Microsoft January 2008 Security Bulletins

As part of Microsoft's routine, monthly security update cycle, today they released two new security bulletins that affects Windows system.
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Critical

• MS08-001 - Vulnerabilities in Windows TCP/IP Could Allow Remote Code Execution (941644)

Important

• MS08-002 - Vulnerability in LSASS Could Allow Local Elevation of Privilege (943485)

Microsoft also released Non-Security, High-Priority Updates on MU, WU, and WSUS:
- Five non-security, high-priority updates on Microsoft Update (MU) and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
- Two non-security, high-priority updates for Windows on Windows Update (WU) and WSUS.

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
Microsoft has released an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services, and the Download Center.

References:
January 2008 Security Bulletin Summary: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-jan.mspx
Security Bulletin for end-users: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/bulletins/200801.mspx
MSRC Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2008/01/08/january-2008-monthly-release.aspx

Support:
Call 1-866-PCSAFETY. There is no charge for support calls that are associated with security updates. International users should go to http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx

Security Bulletin Webcast:
Microsoft will host a Webcast tomorrow. The webcast focuses on addressing your questions and concerns about the security bulletins. Therefore, most of the live webcast is aimed at giving you the opportunity to ask questions and get answers from their security experts.

Update sources:
Microsoft NEVER send security updates via e-mail. As always, download the updates only from the vendors' website - visit Windows Update and Office Update or Microsoft Update. You may also get the updates thru Automatic Updates functionality in Windows.
Security updates are available on ISO-9660 DVD5 image files from the Microsoft Download Center. For more information, please see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913086
Note: Don't be a victim of spoofed emails. Read "How to tell whether a security e-mail message is really from Microsoft"

Recommendations:
Microsoft advises customers to install the latest product releases, security updates, and service packs to remain as secure as possible. Older products, such as Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, may not meet today's more demanding security requirements. It may not be possible for Microsoft to provide security updates for older products. More info at Microsoft Support Lifecycle website.

Report Security Vulnerability to Microsoft:
If you have found a Microsoft security vulnerability, please report: https://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...in/alertus.aspx

Tool:
Check your system for missing or misconfigured patches using Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA).
For 3rd Party tools in scanning your computer for missing updates, hotfixes, end of life or out-dated version, please see the list at http://www.dozleng.com/updates/index.php?showtopic=13587

Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 3.5 Redistributable

The Microsoft® .NET Compact Framework 3.5 Redistributable contains the common language runtime and class libraries built for the .NET Compact Framework. In addition to version 3.5 support, it also supports applications developed for version 1.0 and 2.0. The .NET Compact Framework 3.5 provides new features such as Windows Communication Foundation, LINQ, SoundPlayer, new runtime tool support, and many other features.
Important: To develop .NET Compact Framework applications, Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 is required.
This package uses ActiveSync 4.0 to update the device. Before running NETCFSetupv35.msi, connect your device to your PC. If your device is not connected, ActiveSync will store the CAB file and will not install the package until you connect. If you are not using ActiveSync, run the CAB files on the device that correspond to the device–specific CAB files found in the install folder.
System Requirements
Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows CE .NET; Windows Mobile 2003 SE software for Pocket PC; Windows Mobile 5.0; Windows Mobile 6; Windows Vista; Windows XP
Supported Device Operating Systems: Windows Mobile Software for Pocket PC 2003, Windows Mobile 5.0 for PocketPC and Smartphone, Windows CE .NET 5.0 and higher.
Important: This download utilities Microsoft® Windows® Installer technology. Windows 98 and Windows ME users should install the Microsoft® Windows® Installer 2.0 before proceeding with this download.
Download: Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 3.5 Redistributable
Link: Home Page

Sysinternals Suite Build 2008.01.04

The Sysinternals Troubleshooting Utilities have been rolled up into a single Suite of tools. This file contains the individual troubleshooting tools and help files. It does not contain non-troubleshooting tools like the BSOD Screen Saver or NotMyFault. Microsoft acquired Sysinternals in July, 2006. Whether you’re an IT Pro or a developer, you’ll find Sysinternals utilities to help you manage, troubleshoot and diagnose your Windows systems and applications. If you have a question about a tool or how to use them, please visit the Sysinternals Forum for answers and help from other users and our moderators.
What's New ( January 4th, 2008 ):

• Updated Autoruns to version 9.01: Autoruns v9.01 fixes a bug in the way that it handles certain shell extension points and adds awareness of several additional shell extensions.
• Updated PsExec to version 1.94: This update fixes a bug in the timeout option and it makes it possible to use more options when launching local processes, like processor affinity, without administrative rights.
• Updated Tcpview to version 2.52: Tcpview v2.52 fixes a bug that causes partial display of UDP endpoints on Windows XP.
• Sigcheck to version 1.41: This Sigcheck update correctly displays long comments in file version information.

Download: Sysinternals Suite
View: Applications Descriptions
Link: Home Page | Official Forum | Official Blog

SideShow Coming To Windows Mobile, iPhone

Ikanos Consulting is developing a framework which is in beta testing which will, when completed, allow you to run Windows SideShow Gadgets on a Windows Mobile device, finally bringing SideShow to the masses.

SideShow is a wonderful technology in Vista, allowing the display and access of data from a Vista PC on external mini-devices (usually little screens with a few buttons on the outside of a PC case), but the hardware is very specific and very rarely implemented. With support for running SideShow programs (Gadgets, just like the Sidebar kind) on mobile phones, SideShow can be used by any of the millions of Windows Mobile phones.

With SideShow, you can check email on your host PC, select music for the PC to play, see the weather or your Messenger buddy list, or load up any Gadget that's been created by anyone for the purpose. There aren't a ton of Gadgets now, but once the hardware gets out there (and by enabling existing devices, it gets out there a lot faster), developers will start creating even more cool functionality.

http://microsoft.blognewschannel.com/archives/2007/12/31/sideshow-coming-to-windows-mobile-iphone/

Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.5) Refresh

As a platform, our intent is also to enable third parties to supply support for new hardware, technologies, and tools, just as Microsoft Windows provides a platform for others to bring their products and technologies to the community of PC users. So while we may populate our platform with some of our own contributions, those should not be considered exclusive to tools or libraries provided by other parties looking to provide interesting technologies for this platform.
The Microsoft Robotics Studio delivers three areas of software:

1. A scalable, extensible runtime architecture that can span a wide variety of hardware and devices. The programming interface can be used to address robots using 8-bit or 16-bit processors as well as 32-bit systems with multi-core processors and devices from simple touch sensors to laser distance finding devices.
2. A set of useful tools that make programming and debugging robot applications scenarios easier. These include a high quality visual simulation environment that uses the AGEIA Technologies™ PhysX™ engine.
3. A set of useful technology libraries services and samples to help developers get started with writing robot applications.

Our development environment runs on the platforms listed in the section "System Requirements". It can be used to support robots that support these platforms as well as robots that can be remotely controlled from a PC running a supported platform. The remote control can for example be through a serial port, Bluetooth®, RF or Wi-Fi. We provide information that can be used by hardware or software vendors to make their products compatible with our development platform.
System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows CE; Windows Server 2003 R2 (32-Bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 editions; Windows Vista; Windows XP; Windows XP 64-bit
• To use Microsoft Robotics Studio with .NET Framework 2.0 Software Development Kit (SDK): .NET Framework 2.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) (x86 or x64)
• To use Microsoft Robotics Studio with Visual Studio 2005: Any of the Visual 2005 Express Editions, Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition, Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition or Visual Studio 2005 Team System Edition

Important: With the exception of the Simulation Engine, Microsoft Robotics Studio is fully compatible with 64-bit Windows. The Simulation Engine uses the XNA Framework which does not yet support 64-bit Windows so you can't run simulation on 64-bit Windows. Microsoft Robotics Studio can be used to develop services that can be deployed on Windows CE. The development tools themselves do not run on Windows CE, only the services developed for Windows CE.
 

Download: Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.5) Refresh
Link: Home Page

Microsoft ILMerge 2.0.7.1226

ILMerge is a utility that can be used to merge multiple .NET assemblies into a single assembly. ILMerge takes a set of input assemblies and merges them into one target assembly. The first assembly in the list of input assemblies is the primary assembly. When the primary assembly is an executable, then the target assembly is created as an executable with the same entry point as the primary assembly. Also, if the primary assembly has a strong name, and a .snk file is provided, then the target assembly is re-signed with the specified key so that it also has a strong name. ILMerge is packaged as a console application. But all of its functionality is also available programmatically. Note that Visual Studio 2005 does allow one to add an executable as a reference, so you can write a C# client that uses ILMerge as a library. If you are using Visual Studio 2003, you must use the v1.1 version of ILMerge and rename it to be a dll in order to use it as a reference.
There are several options that control the behavior of ILMerge. See the documentation that comes with the tool for details. The v2.0 version of ILMerge runs in the v2.0 .NET Runtime, but it is also able to merge v1 or v1.1 assemblies. However it can merge PDB files only for v2 assemblies. The v1.1 version of ILMerge can only process assemblies built in the v1.1 runtime (but does merge PDB files for those assemblies). Currently, ILMerge works only on Windows-based platforms. It does not yet support Rotor or Mono. It runs in the v2.0 .NET Runtime, but is also able to merge v1 or v1.1 assemblies.
System Requirements
Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000; Windows Server 2003; Windows XP
Important: Make sure you have the latest service pack and critical updates for the version of Windows that you are running. To find recent security updates, visit Windows Update.
 

Download: Microsoft ILMerge 2.0.7.1226
Link: Home Page

Microsoft Office 2007 SP1 download available Dec 11

Microsoft Office 2007 SP1 will be available for download Dec 11. The improvements in 2007 Office System SP1 are in response to direct feedback from power users at large organizations or indirect feedback from home and Office users through the Dr. Watson bug-reporting system.

It will eliminate many deployment barriers. it will provide support for Windows Server 2008, and will provide critical fixes.

2007 Office System SP1 will not be released to AU immediately. Instead, the Microsoft Office System team will announce the ate to use automatic updating so IT departments will have time to learn yourself about SP1 and determine the best method to deploy it.

For more information, see the Microsoft Office download site.