powerpoint

Green laser points the way

We're old enough (unfortunately) to remember when laser pointers were new and expensive, not the kind of bargain-bin item you can find at OfficeMax. But even though they've become surprisingly affordable, we've been disappointed at the preponderance of laser-pointing objects that make little or no sense.

That's why we appreciate the "Jasper Keynote." It's a laser pointer with a built-in radio transmitter that can let you point and run your PowerPoint presentation simultaneously if used with a USB receiver. And the best part of all: It's green (our favorite color).

Thanks to … Read more

Google prepping presentation product

Google is apparently working on a Powerpoint killer called Presently to go along with its word processor (formerly known as Writely) and its spreadsheet app. This is according to a post on the Googlesystem blog (via TechCrunch).

This is a surprise to no one. Google has been adding basic productivity applications to its suite of online services relentlessly, and there's no reason to expect the company to stop.

Web-based presentation applicationss are great in concept, for two big reasons: First, presentations are often created (or at least approved) by several people and having a presentation that is inherently collaboration-enabled … Read more

Present for free with Spresent and a Web browser

Do you need PowerPoint (or Keynote) to create presentations? Perhaps not. There are several good Web-based solutions, including the newest (to us), Spresent. This online presentation service lets you quickly create decent presentations that you can deliver from any computer with a Web browser.

Spresent competes with other online apps such as Thumbstacks and Zoho Show [see comparison]. What sets Spresent apart is its slick Flash-based user interface and tight integration with other Web services. Need a picture of a mountain or an octopus to go along with your bullet points? Spresent has built-in Flickr browsing, which pulls up previews … Read more

Unspecified vulnerability in Microsoft PowerPoint 2000

There is an unspecified vulnerability within Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000. To become infected, however, a user must open a specially crafted PowerPoint file (PPT). To guard against infection, open suspect files in the free Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 2003 instead. Malware such as Exploit:Win32/Controlppt.W, Exploit:Win32/Controlppt.X, and Exploit-PPT.d/Trojan.PPDropper.F take advantage of this PowerPoint flaw.

Additional resources:

Vendor Patch Information: MS06-058 US-CERT Vulnerability Note: VU#231204 FrSIRT: 3794

PowerPoint Memory Corruption Vulnerability

Malicious attackers may use specially created PowerPoint files to crash a victim's computer. There are actually three separate vulnerabilities that occur when the application uses data taken directly from a PowerPoint presentation file as a pointer when saving or closing a malformed presentation. A malicious attacker can exploit this to corrupt memory and manipulate the program flow, and could allow a remote attacker access to a compromised system.

Additional Resources:

French Security Incident Response Team: ADV-2006-2815 National Institute of Standards and Technology: CVE-2006-3660 National Institute of Standards and Technology: CVE-2006-3656 National Institute of Standards and Technology: CVE-2006-3655 Secunia advisory #: … Read more