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Government (Homeland Security) issues second warning on Microsoft security flaw
Mercury News ^ | July 31, 2003 | Mercury News

Posted on 07/31/2003 5:26:25 PM PDT by FairOpinion

Edited on 04/13/2004 3:31:40 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

LOS ANGELES - The Department of Homeland Security has issued an unprecedented second warning to Internet users about a security flaw in Microsoft Corp. software that could leave about 75 percent of the country's computers vulnerable to hacker attacks.

The latest warning comes two weeks after Microsoft issued a bulletin notifying computer users it had discovered a critical flaw in its most common Windows operating systems, including its newest versions, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.


(Excerpt) Read more at bayarea.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Technical; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: attack; cybersecurity; dhs; hacking; internet; microsoft; security
I wouldn't normally post this in FrontPage News, but apparently Homeland security thinks it's REALLY IMPORTANT and URGENT.

So, don't delay, go to windowsupdate.microsoft.com (or just go to Tools in your IE, then to -- Windows update), and download the various critical patches.

1 posted on 07/31/2003 5:26:26 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: FairOpinion
"Users of Windows 98 or Windows ME aren't affected..."

Anyone with ME has already been affected (poor souls )

... and another reason why I refuse to upgrade from 98....

2 posted on 07/31/2003 5:46:31 PM PDT by RS (nc)
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To: FairOpinion

3 posted on 07/31/2003 6:01:25 PM PDT by Boss_Jim_Gettys (Where did I put that Service Pack?)
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To: Boss_Jim_Gettys

4 posted on 07/31/2003 6:15:23 PM PDT by Michael Barnes
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To: unix
Amen, brother!
5 posted on 07/31/2003 8:33:40 PM PDT by Conservative84 (Unix: Live Free or Die!)
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To: RS
I felt that way about the very first windows, until I got XP...and buddy, XP is Xtra Purty and Amazing!
6 posted on 08/01/2003 1:15:10 AM PDT by JustPiper (Am I going or are you coming? Socialist Democratic = Commie!)
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To: FairOpinion
Fair, if anyone wants this update, here's the link:

ClickHere

7 posted on 08/01/2003 1:54:35 AM PDT by JustPiper (Am I going or are you coming? Socialist Democratic = Commie!)
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To: JustPiper
"I felt that way about the very first windows, until I got XP..."

Still have the disks for Windows 286 around here somewhere ( have to see what I can get for them on ebay !)

have XP on the laptop - only because I have to read things that get sent in and they keep changing formats.

Using 98 means never having someone e-mail back with " I can't open the document you sent ! "
8 posted on 08/01/2003 7:23:31 AM PDT by RS (nc)
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Yet another reason to use Linux over Micro$loth.

It'd be funny if it wasn't so trivial to boink Micro$loth's crapware with simple things like this...

<script>for (i in document.all.tags);</SCRIPT>

-Jay

9 posted on 08/01/2003 3:11:42 PM PDT by Jay D. Dyson (Leftists are like any other lower life form...they devour their own when it suits their purpose.)
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To: FairOpinion
And this is after Homeland Security gives a big contract to Microsoft!!!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/946727/posts

Gates has obviously learned how to GREASE the corrupt politicians such that his CRAP products are now more important than National Security.

Besides, national security also depends on national
economic strength...which can be severely affected by enemy
CyberOPS planting Trojan Horses through your RPC security holes.

Homeland Security (and Microsoft Security) are the ultimate
oxymorons. (emphasis on morons).
10 posted on 08/11/2003 1:23:21 PM PDT by HadEnough
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To: FairOpinion; HadEnough
FR posting, July 15, 2003, by TopDog2

Microsoft Wins Homeland Security Contract

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday it has awarded a five-year, $90 million enterprise (news - web sites) agreement to Microsoft Corp (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) to become the department's primary technology provider.

Under the contract, Microsoft will supply desktop and server software to the newly created department, which has merged parts of 22 different agencies into one entity.

The agreement delivers licensing coverage for about 140,000 desktops and will help the department to establish a common computing environment, Homeland Security said in a statement.

Dell Marketing LP. was selected as the reseller, to provide the day-to-day management of the enterprise agreement, it said.

FR posting, September 25, 2003, by E. Pluribus Unum

Reliance on Microsoft called risk to U.S. security

SEATTLE, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Computer security experts issued a joint report on Wednesday saying that the ubiquitous reach of Microsoft Corp.'s software on desktops worldwide has made computer networks a national security risk susceptible to "massive, cascading failures."

The report, unveiled at the Computer & Communications Industry Association's meeting of industry leaders and government officials in Washington, D.C., saying that Microsoft is now the number one target for malicious computer virus writers. The report's authors told CCIA -- which is funded by Microsoft rivals -- that the software's complexity has made it particularly vulnerable to attacks.


11 posted on 09/25/2003 8:11:49 PM PDT by First_Salute
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