ASAP – Paul's Tech Talk

Microsoft issues 1 Major update 1-13-09

PaulJanuary 13, 2009

Well it has been release Microsoft issued an update to the system:

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Vulnerabilities in SMB Could Allow Remote Code Execution

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-001 – Critical (KB958687)

This security update resolves several privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Server Message Block (SMB) Protocol. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution on affected systems. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect networks from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter. Best practices recommend that systems that are connected to the Internet have a minimal number of ports exposed.

This is one of those updates you really need to install as soon as you can. You should also get a free firewall or buy one. I looks to be a vulnerability in the ports and if you’d have a firewall besides windows you should be safe but that is besides the point. If you are security congenious then you should install this update ASAP. If your worried this will effect you system then you will need to backup your system before you do this update. If you feel you’ve might of been infected with this Vulnerability you could always go get a free antivirus program and scan your system. This is the sure way of fighting a Virus and making sure your safe, although people argue that Paid virus programs are quicker to be updated with virus databases, it’s all in the matter of preferences.

Warning Signs of Hard Drive Trouble

PaulDecember 22, 2008

For every computer there comes a time when you have a problem with hardware or software. This is for those who want to learn the signs of possible fixes for having hard drive problems. Although if you know you’re hard drive is dieing then you better back it up as quickly as possible. You will of course need to get the back up software to protect your data. If you have special drivers you will need to backup yours drivers. If you have an OEM system then you will need to backup the Hidden Partition.

So what are the warning signs of a hard drive failure:

Unexpected freezing of Windows — When Windows Locks up and you have to reboot or getting a Blue Screen of Death. You have no choice but to restart because you can’t do anything with windows.

Losing data files — if you seem to see files being lost or deleted without your direct input. It might be a sign of a computer virus or it could be a damaged hard drive.

Locking up during boot — this is most common when you have a hard drive failure, although if you can restart and not be a problem then just keep in mind that it might be the beginning. The more frequent you have the lockup boot problems the more chance of the hard drive dieing.

Hard drive isn’t recognized in BIOS– Although this can be a old hard drive, if the bios can’t see it then the problem might be a hard drive failure, usually this is meaning you just have to replace the hard drive. there’s isn’t much you can do with this problem, just replace the hard drive. Most of the time it is a problem inside the Hard drive bios and you really can’t fix this, you’d have to send it off to possibly save the hard drive data.

Clicking, Scratching, Whirling, Grinding sounds from Hard drive — This is the most dangerous signs of hard drive failure and means you need to get your data off ASAP. If you want to hear some of the waring sounds of a dieing hard drive click here.

Although some of these can or can not be a hard drive failure, some can be driver issure or disk defragmentation and should be check out to rule out these problems. There can be several problems that might be easily fixed. If you think it is a failure you might try Spinrite. The program is made by Steve Gibson and he actually has a “Absolute Satisfaction Guarantee“. So if it doesn’t work or your not satisfied you aren’t out any money. I’ve used this in the past for hard drives that are dieing so I could get all the important data off before it died all together. It is essential that if you can get it working for a short time to get a backup.

Disclaimer: Although spinrite might fix some of the problems associated with a hard drive failure, it might not fix all the problems or any problems. So it is left up to the user to decide if it is worth it or not to buy it. I don’t recommend this for every situation or every problem only for the off chance that it might let you get the important data off the computer before you lose it. Use at your own risk.

Microsoft released KB960714 to fix THE IE Problem

PaulDecember 17, 2008

[ad#ad2-right]This is the update to fix the IE Vulnerability and if you have any questions please make sure to check my other post about this little update. This was sent out today and should be patch ASAP, on all systems. If you want to patch the easy way, I suggest downloading Clone to Autopatcher. This seems to help make an ISO file on a DVD so you don’t have to update a system the old way.

Microsoft Releases MS08-062 to the Public a Month Early!

PaulOctober 29, 2008

Vulnerability in Windows Internet Printing Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (KB953155)

This update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the Windows Internet Printing Service that could allow remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts.

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This update is rated Important for all supported editions of Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

The security update addresses this vulnerability by changing the way that memory is allocated within the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) service. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.

[via Microsoft Bulletin]

Now from what I understand, if you have a Network attached printer on your system this would make you more vulnerable to someone taking control over your system. So this patch is supposed to fix that. I am recommending to all to update this and fix this update ASAP. I do not know if you don’t have one what that would do so just install this update, because you will undoubtedly still be runing the Internet Printer Protocol even if you don’t have a printer.