Microsoft issues its biggest-ever security / 2 million US PCs recruited to botnet [Archive]

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giovonni

13th October 2010, 19:09

Greetings
Here are two (recent) important reports (issues) for PC and Microsoft Window users to note ~ :twitch:

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UPDATE 1-Microsoft issues its biggest-ever security fix
Tue, Oct 12 2010
http://i.cmpnet.com/infoweek/graphics_library/110x110/IW_microsoft_security3.jpg

* Microsoft addresses record 49 flaws in its software

* Affects Windows, Internet Explorer, Office

* Fixes vulnerability exploited by Stuxnet virus (Adds details on Stuxnet virus, comments from researcher)

By Jim Finkle

BOSTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) issued its biggest-ever security fix on Tuesday, including repairs to its ubiquitous Windows operating system and Internet browser for flaws that could let hackers take control of a PC.

The new patches aim to fix a number of vulnerabilities including the notorious Stuxnet virus that attacked an Iranian nuclear power plant and other industrial control systems around the world.

Microsoft said four of the new patches -- software updates that write over glitches -- were of the highest priority and should be deployed immediately to protect users from potential criminal attacks on the Windows operating systems.

Microsoft said it also repaired other less serious security weaknesses in Windows, along with security problems in its widely used Office software for PCs and Microsoft Server software for business computers.

Microsoft released 16 security patches to address 49 problems in its products, many of which were discovered by outside researchers who seek out such vulnerabilities to win cash bounties as well as notoriety for their technical prowess.

"This is a huge jump," said Amol Sarwate, a research manager with computer security provider Qualys Inc. "I think the reason for it is that more and more people are out there looking for vulnerabilities."

The geeks who report such vulnerabilities to software makers are known as "white hat" hackers. Sarwate warned that there are also plenty of "black hats," or criminal hackers who look for vulnerabilities in software that they can exploit to launch attacks on computer systems.

Indeed, the world's biggest software maker said that the patches released on Tuesday include software to fix a vulnerability exploited by the Stuxnet virus -- a malicious program that attacks PCs used to run power plants and other infrastructure running Siemens (SIEGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) industrial control systems.

The virus, which infected computers at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, was discovered over the summer. Security research Symantec said that it detected the highest concentration of the virus on computer systems in Iran, though it was also spotted in Indonesia, India, the United States, Australia, Britain, Malaysia and Pakistan.

So far Microsoft has patched three of the four vulnerabilities exploited by Stuxnet's unknown creators.

The total of 49 vulnerabilities exceeds the previous record of 34, which was set in October 2009 and matched in June and August of this year.

The constant patching of PCs is a time-consuming process for corporate users, who need to test the fixes before they deploy them to make sure they do not cause machines to crash because of compatibility problems with existing software. (Reporting by Jim Finkle. Editing by Robert MacMillan, Gary Hill)

Source;
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1220677620101012

****************ALSO*****************

Two million US PCs recruited to botnets
Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:36pm EDT

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49482000/jpg/_49482896_000163657-1.jpg
Hi-tech criminals use botnets to send out spam

The US leads the world in numbers of Windows PCs that are part of botnets, reveals a report.

More than 2.2 million US PCs were found to be part of botnets, networks of hijacked home computers, in the first six months of 2010, it said.

Compiled by Microsoft, the research revealed that Brazil had the second highest level of infections at 550,000.

Infections were highest in South Korea where 14.6 out of every 1000 machines were found to be enrolled in botnets.

The 240-page Microsoft report took an in-depth look at botnets which, said Cliff Evans, head of security and identity at Microsoft UK, now sat at the centre of many cybercrime operations.

The research was undertaken, he said, to alert people to the growing danger from the malicious networks

"Most people have this idea of a virus and how it used to announce itself," he said. "Few people know about botnets."

Hi-tech criminals use botnets to send out spam, phishing e-mails and launch attacks on websites. Owners of botnets also scour infected machines for information that can be sold on the underground auction sites and markets found online.

Botnets start when a virus infects a computer, either through spam or an infected web page. The virus puts the Windows machine under the control of a botnet herder.

"Once they have control of the machine they have the potential to put any kind of malicious code on there," said Mr Evans. "It becomes a distributed computing resource they then sell on to others."

Some, he said, were being worked very hard by their owners.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

With the significant number of holes identified on the same day, businesses will be racing against time to fix them all,”

End Quote Alan Bentley senior vice-president, Lumension

Microsoft's research revealed that a botnet called Lethic sent out 56% of all botnet spam sent between March and June even though it was only on 8.3% of all known botnet IP addresses.

"It's phenomenal the amount of grip that thing has," said Mr Evans.

Evidence of how botnets were growing, he said, could be found in the number of infected machines Microsoft was freeing from the clutches of botnets.

In the three months between April and June 2010, Microsoft cleaned up more than 6.5 million infections, he said, which is twice as much as the same period in 2009.

The statistics in the report were gathered from the 600 million machines that are enrolled in Microsoft's various update services or use its Essentials and Defender security packages.

Despite the large number of people being caught out, Mr Evans said that defending against malware was straightforward.

He said people should sign up for automatic updates, make sure the applications they use are regularly patched, use anti-virus software and run a firewall.

Microsoft has just issued its largest ever list of fixes for flaws in Windows, Internet Explorer and a range of other software.

This month's update issued patches for 49 vulnerabilities, including one that plugs a hole exploited by Stuxnet, the first-known worm designed to target real-world infrastructure such as power stations, water plants and industrial units.

"With the significant number of holes identified on the same day, businesses will be racing against time to fix them all," said Alan Bentley, senior vice president at security firm Lumension.

"Not only is this Microsoft's largest patch load on record, but 23 of the vulnerabilities are rated at the most severe level," he added.

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11531657

shadowstalker

13th October 2010, 19:14

something is fishy here

Swami

13th October 2010, 19:19

something is fishy here

Mwah-hah..., fishy aint the word........... :thumb: :becky:

giovonni

13th October 2010, 19:21

Yes there sure is :(
its called :fish2: microsoft :fish:

Swami

13th October 2010, 19:23

I think they are gonne bug every PC with windows on it on the planet.......

shadowstalker

13th October 2010, 19:27

Now we know why Bill Gates stole all those little putur companies, hmm..:confused:

I still think we should go back to BBS..:cool:

I can imagine the commercials for our new puters.
By a new computer at cost, of a retina scan and thumb printing. :evil:
Oh and don't forget to download your Blood sample as well before going on line.:evil:

No doubt that if the puters don't fry to begin with that "Oh NO MR. BILL" has millions of new puters ready to sell.:confused:

norman

13th October 2010, 20:27

A word I'm VERY cautious about is "UPDATE".

I run my system with automatic updates turned OFF. The OS is running just as it was installed from the original CD ( in 2001).

I also think the best defense against malware would be to go back to very early software rather than trust "the latest fix"!

Last year a US general at the Pentagon stated that he regards any computer anywhere in the world that hasn't had it's OS fully updated as a legit target to take out. That was a RED FLAG to me.

As regards user autonomy versus raw capability of software, I think it all peaked around 1998-2001. Whatever the software spin doctors tell us, I regard the current trend as a downhill slide to a situation where all we'll be permitted to have is a 'service access point'. Just look at the iPad and try to tell me that it doesn't already look remarkably similar to the ATM you get your cash out of.

witchy1

13th October 2010, 23:03

norman

13th October 2010, 23:17

hello karen.

I've experimented with several malware progs and the 2 I like the best ( and trust ) are:

Malwarebytes

and

Spybot Search and Destroy

I'm running 2 of my computers without and 'normal' antivirus programs at all. I don't trust them. They are a perfect cover for deep scanning our computers just as vaccination programs are a perfect cover for putting nasty stuff into our bodies.

witchy1

14th October 2010, 00:06

Hi Norman, thanks so much - if they ever return my pc, i will be putting them on. Is there a thread anywhere for us unitiated on the topic of keeping our pc's safe or members preferred anti ware - just a thought that would, I think be quite useful to all members. Like I said the latest Windows update I put on the laptop (my sons) is causing some grief and no doubt if I try to undelete it will pack a hissy fit.

Thanks again

MzVaFf

14th October 2010, 00:21

A word I'm VERY cautious about is "UPDATE".

I run my system with automatic updates turned OFF. The OS is running just as it was installed from the original CD ( in 2001).

I also think the best defense against malware would be to go back to very early software rather than trust "the latest.

I couldn't agree with you more!!!
We should have a new topic discussing how to keep our computers safe.
Share ideas and what works and doesn't.
Updates for windows is a big big NO NO.
If I need a hardware or other update I go to the manufactures website Like for my video card, sound card ect.
I use Malwarebytes,Spybot Search and Destroy and NOD smart security for my firewall.
But sometimes I feel that big brother is still watching my every move.
One website i found to be very helpful is http://www.blackviper.com/

sjkted

14th October 2010, 01:01

Hi All,

A good part of my day job is removing malware, and I can say this is just more FUD.

I haven't read all of the latest security bulletins (I have a department deovoted to that), but in general most of them only apply to machines on exposed networks or to bad choices on the part of the user.

First of all, no nuclear power company or any mission-critical infrastructure should ever have any of their sensitive systems connected to the internet. It's that simple. If they do and it causes problems, it's because their network people should have known better.

The vast majority of these security warnings do not apply if you have a computer with a firewall turned on and active anti-virus protection. Further, if you switch to an alternate browser like Safari, Chrome, or Firefox and avoid Automatic Updates and keep a close watch on what you are downloading and installing and the e-mails you open, these should not affect you.

Automatic updates are a complete joke. If you ever read the fine print of the releases, Microsoft often releases an update for an update for an update, because they are hurrying to release a security fix and ignoring testing compatibility. I have honestly had much worse experiences with updates causing blue screens of death, disabling software, and causing unintended software configurations than I have with malware (assuming the system is properly protected).

The best practice is to avoid automatic updates and wait until the Service Pack has been released and vetted for a few months. The Service Packs contain all of the updates in a neat package and are more thoroughly tested than the updates.

If you can, it also helps to run your computer in non-administrator mode (this is much easier with Windows 7, Linux, and Mac OS) unless you need to install software. This alone is the best virus protection, since if you don't have the privileges to install a virus (software) on your normal account, it can't be installed.

--sjkted

MzVaFf

14th October 2010, 04:39

Swami

14th October 2010, 10:15

Check who comes in your PC and block them........if nessecary of course....

http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

sjkted

14th October 2010, 15:55

Check who comes in your PC and block them........if nessecary of course....

http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

This is a software firewall. It's usually better to have a hardware firewall (usually included with your router) because it protects all of the computers on your network and there is no performance degredation. Software firewalls can also be hacked and disabled by viruses (very common).

--sjkted

giovonni

14th October 2010, 18:36

Thanks to Everyone here for their input, insights and info~ excellent stuff!!!:clap2:

blessings to all~ Gio

Carmody

15th October 2010, 17:47

Linux platforms are now, apparently, quite easy to install and use. Very operator-installer friendly. And as bombproof, relatively speaking, as 20 feet of concrete. It is becoming a thing that those who wish to be free of direct observation on their physical platform (the PC itself) should consider switching to.

Fredkc

15th October 2010, 19:03

Microsoft has just issued its largest ever list of fixes for flaws in Windows, Internet Explorer and a range of other software.

This month's update issued patches for 49 vulnerabilities, including one that plugs a hole exploited by Stuxnet, the first-known worm designed to target real-world infrastructure such as power stations, water plants and industrial units.
Here is the essence of the problem.

Probably Micro$not's 2nd, or 3rd oldest existing program, since the unveiling of the Graphical User Interface (windows), and easily the most updated, re-twiddled, and yet un-scrutinized piece of software in the history of man. Not to mention the most used, hands down. Yet as it stands today, it is nothing more than a 20-year continuous stack of patches, and quick fixes, nothing more.

Micro$not cares more about their public persona, then their customer's security. Otherwise they would have fixed the program in 2009, 2005, 2000, or 1995.

Consider it this way:
If you were Yale Lock, and each year for 15 years running, your locks on peoples front doors fell apart, or
If you were GM, or Toyota, and the wheels fell of each new year's model for 15 years in a row...

...and all you heard from them was how this year's model is superior to last years, well....

Insanity: (n.) Doing the same thing, over and over, each time expecting a different result.
Fred

sjkted

15th October 2010, 21:37

Indeed. And, they have bigger issues. Much of their code base was written in a time before everything was connected to the internet. If they were to rewrite their code, they would have to maintain compatibility with all of their APIs and software. Or, they could just acquire security software companies and integrate and/or charge extra for their code.

As everything becomes more web-based and as people continue to develop on open source, M$ will die soon enough.

--sjkted

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Linux platforms are now, apparently, quite easy to install and use. Very operator-installer friendly. And as bombproof, relatively speaking, as 20 feet of concrete. It is becoming a thing that those who wish to be free of direct observation on their physical platform (the PC itself) should consider switching to.

I agree. IMO, Ubuntu is among the best, although there are several other distributions. I've been playing with Linux for about seven years, and when I started it would take me a full day just to figure out how to partition and install and get the settings right. In the last year, I've installed a few distros and it's only take me a few hours -- almost the same as it would on Windows or OS X. The only thing left is the compatibility with Windows software which will be replaced eventually with open-source, web-based software, and Windows emulators/virtualization software.

--sjkted

MariaDine

15th October 2010, 23:27

AVG 9.0 ...install for free.

MzVaFf

16th October 2010, 15:04

I have a nice little read about the internet....

Where did the Internet come from?

The Internet was never truly created as an entity of its own. It is an amalgamation of many earlier networks. The story of how the Internet was born has been told hundreds of times in hundreds of books, magazine articles, and online documents. But I think it's a law that every book about the Internet must tell the story. Without further ado, here it is. (I'll tell it as quickly as I can.)

In 1969, the Advanced Research Projects Agency, a part of the U.S. government's Department of Defense, set up the first parts of the network that would eventually become the Internet. At the time, the network was called the ARPAnet. The ARPAnet would link the military, defense contractors and universities in one seamless computer network.

A major problem with computer networks at the time was every machine on a network needed to be operating for the network to function at all. Imagine three computers connected in a row; if the machine in the middle went down (for maintenance, for instance) the first and last computers couldn't communicate. If you were the U.S. government in the middle of a cold war, this was bad. Networks of that type could never be very reliable.

The ARPAnet would be the first network of its kind for many reasons--primarily because it was decentralized, with no central computer running the show. Further, if one computer on the network should go down, it was imperative that the others retain the capability of communicating. (You can imagine why this was important to the United States military, which would be more than a little disappointed should their entire network of computers be rendered inoperable by a single well-placed bomb.) The ARPAnet would need to link any number of computers and automatically reroute information should some of those computers go offline.

The ARPANet began by linking four locations: Stanford University, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah.

The ARPAnet expanded to nonmilitary uses in the 70s when universities and defense-related researchers were permitted to join the network. By the late 70s, the ARPAnet was so large that its original set of standards and communication protocols could not support the growth of the network. After extended bickering and debate, the ARPAnet switched to the TCP/IP communication protocols (still in use today), which would allow further growth in the size of the network. By 1983, all computers on the ARPAnet were using TCP/IP.

By 1983, it became clear that most use of the ARPAnet was for nonmilitary purposes, so it was split into two networks: one part became MILNET, a Department of Defense military-only network, and the rest remained ARPAnet, which would resume its job of connecting research sites and other nonmilitary users. The networks continued to grow.

In 1987, the National Science Foundation created their own network, called NSFnet. The NSFnet would be a high-speed "backbone" network to support the burgeoning number of networked users as well as new bandwidth-intensive applications. The ARPAnet and the NSFNET, similar in structure and purpose, began to cooperate and merge. By the late 80s, the ARPANet was absorbed by the NSFnet. (Today, the NSFnet remains a major "backbone" of Internet connections in the United States.

In the mid 80s, the National Science Foundation began to provide funding for the establishment of research and academic networks throughout the United States. It began linking those networks to the NSFnet. The same sorts of things were happening all over the world--educators, bureaucrats and hobbyists plugging their computers into networks and those networks into other networks.

The NSFnet's charter was to support education and research. It was (and is) considered inappropriate to use that network for commercial purposes. Although the guidelines of what you could and couldn't do were vague, the NSFnet's appropriate use policies made it clear that for most purposes, commercial activity was forbidden. In many cases, even though it was possible to send business information from two NSFnet-linked networks, it wasn't allowed.

In 1991, a group of small commercial networks created a network of their own--the Commercial Internet Exchange (CIX)--which would allow commercial use and be free of those nasty appropriate use policies. Now, commercial users were able to connect with each other quickly and legally by networking with CIX rather than the NSFnet. What this meant was commercial collaboration, technical support by e-mail, pay-for-use databases, you name it. The formation of the CIX gave yet another boost to the growth of the Internet.

Now it's today and here we are. Commercial activity on the Net is continuing its unprecedented growth, but that certainly hasn't hurt the scientific, educational, and research networks (which are also growing by leaps and bounds.) The Internet--a combination of the NSFnet, ARPAnet, the CIX, and about 10,000 other networks--will continue to grow and change, meeting the needs of the people who want it, no matter what they use it for.

Note: For a more complete history of the Internet, use the anonymous FTP program to get the following files. (If you're a new Internet user, please pardon this lapse into techspeak. I want you to know where to find this information, even if you don't yet know how to get it!) Anonymous FTP from is thoroughly covered in Chapter 6, "How Can I Find and Use Software (and Other Stuff)?" ftp.isoc.org:/internet/history/_A Brief History of the Internet and Related Networks_ by V. Cerf
ftp.isoc.org:/internet/history/how.internet.came.to.be
ftp.isoc.org:/internet/history/short.history.of.internet

Kalin Saast

20th October 2010, 22:17

Can anyone please let me know the best anti anything (spyware, intrusion, etc) for my pc....i have just been majorly hacked!!!!! So using laptop while my 3month old big pc is getting fixed (wonder if they infect it so they can come and fix it!) This is a first time ever for me I might add.
I do run a little program called "whats running" so I can see those covert pricks who listen in - and my indignation got the better of me couple of days ago so shot off a snotty email to 1 of the websites that was listenting accusing them of data mining etc......then BANG - what do you know wont load windows. BIOS and CMOS acting very strange. I know buggar all bwt computers - so had to call in the techs.
Any help would be most gratefully received.
As an aside, this site (and a few others) is very hard to get to with the new windows update!!!!! and Google is misbehaving on searches. Not sure if this is just Australia...heading back to NZ in the next couple of months anyway - there is a change in the ether that is making me very uncomfortable!!!!
Thank you my friends.
Karen

Hi there Karen. I would also recommend Malwarebytes: http://www.malwarebytes.org/ Its a great little program for keeping your PC free from Malware. For an Anti-virus i would recommend Bit Defender Total security 2010 - 2011. Ive used nearly every anti-virus on the web over the years. This one is definitely the best and i guarantee you it will pickup 99% of viruses on the net. Ive been using it now for 2 years and not had a single virus thats got through. Once you install it, and set it up to auto update and scan once a week, you needn't bother checking it again lol. It's totally self sufficient and runs in the background using very little memory. It's only £23.99, a total bargain for peace of mind. Here's the link: http://www.bitdefender.co.uk/

I hope this helps;)

Axman

21st October 2010, 00:54

Windows Blows always has and always will never trusted nerd boy from the start.:to_pick_ones_nose: I know plenty about these crappy operating systems and have been using them from the beginning and I do not run updates and they work just fine.:rolleyes: Plus I use a mac for most stuff these days.The pc is for pics and crap like that. :ballchain:

Just my two cents

The Axman

MzVaFf

21st October 2010, 15:18

On my PC's and Laptop I use:
Windows 7 manager- To shut Unwanted programs and processes from starting,"Makes Puter run a little faster without all of the unneeded stuff running","And the programs running on our PC's communicating, AS in calling home to access you computer for updates or whatever without you knowing or permission". But I shut most of the unwanted stuff off from administrator tools In "services" But only shut things off if you know what your doing ;) If never do updates and I turn off automatic update. If I install or have to update new hardware I go to the manufactures site and get drivers there or a trusted source on the internet. I wait for service packs for windows before I download any windows update, But if it runs good don't bother, "What's Well Is Better Left Alone" I would say :)
I use:
R-Wipe and Clean, Good when deleting files or for the most part evrything gone. And also Evidence Eliminator works excellent.
ESET Smart security Anti Virus And fire wall in one ,, Been using it for years and it works great as long as it's set up right in the fire wall Anti Virus settings..
I use a firewall in my router, Even if you only have one puter, it's a good idea to get a good router and set up the firewall that comes with it. It's like a hardware firewall.
I use SpyBot Search and destroy
I use malwarebytes
I use Vidalia when I'm surfing or down loading on the net;)
And most of the time I run in a non administrator mode.
99% of the time stuff gets stopped at the door from my fire wall.
And viruses get caught very very fast with ESET smart security.

Just my 2 cents :)

giovonni

29th October 2010, 03:36

Yesterday~ i was up in Redmond (Seattle area), and visited the vast Microsoft campus there:photo:

i was quite impressed and apparently :noidea: they're doing very well ?

28 October 2010 Last updated at 17:52 ET

Microsoft profits from record first-quarter sales
Buttons with Microsoft logo Microsoft said it had been an "exceptional" quarter

Microsoft has announced a 51% rise in first-quarter profit, thanks to higher sales of its flagship Windows and Office software.

Net profit for the three months to September came in at $5.4bn (£3.4bn).

Revenues increased by 25% to $16.2bn - a company record for the first quarter.

But Microsoft said that in the same quarter last year it had deferred some revenue from Windows sales. Had it not done so, its net profit would have been only 16% higher in comparison.

"This was an exceptional quarter, combining solid enterprise growth and continued strong consumer demand for Office 2010, Windows 7, and Xbox 360 consoles and games," said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft.

Windows sales rose 66% on a year earlier to $4.8bn, while Office and other business software brought in $5.1bn, a 14% increase on last year.
'Firing on all cylinders'

Microsoft shares rose 2.8% in after-hours trading.

Its stock has fallen 14% so far this year as investors worry about its ability to adapt to new ways of computing.

Last week, its chief software architect Ray Ozzie unexpectedly resigned, and warned that the company must think "beyond the PC".

But its latest results were better than analysts had expected.

"Microsoft had a very good quarter," said Toan Tran, an analyst at Morningstar.

"Windows is still doing well, Office is doing well, and servers and tools are doing well. The big three businesses are firing on all cylinders as the PC upgrade cycle continues."

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11648532

A New Hope Reborn

2nd November 2010, 11:28

computers are like air-conditioners they work fine until you open up windows.

giovonni

24th December 2010, 05:32

23 December 2010 Last updated at 07:27 ET

Microsoft warns on IE browser bug http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50557000/jpg/_50557267_iexplore-microsoft.jpg

Microsoft has issued a warning about a serious vulnerability in all versions of its Internet Explorer (IE) browser.

If exploited by a booby-trapped webpage the bug would allow attackers to take control of an unprotected computer.

Code to exploit the bug has already been published though Microsoft said it had no evidence it was currently being used by hi-tech criminals.

A workaround for the bug has been produced while Microsoft works on a permanent fix.
Code injection

The bug revolves around the way that IE manages a computer's memory when processing Cascading Style Sheets - a widely used technology that defines the look and feel of pages on a website.

Hi-tech criminals have long known that they can exploit IE's memory management to inject their own malicious code into the stream of instructions a computer processes as a browser is being used. In this way the criminals can get their own code running and hijack a PC.

Microsoft has produced updates that improves memory management but security researchers discovered that these protection systems are not used when some older parts of Windows are called upon.

In a statement Microsoft said it was "investigating" the bug and working on a permanent fix. In the meantime it recommended those concerned use a protection system known as the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit.

Installing and applying the toolkit may require Windows XP users to update the version of the operating system they are using. But even if they do that some of the protection it bestows on Windows 7 and Vista users will not be available.

"We're currently unaware of any attacks trying to use the claimed vulnerability or of customer impact," said Dave Forstrom, the director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group, in a statement.

"As vulnerabilities go, this kind is the most serious as it allows remote execution of code," said Rik Ferguson, senior security analyst at Trend Micro, "This means the attacker can run programs, such as malware, directly on the victim's computer."

He added: "It is highly reminiscent of a vulnerability at the same time two years ago which prompted several national governments to warn against using IE and to switch to an alternative browser."

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12067295

TigaHawk

24th December 2010, 07:59

Why is anyone surprised at microsoft's great security?

http://chzgifs.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/problemsecurity.gif

See, not much has changed since windows 98.

John Parslow

24th December 2010, 14:06

Hello norman

Tell me how do I disable automatic updates on Window's - they always drive me crazy anyway. Many thanks. JP:cool:

giovonni

24th December 2010, 23:51

Hello norman

Tell me how do I disable automatic updates on Window's - they always drive me crazy anyway. Many thanks. JP:cool:

Depending on what plate-form your using XP...windows 7 etc... go to start menu to All Programs > then Windows Update page and then click change settings on the left side of window~ to whatever you desire! Gio

sjkted

25th December 2010, 07:55

The funny thing about Windows Updates is that when they are turned off, they have a way of turning themselves back on. To completely disable, go to Start -> run or for Vista/Win7 just type in the textbox services.msc.

Find the service labeled Automatic Updates (2000/XP) or Windows Updates (Vista/7), double-click on it and select Startup Type Disabled and click Ok.

This way it will be disabled for good.

--sjkted

giovonni

6th January 2011, 03:35

5 January 2011 Last updated at 19:02 ET

Microsoft shows Windows running on mobile phone chips
By Mark Ward Technology correspondent, BBC News, Las Vegas

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50681000/jpg/_50681375_010950395-2.jpg
Steven Sinofsky says Microsoft wants to end the compromises people have to make when using portable gadgets

Microsoft has shown a full version of Windows running on chips usually found in mobile phones.

The desktop version of Windows was demonstrated working with three processors built around chips designed by UK firm Arm.

The demonstration is significant because before now Windows has been closely connected with Intel chips.

Microsoft would not be drawn on when the first products using these chips would go on sale.

As well as running Windows, Microsoft also showed the work it was doing to get applications such as Word, Powerpoint and Internet Explorer running on Arm chips.

Microsoft was doing the work to get a full version of Windows running on mobile chips in a bid to end the compromises people typically have to make when using portable gadgets, said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live division during the demo.

Also, he said, turning to Arm designed chips should mean lower power consumption and much improved battery life for future gadgets.

About 80% of all mobiles, including Apple's iPhone4, are built around chips made from Arm designs.
'Next Windows generation'

During its demonstration, Microsoft showed Windows running natively on chips made by Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Nvidia.

Microsoft has a mobile version of Windows, known as Windows Phone 7, that already runs on Arm-designed chips. But, said Mr Sinofsky, Windows Phone 7 was aimed at smaller devices and the full version would be for larger tablets, slates and netbooks.

Mr Sinofsky would not say which version of Windows was running on its demonstration devices. He would only say that it was the "next generation of Windows". Many took this to be a reference to Windows 8, which is due in 2012 and is expected to support multi-touch interfaces - capabilities missing from Windows 7.

He also refused to speculate when the first Arm-powered devices running the full version of Windows would appear.

"We've got the chip work done and now we start talking to partners about what kind of devices we can make," he said.

Microsoft was also continuing its work with long-time partners Intel and AMD to get Windows working on the low-power processors they were producing.

The demonstration came during a briefing at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas held prior to the formal opening of the show. Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer will give the opening keynote and is expected to expand on the firm's plans for Windows on Arm.

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12124887

bluestflame

6th January 2011, 03:48

interesting event the other day my windows shut down unannounced , when i rebooted computer it came up with a message that because me hardware configuration had changed signifigantly it was necessary for me to "activate windows" again ( in a bid to prevent software piracy) , or in 3 days time it would no longer be usable , the pc it's running on for the last 6 months online ( having been already activated)
this makes no sense to me cos i haven't modified anything other than the dvdrom and using phone as modem

wonder if anyone else has had this happen to them

I bit the bullet and clicked the link to activate and was straight forward and nothing to fill out , dunno how this prevents software piracy cos i didn't have to add any new info

no serials no user name nothing ...

giovonni

6th January 2011, 05:17

Well~ possibly you system got hijacked by malware (recently) and MicroSoft Windows picked this up through an error report _ i am assuming your computer has antivirus/ malware software, but AVG antivirus/malware ( free download) and scan is excellent ~ and should help.

http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage