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Microsoft to Release 7 Patches Next Week

craters writes "Microsoft plans to release 7 patches next week for Windows and Office. From the article: 'In the monthly pre-patch notification it sends out five days prior to unveiling fixes, Microsoft said that at least two of the seven will be rated Critical, which by the company's definition means that the vulnerability can be remotely exploited.'"

26 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. Lack of bug fixing strategy by mporcheron · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It appears there is a conflict at Redmond.  In one case they are fixing a bug which has yet to be discovered, in another they are fixing a bug which has existed for around nine months.

    It's about time they came up with a proper strategy other than randomly fixing the bugs they want to fix.

    Martin

    1. Re:Lack of bug fixing strategy by flooey · · Score: 4, Insightful
      It appears there is a conflict at Redmond. In one case they are fixing a bug which has yet to be discovered, in another they are fixing a bug which has existed for around nine months.

      It's about time they came up with a proper strategy other than randomly fixing the bugs they want to fix.
      It looks unusual from the outside, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they don't have a proper strategy. Some bugs are easy to fix, some are difficult. Some are more important, some are less important. Some are likely to cause software to stop working, some aren't. Since there's no way to know just what was involved in each bug at this point (and we'll probably never know what the source looks like as it relates to the bugs), just because it looks funny doesn't mean they're not prioritizing properly.
    2. Re:Lack of bug fixing strategy by Kolisar · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Assuming that M$ actually cares (yes, possibly an exaguration) I will assume that they are fixing the bugs as they are able to and get the fixes tested. It may have taken 9 months to fix the one mentioned so that, based on their tests, the fix does not crash the system. I realize the M$ bashing is fun (and I participate often myself) but I think that this issue is pretty clear.

  2. Great timing by 0110011001110101 · · Score: 5, Funny
    FTFA - Microsoft will also issue one non-security, high-priority update to Windows, and will update the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to, at the least, account for the parasitic Kama Sutra/MyWife/Nyxem worm that caused a stir last week.

    Ohhhh man... it figures.. right when I had my spyware pickup line down to a science...

    Example:

    Me: Well maam, I can fix the problem.
    Hot Housewife: Great! Whats it going to take?
    Me: Well I've been reading some websites on good ways to deal with myWife.
    Hot Housewife: mmmmHmmmm
    Me: ANd then we'll look and see if I can find my article on Kama Sutra, and get to work.
    Hot Housewife: Screw the article.. why don't you just start checking out my ports now!

    Please delay this patch for a couple more weeks, until my viagra laden penis enlargment pills and kingly inheritance arrive from my new friends in Nigeria, thus negating my need for cheesy spyware pickup line attempts.

    --
    Don't anthropomorphize computers: they hate that.
    1. Re:Great timing by Horatio_Hellpop · · Score: 2, Funny

      // thus negating my need for cheesy spyware pickup line//

      Methinks you need a hella lot more than pills and bills ...

      --
      Frammin' on the jim-jam, frippin' at the krotz!
    2. Re:Great timing by hunterx11 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Your attempt to parody the situation doesn't fit in quite as well as you might like. The problem is with the timing, I think.

      --
      English is easier said than done.
  3. timing? by mctsonic · · Score: 5, Funny

    Happy VD from Microsoft!

    --
    "The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words." - PK Dick
  4. I hope it's not business as usual... by bogaboga · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I hope it's not business as usual; in other wards, small sized patches.

    Why?

    Because on my Windows 2000 system, the size of the patches 33 in number so far, is bigger than the OS itself! And some quaters say 33 is pretty conservative because M$ puts more than one patch in the so called "hot fix" as seen in the Control Panel. I am already afraid, not to mention a patch that might break other software!

    1. Re:I hope it's not business as usual... by MSFanBoi2 · · Score: 5, Informative

      I just checked, you are not correct.

      There have been 27 critical and high level patches released for Windows 2000, since SP4 was released. Which are a total of just over 31 MB in size.

      SP4 itself is 132 MB.

      The Windows 2000 Server base install is just over 1.3 GB with most of the standard features.

      132+31=163, which is far FAR short of 1.3 GB.

      FUD possibly?

  5. Microsoft "warned"...? by Dekortage · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Microsoft warned users...

    I don't use Windows systems often, but most of my colleagues and friends do. How exactly has Microsoft warned its users? Pop-up windows? Ads in the local paper? Public service announcements on cable television? Are the requirements for Microsoft repairing computer-disabling software bugs the same as, say, General Motor's obligations for repairing automobile-disabling engineering mistakes (e.g. recalls)?

    --
    $nice = $webHosting + $domainNames + $sslCerts
    1. Re:Microsoft "warned"...? by flooey · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Are the requirements for Microsoft repairing computer-disabling software bugs the same as, say, General Motor's obligations for repairing automobile-disabling engineering mistakes (e.g. recalls)?
      No, they're not. Between current software liability law (or rather, the lack thereof) and EULAs, Microsoft doesn't have any legal obligation to fix anything, let alone let you know that a fix might be available.
  6. Among those patches by dtfinch · · Score: 2, Interesting

    is the Kama Sutra remover that's no longer of any use now that they've waited so long to release it. Now they're just kicking those 3 infected users while their down. They're basically saying "Now that it's deleted all your documents, here's that removal tool we decided not to release a couple weeks ago, so you wouldn't be bothered with an unscheduled patch release."

  7. Re:Windows 2000? by MadTinfoilHatter · · Score: 5, Informative

    Anyone know when the date is when MS will stop making security patches for Windows 2000?

    Windows 2000 will be supported for 5 + 5 years since it's an enterprise product. Home level products are supported for 5 + 0 years (except XP Home which got two years more to live.) See http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy for details.

  8. Re:Windows 2000? by jproudfo · · Score: 3, Informative

    Security updates will be available until Windows 2000 leaves the Extended Support phase of the Microsoft Support Lifecycle. According to http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/search/?sor t=PN&alpha=windows+2000, that's in 2010.

  9. Re:Released Early by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Dude, if the imac is the answer, it must have been a pretty stupid question. I don't want to trade one proprietary system (mostly software) for another (mostly hardware.) If I'm going to leave Windows as my desktop OS, then it's not going to be for another vendor that seeks to limit choice. Which is any vendor.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  10. So what? by MSFanBoi2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't see what the big deal is, both Linux and MacOS get patched. Some more often than others...

  11. Why is this on the front page of slashdot??? by dynemo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    so all of the linux/OSX fanboys and start flaming Microsoft yet again. Sure, they have vulnerabilities in their product, so does everyone else. If anything, being the security professional that I am, Microsoft has made me MONEY over the last few years. BTW, I use linux ALL of the time.

    --
    "Give up hope, dreams are for suckers."
  12. Re:Released Early by MSFanBoi2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Never mind the dozens of patches needed to get MacOS X secure and all the money needed to spend to get a computer that runs it.

  13. Re:Sounds like a good day. . . by Rodness · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As the parent alludes, bustage from patches is precisely why our corporate network admins have disabled automatic updates via group policy.

    They download the patches directly and install them on some test machines, and verify that the patches don't actually break anything critical to our business. They then push the patches out to the rest of the corporate network via a software update service. Usually this happens within just a couple of days after Patch Tuesday.

    As a local system admin, the bottom line is that I don't usually need to call out sick to defend my sanity. (or what passes for my sanity).

    For that, I have this on my door. (I'm close to winning.)

  14. MS Anti-Virus by devinoni · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe Microsoft will release updated virus definitions once a month too.

  15. Looks like ... by pilsner.urquell · · Score: 2, Funny

    Looks like Microsoft is trying to patch there image.

  16. Re:Part of ad push? by PFI_Optix · · Score: 2, Insightful

    As I've said several times here before:

    I don't have a virus/spyware problem. My XP box has NEVER had a virus or spyware. I don't put a lot of effort into it, it just hasn't picked one up.

    Here's what I have:

    A NetGear broadband router (buffer against most worms)
    Windows Firewall that spends most of its time turned off
    AVG Free
    AdAware Personal that I scan with irregularly
    Spybot and its automatic utilities

    AVG, AdAware, and Spybot are almost always the first three things mentioned if you go anywhere on the internet and ask how to secure your XP system. A broadband router is often recommended even by ISPs these days, and provided by SBC DSL as part of the DSL modem (though I use my own because I like it better).

    If we flipped Microsoft's market share with Apple or Linux, we'd find out just how many security holes exist in those operating systems. We don't see all the virus and spyware activity for them because there aren't enough in the hands of uneducated users for a virus to propagate. If you want to sell crappy $10 software at Wal-Mart, you write it for the largest number of average users you can. If you want a virus to spread and get noticed, you do the same.

    mod this post -1 Unpopular for saying Apple and Linux have security holes :D

    --
    120 characters for a sig? That's bloody useless.
  17. Oh Great by aquatone282 · · Score: 4, Funny

    7 reboots.

    --
    What?
  18. Re:Windows 2000? by Phillup · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Seriously though, what's your objection to Windows XP?

    I don't know about the original poster... but I like to know that 10 years from now I can install the OS and use it in whatever emulater I'm using at that time. (Right now it is VMWare)

    Product activation is a HUGE objection for me. (and not just for some time in the future...)

    After paying for an OS I really don't think it is anyone's business how many times I reinstall it, as long as I'm not using it on more systems than licensed for.

    And I sure as hell ain't gonna ask permission to use it the way I want...

    --

    --Phillip

    Can you say BIRTH TAX
  19. Re:Released Early by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Informative

    Hey dumb ass, before you were even born NextStep (MacOS X) had it's own directory authorization system that kicks ass over AD

    Hey dumb ass, before you were even born English (American) used the words "its" for posession and "it's" as a contraction of it is.

    NeXTStep is sexy but you if you buy them in any kind of quantity you can get PCs for half what you pay for macs. At least, ones useful for business. The imac is a bitch to even get into (the new one especially) and that's just not supportable if you have more than a handful of machines.

    Windows sucks, sure, but I'm not sure OSX on Macintosh is the answer. In fact, I'm pretty sure it isn't.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  20. Do i have to switch channels? by threedognit3 · · Score: 2, Informative

    CooL...I have automatic updates. Nothing here to see.