Edge, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Patches and updates, Security, Windows

Patch Tuesday for March, 2019

Leave a comment

According to Microsoft’s Security Update Guide, March’s updates, twenty-eight in all, include fixes for at least sixty-five security vulnerabilities in .NET, Flash Player (in IE and Edge), Internet Explorer, Edge, Office, Visual Studio, and Windows.

Even if you have automatic updates enabled on Windows 7 and 8 computers, it’s a good idea to check for and install the new updates. If you’re running Windows 10, auto-updates can’t be disabled, but you can still check for updates, and get them sooner that way.

There are no updates for Flash or Reader from Adobe so far in March.

Chrome, Google, Patches and updates, Security

Chrome 72.0.3626.121

Leave a comment

The latest Chrome browser release is version 72.0.3626.121, and it fixes a security vulnerability for which exploits have been observed ‘in the wild’. So this is an important update.

When I try to look at the full change log using the link provided by Google, I get a blank page. Not sure what’s going on there.

If you use Chrome, it’s almost certainly updating itself on Google’s somewhat mysterious schedule. But you can check your version and initiate an update by navigating its ‘three dot’ menu to Help > About Google Chrome.

Adobe, Patches and updates, Security

Acrobat Reader DC 2019.010.20098

Leave a comment

Adobe logoAdobe’s Acrobat/Reader line of PDF viewers was recently updated to address a single security issue.

Although there are several variations of Acrobat and Reader, the one of interest to most people is the freeware Acrobat Reader DC (Continuous). That’s the one you probably have installed on your computer. The new version for that variant is 2019.010.20098.

Recent versions of Reader seem to update themselves in the background, courtesy of an update service called ARM that gets installed along with Adobe products. You can check which version you’re running by navigating Reader’s menu to Help > About Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

Mozilla, Patches and updates, Security, Thunderbird

Thunderbird 60.5.1

Leave a comment

Another set of security vulnerabilities was recently addressed by Mozilla with the release of Thunderbird 60.5.1. All four security issues are rated as having High impact, and are likely to affect Thunderbird’s confidentiality (leak private data), integrity (cause crashes), and/or availability (prevent normal operation).

To update Thunderbird, click its hamburger menu icon at the top right, then select Help > About Thunderbird to show your installed version. If a newer version is available, you should see a button offering to install it.

Adobe, Edge, Flash, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Patches and updates, Security, Windows

Patch Tuesday for February 2019

Leave a comment

Analysis of Microsoft’s Security Update Guide for February 2019 reveals that there are sixty-one distinct updates and corresponding articles in Microsoft’s support knowledge base.

At least seventy-seven vulnerabilities in Windows, Office, .NET, Internet Explorer, Edge, and Visual Studio are addressed by the updates. Twenty of the updates are flagged as Critical. Included in the updates is a new version of Flash for Internet Explorer and Edge.

As always, the easiest way to update Microsoft software is to use Windows Update, found in the Control Panel or System settings of your version of Windows.

Adobe once again adds to the patching load with new versions of Flash and Reader. Flash 32.0.0.142 addresses a single security vulnerability in earlier versions. The easiest way to check your Flash version and grab an update is to visit the Flash Help page.

Adobe Reader DC 2019.010.20091 includes fixes for at least seventy security bugs in earlier versions. Newer versions of Reader support auto-updates, but you can check for new versions by running Reader, and selecting Help > Check for Updates from its menu. If there’s a new version available, you’ll be prompted to install it.

Chrome, Google, Patches and updates, Security

Chrome 72.0.3626.96

Leave a comment

A single security fix prompted the release of Chrome 72.0.3626.96 last week. The full change log for this release lists forty-one changes in all, but most of them are not significant.

Chrome usually updates itself, but on its own mysterious schedule. So if you want to make sure you’re up to date, navigate its menu to Help > About Google Chrome to see the version you’re running and install any available updates.

Mozilla, Patches and updates, Security, Thunderbird

Thunderbird 60.5: four security fixes

Leave a comment

Mozilla remains committed to Thunderbird, the company’s full-featured yet free email client for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Which is good news, because it’s getting increasingly difficult to find good email client software.

I’ve never been a fan of web-based email. It’s handy in certain situations, but leaves much to be desired for long-term use. I’ve been using Outlook for years, but it’s more than most people need; for them, there’s Thunderbird.

Thunderbird 60.5 plugs at least four security holes in previous versions.

To update Thunderbird, click its ‘hamburger’ menu icon at the top right, hover your mouse over Help, and click About Mozilla Thunderbird. If an update is available, you’ll be prompted to install it.

Chrome, Google, Patches and updates, Security

Chrome 72.0.3626.81: loads of security fixes

Leave a comment

There are at least fifty-eight security fixes in the latest Chrome browser, version 72.0.3626.81. Released on January 29, the new version contains more than fourteen thousand changes in all. If you have a few days to kill, you can read the full change log.

Chrome will generally update itself whether you want it to or not, but if you’re not sure, navigate its menu (three dot icon) to Help > About Google Chrome to see which version you have installed, and trigger an update if one is available.

I’m not sure why Google didn’t see fit to mention any of the changes in this version on the announcement page, but it’s hard to imagine that none of them were at all interesting. Besides listing about thirty of the security fixes, all they’ve done is point to the Chrome blog, which currently doesn’t show any posts related to this new version.

Firefox, Patches and updates, Security

Firefox 65.0: security improvements and bug fixes

Leave a comment

The latest Firefox version, released by Mozilla on January 29, is 65.0. The new version includes fixes for seven security vulnerabilities, as well as some security-related improvements and new features.

Firefox 65 makes it even easier to detect and control the tracking a web site is doing. At the far left end of the address bar, click the small ‘i’ with a circle around it. This will show the site information window. The new Content Blocking section in this window allows you to see the cookies and trackers being used by a site. There’s also a shortcut to the Content Blocking settings, where you can set global preferences for blocking: Strict, Standard, or Custom.

Firefox 65.0 adds support for a video compression technology called AV1, which is expected to provide improvements in video streaming performance for 64-bit Firefox users.

Depending on how you’ve configured Firefox’s update settings, it may prompt you to install the new version. If it doesn’t, try navigating Firefox’s menu (that ‘hamburger’ icon) to Help > About Firefox. You’ll be able to see the current version and update it from there if a new version is available.

Rants and musings on topics of interest. Sometimes about Windows, Linux, security and cool software.

Close

Ad-blocker not detected

Consider installing a browser extension that blocks ads and other malicious scripts in your browser to protect your privacy and security. Learn more.