Updates 2011-02-22

Hey folks!

Microsoft has released several out-of-cycle updates today, including the first Service Pack for Windows 7. Service Packs incorporate all previous updates as well as new updates released up to the date of release. The Windows 7 SP1 package ranges from 73mb to 2gb based on how many previous updates you’ve applied. Use Windows Update to obtain this update, as well as updates to Silverlight, and bugfixes for the XPS parser, WPS service and DirectX. This includes security updates. A reboot is required.
  http://update.microsoft.com/

Adobe released security updates for Flash Player and Shockwave this week. Use all three of the links below to download the current versions, close all browsers after download and then install them one at a time. Don’t forget to UNCHECK any “offers” during installation.
  https://12pd.com/click?flash
  https://12pd.com/click?flashie
  https://12pd.com/click?shockwave

Java 6u24 is released, which corrects nearly two dozen security issues. All browser windows will need to be closed. If you REQUIRE Java or already have it installed, be sure to upgrade using the links below. If you’re running a 64-bit processor, you should install both versions below. All users should update ASAP:
  http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp#win
32-bit installer:
  http://javadl.sun.com/webapps/download/AutoDL?BundleId=47363
64-bit installer:
  http://javadl.sun.com/webapps/download/AutoDL?BundleId=47155

If you haven’t yet updated Adobe Reader, please install this update ASAP by visiting Help, Check for Updates.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

ATI Catalyst 11.2 provides improvements in texture filters, tessellation control, and additional hardware support. This is not a security update.
  http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

OutlookAttachView 1.57 adds an exclusion filter for attachment exports. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_attachment.html

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Trillian 4.2.0.25 corrects an issue with Google Talk. This is not a security update.
  http://www.trillian.im/download/

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Win7 Codec Package 2.7.5 updates included codecs and adds x264 encoder. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. Don’t forget to uninstall the Bing toolbar that this installs in the background! This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Vista Codec Package 5.9.1 updates included codecs and adds x264 encoder. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This version works for both Windows XP and Windows Vista. Don’t forget to uninstall the Bing toolbar that this installs in the background! This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html

Win x64 Codec Support 2.7.9 updates included codecs and adds x264 encoder. This update applies only to 64-bit computers, and requires either the Win7 Codec Package or the Windows Vista Codec package. Don’t forget to uninstall the Bing toolbar that this installs in the background! This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/x64components.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Paint.net 3.5.7 improves reliability of saving function, improves copy/paste and fixes other minor bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.getpaint.net/

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Fraps 3.2.9 fixes a crash bug, sound sync and browser app monitoring. This is not a security update.
  http://www.fraps.com/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

RoboForm and RoboForm2Go 7.2.5 fixes a number of bugs, particularly stability issues within Chrome and Firefox. This is not a security update.
  https://12pd.com/click?rf

Goodsync and Goodsync2Go 8.6.3.3 provides a number of minor bugfixes. This is not a security update.
  https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

ActivePerl 5.12.3.1204 corrects several bugs, adds keys and values for array handling. This is not a security update.
  http://www.activestate.com/activeperl/downloads

Inno Setup 5.4.1 and Inno Setup QuickStart 5.4.1 provide only minor tweaks and IDE changes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

phpMyAdmin 3.3.9.2 is a security update correcting an SQL injection exploit. This is a security update, and should be installed over any previous version of phpMyAdmin immediately.
  http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/news.php

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2010-09-05

Hey folks!

Microsoft has released a registry changeset that enables Windows PC’s to alter the search order for DLL’s, eliminating the current working directory from the search path. This will very effectively eliminate the vast majority of the vulnerabilities that might be exploited from the current series of errant DLL calls in popular applications. While this specific issue has been known for over a decade, it is only recently that this mehodology has been widely exploited. Using the registry changes at the link below CAN break existing applications, so MAKE A BACKUP! However, the altered behavior really is how DLL’s have been used in most applications for years, so it is unlikely that it will negatively affect your computing environment. Use the “Fix It” at the link below to install or change this behavior.
  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2264107

MacBook firmware corrects freeze and crash issues. This is not a security update. Use the Apple Updater to install this update.

iWork 9.0.4 fixes several issues, particularly within table formatting and certain other layout issues. This is not a security update. Use the Apple Updater to install this update.

Adobe Shockwave 11.5.8.612 is a security update. If you have Shockwave installed (and you probably do), please update ASAP. This is a security update. Be sure to UNCHECK any optional toolbars and addons both during download AND during installation.
  http://get.adobe.com/shockwave

Silverlight 4.0.50826.0 corrects several stability and performance issues, and a potential security vulnerability when used through RDP. This is a security update. You’ll need to close ALL browsers before installing the update.
  http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/

Time Lost is Never Recovered

I’ve been using a password management tool for about a year now that I truly doubt I could live without. When I initially learned of Roboform, I was very hesitant to even give it a chance. After all, I already have all my passwords recorded, painstakingly, and extremely well organized. And this didn’t allow me to add other information to the records that I might someday need (like the specific email address tied to an account). Nevertheless, I gave it a chance, just in case it really did make my web working any faster. You should too.

I now have over 400 logins stored within Roboform. Website management is greatly eased – instead of having to retype my username (if I can remember it) and password, I’m now using completely (and I mean COMPLETELY) random passwords generated by Roboform, storing the passwords in an encrypted vault and in a free backup online. I can login to any of these sites with literally one click. If I don’t remember the URL for one of the sites I need to access, that information is stored within the ‘login’, as are any other ‘notes’ you wish to include as well.

You can also add other details, contacts, notes, bookmarks, identity profiles and more – all within the same interface. If you are filling out a form online (such as creating an account on a site), it’ll actually prompt you to save the information. The next time you’re back to the site it provides direct access to the stored login you created minutes, or even years before. Click it, you’re logged in. Whew.

That’s all cool, but what if you’re one of us that uses multiple computers and devices. Great! Roboform is cross-platform, works in most browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and others), works on most mobiles (iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Android and more), and directly within any web browser that supports JavaScript. Yes, seriously. Did I mention it actually synchronizes the data between each device for you? Talk about a time saver!

Check it out!
  https://12pd.com/click?roboform

Yes, there is a free version – and it supports up to ten logins. If you need more than that, the full version is on sale this holiday weekend.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

ATI Catalyst 10.8 adds OpenGL ES 2.0 support, and other performance improvements. This is not a security update.
  http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx

MS IntelliPoint 8.0.225.0 (MS mouse drivers) is a major version update, but with little along the details. Due to timing, I expect this to be a security update related to the DLL hijacking issues seen prominently today. Treat as a security update.
  http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK

MS IntelliType 8.0.225.0 (MS keyboard drivers) is a major version update. Like IntelliPoint, I expect this to be a security update related to the DLL hijacking issues. Treat as a security update.
  http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Redemption 5.0.0.2174 adds 64-bit support, and a dozen other nifty developer capabilities, such as an onProgress event and account ordering. This is not a security update.
  http://www.dimastr.com/redemption/

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

uTorrent 2.0.4 fixes a DLL hijack exploit, peer exchange exploit, WebUI security issues, adds grouping, and other cosmetic changes. This is a security update.
  http://www.utorrent.com/downloads

Google Earth 5.2 improves embeddable functionality, adds track, multitrack functions, elevation profiles and improves file import capabilities. This is not a security update.
  http://earth.google.com/

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Win x64 Codec Support 2.6.6 updates included codecs and corrects several bugs. This is likely a fix related to the popular DLL injection security issues going on, so should be treated as a security update. This applies only to 64-bit computers, and requires either the Win7 Codec Package or the Windows Vista Codec package.
  http://shark007.net/x64components.html

Win7 Codec Package 2.6.2 updates included codecs and corrects several bugs. This is likely a fix related to the popular DLL injection security issues going on, so should be treated as a security update. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application.
  http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 10.0 is a major version release, and adds several long-awaited features, including Win7 taskbar support (about time!), album grouping, and native media key support. Finally, these features offered in competing products for the last decade grace the “cosmetically” superior iTunes interface. This is a security update. Use the Apple Updater to obtain and install the most recent version.

ImgBurn 2.5.2.0 adds dozens of new features, performance, reliability and cosmetic improvements, including the removal of the ‘forced’ Uniblue marketing, and a couple potential security vulnerabilities. This is a security update.
  http://imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

VLC Media Player 1.1.4 fixes the DLL security issue facing many applications today. This is a security update.
  http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

Google Sketchup 8.0 adds geo-location modeling, color terrain maps, photo-matching, and a Building Maker plugin that helps speed the process of modeling buildings. This is not a security update.
  http://www.sketchup.com/

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

SuperAntiSpyware 4.42.1000 resolves a compatibility issue with McAfee, updates detection libraries. This is not a security update.
  http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CCleaner 2.35.1223 adds session cleaning, additional browser variants and newer applications, improves include/exclude, startup functionality, and accuracy, as well as other minor changes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Speccy 1.04.173 adds 64-bit support, multiple-user installation option, improved version detection and better stability on Win7. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/speccy

Goodsync & Goodsync2Go 8.3.3.3 adds several options to facilitate cleanup of the archive data, corrects multiple crash bugs, improves performance and adds several additional tracking options. This is not a security update.
  http://www.goodsync.com/download/affs/goodsync-x12pd.exe

GPU-Z 0.4.6 corrects temperature detection, broken BIOS parsing and improves support for various hardware. This is not a security update.
  http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/SysInfo/GPU-Z/

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

phpMyAdmin 3.3.6 corrects several minor bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/news.php
That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2010-08-02

Hey folks!

Microsoft released an out-of-cycle update for all current versions of Windows to correct the LNK vulnerability publicized two weeks ago. Hit Windows Update *now* to ensure you have this critical security fix installed. This is a security update. A reboot is required.
  http://update.microsoft.com/

Apple released a number of security updates over the last couple weeks, for all OSX and Windows versions of iTunes, Safari, as well as non-security updates to iOS 3 & iOS 4. Please check the Apple Updater as soon as possible to obtain the most recent updates.

iTunes 9.2.1 corrects several bugs, including a remotely exploitable security vulnerability, iPhone4 issues, plugin incompatibility and reliability fixes. This is a security update. Use the Apple Updater to update to the most recent version.
  http://www.apple.com/itunes/

iOS 4.0.1 for iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 is released. This supposedly corrects the antenna software sensitivity issue, however, since this is not a security update, if you’re still using iOS 3 on your iPhone/iPod, I strongly recommend waiting for the whole “antennagate” scandal to settle before upgrading. If you opt to update now, you can get the update through iTunes 9.2.1 (see above).

iOS 3.2.1 for iPad corrects several bugs, including freeze bugs, search engine alternatives, wifi connectivity and display options.  This is not a security update. Get the update through iTunes.

Java 6u21 adds VM support, various bug fixes and corrects a security bug in drag & drop. This is a security update.
If you DO NOT already have Java installed, DO NOT install it now!
  http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp?detect=jre&try=1
If you’re using a 64bit machine and use both 32bit and 64bit browsers, you should also install the 64bit version, available here:
  http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

ATI Catalyst 10.7 adds newer hardware support and improves performance under certain applications. This is not a security update.
  http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx

Logitech SetPoint 6.15.25 provides several stability and reliability fixes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.logitech.com/en-us/support-downloads/downloads/mice

nVidia 258.96 adds support for newer hardware, updates control panel options and functionality, including size, position, gamma, and HDMI perception. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

Browser Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Firefox 3.6.8 corrects several security and stability bugs. This is a security update.
  http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

SeaMonkey 2.0.6 corrects several security and stability bugs. This is a security update.
  http://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/

Safari 5.0.1 (and 4.1.1 for OSX 10.4) corrects networking performance, reliability and security issues, and adds extension support. Use the Apple Updater, or download the installer directly from the URL below. A reboot is required. This is a security update.
  http://www.apple.com/safari/

Email Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Thunderbird 3.1.1 provides several security and stability fixes, incorporating the PNG, SJOW and CSS security fixes from other Mozilla projects. This is a security update.
  http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/

Codec Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Vista Codec Package 5.8.0 updates included codecs and removes realmedia and corecodec components. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This version works for both Windows XP and Windows Vista. This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html

Win7 Codec Package 2.5.9 updates included codecs and removes realmedia and corecodec components. To install the update, you must uninstall and reinstall the application. This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Win x64 Codec Support 2.6.3 updates included codecs, corrects decoding errors, and removes corecodec components. This update applies only to 64-bit computers, and requires either the Win7 Codec Package or the Windows Vista Codec package. This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/x64components.html

Media Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CDBurnerXP 4.3.7.2316 adds disc splitting functionality, extensive file filtering capabilities, improved performance for audio processing, as well as several other bugfixes. This is not a security update.
  http://cdburnerxp.se/

VLC Media Player 1.1.2 corrects several dozen bugs, including UI, output, decoder, crash and other issues. This is not a security update.
  http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

SuperAntiSpyware 4.41.1000 provides updated definitions and improvements in scanning performance. This is not a security update.
  http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

AVG Anti-Virus Free 9.0.851 adds several modules for advanced detection. This is not a security update.
  https://12pd.com/click?avg

Office Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Adobe Reader 9.3.3 is now officially “available” from Adobe’s website as a full version, and NOT as an update package (saving at least 40mb in downloads for each computer). You can download the full version below, but you’re better off, if you have it installed already, using the “Help, Check for Updates” option in order to preserve any custom settings (most notably the security and javascript safety options). This is a security update.
  http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Converter Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Any Video Converter 3.07 updates the YouTube downloading engine. This is not a security update.
  http://www.any-video-converter.com/

DVDFab 7.0.9.0 corrects several bugs, primarily in the DVD ripping functionality, automatic bitrate calculation and performance. This is not a security update.
  http://www.dvdfab.com/en/download.htm

Education updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to most people.

Kodu 1.0.70.0 corrects a major stability bug on new projects. This is not a security update.
  http://community.research.microsoft.com/blogs/kodu/default.aspx

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

CPU-Z 1.55 adds various hardware support. This is not a security update.
  http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

Goodsync & Goodsync2Go 8.3.0.5 add support for SkyDrive, logging options, reduction of temp folders, time-shift detection and NTLM fixes. This is not a security update.
  https://12pd.com/click?goodsync

WinSCP 4.2.8 adds a number of fixes, including IPv6, FTPS, SFTP, sorting, slow directory navigation and others. Now includes PuTTYgen and Pageant. This is not a security update.
  http://winscp.net/eng/index.php

CCleaner 2.34.1200 corrects several minor bugs and improves cleaning several application types. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Defraggler 1.21.209 consists primarily cosmetic updates, though does improve 64-bit performance. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/defraggler

Recuva 1.38.504 adds clipboard handling, improves support for PDF, Win7, and stability of background processing. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/recuva

Speccy 1.03.162 adds text-format to the output options, print output, XPMC and various minor stability and UI improvements. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/speccy

SpeedFan 4.41 adds various additional hardware support, USB drive enclosures, and various other hardware. This is not a security update.
  http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

Microsoft released the following updates to the SysInternals collection: TCPView, Autoruns, ProcDump, and Disk2vhd, correct minor bugs and adds new functionality to TCPView. These are not a security updates.
  http://sysinternals.com/

USBDeview 1.75 improves information display, and adds USB profile version to the UI. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html

Developer Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MySQL 5.1.49 corrects several dozen bugs, in replication, optimization, order by and indexing. This is not a security update.
  http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

TortoiseSVN x32 1.6.10 corrects several bugs, mostly cosmetic in nature. This is not a security update.
  http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

phpMyAdmin 3.3.5 corrects various PHP and import/export issues. This is not a security update.
  http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/downloads.php

WordPress 3.0.1 corrects over 50 issues discovered since the 3.0 release, including import/export issues, as well as menu, multisite, theme, role and other issues. This is not a security update.
  http://wordpress.org/download/

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2010-06-17

Hey folks!

Apple released updates for OSX 10.6.4 for all current platforms, including servers and devices. This corrects multiple stability and security issues. Apple also released Security Update 2010-004. These are security updates. Use the Apple Updater to obtain the most recent updates. A reboot is necessary.

Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

Driver Updates

If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

ATI Catalyst 10.6 adds additional hardware support, GPU acceleration for Flash, noise and artifact reduction, support for the newest versions of OpenGL and performance improvements within various applications and games. This is not a security update.
  http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx

nVidia 257.21 adds Blu-Ray 3D support, additional hardware support, latest OpenGL version support, performance improvements in various applications
  http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

Internet Updates

One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Connectify 2.0.0.15387 minimizes manual setup, adds banning and support for additional devices. This is not a security update.
  http://www.connectify.me/index.html

FileZilla 3.3.3 fixes several cosmetic issues. This is not a security update.
  http://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client

Incredimail 2.6.10.4631 improves email account setup wizard. This is not a security update.
  http://www.incredimail.com/english/

Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.5 improves network performance, indexing and GUI changes, advanced filtering, IMAP improvements and over 60 bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/

Media updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 9.2 and MobileMe 1.6 adds support for iOS4. iTunes 9.2 also provides faster sync, performance and security improvements. This is a security update. Use the Apple Updater, or the URL below.
  http://apple.com/itunes/

CDBurnerXP 4.3.2.2212 corrects UI and reliability issues, and adds pre-processing checks.
  http://cdburnerxp.se/

Security Software Updates

One or more of these is likely to be of interest to most people.

SuperAntiSpyware 4.39.1002 fixes automatic update under 64-bit, accelerates ‘quick scan’ and improves detection for certain types of content. This is a security update.
  http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

Capture Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Fraps 3.2.3 adds intelligent cache handling, and corrects several stability problems. This is not a security update.
  http://www.fraps.com/download.php

VideoCacheView 1.70 adds performance improvements and minor UI changes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/video_cache_view.html

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Autoruns 10.01 corrects an issue with jumping to a registry key in the HKCU hive. This is not a security update.
  http://sysinternals.com/

Developer updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

MySQL 5.1.48 corrects issues with replication, partitioning and incorrect handling of JOIN and buffering. This also corrects potential crash situations when using certain SQL structures. This is not a security update, but the stability improvements justify an immediate upgrade.
  http://www.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

Inno Setup 5.3.10 adds .net 4 support, as well as a half dozen other bug fixes and changes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php

Web Package Updates

These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

WordPress 3.0 incorporates almost 1,500 changes, including over a thousand bug fixes, GUI changes, and core code improvements. This is not a security update. While I normally recommend updating core web applications immediately, WP typically releases a security bugfix update shortly after all major and minor releases, so I recommend delaying installation of this update for about a week. Since this version does not incorporate any security updates, the delay does not put you at any additional risk.
  http://wordpress.org/

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/

Updates 2010-05-11

Hey folks! Patch Tuesday is here again.

Windows Update this month includes three updates – one for Windows, one for Microsoft Office and one for Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Windows Live. These are each security updates. Late last month, Microsoft re-released two updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. One of the updates addresses random lockups during shutdown. If you’ve experienced this issue, it will automatically be added to your update list the next time you run Windows Update, and is likely already installed. An update to support SD cards larger than 32gb was also released as an optional update. Also updated is the Windows 2000 security update for Windows Media Services.
  http://update.microsoft.com

Apple released security updates for all current versions of OSX as well as updates to Digital Camera Raw Compatibility, Aperture, Final Cut Server, Mac Pro Audio and various driver updates. This includes security updates. Use the “Apple Updater” to get the most recent versions of all the affected software.

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Looking for an upgrade?

I regularly receive requests for recommendations on upgrades and new computers. This is definitely the season of discontent: It seems everyone has been disappointed with their computer performance recently. Operating systems and applications each consume so many more resources than they did just a couple short years ago. If application developers had anything to say, we’d probably be forced to upgrade our computers every month! While the computer linked below is NOT for everyone, it’s something that has so many features and so much power out of the box, that it would likely last anyone purchasing it at least 5+ years, and for many people, over 10 years.

HP Pavilion Elite HPE-120F Desktop PC
  https://12pd.com/amazon?B00318CG5K
Quad-core 64-bit processor, 1 terabyte drive, 8 gb of RAM, and a video card that supports three simultaneous displays, including DVI + VGA + HDMI. It’s over 20% off right now, weighing in at around $850.

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Important Notes

Everything above this section should be checked by everyone on every computer. Chances are good that close to every single computer you touch will be affected by those updates. This is not the case with the items below, though you should still check each line item below to see if it applies to software you have installed.

Please remember that while I list many different applications within these updates, most people should ONLY install updates for a program if they already have a previous version of that program installed.

It is essential to maintain all the applications you have installed on your computer, but often you can minimize the time investment and the potential for exploitation simply by uninstalling software you do not need.

Also note that using the applications own “check for updates” function, when available, will best preserve your current settings, and often avoid any crapware that might come with a fresh installer. Use this option if it’s available to you.

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Driver Updates
If you’re using this hardware – these updates are for you.

nVidia GeForce 197.75 drivers provides support for newer hardware and games, as well as bridging of up to 4 SLI devices and support for 720p output. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

ATI Catalyst Drivers 10.4 improve performance on some hardware, correct over a dozen bugs, and adds support for higher resolutions up to 4kx2k on some hardware. This is not a security update.
  http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

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Security Updates
One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

AVG Free Edition 9.0.819 provides several changes to the AVG browser toolbar, including the ability to disable it in IE without removing and reinstalling AVG. This is not a security update.
  http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free

Avast! Free Antivirus 5.0.545 provides a number of minor bug fixes, including features related to VPN compatibility, Outlook integration and rootkit detection. This is a security update.
  http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

MalwareBytes’ AntiMalware 1.46 improves speed and performance, and corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php

SuperAntiSpyware 4.37.1000 adds blended 32/64 installer, portable scanner, updated scanning engine, and improved rootkit detection. This is not a security update
  http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

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Codec Updates
One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Win7 Codec Package 2.4.9 updates several codecs. This is a security update.
  http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Vista Codec Package 5.6.9 updates several codecs. Note that this package DOES work for Windows XP. This is a security update.
  http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html

Win x64 Codec Components Package 2.5.5 updates several codecs. This is a security update.
  http://shark007.net/x64components.html

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Internet Updates
One or more of these are likely to be of interest to everyone.

Yahoo! Messenger 10.0.0.1264 is the fourth minor update the the 10.x series. This should be considered a security update.
  http://messenger.yahoo.com/

SmartFTP 4.0.1108.0 adds several new features, more than a dozen bugfixes (including proxy support), and improved security options and settings. This is a security update.
  http://www.smartftp.com/download/

Opera 10.53 corrects several dozen bugs across all aspects of the software, including several issues with broken interfaces after scrolling. This is a security update.
  http://www.opera.com/

Trillian for BlackBerry is in Beta right now, so if you’re an avid Trillian user, as I am, and you’re a BlackBerry user, check it out!
  http://blog.ceruleanstudios.com/?p=1278

Skype 4.2.0.166 corrects over a dozen bugs, primarily stability and reiability issues, as well as at least one crash bug. It also adds HD video, call transfer to another Skype contact, mobile or landline, and call quality tools. This is a security update.
  http://www.skype.com/download/skype/

Miranda 0.8.22 improves default settings with Yahoo and GaduGadu, and bugs within Yahoo, ICQ and zlib. This is a security update.
  http://www.miranda-im.org/download/

AIM 7.2.7.2 adds Facebook support. This is not a security update.
  http://products.aim.com/

Google Earth 5.1.3534 doesn’t provide a changelog, so please assume that it’s a security update. If you have Google Earth installed, update it now.
  http://earth.google.com/

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Media updates:
These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

iTunes 9.1.1 corrects a crash bug when used with some 3rd-party hardware, AAC conversion bugs, as well as several other security and stability issues. This is a security update. Use Apple Updater or download the newest package below:
  http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

QuickTime 7.6.6 is a stability and security update. This is a security update. Use Apple Updater, or download the newest package below:
  http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Silverlight 4.0.50401.0 is a major version upate, adding offline DRM, advanced databinding, and comprehensive printing support, among other features. This is not a security update.
  http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/

CDBurnerXP 4.3.2.2140 adds multiple media formats, nrg-to-iso conversion, cue player, UDF, language features, and other minor bugfixes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

Picasa 3.6 Build 105.65 adds drag and drop in Collage Maker for Mosaic, Frame Mosaic, and Grid. This is not a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the newest package below:
  http://picasa.google.com/

Paint.NET 3.5.5 corrects a bug when saving 8-bit images, improves performance and adds support for .NET Framework 4.0. This is not a security update.
  http://www.getpaint.net/

IrfanView 4.27 improves performance for many features, including window sizing, keyboard controls, and plugin updates. This is a security update.
  http://www.irfanview.com/

SUPER v2010 build 38 adds IFO/BUP rendering, TAK, JTV and SHN support, and corrects several bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html#Dnload

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0.3 is a security update. This is a security update.
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4610

Adobe InCopy CS4 6.0.5 provides fixes for INCX, Scripting, Tables, Text import, multiple-story placement, the UI, page items, PDF and graphic import, layout and hyperlinks. This is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the update package below:
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4670

Adobe InDesign CS4 6.0.5 is a compatibility update. This is not a security update. If you do not share files with other users, you may wish to avoid this update, as it can cause some of your placed items to appear to be repositioned. If you publish through a third party, or share files for editing, however, you will want to install this update right away. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the update package below:
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4668

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Utility Updates
These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

Goodsync & Goodsync2Go 8.2.5.7 fixes issues with relative path mapping and multi-variant filter. This is not a security update.
  http://www.goodsync.com/download/affs/goodsync-x12pd.exe

UpdateChecker 1.037 from FileHippo was released yesterday, adding multi-language support. This is not a security update.
  http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/

HijackThis 2.0.4 fixes a couple parsing bugs which might result in incomplete scans. This is not a security update.
  http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/

CCleaner 2.31.1153 improves performance and support for several applications, fixes several bugs, and improves cookie handling interface. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

Microsoft has released updates to several SysInternals utilities, including AccessChk, LiveKd, and LogonSessions. This is not a security update.
  http://www.sysinternals.com/

Wireshark 1.2.8 adds several additional protocols, corrects various parsing issues, and fixes a number of bugs, including crash and overrun bugs. This is a security update.
  http://www.wireshark.org/

Slingshot 1.1 adds the ability to disable the URL shortening service. This is not a security update.
  http://slingshot.commanigy.com/

Memtest86+ 4.10 adds support for the i7, i5, i3 and AMD 6-core processors, as well as various other hardware updates. Corrects a crash bug, and several other bugs, and now provides a USB-key installer.
  http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

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Developer updates:
These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

TortoiseSVN 1.6.8 corrects about a dozen bugs, including several crash bugs and reliability for cloning and copying trees. This is not a security update.
  http://tortoisesvn.net/downloads

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Web Package Updates:
These are likely to be of interest only to web developers.

phpMyAdmin 3.3.3 corrects a dozen bugs, mostly cosmetic in nature. This is not a security update.
  http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/downloads.php

That’s all for now folks. Keep it clean out there. 😉

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall
https://SaferPC.info/
https://12PointDesign.com/