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Five important fixes in MS December patch batch
The Register ^ | 15 December 2004 | John Leyden

Posted on 12/15/2004 10:27:15 AM PST by ShadowAce

Microsoft's regular monthly patch delivery slipped into port yesterday carrying five new patches, each described by Redmond as "important".

First up there's a flaw (MS04-041) in WordPad that potentially allows malicious code to be executed. All flavours of Windows (XP, 2000, 2003 and NT) need patching. A vulnerability (MS04-043) in the HyperTerminal component of Windows similarly affects all versions of Windows.

But a security bug in DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) that might allow remote code execution and denial of service affects only Windows NT (MS04-042).

Next up we have Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel and Local Security Authority Subsystem (LSASS) which create a means for hackers to elevate their privileges (MS04-044). Again all flavours of Windows are affected.

Lastly, there a vulnerability in Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) that could allow remote code execution (MS04-045).

Buffer overflow bugs are the culprit for almost all of these vulnerabilities.

Microsoft's most important December patch came earlier this month when it broke with its normal cycle to release a fix for the IFRAME vulnerability in IE, infamously exploited by the Bofra worm. Unsurprisingly this fix (MS04-040) is a "critical" update for all versions of Windows bar Win XP SP2 and Windows 2003. ®


TOPICS: Technical
KEYWORDS: microsoft; patch
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Patch those holes, people!
1 posted on 12/15/2004 10:27:15 AM PST by ShadowAce
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To: rdb3; chance33_98; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; Bush2000; PenguinWry; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; ...

Microsoft Patch Ping!


2 posted on 12/15/2004 10:27:38 AM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: ShadowAce

Microsoft - where quality is job 1.6


3 posted on 12/15/2004 10:29:39 AM PST by tx_eggman ("All I need to know about Islam I learned on 09/11/01" - Crawdad)
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To: ShadowAce

Just patched my two PCs last night. This one isn't too big. There was of course, the obligatory "you must reboot" message afterwards :).


4 posted on 12/15/2004 10:30:50 AM PST by Ex-Dem (AFL-CIO - Where organized labor becomes organized crime.)
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To: tx_eggman
Microsoft: Failure is not an option! It comes bundled with Windows.
5 posted on 12/15/2004 10:31:46 AM PST by Prime Choice (I like Democrats, too. Let's exchange recipes.)
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To: Ex-Dem
Just patched my two PCs last night. This one isn't too big. There was of course, the obligatory "you must reboot" message afterwards :).

My rig auto-updated these this morning. You are correct, it wasn't real big.

6 posted on 12/15/2004 10:33:43 AM PST by Jackknife (.......Land of the Free,because of the Brave.)
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To: ShadowAce
"Lastly, there a vulnerability in Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) that could allow remote code execution"

LOL!!! Even WINS was screwed up. Nice one!

7 posted on 12/15/2004 10:34:58 AM PST by KoRn
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To: EdReform

BTTT


8 posted on 12/15/2004 10:35:12 AM PST by EdReform (Free Republic - helping to keep our country a free republic. Thank you for your financial support!)
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To: ShadowAce
Interesting, I just got this email today from our PC Support Manager:

Microsoft recently posted several updates to their Windows XP operating system. These updates require that your system be restarted. The restart takes a significant period of time (10 to 20 minutes) during which it seems as though the system has stalled or "locked up." Please do not power cycle the system during this process, simply be patient and let the operating system go through its necessary cycle.

We have taken measures to prevent the updates from being distributed to any other systems.

If you have not yet received the updates and you receive a prompt asking to accept or decline them, do not accept the updates until further notice. If you have already accepted but not yet restarted your system, do not restart system unless absolutely necessary.

Supervisors should alert ________ to this issue in the event their systems are having problems.

If you are having any problems regarding these particular updates please notify _____ (reply to this message) so that we can take prompt corrective action.

We will be sending another message indicating when you can again accept the windows updates.

Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

Anyone now to which XP update he is referring?
9 posted on 12/15/2004 10:36:28 AM PST by the_devils_advocate_666
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To: jakkknife
I wonder how many new bugs, and exploitable holes they opened with this batch of "fixes".

Better yet, I wonder how long they knew about all of the vulnerabilities they patched today and did nothing about them.
10 posted on 12/15/2004 10:37:45 AM PST by KoRn
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To: the_devils_advocate_666
" Anyone now to which XP update he is referring?"

Most certainly both. I wonder what his caution is. Internal testing maybe?

11 posted on 12/15/2004 10:40:02 AM PST by KoRn
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To: KoRn

Yeah like that one huh... I was laughing at that mysleff.


12 posted on 12/15/2004 10:40:10 AM PST by Syntyr
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To: All

I've patched my desktop with the new patches and it is running fine, (even with sp02).

My laptop does not have SP02, (service pack 2) on it yet.

Is loading SP02 a bad idea?

Semper Fi


13 posted on 12/15/2004 10:40:46 AM PST by dd5339 (A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path.)
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To: dd5339

I've got SP2 on my laptop, haven't had any problems with it.


14 posted on 12/15/2004 10:42:37 AM PST by Ex-Dem (AFL-CIO - Where organized labor becomes organized crime.)
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To: Syntyr; KoRn

You'd think that with all the publicity surrounding buffer overflows, they would all be fixed by now.


15 posted on 12/15/2004 10:43:40 AM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: Prime Choice
When Gates goes to hell he will be required to write:

"This program has performed an illegal operation"

FOREVER!!!

16 posted on 12/15/2004 10:47:08 AM PST by JimVT (I was born a Democrat..but then I grew up)
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To: KoRn
I wonder how many new bugs, and exploitable holes they opened with this batch of "fixes".

MS doesn't have enough fingers to fill all of the holes in the damn. Fix one hole, another one leaks.

17 posted on 12/15/2004 10:50:12 AM PST by Jackknife (.......Land of the Free,because of the Brave.)
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To: ShadowAce

I still cannot get over the fact that the same kind of booger-eaters who create viruses, exploit flaws, hack, spam, etc. -- develop the "patches".

All your patched holes are belong to them!


18 posted on 12/15/2004 11:03:58 AM PST by Don Simmons (Annoy a liberal: Work hard; Prosper; Be Happy.)
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To: ShadowAce
Redmond, we have a problem!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/886185

After you set up Microsoft Windows Firewall in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), you may discover that your computer can be accessed by anyone on the Internet when you use a dial-up connection to connect to the Internet.

This problem occurs because of the way that Windows Firewall interprets local subnets when the ³My network (subnet) only² option is used. Windows Firewall is included with Windows XP SP2.

Because of the way that some dialing software configures routing tables, Windows Firewall in Windows XP SP2 can sometimes interpret the whole Internet to be a local subnet. This can let anyone on the Internet access the Windows Firewall exceptions. When the "My network (subnet) only" option is enabled, it is automatically selected for file and print sharing. Therefore, your shared drives can be unexpectedly revealed on the Internet when you use a dial-up connection.

To resolve this problem, you must download and install the Critical Update for Windows XP (KB886185)

...how many ways can Redmond say "oops?"

19 posted on 12/15/2004 11:20:25 AM PST by Prime Choice (I like Democrats, too. Let's exchange recipes.)
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To: ShadowAce

Ah, yes, the now-famous "patch Tuesday." One bit of advice - 04-45 is classified as "Important," and not "Critical" only because it only applies to WINS servers. If you got a couple of those, it's Critical. That's the big one in this bunch, IMHO, and Microsoft's kinda soft-pedaling it.


20 posted on 12/15/2004 11:26:33 AM PST by Billthedrill
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