the [intlink id=”3479″ type=”post”]Cricket Modem[/intlink].  The Files Microsoft are letting people download are:

All of these are KB948465 and will be released on June 30, 2009 via Automatic updates.   I also tested it out and I have a 32 bit system.   I am unsure as to the other systems if the Cricket Broadband works or not on the [intlink id=”1936″ type=”post”]UM100 Modem.[/intlink]  I have the [intlink id=”3059″ type=”post”]A600 Cricket Broadband modem[/intlink] and it installed without a hitch.

According to Ars technica this Service Pack has over 800 hot fixes and have fixed several things that Microsoft did wrong with Service Pack 1.  If you have the Beta version you will have to unistall it before you install this service pack.  I would love to hear of any problems with Cricket Broadband from others in the forums.   If you have problems let me know and I’ll  do my best to help you out.

If you want to find out some of the fixes Microsoft sent out in this service pack you can see some of the updates on the Ars Technica article about what they fixed or changed.   That list isn’t a complete list but it highlights some of them.  If you haven’t installed [intlink id=”843″ type=”post”]Service Pack 1[/intlink], you will need to install that before you can install Service pack 2.

Spyware : Michelle Obama’s Ta’s Ta’s Video

Paul1 Reply

I love this one, I was reading the Sans Report about Michelle Obama Ta’s Ta’s on Video.  I wanted to investigate this a little further so I went searching around.  I found some comment spam links to a site I will not talk about the links directly.  The site however had a fake video on it :

michelleobamatoplessfake

It looks like if you hit Cancel or Details it keeps trying to tell you need to install an ActiveX Object.   It also makes the user think that there is only one option to use right now.   As you can tell  it makes you think you can’t cancel or get details but I did.  I tried to cancel and it kept on popping up trying to get you to install this active X installer.   AVG detects it as:

michelleobamatoplessfake1

[ad]This proves the fact that any Anti-virus software is better than nothing at all.   I also  have talked in the past about [intlink id=”2991″ type=”post”]fake codecs and how they are used maliciously[/intlink] to spread malware to people who aren’t up to the job.   I didn’t take long to find Phrases such as “Michelle Obama Topless” or “Michelle Obama Topless Video” to find spam comments linking to sites that are hosting these types of malware.  It seemed that in order to get out of the cycle with the Malware site, I had to do a CLT-ALT-DELETE and End the process of Internet Explorer process from Task manager.  It was an infinite loop and could not be closed any other way.  upon trying to go the link again it seems to be a random redirection every time you visit that site the next time I went there, I had a scare message pop up telling me:

michelleobamatoplessfake2

As you can tell this [intlink id=”3397″ type=”post”]pops up with scareware[/intlink] instead of the video and tries to tell you have a virus and you should run a free scan from the site of their choice.   This is an old tactic and still being used but funny if you look at that message one you know it is from a “Webpage” and two there are at least one grammar error?  Can you see it?

You’re best bet is not to go clicking on links that people have left in comments.   I am so glad I have moderation turned on and I have to approve each and every post someone comments on.   This is the only way I know how to prevent from being used in the spam campaign.  Remember it is time to update your [intlink id=”2205″ type=”page”]Anti-virus and Firewall [/intlink]if you don’t already have it.  Don’t forget to visit the Forums and help discuss this problem in detail.