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While it is the upcoming Australian federal elections that has prompted this post, it is not intended to be either political or parochial. I’ll be very surprised if everybody everywhere doesn’t find this interesting, enlightening and maybe even a little bit frightening. [Click Here to Continue…]
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I’m still getting variations on questions related to performing Microsoft/Windows updates, so perhaps it’s time for a brief refresher.
If, in any Microsoft operating system, you follow the sequence
Start –> Programs –> Microsoft Update
you will end up staring at the Microsoft browser which of course is Internet Explorer.
It is my strongest and oft repeated recommendation that for many reasons you should abandon Internet Explorer in favour of Firefox. Firefox is not only a far better and more usable browser, it is also much safer. Or, use Google Chrome if you like, but it’s a bit spartan for my tastes. The main thing is to get away from Internet Explorer as your default browser.
Unfortunately in its raw state Firefox cannot process updates for you from update.microsoft.com or windowsupdate.com, or any variation that accesses the Microsoft/Windows update website.
Without getting into a lot of unnecessary detail, the reason is that the Microsoft update websites require an ActiveX control (follow that link if you want more info), and Firefox doesn’t “do” ActiveX — which is one of the reasons it’s much safer than Internet Explorer. ActiveX is a security nightmare.
Now many people are still under the impression that, while they prefer to use Firefox as their day-to-day browser, they have to switch to Internet Explorer to perform their Microsoft/Windows updates.
That hasn’t been the case for quite some time, and here’s how to make it not apply to you either. What we need to do is… [Click Here to Continue…]
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Well, Patch Tuesday rolls around again, and it’s a truly frenetic month for Microsoft patches & updates!
And yes, it’s a pain, but with eight of those patches rated critical you really can’t afford to ignore this lot.
The Microsoft Update process will automatically determine if you have software installed that requires any or all of the patches, so there’s no need you to agonise over which to apply and which to ignore.
Readers who want to know more can get detailed information on this month’s patches and updates by clicking here.
On the second Tuesday of each month Microsoft releases software patches & updates for their various products, so this is a very important day for all Windows users who care about their privacy and security [full summary here].
Why? Well..
Often a Microsoft patch or update will close a vulnerability that, if left un-addressed, could allow an attacker to take complete control of your computer.
And that’s something you REALLY don’t want!
Keeping your installation patched up-to-date is so important that, whether or not you have Automatic Updates enabled, at this time of each month it’s still wise to manually double-check that everything that matters has been installed. Don’t be put off by the word “manually” — it’s a quick and easy process.
HERE’S HOW… [Click Here to Continue…]
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Microsoft has just released a critical patch that is applicable to all currently supported versions of Windows.This is a must-install for all Windows users!
Each month, on the second Tuesday of the month (fondly ???? known in the industry as Patch Tuesday) Microsoft releases a series of patches and updates for their various products. But occasionally something comes up that won’t wait until the next Patch Tuesday. They call these “out-of-band security bulletins”.
If you have Automatic Updates enabled in your Windows version, you should already have this critical out-of-band patch installed — or at least downloaded and awaiting installation. Either way, check now to see that you have it.
If you don’t have Automatic Updates enabled you should take steps to download and install this update immediately. There’s a reason it is classified as CRITICAL.
The Microsoft Update process will automatically determine if you have the patch installed, so it’s easy enough to sort out. If you want more information on this patch click here.
Often a Microsoft patch or update will close a vulnerability that, if left un-addressed, could allow an attacker to take complete control of your computer.
And that’s something you REALLY don’t want!
Keeping your installation patched up-to-date is so important that, whether or not you have Automatic Updates enabled, at this time of each month it’s still wise to manually double-check that everything that matters has been installed. Don’t be put off by the word “manually” — it’s a quick and easy process.
HERE’S HOW… [Click Here to Continue…]
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I fairly regularly get e-mails asking why I’m still recommending an “old style” router (802.11g standard) in my security e-book The Hacker’s Nightmare, even though routers boasting a faster/better/more modern standard (802.11n) have been available for quite some time.
It’s been on my to-do list to write an article explaining my reasons for this. However, I’ve just been saved the trouble by the appearance of an excellent article from the keyboard of PCMech writer Rich Menga.
Rich has summed up my own reasons very nicely, and I unreservedly recommend his article to you.
After trying a number of the new-fangled 802.11n routers, Rich has given them all the flick and ordered himself a [Click Here to Continue…]
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