Xp Sp3 And Vista Sp1 Critical Security Patches

[Guest Reimar]

The latest news from TechNet I was getting about the security patches of this month:

XP SP3 and Vista SP1 Critical Security Patches

The latest Critical security patches for Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 are available from Microsoft.

Of course, that the two Windows client versions are not the only software products patched by the Redmond company as a part of its monthly security update cycle. Although Microsoft was planning no less than a dozen security bulletin releases for August 12, 2008, it managed to come one short. Only 11 update packages made it out the door, six of which were rated with a maximum severity rating of Critical, with the remaining five receiving a label of Important.

"You may notice that we removed one of the bulletins that we had mentioned in the "Advanced Notification Service" that we released last week. We did this prior to today’s bulletin release because of a last minute quality issue. Microsoft has heard from customers that the quality of updates is very important and, as part of the process at the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), Microsoft tests these updates continuously until they are ready for distribution to customers through our regularly scheduled security bulletin release," explained Tami Gallupe, Microsoft Security Response Center release manager.

The August 2008 incomplete dozen of Microsoft security bulletins are designed to plug a staggering 26 holes in not only Windows, but also Internet Explorer, Windows Messenger and Office. In fact six of the security bulletins impact Windows and the components of the operating system while the rest of five affect the Office system and its software. However, details on only three of the 26 vulnerabilities have been made available in the wild prior to the Redmond company releasing its patches.

Here is the complete list of the August 2008 security bulletins:

MS08-041 – Vulnerability in the ActiveX Control for the Snapshot Viewer for Microsoft Access Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955617) – Critical

MS08-042 – Vulnerability in Microsoft Word Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955048) – Important

MS08-043 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (954066) – Critical

MS08-044 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Filters Could Allow Remote Code Execution (924090) – Critical

MS08-045 – Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (953838) – Critical

MS08-046 – Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Image Color Management System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (952954) – Critical

MS08-047 – Vulnerability in IPsec Policy Processing Could Allow Information Disclosure (953733) – Important

MS08-048 – Security Update for Outlook Express and Windows Mail (951066) – Important

MS08-049 – Vulnerabilities in Event System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (950974) – Important

MS08-050 – Vulnerability in Windows Messenger Could Allow Information Disclosure (955702) – Important

MS08-051 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution (949785) – Critical

[wpcoe]

On 8/15/2008 I ran Windows Update and downloaded 19 updates, but none of the KB numbers in the above post are included. I just ran Windows Update again this morning, and it says there are no new updates. If so many of the above-listed updates are "Critical," why isn't Windows Update catching them?

Part of the reason I had so many updates on 8/15/2008, is I finally broke down and bought MSOffice (Home & Student Edition 2007 for $90 in the USA) and installed it that day. Many of the updates that day were to bring MSO 2007 up to date.

[Guest Reimar]

On 8/15/2008 I ran Windows Update and downloaded 19 updates, but none of the KB numbers in the above post are included. I just ran Windows Update again this morning, and it says there are no new updates. If so many of the above-listed updates are "Critical," why isn't Windows Update catching them?

Part of the reason I had so many updates on 8/15/2008, is I finally broke down and bought MSOffice (Home & Student Edition 2007 for $90 in the USA) and installed it that day. Many of the updates that day were to bring MSO 2007 up to date.

Maybe now you realize why I posted that!

Many of the updates will never reach the automated update and has to be done manual via the Microsoft Website.

Cheers.

[longball53098]

I am running XP with SP 2 and have my notebook set to receive automatic Windows updates. I am on a Hutch slow speed data system so I hesitate now to accept the update for SP 3

Is SP 3 safe or will it cause me nothing but headaches? I have all the latest SP 2 stuff and I have read somewhere that SP 3 can cause new problems to crop up

Thanks

[sjaak327]

It might, if it makes you feel any better, I have upgraded at least 50 pc's to SP3 recently, and only one had problems, this was due to the old MS. shared PC toolkit was installed, which has been replaced with Windows Steady State, uninstall the old software fixed that.

Edited August 21, 2008 by sjaak327

[wpcoe]

On 8/15/2008 I ran Windows Update and downloaded 19 updates, but none of the KB numbers in the above post are included. I just ran Windows Update again this morning, and it says there are no new updates. If so many of the above-listed updates are "Critical," why isn't Windows Update catching them?

Part of the reason I had so many updates on 8/15/2008, is I finally broke down and bought MSOffice (Home & Student Edition 2007 for $90 in the USA) and installed it that day. Many of the updates that day were to bring MSO 2007 up to date.

Maybe now you realize why I posted that!

Many of the updates will never reach the automated update and has to be done manual via the Microsoft Website.

Edited to now say: After I finally got around to clicking on each link, I realized I don't have the affected software installed (most of the references to MS Office, Word, and Excel are for earlier versions than what I have installed) to need the updates.

Thanks for pointing out and listing all the links, Reimar!

Edited August 21, 2008 by wpcoe

[RKASA]

I don't think you need worry about the sp3 I did it from the update site for my xp and its fine.  I only get dail up speed from my broadband ToT, but it will resume if you have to stop and rest downloading,  I didn't get it all at one time, after a reinstall I was still up dating three days later.  Thanks ToT.    

[longball53098]

Ok thanks maybe I will give it a ry later tonight when the Hutch traffic is slower

[longball53098]

I spent the better part of the afternoon downloading and installing anything and everything from Redmond that my XP could find that it said I needed to update

I now have SP 3 up and running and upped IE to V7

So far all is normal and hopefully will stay that way

[zzdocxx]

My auto updater wanted to install SP3 today but I declined it, for now.

Just wanted to check around the web to make sure it wasn't causing crashes.