BUGS & FIXES

Critical Fixes for Windows,IE,Office
Plus, help for Spy sweeper 5.0 headaches and a new e-mail threat.

THE SURGE IN critical updates that Microsoft has been issuing shows no sign of weakening . The company just shipped 12 bug patches -9 of them critical-affecting every thing from Windows to Internet Explorer to Office apps. And unfortunately, things have not gone smoothly.

In keeping with what is now a regrettably familiar pattern ,hackers launched a zero-day attack on a hole that one of the fixes addressed ,before the patch could be released .this exploit was designed to target the Windows “server service”, which handles file and printer sharing in Windows 2000 Server 2003 as well as Windows XP SP1 and SP2.
Because the server service typically runs on PCs that are waiting for connections, clever crackers figured out how to send bogus commands over the Internet to infect vulnerable machines .The attack uses a buffer overflow strategy and can take your PC without your having to surf to surf the Web , email ,or click anything .It proved scary enough to spur the Department of Homeland Security to release an alert of its own asking everyone to install the relevant patch as quickly as possible something the DHS has never done before .
Fortunately, you lessen your risk by activating a firewall, which blocks unknown incoming Internet connections. Windows XP SP2 has its firewall on by default, as do most broadband routers. This is still a dangerous hole, so be sure to obtain and install this patch through Automatic Updates. Alternatively, can get it-along with additional information-from find.