Category Archives: Windows

Microsoft, Windows 8.x

Lack of interest in Windows 8 runs rampant in the business world

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The Verge reports on findings from a Forrester study (as interpreted by The Wall Street Journal) showing that companies are significantly less interested in Windows 8 than they were in Windows 7.

Clearly, businesses have settled on Windows 7 to get them from the impending demise of Windows XP to the next (post Windows 8) version. Microsoft’s extended support for older operating systems is a real boon for IT departments, but there’s a danger that eventually Microsoft will give up and adopt a support model more like Apple’s, in which you’re practically forced to upgrade the O/S every other year.

Microsoft, Patches and updates, Windows 8.x

Microsoft releases patches for Windows 8

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Despite the fact that Windows 8 has not yet started appearing on store shelves, Microsoft is releasing a set of updates for the new operating system. Since Windows 8’s RTM (release to manufacturing), several new issues have been discovered, and the updates are intended to address those issues.

Anyone testing or evaluating Windows 8 should install the updates, which are available through Microsoft Update.

Anyone buying a new computer with Windows 8 installed on it should check for and install any pending updates immediately after powering up the computer for the first time. Anyone installing Windows 8 after it is released to retail should also immediately check for and install any pending updates.

Microsoft, Patches and updates, Security, Windows

October 2012 Patch Tuesday Advance Notice

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Another month, another batch of updates from Microsoft. On October 9, starting at about 10 am PDT, Microsoft will release patches that address a total of twenty vulnerabilities in Windows and Office. Seven security bulletins will cover the defects being patched, one of which is a critical vulnerability in Word.

Also included in the upcoming updates will be Microsoft Security Advisory (2661254): Update For Minimum Certificate Key Length. This update is the final step in a series of actions taken by Microsoft to improve Internet-based security for its products. This update will force RSA-encrypted communications in Internet Explorer and Outlook to use keys that are 1024 bits in length or greater. If you access secure web sites with Internet Explorer or use encrypted email with Outlook, this update may cause those services to stop working. For further details, see:

Google, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Windows XP

Google Apps dropping support for Internet Explorer 8

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Google recently announced that it will be dropping support for version 8 and earlier of Internet Explorer in Google Apps.

The change will occur shortly after the release of Internet Explorer 10, on November 15, 2012.

Internet Explorer 8 is the most recent version of the web browser that runs on Windows XP, so anyone who uses Internet Explorer on Windows XP to access Google Apps will need to switch to a different web browser, or upgrade to Windows 7 or 8 after November 15.

Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Security, Windows

Active attacks targeting Internet Explorer

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Update 2012Sep22: As promised by Microsoft, patches for Internet Explorer versions 9 and earlier were made available yesterday. The patches are available through regular update channels, including Windows Update and Microsoft Update. Security Bulletin MS12-063 has all the details, including links for downloading the updates separately.

Update 2012Sep21: A fix for this issue, promised earlier this week by Microsoft, was announced yesterday. Anyone using Internet Explorer for web browsing is strongly encouraged to install the fix immediately. A proper (i.e. fully tested) patch will be available from Microsoft later today.

Update 2012Sep19: Another bulletin from Microsoft promises an ‘out of cycle’ fix for this issue in the next few days. Meanwhile, the list of sites known to contain the exploit code is growing.

Update 2012Sep18: Microsoft has issued a security bulletin that goes into some detail about this issue and suggests workarounds. Apparently you can install the ‘Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit’, or configure Internet Explorer to either prompt before running ActiveX scripts or prevent them from running altogether.

A newly-discovered vulnerability in most versions of Internet Explorer is being exploited in current, ongoing attacks.

Anyone using IE 6, 7, 8 or 9 on Windows XP, Vista or 7 is potentially at risk. To become infected, a user need only visit a web site that contains the exploit code. Typically, trojan malware is then installed silently on the user’s computer. The computer is then open to further attacks as well as remote control by the perpetrators.

Internet Explorer 10 is not affected.

The exploit code may be placed on a web site without the knowledge of the site owner, if the site is not secure.

This vulnerability and the associated attacks are serious enough to warrant extreme caution when using Internet Explorer. Some experts are recommending discontinuing the use of Internet Explorer until a fix becomes available.

Microsoft has issued a bulletin that provides additional details.