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Microsoft Security Update News - Mid-December Edition

Mark 'Marcus Soperus' Soper — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:06:01 -0600

Plugging an Old, but Nasty, Security Hole in DirectX

It's a long way from DirectX 7 (Windows 2000 vintage 3D) to DirectX 10 (Windows Vista exclusive), but somehow a critical remote code execution vulnerability that's been kicking around for years is in every version from DX 7 to 10, and that means that Windows 2000, XP, and Vista users have some patching to do (and the server guys need to patch Windows Server 2003, too). Microsoft's Security Bulletin MS07-064 has the gory details - and, more importantly, the links you need to fix the problem.

Oldies but Baddies, Take 2 - Windows Media's Turn

There's also a critical remote code execution in Windows Media format, also affecting Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista on the desktop side (and Windows Server 2003). It affects Windows Media Format runtime versions from 7.1 through 11 (32-bit and 64-bit alike). See Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-068 for links to the updates you need.

Got Vista? Make Sure You Get This Fix

Now, the rest of you Windows users can rest easy. Vista users need to check out bulletin MS07-066 to learn how to fix a vulnerability in the Windows Vista kernel.

Before You Download, Check Windows Update

Depending upon your Windows Update settings, you might have some or all of these fixes already in place. If not, follow the links provided to keep your systems safe and secure this holiday season.

December 2007's Patch Tuesday's Going to Be Big - Really Big

Mark Soper — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:27:38 -0600

Tuesday, December 11, 2007, is the last 'Patch Tuesday' of the year, and Microsoft's getting ready to hand out significant security fixes for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows Media Format runtime, Internet Explorer, and DirectX. Here's what to expect.

A Trio of Critical Patches

First up is a remote code execution patch for DirectX versions 7.0 (Windows 2000) through 10.0 (Windows Vista). Multimedia users will also need to get patching with a remote code execution patch for Windows Media Format runtime for all Windows versions from Windows 2000 and Windows XP to Windows Vista). Third on the list of "must squash now" bugs is yet another remote code execution patch for Internet Explorer versions for Windows 2000, XP, and Vista all the way back to the pre-Cambrian version IE 5.01 SP4 and all the way forward to IE7 for Windows XP and Vista.

As a security expert interviewed by InfoWorld points out, these fixes are designed to prevent attacks that take advantage of users' desires to view online multimedia content, which would be just about everyone that reads this page (and uses Windows).

A Quartet of Important Patches

Patch Tuesday will also roll out a quartet of so-called 'important' patches for Windows:

Remote code execution fix for Windows Vista
Remote code execution fix for Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP
Elevation of privilege fix for Windows Vista
Local elevation of privilege fixes for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003.

Critical, Important, What's the Difference?

A 'critical' patch blocks Internet worms that don't require you to click, open, or view an attachment or website to start. An 'important' patch blocks attacks that compromise local systems.

Details to Follow

Once 'Patch Tuesday' arrives, we'll have more details on these and other non-security updates for your Redmond-powered PC. In the meantime, think before you click.

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Microsoft Reaches Out to Flickr and QuickTime Users, Updates Windows Live Photo Gallery and Virtual Earth 3D

Mark 'Marcus Soperus' Soper — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 23:59:14 -0500

Flickr-Friendly Windows Live Photo Gallery

Windows Live Photo Gallery adds lots of great editing and sharing features to Vista's Windows Photo Gallery - and also works with Windows XP. Now, you can use it to publish your photos to Yahoo's popular Flickr photo-sharing website. After you install Windows Live Photo Gallery Beta, Windows Update updates it for you. Once the update's installed, the publish on Flickr option shows up in the Publish menu under More Services...

Other improvements include numerous bug fixes, and, for Windows XP users, the ability to deep-six (uninstall, for those of you in Rio Linda) Windows Desktop Search after the update to Live Photo Gallery is installed.

DirectX 9.0c Update Time Again

Microsoft's latest DirectX 9.0c update is also recommended, as with other recent DX9.0c updates, for Windows Vista users as well as Windows XP and Windows 2000 users. Grab it from the Microsoft download site.

View Your World in 3D - version 2.0

Version 2.0 of Virtual Earth 3D is now available. Virtual Earth 3D adds 3D functionality to Live Search maps - and it's cool! If you haven't tried Virtual Earth 3D yet - or you're looking for a better version, grab it from Microsoft's download site.

MacOS Users: Play Windows Media Files in QuickTime!

MacOS users! Are you tired of switching between QuickTime and Windows Media Player just to play Windows Media files? Microsoft has just rolled out Windows Media Components for QuickTime, from Flip4Mac. Use the free player to play .wma and .wmv files in QuickTime, or update it to add the ability to edit and distribute Windows Media files.

Is There a New JPEG in Your Future?

By Mark Soper — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 00:58:52 -0500

Although the HD Photo format (previously known as Windows Media Photo) has been primarily used as part of the internals of Windows Vista, Microsoft has convinced the guardians of highly-compressible imaging formats, the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), to consider making HD Photo the basis of a new member of the JPEG family, JPEG XR.

HD Photo Features and Benefits

HD Photo offers support for high dynamic range (HDR) images, stores varying amounts of image information to make displaying lower-quality thumbnails easy, performs both lossless and lossy compression, provides better support for lower performance systems, and better image quality and better compression.

Discovering HD Photo

Will HD Photo join the JPEG family? The balloting for JPEG members lasts until October 2007, but you can learn more about HD Photo right now from HD Photo project manager Bill Crow's blog, or by downloading the HD Photo specifications. If you have Adobe Photoshop CS2 or CS3, you can save or open HD Photo images wtih the HD Photo plug-in from Microsoft's downloads center.