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Microsoft is today putting an end to the vulnerability found in old versions of Internet Explorer (6-8) that allowed an attacker to execute harmful code in a target computer, if the user was tricked by a specially crafted website.

Soon after the security hole was found, the software giant quickly made available a temporary workaround in a form of patch that they call “Fix it”. However, the security update released today should permanently close the door, for good, to this issue.

The company reports that only a small number of users have been affected by the exploit, but acknowledges that if could potentially affect more users in the future. Because of its future impact the update has been labeled as “Critical” and it will be installed automatically to all those users who have Automatic Update enabled. Microsoft also is advising users to upgrade to IE9 and 10 when possible to stay even more protected from this particular security hole.

Note that if you previously installed the “Fix it”, you don’t need to uninstall it before applying the new update, but you may want to uninstall the patch after, as it could slowdown IE start-up time.
If you prefer to manually install the Security Update (2799329), you can download it here.

Please watch the video below for an overview of this security update, and you can find more information on the Microsoft Security Bulletin summary webpage.



Source :- www.pureinfotech.com, www.blogs.technet.com

Internet Explorer Logo

Today in a quick response to the matter, Microsoft is rolling out two security updates to resolve the security flaws on Internet Explorer. In this Windows Update the software giant is releasing two patches: The first patch 2744842 (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS12-063), permanently fixes the vulnerability on IE7, IE8 and Internet Explorer 9 on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Vista respectively.

The security hole discovered late last weekend, as we mentioned before, could allow malicious users to harm Windows machines by means of spacial design of Flash animation.

The second security update (described in Microsoft Security Advisory 2755801) is to fix the Flash exploit found on Windows 8′s IE10. This was a security issue that could cause Adobe Flash to crash, while allowing unauthorized to the computer. Even though the operating system hasn’t been released, there are already many companies and people developing software with the Release to Manufacture or RTM version — Microsoft plans to make Windows 8 available to the public on October 26th, right after the launch event the day before in New York City.

The patches are now available for Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP via Microsoft’s Windows update service.

Source :- www.pureinfotech.com , Microsoft Security Bulletins

INTERNET EXPLORER LOGO

Days after the newly discovered weakness in Internet Explorer (versions 9, 8, 7 and 6) that could potentially put at risk a massive number of Windows PCs, Microsoft has made available a temporary resolution for the problem in form of a Windows Fix it (kb2757760), also an update scheduled to be released this Friday to permanently path the issue.

The exploit, discovered during the weekend, could allow a malware to bypass security protocols via Flash and affect XP, Vista and Windows 7 machines. In a new article the company stated that there is a fix now for it and it is easy to apply: “This is an easy, one-click solution that will help protect your computer right away. It will not affect your ability to browse the web, and it does not require a reboot of your computer.”

While the fix it (Microsoft Fix it 50939 and 50938) delivers a protection against the security hole, Microsoft recommends to IE users that it is highly important to install the forthcoming security update set for Friday via Windows Update. To get all the steps on how to install Microsoft Fix it for Internet Explorer follow these instructions.

Source :- www.pureinfotech.com

INTERNET EXPLORER LOGO

As you might have heard by now, Internet Explorer 9 down to version 6 are at risk because of a new security flaw – IE10 on Windows 8 has not been affected –. Microsoft has yet to issue a security update, but until then the company is suggesting some options to temporally deal with this bug.
About the new IE bug, well… It is a security hole that was discovered days ago and it could potentially compromise PCs running Windows 7, Vista, XP SP3 and below, if users browse malicious web pages designed to take advantage of this Internet Explorer’s weakness.

In an article from Microsoft Security Advisory the company is offering details about the problem and it is also advising users to protect themselves from this vulnerability until an update for IE is release.

Four different workaround to deal with the bug

What you should always be doing is advice first:

1>> Make sure that you have an antivirus and anti-spyware solution installed and up-to-date, and also make sure that you are using a firewall, either use the one built-in Windows or use a third-party solution.

2>> It is also suggested to install the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit or EMET from Microsoft. The utility is designed to help protect from weakness in software being easily exploited, by adding an extra layer of security that function as an obstacle that whoever writes the malicious software must bypass first.

3>> Another option is to modify your Internet and Local Intranet security settings to High. If you want to do this. Open Control Panel, in the search box type Internet Options, from the list results open the Internet Properties, navigates to the Security tab and in the “Security level for this zone” position the slider to High for both zones. Click Apply and then OK.

4>> Active Scripting can also be used by setting it to notify in both Local Intranet and Internet. To accomplish this task once again open the Internet Properties and in the Security tab, select the Internet zone, click the Custom Level button. Then scroll down and under the Scripting section, set the Active scripting option to Prompt, and click OK. Remember to do the same for the Local Intranet zone.

According to the company these workarounds could help prevent users from loading websites that can harm their computers with this security hole.

Changing the settings will actively trigger an unpleasant message every time the user stumble upon a web page that make use of the ActiveX control prompting to allow or block the web page. However, you can always opt not to use Internet Explorer, until a fix is release. Options are all around, you can use Google Chrome or Firefox as alternative web browsers among others. This is a pretty easy thing to do if you are a normal user, but the challenge comes when companies depend on IE to access their web applications.

Source :- wwwpureinfotech.com

With no fix available yet, Microsoft has a few words of wisdom for users who don't want to be bit by the newly-discovered bug.

A malware attack exploiting Internet Explorer 9. (Credit: Rapid7)

 Users of Internet Explorer versions 6 through 9 are grappling with another security flaw without a fix, but Microsoft has a few suggestions to help shore up protection.

Uncovered this past weekend, the security hole could compromise the PCs of IE users who surf to a malicious Web site. Microsoft said it's already aware of attacks that have tried to take advantage of this weakness.

Since no fix is yet available, it's up to users of IE to protect themselves. A new Microsoft Security Advisory offers several recommendations.

To start, the usual advice always applies. Make sure you're running updated antivirus and antispyware software and that you're using a firewall, either a third-party utility or the one built into Windows.
You can also install the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit from Microsoft. EMET tries to ward off attacks on software holes by putting up a wall of security obstacles that the malware writers must circumvent. EMET can be configured specifically for Internet Explorer as well as other applications.
Another option is to push the Internet and local Intranet security settings in IE to "high." To do this, launch Internet Explorer, click the Tools menu, and then select Internet Options. Click the Security tab and then select the Internet zone. Under the Security level for this zone, move the slider to High. Click the Local Intranet zone and again push the Security level to High.

Users can also set Active Scripting to "prompt" in both the Internet and Local Intranet zones. To do this, again select Internet Options from the Tools menu in IE. Click the Security tab. Click the Internet zone and then select Custom Level. Scroll down to the Scripting section and set Active Scripting to Prompt. Repeat the same steps for the Local Intranet zone.

As Microsoft warns, tweaking these settings could prevent access to certain Web sites.
Even changing the setting to "prompt" will trigger an annoying message anytime you hit a Web site that uses ActiveX controls asking if you want to allow or block the site.

Microsoft's own Windows update sites -- *.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and *.update.microsoft.com -- rely on ActiveX control to install available updates.

You can add sites that you trust to the Trusted sites zone through Internet Options. But this can be time-consuming since you have to add them on an individual basis.

As a result, the easiest option is to just not use Internet Explorer, at least not while this exploit remains in the wild. Individual users can switch to Firefox, Chrome, or another browser. Organizations that have standardized on Internet Explorer face a tougher challenge. So the onus now is on Microsoft to fix this hole as quickly as possible.

You can learn more about the security flaw and possible workarounds through Microsoft's Security Advisory.

 Source :- www.cnet.com by Lance Whitney

Window Xp - Screenshot

Today, Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 is the day that Microsoft is ending the mainstream support for Windows Vista after five years of its release, and for Microsoft Office 2007. However, because Windows XP still a big player in the operating system world, all support is set to be terminated in about two years, together with Microsoft Office 2003.

As reported by Ars Technica, the software giant has two stages for the support lifecycle of its products:

• Mainstream: The product gets all sorts of updates, security, stability, fixes, and seldom features.
• Extended: The product only gets security updates and business have to pay for bug fixes.

This means that Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 are in the Extended lifecycle until the end of 2014. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 on the other hand has just joined the Extended stage and their limited support are set to be terminated in early 2017.
For more information, you can visit Microsoft’s lifecycle web page.

Source :-  www.pureinfotech.com

The Microsoft Windows 7 operating system has been designed for delivering better speeds than its predecessors. However, as time passes by, the laptop/PC might tend to get slower. This is not exactly the fault of the OS. As the matter of fact, it is a common problem faced by many operating systems.

 

The major reasons for this are accumulation of junk in the system or a highly stuffed hard drive or running of too many unnecessary services and programs. Here we shared a few essential tips that can help speed up Windows 7 performance on laptops or computers. Hope it helps!

  Visual and Sound Related

1. Using minimal Visual Effects

Disabling certain (or all) visual effects can definitely enhance performance. To disable visual effects, do the following:

1. Press Windows key and while holding it down, press Pause/Break key.
2. In the window that appears, click on Advanced system settings in the left side pane.
3. In the Advanced tab, under Performance Section, click on Settings
4. In the Performance Options window (refer figure) that appears, under Visual Effects tab, disable the options that you do not need. Or simply selecting ‘Adjust for best performance‘ will disable all options.
5. After disabling the option, click Apply and then OK.

Doing the above might make the screen less attractive. But, the performance will surely get a boost.

2. Using minimal Sound Effects

For disabling sound effects, do the following:

1. Click Start. In the search box type mmsys.cpl and press Enter
2. In the Sound window (refer figure) that appears click on Sounds tab
3. Set the Sounds scheme to ‘No Sounds‘
4. You could set only the essential sounds if needed in the Program Events, by selecting the specific event and then choosing the sound from the Sounds drop-down menu below.
5. You can as well disable the "Play Windows Startup sound" option.
6. After the settings are done, click Apply and OK.

Software and Services related

1. Run a trusted Anti-Virus program

Ensure that you have a good anti-virus software loaded on your laptop/computer. This will ensure that no malware or spyware gets planted in your system. Without such protection software, there are chances of third party malware and virus being installed or stored on your system, causing harmful effects and also eating up precious space.

2. Install only essential software

Ensure that you install only that software which you need. If you install any trial software and find out that you don’t really need it, uninstall and delete it immediately. Else, they might hog precious disk space, RAM and processor cycles. If you’ve installed a software, which you are unable to get rid of, and which is hampering the normal functioning of your laptop, then you might have to format your hard drive. Be aware that formatting your hard drive might wipe out all your data. Therefore it is best you take a back-up before going ahead with formatting.

3. Disable or make unneeded services Manual

Some processes and services, which might not really be necessary, are by default made to start automatically once the system starts up. They will consume RAM as well as the processor’s attention, slowing down other important tasks. It is best to disable them. For this, do the following:

1. Click Start. In the search box type services.msc and press Enter
2. Go to Services & Applications > Services. You’ll see the Services window (refer figure).
3. Right-click on a service that you wish to set to manual or disable. If the service is already started, Stop it first.
4. Once the service is stopped, again right-click on it and select Properties.
5. In the Startup type, you can either set the service to Manual, if you would be using it later, or Disable it, if not needed.
6. Once done, you can close the window.

4. Disabling Unwanted Start-up programs to speed up System Start-up

Some programs are set to start during system start-up. These might slow down the start-up process. Programs that are not really needed during start-up can be disabled. For this, do the following:

1. Click Start. In the search box type msconfig and press Enter.
2. In the System Configuration window (refer figure), go to Startup.
3. Uncheck the box next to those processes that are not important for start-up. This will disable them.
4. Once you’ve disabled the processes, click Apply and OK.

Hard Drive related

1. Clean up the hard drive

Remove unwanted files, like temp files, downloaded program files, recycle bin, etc. You could use Disk Cleanup option to do this, as follows:

1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup
2. The system will first calculate how much space can be freed up this way. In the Disk Cleanup window (refer figure) that appears, select the files in that need to be deleted under the Files to delete list.
3. For deleting ‘System Restore‘ and ‘Shadow copy‘ files, click "Clean up system files" and then on "More Options" tab
4. Finally click OK. You’ll be prompted again before the deletion. Click Yes.

2. Enable Write caching on device

This is an option which allows the OS to flush changed data to the hard disk when the system is idle, so that performance is not affected when in use. For enabling this, do the following:

1. Press Windows key and while holding it down, press Pause/Break key.
2. In the window that appears, click on Device Manager in the left hand pane.
3. In the next window that appears, expand Disk drives.
4. The drop-down list will show the hard drive. Right-click on it and select Properties.
5. Click the Policies tab in the Device Properties window (refer figure).
6. Check the box next to "Enable write caching on the device"
7. You can as well check the box next to "Turn off Windows write-cache buffer flushing on the device" and then click OK.

Note: However, there is one disadvantage in enabling these options – if there is a power outage or a system crash, data might be lost or corrupted. If you have a secondary power supply, like a UPS, you could go ahead with checking these options.

3. Perform Disk Defragmentation

When there is no sufficient space to store in a hard drive, the OS splits the file into parts and stores it in different areas on the hard drive. Defragmenting allows all these parts to be stored in contiguous memory locations. For defragmenting disk do the following:

1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
2. In the window (refer figure) that appears, click on the drive that you want to defragment and then click Analyze disk.
3. This will estimate the time required for the process. When done click on Defragment disk.
4. Once done you can either View Report or click Close.

 These pretty much sum up the small things that you can do, to make a big difference to your Windows 7′s performance. If you have some personal tips you’ve done yourself to improve the performances, we’d like to hear from you.


Source :-  Post By Trinity Nick In www.hongkiat.com