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Microsoft: No Security Patches in December?
by Arie Slob
Hello Windows users,
 On Tuesday this week Microsoft announced that it did not have any patches on schedule for its December security bulletin. Last October, Microsoft changed to a monthly cycle for announcing security patches, and promised that those would always be announced on the 2nd Tuesday of a month.
But on Wednesday many Windows XP users were surprised to see a patch released through Windows Update. The patch was released during the November cycle, Buffer Overrun in Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions Could Allow Code Execution.
According to Microsoft, a change in how Windows Update scans and offers this update was introduced on December 9th which prompted users who were not at risk to download it. There has been no change to the update, and customers who were vulnerable were offered the update when it was first released in November. Microsoft is currently making a change to the Windows Update detection to correct this problem.
Microsoft recommends that customers install the update if prompted from Windows Update or Automatic Update. There are no known negative affects with installing this update if offered.
If you prefer to check first if you actually need the update (I don't recommend installing an update if you don't need it), see Microsoft's security bulletin. In the FAQ section they describe how you can determine if FrontPage Server Extensions are installed on your computer.
If no further patches are released this month (Microsoft says that if the need arises for emergency patches, they will be issued outside the monthly releases), the total of security bulletins released this year reached 51, down from 72 in 2002. Here's a (non scientific) breakdown:
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2002
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2003
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Windows 9x
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12
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5
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Windows Me
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10
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7
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Windows NT
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19
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19
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Windows 2000
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28
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23
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Windows XP
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24
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22
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Windows 2003
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n/a
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10
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IE/OE
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13
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6
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Office
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8
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5
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Other
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31
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13
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Microsoft is also still investigating several Internet Explorer vulnerabilities discovered by a Chinese fellow several weeks ago (I reported about it in the November 29th Newsletter).
Rose City Software
Throw all other tweaking programs away!
Tweaking Toolbox XP is the definite tweaking program. There are so many tweaks you can make its like having a registry bible explained in child's language. The administrator options are incredible. There is also total support from the online help. Just get all the other tweaking programs and throw them away. This is clearly programmed in C as the file is so small for all the functions it incorporates. Windows-Help.NET knows what they are doing. The best tweaker around for miles and miles. I highly recommend it.
-- Dave, USA
Download Trial [1,004 KB] - More Info
Recent Support BBS Postings
Unaccessable partition after installing XP - Windows XP
ReNaming a Install EXE - Other Software
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Allow only certain IE sites - Internet Explorer / Outlook Express
Calculate Your Power Needs - Hardware
Recommended Web sites
Each month we will feature a few Web sites here, ones which sent us the most visitors to our Web site in the previous month. We would encourage you to visit these popular Web sites yourself!
Here are some sites in the Top 15 for November 2003:
PC Pitstop - Help you to get your PC in top form -- running fast, stable and secure.
About Wireless/Networking - Computer Networking - Networking Tutorials and Terms.
Kelly's XP Korner - Troubleshooting Windows XP pages by MVP Kelly Theriot.
The Top 15 sites are listed on our Web site.
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Highlights
Microsoft Holiday Support Center
In keeping with the spirit of giving -- and receiving -- the perfect gift, Microsoft is upholding another holiday tradition, the Microsoft Holiday Support Center. Provided to customers for the fifth year, this online support resource offers consumers help at no charge if they have questions related to Microsoft consumer products and technologies. A convenient, one-stop portal, the site condenses the top questions likely to come up over the holidays for popular products and provides the resources needed to resolve them.
Microsoft Holiday Support Center
Windows XP Service Pack 2
Microsoft is set to release a Beta of the long-delayed Service Pack 2 for Windows XP to beta testers soon. The final version is expected in the first half of 2004.
Windows Server 2003 System Services Reference
This (Word) document contains summaries all of the services available for the Windows Server 2003 family of operating systems. The services are listed in alphabetical order by display name. Following a description of each service, a table lists key information about the service.
Download [2.48 MB]
Experts Worried After Worm Hits Windows-Based ATMs
Automatic teller machines at two banks running Microsoft's popular Windows software were infected by a computer virus in August, the maker of the machines said on Monday.
The ATM infections, first reported by SecurityFocus.com, are believed to be the first of a computer virus wiggling directly onto cash machines.
Computer security experts predicted more problems to come as Windows migrates to critical systems consumers rely on.
Read Reuters Article
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13 Dec. 2003, Vol 6 No. 42
