Microsoft Patches 12 Office Security Holes
Microsoft today issued four updates to fix at least a dozen security vulnerabilities in its Office software products. All of the updates earned Microsoft's "critical" label, meaning attackers could exploit the flaws to break into Windows systems with little or no help from users.
Included in today's Patch Tuesday roundup are fixes for just about every Office suite or stand-alone product that Microsoft currently supports -- going back to Office 2000 and including Office for Mac software and various Office Viewer components.
One of the updates, which mends at least seven flaws in different Office titles, patches a security hole that hackers were exploiting as early as last week, according to reports from US-CERT and the SANS Internet Storm Center.
Interestingly, that patch and one other address security holes found in Office 2007, a product that underwent rigorous code review in an attempt to minimize the kinds of security weaknesses that were found to be pervasive in older versions of Office.
Office users can grab the latest patches from Microsoft Update. Office 2000 users, however, can only obtain them from Microsoft's Office Update. Office 2000 users may also need to have their Office installation CD handy in order to install these updates.
By Brian Krebs |
March 11, 2008; 2:30 PM ET
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Posted by: S | March 11, 2008 6:37 PM
Brian
DID YOU SEE THE SNEAKY WAY THAT MICROSOFT IS NOW TRYING TO INSTALL THE GENUINE WINDOWS VERIFICATION PROGRAM ASSOCIATED WITH THESE UPDATES ???
SOME OF YOUR SOFTWARE 'MUST BE UPGRADED, OFFERING YOU A FREE MERCEADES, LEXUS & BENTLY IF YOU INSTALL THIS ANONYMOUS FILE, ETC., ETC.
Posted by: brucerealtor@gmail.com | March 12, 2008 2:25 AM
I really wouldn't be so hard on Microsoft for its Genuine Windows verification program ......... except that when I took my personal machine into a major Realtor firm and had an issue, their technical staff REPLACED my Windows XP Home edition with a Corporate Versiion of XP Pro.
My Home Edition came with the machine, so it was legit and so too I thought was the XP Pro edition.
When Genuine Windows verification appeared, I wasn't worried, so I downloaded it, only to be told that my version was an illegal version. Checking further, it appears that it was fully legal, BUT it had apparently been installed on more machines than the license authorized.
So now without a way to reinstall XP Home, I am suppose to pay for a Genuine upgrade.
I don't think so.
Posted by: brucerealtor@gmail.com | March 12, 2008 2:33 AM
Thanks, Brian, for continuing to remind us Office 2000 users that we have to get our updates through the Office Update site. I'd probably never remember to visit that site otherwise.
Posted by: t_joe | March 12, 2008 2:07 PM
I wonder if any of these so-called updates to older products, reduce functionality in that the user shall be required to replace it with a newer product.
Posted by: DOUGman | March 14, 2008 1:28 AM
When I go to Microsoft Updates, or check what the automatic updates has ready for me, the only thing that shows up is the good ol' Genuine Windows Verification. After reading the EULA again I sure would like to *not* have that on my PC.
Is Genuine Windows Verification really required, or is there another way to get updates without being assimilated?
thanks,
Chris
Posted by: Chris Viking | March 14, 2008 11:51 AM
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Are these updates taking an incredibly long time to install, in anyone's experience?
I started the install 3 hours ago, and I'm stuck at installing update 2 out of 5?
C:\windows\windowsupdate.log shows that WU is still running.