September 8, 2005 5:22 PM PDT

Microsoft to release fixes for Windows flaws

As part of its monthly patching cycle, Microsoft on Tuesday plans to release one security alert for flaws in the Windows operating system.

The security bulletin is deemed "critical," Microsoft's highest risk rating, the company said in a notice posted on its Web site on Thursday. Last month's "Patch Tuesday" also included a critical alert for Windows flaws. One of the flaws was exploited days later by the Zotob worm that wreaked havoc on Windows 2000 systems worldwide.

Microsoft's Thursday notice did not specify whether one of the patches will be for Internet Explorer. Over the last few weeks, several security researchers have come forward with flaws in the Web browser. Some of these vulnerabilities could let an attacker gain control of a user's PC.

There are several unpatched vulnerabilities in IE 6, according to Secunia. The security monitoring company has issued 85 alerts on the Web browser since 2003; 19 of those security bugs remain unpatched, according to Secunia's Web site.

In addition to the Windows security fixes, Microsoft on Tuesday plans to release an update for Windows that it deems high priority, but is not security related, the company said. Furthermore, an updated version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool will be released. The tool detects and removes malicious code placed on computers.

Microsoft gave no further information on Thursday's bulletins, other than stating that some of the Windows fixes may require restarting the computer.

The Redmond, Wash., software giant provides information in advance of its monthly patch release day, which is every second Tuesday of the month, so people can prepare to install the patches. In August, Microsoft released six security bulletins, including three deemed "critical" for Windows.

Microsoft rates as critical any security threat that could allow a malicious Internet worm to spread without any action required on the part of the user.

Microsoft said it will host a Webcast about the new fixes on Wednesday at 11 a.m. PDT.

42 comments

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Windowzers taken for a ride! YET AGAIN!
You Windowzers will never learn that you are continually being
taken for a ride by Billy and Stevie. They are enjoying their ride,
which makes frequent stops at their bank depositing your hard
earned money and all of your time spent patching and
maintaining the trash heap they market as Windows. "Windows,
it's just barely good enough (r)". How good does a monopoly
product have to be? Answer, not very.

Good luck. We *NIX users will welcome you if you ever decide to
wake up and wish to use a truly productive OS (OS X or Linux
flavor).

Until then, you can just dismiss me as another Mac zealot. I'm
okay with that.
Posted by (57 comments )
Reply Link Flag
no worries there
they'll always dismiss us as zealots until they make the switch. until then they'll cry at how bad windows is, yet defend it from us.
Posted by Scott W (419 comments )
Link Flag
dude
Do you have ANY idea how boring and repetitive you Linux guys sound?? How about something..anything new to say?

I have XP SP1, NEVER EVER update it, never had a virus or any adware in 4 years.

Give it a rest kids, clearly no one is listening.
Posted by City_Of_LA (118 comments )
Link Flag
The Doctor Is Out
It's a patch, not the end of the world.

Grow up, man. Windows as good or as bad as you want it to be.
Posted by Christopher Hall (1207 comments )
Link Flag
Windowzers taken for a ride! YET AGAIN!
You Windowzers will never learn that you are continually being
taken for a ride by Billy and Stevie. They are enjoying their ride,
which makes frequent stops at their bank depositing your hard
earned money and all of your time spent patching and
maintaining the trash heap they market as Windows. "Windows,
it's just barely good enough (r)". How good does a monopoly
product have to be? Answer, not very.

Good luck. We *NIX users will welcome you if you ever decide to
wake up and wish to use a truly productive OS (OS X or Linux
flavor).

Until then, you can just dismiss me as another Mac zealot. I'm
okay with that.
Posted by (57 comments )
Reply Link Flag
no worries there
they'll always dismiss us as zealots until they make the switch. until then they'll cry at how bad windows is, yet defend it from us.
Posted by Scott W (419 comments )
Link Flag
dude
Do you have ANY idea how boring and repetitive you Linux guys sound?? How about something..anything new to say?

I have XP SP1, NEVER EVER update it, never had a virus or any adware in 4 years.

Give it a rest kids, clearly no one is listening.
Posted by City_Of_LA (118 comments )
Link Flag
The Doctor Is Out
It's a patch, not the end of the world.

Grow up, man. Windows as good or as bad as you want it to be.
Posted by Christopher Hall (1207 comments )
Link Flag
Steve, Bill, and Patsy
Windows is JUNK. I use it weekly, turn it off and on daily, and
listen to my users tell me how much trouble they
have...wondering what they can do? I tell them to buy a Mac and
learn there is a better way. It is truly amazing when I hear some
of them finally gave up the futility to keep windows, and they
got a Mac, they are pleasantly shocked at how much better Mac
is. Then they get the same "religion" that other PC users
complain that Mac people have.....it is because they find out how
all along they had been unknowingly going along with the
masses, without the M.

A windows user, er loser, will swear his junk is OK, to make
himself feel better in his ignorant decision to keep patching and
lying. It suits them just fine to be part of the largest
unproductive group of people who must prop up the "house of
cards" once again.....its never gonna end, let them wallow in
ignorance, it has to be that way, you see Bill, and Steves plan
relies on Patsy too.
Posted by educateme (101 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Steve, Bill, and Patsy
Windows is JUNK. I use it weekly, turn it off and on daily, and
listen to my users tell me how much trouble they
have...wondering what they can do? I tell them to buy a Mac and
learn there is a better way. It is truly amazing when I hear some
of them finally gave up the futility to keep windows, and they
got a Mac, they are pleasantly shocked at how much better Mac
is. Then they get the same "religion" that other PC users
complain that Mac people have.....it is because they find out how
all along they had been unknowingly going along with the
masses, without the M.

A windows user, er loser, will swear his junk is OK, to make
himself feel better in his ignorant decision to keep patching and
lying. It suits them just fine to be part of the largest
unproductive group of people who must prop up the "house of
cards" once again.....its never gonna end, let them wallow in
ignorance, it has to be that way, you see Bill, and Steves plan
relies on Patsy too.
Posted by educateme (101 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Why do the Mac users rail so much?
Jealousy. They like to claim superiority but their strident calls belie the truth that they're jealous of what Windows users have.
Posted by aabcdefghij987654321 (1722 comments )
Reply Link Flag
I think they're just ansty
I can't figure out why, though.
Posted by Christopher Hall (1207 comments )
Link Flag
They're jealous of the fact that we can buy software
Mac users are jealous of the fact that we can walk into a store and buy software. Not just the little two foot wide section of software but 100 feet of shelf space at your local Best Buy.
Posted by lingsun (478 comments )
Link Flag
Why do the Mac users rail so much?
Jealousy. They like to claim superiority but their strident calls belie the truth that they're jealous of what Windows users have.
Posted by aabcdefghij987654321 (1722 comments )
Reply Link Flag
I think they're just ansty
I can't figure out why, though.
Posted by Christopher Hall (1207 comments )
Link Flag
They're jealous of the fact that we can buy software
Mac users are jealous of the fact that we can walk into a store and buy software. Not just the little two foot wide section of software but 100 feet of shelf space at your local Best Buy.
Posted by lingsun (478 comments )
Link Flag
We holler to the evacuees, grab the lifeline, but to no avail
You cant rescue the lost and deaf, if they just dont want to be
helped. It is merely human nature to try to save someone from
undue hassle, losses, and strife, at least in a natural, non-
business mind. It would be better if those Mac users were able
to actually gain something by telling others about Macs, but they
dont get one dime, or any gratitude, until a PC user comes to
own a Mac and then they are offered thanks and it finally pays
off.

The feeling one has when they rescue a lost pup, or wounded
bird is what a Mac person feels when he is told "Thank you" by
the recovered windows dude that has been brought to safety. It
cant be described in a better way than that, humanitarian aid.

In an "intervention" the drunk, drugged people will swear that
everyone is just nosing into the life of a smart, determined,
successful individual, although they are the ones who are
getting damaged. The tech environment is a true eco-system,
we all have to "pay" for the choices each makes, and everyone
has to pay for the sloppy windows programming, security risks,
and misguided groups that have windows.

Not a day goes by that a bank, call canter, airline, oil company,
insurance or financial services firm, and especially the
government is not hampered by the errant use of a "hole" in
windows that causes a delay, loss, theft, or misuse of our data
and time.

It is something WE all pay for, so while we try to get the kids off
crack, and we also try to get the PC users "on track", its just a
good natured thing to do, no matter how much it angers those
who think they are OK. Not because we are superior, just that we
discovered an answer and want to share it...plain and simple.
Posted by educateme (101 comments )
Reply Link Flag
do you really think?
That a change in the OS's that these companies use is going to put an end to attacks and unscrupulous people stealing data?

Maybe we should get Santa Clause to do the upgrades. Do you know what consulting firm he is with?
Posted by Bob Brinkman (559 comments )
Link Flag
Really?
"It would be better if those Mac users were able
to actually gain something by telling others about Macs, but they
dont get one dime, or any gratitude, until a PC user comes to
own a Mac and then they are offered thanks and it finally pays
off."

But you do get something. You get to preach to any one that will listen to your rants on how much better your setup is better than theirs.

But then, all computers/OS have their own issues don't they.
Posted by Sboston (498 comments )
Link Flag
Poor Lost Souls
There is nothing new about your philosophy. Members of the Latter Day Saints have been knocking on doors of the heathen for years and preaching almost the same words as yours. Maybe it would be more rewarding and you would be better appreciated if you tried the same thing instead wasting your efforts on the few lost souls who read your comments here.
Posted by BR-549 (20 comments )
Link Flag
We holler to the evacuees, grab the lifeline, but to no avail
You cant rescue the lost and deaf, if they just dont want to be
helped. It is merely human nature to try to save someone from
undue hassle, losses, and strife, at least in a natural, non-
business mind. It would be better if those Mac users were able
to actually gain something by telling others about Macs, but they
dont get one dime, or any gratitude, until a PC user comes to
own a Mac and then they are offered thanks and it finally pays
off.

The feeling one has when they rescue a lost pup, or wounded
bird is what a Mac person feels when he is told "Thank you" by
the recovered windows dude that has been brought to safety. It
cant be described in a better way than that, humanitarian aid.

In an "intervention" the drunk, drugged people will swear that
everyone is just nosing into the life of a smart, determined,
successful individual, although they are the ones who are
getting damaged. The tech environment is a true eco-system,
we all have to "pay" for the choices each makes, and everyone
has to pay for the sloppy windows programming, security risks,
and misguided groups that have windows.

Not a day goes by that a bank, call canter, airline, oil company,
insurance or financial services firm, and especially the
government is not hampered by the errant use of a "hole" in
windows that causes a delay, loss, theft, or misuse of our data
and time.

It is something WE all pay for, so while we try to get the kids off
crack, and we also try to get the PC users "on track", its just a
good natured thing to do, no matter how much it angers those
who think they are OK. Not because we are superior, just that we
discovered an answer and want to share it...plain and simple.
Posted by educateme (101 comments )
Reply Link Flag
do you really think?
That a change in the OS's that these companies use is going to put an end to attacks and unscrupulous people stealing data?

Maybe we should get Santa Clause to do the upgrades. Do you know what consulting firm he is with?
Posted by Bob Brinkman (559 comments )
Link Flag
Really?
"It would be better if those Mac users were able
to actually gain something by telling others about Macs, but they
dont get one dime, or any gratitude, until a PC user comes to
own a Mac and then they are offered thanks and it finally pays
off."

But you do get something. You get to preach to any one that will listen to your rants on how much better your setup is better than theirs.

But then, all computers/OS have their own issues don't they.
Posted by Sboston (498 comments )
Link Flag
Poor Lost Souls
There is nothing new about your philosophy. Members of the Latter Day Saints have been knocking on doors of the heathen for years and preaching almost the same words as yours. Maybe it would be more rewarding and you would be better appreciated if you tried the same thing instead wasting your efforts on the few lost souls who read your comments here.
Posted by BR-549 (20 comments )
Link Flag
I found the solution...
to all computer problems. Just get rid of them. If everyone goes back to pen and paper just think how much better the world will be. Life would slow down. People would have to start using their brains again. And best of all, there would be no computer viruses.

We could all go back to arguing religion and politics. People would have to actually leave their houses to meet other people.

Of course while were at it why don't we just toss out every other eminity that has turned people into a bunch of whiners. No more AC. We would have to heat with wood. There would be no more gas shortage because horses don't require gas.
Posted by System Tyrant (1453 comments )
Reply Link Flag
and Vacines!
We need more polio to! And those darn' auto-mobiles need to go! Hell, let's forget about the wheel all together.
Posted by Bob Brinkman (559 comments )
Link Flag
I found the solution...
to all computer problems. Just get rid of them. If everyone goes back to pen and paper just think how much better the world will be. Life would slow down. People would have to start using their brains again. And best of all, there would be no computer viruses.

We could all go back to arguing religion and politics. People would have to actually leave their houses to meet other people.

Of course while were at it why don't we just toss out every other eminity that has turned people into a bunch of whiners. No more AC. We would have to heat with wood. There would be no more gas shortage because horses don't require gas.
Posted by System Tyrant (1453 comments )
Reply Link Flag
and Vacines!
We need more polio to! And those darn' auto-mobiles need to go! Hell, let's forget about the wheel all together.
Posted by Bob Brinkman (559 comments )
Link Flag
Summary, an Eco-system has all things, but the mix can be fixed
I hear you. When considering how there is a lot of work and
infrastructure that runs on windows, so be it, it must stay that
way, in some cases.

It is my proposal, albeit rather strongly worded, that adding in
the use of Macs would serve to improve your daily use of time
and resources for better jobs, other than patching ANOTHER
windows issue, you know they are going to continue.

As much as there are die-hard windows users, there are surely
the same in Unix, Mac, Linux, IBM etc camps, the world over. It
is not a supremacy thing, its really not; I put it more along the
lines of educating and exposing something worthwhile. There
might be a constant rant in my posts, to be sure, but it is no
more common, than as a counter to the daily news that a
company like MSFT makes, and I can be their devils advocate,
pardon the pun.

I use windows, I use Mac, & Linux; I also have a car, and a truck,
and even a tractor. That really is the most fair, and humanly
centered comparison to daily life that computer OS's can have
for this discussion. I find utility in all of them, none of which the
other can match in this idea. So when I hear that people are
using "trucks" like windows, to do the daily run to the store, Dr,
bank, newstand, or cross country, I wonder how come they dont
get a smoother car, and Mac Out, to "enjoy" doing something,
rather than fixing the truck first.

This is my biggest gripe about my PCs, its a codependent
relationship, with an seemingly abusive mate, who promises
they will clean up their act, and be faithful, only to KEEP showing
me they have not really changed. Soon we are chasing our tails,
in circles, doing the monthly patch, when we could be having
time for other things. A Mac can give you that time, especially
when used online where windows trucks hit potholes, and the
Mac cars just slide on by. Hope that helps.
Posted by educateme (101 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Summary, an Eco-system has all things, but the mix can be fixed
I hear you. When considering how there is a lot of work and
infrastructure that runs on windows, so be it, it must stay that
way, in some cases.

It is my proposal, albeit rather strongly worded, that adding in
the use of Macs would serve to improve your daily use of time
and resources for better jobs, other than patching ANOTHER
windows issue, you know they are going to continue.

As much as there are die-hard windows users, there are surely
the same in Unix, Mac, Linux, IBM etc camps, the world over. It
is not a supremacy thing, its really not; I put it more along the
lines of educating and exposing something worthwhile. There
might be a constant rant in my posts, to be sure, but it is no
more common, than as a counter to the daily news that a
company like MSFT makes, and I can be their devils advocate,
pardon the pun.

I use windows, I use Mac, & Linux; I also have a car, and a truck,
and even a tractor. That really is the most fair, and humanly
centered comparison to daily life that computer OS's can have
for this discussion. I find utility in all of them, none of which the
other can match in this idea. So when I hear that people are
using "trucks" like windows, to do the daily run to the store, Dr,
bank, newstand, or cross country, I wonder how come they dont
get a smoother car, and Mac Out, to "enjoy" doing something,
rather than fixing the truck first.

This is my biggest gripe about my PCs, its a codependent
relationship, with an seemingly abusive mate, who promises
they will clean up their act, and be faithful, only to KEEP showing
me they have not really changed. Soon we are chasing our tails,
in circles, doing the monthly patch, when we could be having
time for other things. A Mac can give you that time, especially
when used online where windows trucks hit potholes, and the
Mac cars just slide on by. Hope that helps.
Posted by educateme (101 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Here we go again
Alway the same discussion this vs that, better vs popular can't you people ever come up with something original, or stick with the subject matter. This is a stupid arguwment, not everybody can afford the "best" - "huh"? So smarten up and stop this "vs" thing it is stupid and not becoming computer guru's.
Thank You
Posted by Richie (21 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Here we go again
Alway the same discussion this vs that, better vs popular can't you people ever come up with something original, or stick with the subject matter. This is a stupid arguwment, not everybody can afford the "best" - "huh"? So smarten up and stop this "vs" thing it is stupid and not becoming computer guru's.
Thank You
Posted by Richie (21 comments )
Reply Link Flag
 

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