Updates 2010-06-10

Hey folks!

Adobe is true to their word in releasing Flash Player 10.1 today, and also released AIR 2.0.2.

Adobe AIR 2.0.2 is a major upgrade release with security ramifications. This is a security update.
  http://get.adobe.com/air

Adobe Flash Player 10.1.53.64 corrects the currently exploited security hole that’s being used to install scareware across the ‘net. This is a security update.
  http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer
If you use more than one browser type (Internet Explorer and Firefox or Chrome or Safari…) then you should probably download the installers directly, and manually install the updates, instead of relying on the Adobe Download Manager. The Adobe Download Manager doesn’t behave well installing both ActiveX and Non-ActiveX versions of the Flash Player, which can leave you unprotected should only portions of it correctly install. You can download the current installers directly from:

Flash Player: ActiveX Version
http://fpdownload.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player_ax.exe

Flash Player: Non-ActiveX Version
http://fpdownload.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player.exe

As with all Adobe products, be sure to UNCHECK any toolbars, add-ons and other “offers” both during download and if prompted during installation.
Be aware, Adobe does not plan to release updates for the KNOWN security vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader until June 29th.

Uninstalling these programs will, of course, prevent you from being infected through these specific holes, but will prevent you from viewing PDF files for the duration. It’s probably a better solution to simply lock down your Adobe products so that they can not be used to infect your computer (at least, through this known exploit). This involves disabling scripting, browser toolbars/interactivity, and media functionality from with Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat. Also note, EVEN IF you have “secured” Adobe Reader or Acrobat in the past, you would be well advised to check again. Various updates do reset the security settings in various Adobe applications, so your changes may have been lost – and more importantly – some of the settings change over time, so the changes you made two months ago may not correct all issues in the most current settings.

In Adobe Reader, this is done by opening the program, then opening the Edit menu, and selecting Preferences from the bottom of the list. Now, on the left side you’ll see a list of different categories to which changes will need made. Use the following process as a guide. If an item is NOT described, the setting has no direct application to potential security issues and can be assigned however you prefer.

Category: “Internet”
  UNCHECK “display PDF in browser”
  UNCHECK “allow fast web view”

Category: “JavaScript”
  UNCHECK “Enable Acrobat JavaScript”

Category: “Multimedia Trust (legacy)”
  With “Trusted documents” selected, UNCHECK “allow multimedia operations”
  With “Other documents” selected, UNCHECK “allow multimedia operations”

Category: “Security”
  CHECK “Verify signatures when the document is opened”
  Click “Advanced Preferences”
    On the “Verification” tab:
      CHECK “Always use the default method”
      CHECK “Require certificate revocation checking to succeed”
      CHECK “The current time”
      CHECK “Show timestamp warnings in Document Message Bar”
    Click OK

Category: “Security (Enhanced)”
  CHECK “Enabled Enhanced Security”
  CHECK “Create log file”

Category: “Trust Manager”
  UNCHECK “Allow opening of non-PDF attachments with external applications”
  CHECK “Load trusted root certificates from an Adobe server”
  CHECK “Ask before installing”
  Click “Update Now” (if prompted, click “Yes”)

Category: “Updater”
  CHECK “Automatically install updates”

Click OK. If running Vista or Win7 you’ll be prompted to confirm the security changes – click Yes.

All computers running Windows XP or newer are vulnerable to a cross-protocol handling bug that can be used to escalate privileges, allowing a user to gain administrative rights, or potentially, for an evil website to automate changes to the control panel configuration. Learn more and see a temporary workaround here:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/msrc/archive/2010/06/10/windows-help-vulnerability-disclosure.aspx

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.

Logitech SetPoint 6.10.65 corrects several bugs, and adds “stability enhancements”. This should be considered a security update.
  http://www.logitech.com/en-us/support_downloads/

Internet Updates

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

Miranda 0.8.25 provides several bugfixes, including crash bugs and several related to secure certificate handling. This is a security update.
  http://www.miranda-im.org/download/

Evernote 3.5.4.2343 corrects several bugs, including performance and memory usage. This is not a security update.
  http://www.evernote.com/about/download/

Utility Updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.

SysInternals updated Process Explorer, Autoruns, Sigcheck, & ProcDump. Autoruns now has the ability to scan an offline Windows registry hive for issues, and defaults to hiding native Windows entries. This is a huge improvement, says the guy that has to do this stuff a LOT.
  http://sysinternals.com/

Wireshark 1.2.9 is a bugfix release, incorporating over two dozen fixes, including increased protocol performance and crash bugs that might be exploitable. This is a security update.
  http://www.wireshark.org/download.html

Developer updates

These are unlikely to be of interest to most people.
VirtualBox 3.2.4.62467 fixes several bugs, including guest-to-guest communication, potential disk corruption and a couple reliability bugs. This is not a security update, but disk corruption is nothing to sneeze at – I would definitely recommend updating immediately.
  http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

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.

___

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.

___

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.

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

___

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

___

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

___

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/

___

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

___

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

___

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

___

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/

Updates 2010-03-31

Hey folks!

Before I begin this time I’d like to take a moment to point out the prescient Dilbert comic from Monday. This Tuesday there were more updates released in any single day, throughout the day, than since last Fall. Many, unfortunately, will require reboots.
  http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2010-03-29

Microsoft has released an out-of-cycle security update for Internet Explorer. One of the vulnerabilities it corrects is actively being exploited against IE6 and IE7, though this includes updates to IE8 as well. This is a security update. A reboot is required.
  http://update.microsoft.com/

Apple has been busy this month:

OSX 10.6.3 and update 2010-002, iPhone Configuration Utility, Final Cut Studio, iMovie, Aperture, Logic Express & Pro, and more than a dozen printer drivers (including a Bounjour Print Services client). This includes several security updates, at least four of which are remotely exploitable and in the wild now. The most common flaw within these vulnerabilities is an overrun within TIFF image processing, which effectively allows an attacker to do anything they like with your Mac if ANY of the flawed applications are installed on your machine, simply by getting you to visit a webpage. This is a security update. Use the “Apple Updater” to get the most recent versions of all affected software. If that doesn’t work (errors are raised during download, for example) use the following link to individually download and install each update (using the Apple Updater as a guide to which downloads are required):
  http://support.apple.com/downloads/

iTunes 9.1 and Quicktime 7.6.6 were also released today. These are both security updates. The vulnerabilities can be exploited simply by opening an evil site (or a trusted site with ads on it) within any browser on your computer. Ideally, you should use the Apple Updater, but if that doesn’t work for you (or you didn’t install it), you can obtain the updates at the links below. If you have iTunes installed, use:
  http://apple.com/download/itunes
Otherwise, install only the QuickTime update, and ONLY if you already have Quicktime installed:
  http://apple.com/download/quicktime

Java Runtime 6u19 adds a couple dozen bugfixes, including “mitigating” (though not exactly eliminating) more than one significant security issue. This is a security update. All users should update ASAP:
  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/manual.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.

NVIDIA Forceware 197.13 increases performance and exposed features for several newer games. This is not a security update.
  http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index5.aspx?lang=en-us

ATI Catalyst Drivers 10.3 introduces support for various additional hardware and mobility support under Windows 7, as well as optimizations for recent games. This is not a security update.
  http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

IntelliPoint 7.1 corrects several bugs and enables repeating macros, configured through custom button assignments. This is not a security update.
  http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK


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

Firefox 3.6.2 corrects a half dozen security issues, as well as several other stability bugs. This is a security update. If you have firefox installed, update NOW!
  http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Hamachi 2.0.2.84 provides the simplest VPN setup I’ve ever seen. As no changelog is provided, this should be considered a security update.
  https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi2/

Skype 4.2.0.155 fixes a URL security bug as well as a payment issue. This is a security update.
  http://www.skype.com/getconnected/

Safari 4.0.5 is a security and stability release. This is a security update.
  http://apple.com/download/safari

Opera 10.51 corrects over 2 dozen bugs in the 10.50 version, including two remotely exploitable security bugs. This is a security update.
  http://www.opera.com/browser/

Trillian for Mac 1.0 Build 105: Universal binary and Facebook/XMPP integration! This is not a security update.
  http://trillian.im/

Trillian 1.1 for iPhone: Landscape, Facebook Chat, 7-day signout, various filters, UI improvements and more consistent connection preferences pulled from the desktop application. This is not a security update.
  Get it from the App Store.

Yahoo! Messenger 10.0.0.1258 corrects several unidentified security bugs. This is a security update.
  http://messenger.yahoo.com/

GoodSync 8.1.9 fixes a crash on uninstall, logoff issues, provides the ability to sync on a schedule, network queuing for enterprise distribution, adds a new “Good Explorer” system for navigating the remote structure, batch activations, FTP syncing fixes, SFTP security update, and adds a “Sync on Logoff” feature. This is a security update.
  http://www.goodsync.com/download/goodsync.exe

uTorrent 2.0 Build 18620 fixes a minor settings bug. This is not a security update.
  http://www.utorrent.com/

FileZilla 3.3.2.1 corrects a half-dozen bugs, including issues with site-specific bookmarks & file-renaming. This is not a security update.
  http://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client

SmartFTP 4.0.1085.0 fixes several issues in “find” functionality, as well as a remote browser sorting bug. This is not a security update.
  http://www.smartftp.com/download/

Miranda 0.8.17 provides two new minor features and several fixes to Gadu-Gadu, MSN Messenger and Jabber protocol handling. This is a security update.
  http://www.miranda-im.org/download/


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

Intuit released a 235mb update to QuickBooks that, among other things, corrects a really annoying PDF printing compatibility issue on 64bit machines, as well as Payroll and Sales Tax bug fixes (if you’ve experienced them, you know exactly what I’m talking about). This is not a security update.
  http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/ProductUpdates.aspx

Scribus 1.3.6 adds new scripting functionality, usability improvements and broader color palettes, in addition to much anticipated documentation updates. This is not a security update.
  http://www.scribus.net/?q=downloads

Adobe released a security update to Premiere Elements, which should be installed by any Adobe Premier users. This is a security update. Use Help, Check for Updates, or download the updater from the link below:
  http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4653


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

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.45 adds an update scheduler, new flash scan option, web policy blocking, stability and performance improvements, and heuristics engine updates. This is a security update.
  http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

SuperAntiSpyware 4.35.1000 introduces “Rootkit Uncover” to help detect and remove deeply hidden malware, as well as engine updates. This version also incorporates a 32/64 merged installer so if you’re downloading for multiple computers you no longer have to worry about whether it’s the right install package. This is a security update.
  http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html
Note that SAS now provides a portable scanner, too, available here:
  http://www.superantispyware.com/portablescanner.html

AntiVir Personal 10.0.0.561 is a major update for Avira AntiVir. Several additional features (a “pile” of features according to Avira) are included in this releas, including “generic repair” (which attempts to make additional repairs to a system instead of simply deleting the infected files), ProActiv (behavior tracking), improved installation process, and (for the premium version) extensive parental control features. This is a security update.
  http://www.free-av.com/en/download/index.html


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

Picasa 3.6 Build 105.56 corrects numerous crash bugs and a couple translation errors. This is not a security update.
  http://google.com/picasa/

CDBurnerXP 4.3.0.1977 adds additional functionality, as well as a dozen bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

ImgBurn 2.5.1.0 adds numerous features, and corrects dozens of bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Any Video Converter 3.04 incorporates newer codecs and hardware support. This is not a security update.
  http://www.any-video-converter.com/

Windows 7 Codec Package 2.4.5 updates several codecs, corrects several MKV handling issues, and fixes a couple interface bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Vista Codec Package 5.6.5 updates several codecs and fixes a couple interface bugs. This is not a security update. Note that Vista Codec Package DOES support Windows XP. If you’re having trouble on an older machine getting web or downloaded audio or video to play, try this Codec package!
  http://shark007.net/vistacodecpackage.html


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

VirtualBox 3.1.6.59338, the first release since the Oracle buyout of Sun, provides several dozen fixes, including stability and performance changes. This is not a security update.
  http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

iPhone Configuration Utility 2.2 and MobileMe Control Panel 1.5.1 both add support for the iPad, as well as correcting other issues, including the TIFF security issue detailed above. If you don’t use these applications, don’t install them. 🙂  This is a security update.
  http://support.apple.com/kb/DL926 (iPhone Config)
  http://support.apple.com/kb/DL769 (MobileMe CP)

CPU-Z 1.54 provides additional hardware detection support. This is not a security update.
  http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

GPU-Z 0.4.0 includes support for newer hardware, as well as correcting a couple minor bugs. This is not a security update.
  http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1781/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.4.0.html

CCleaner 2.30.1130 improves performance and reliability for cleaning. This is not a security update.
  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

Microsoft has released updates to several SysInternals tools, including Process Explorer (expands upon the categorical details within each process), VMMap (correcting a mathematical error under 64bit) and DiskView (providing better disk mapping performance). This is not a security update.
  http://www.sysinternals.com/


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

phpMyAdmin 3.3.1 corrects a handful of bugs, primarily related to the recent user interface changes. 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/

Updates 2009-09-15

Hey folks!

Mozilla released an update to Firefox, to version 3.5.3, a few days ago. This update includes primarily security fixes, including remote exploits. If you have Firefox installed, you are advised to update ASAP.
  Mozilla Firefox: Help > Check for Updates
  http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Opera 10.0 is gold, and introduces a number of new stylization and cosmetic enhancements, as well as tools specifically designed for web developers. The’re still pushing the “Opera is all you need” stuff, though, so it will likely remain a “fringe” browser for at least the foreseeable future. That said, if you’re one of the very few actually using Opera, you should update to this most-current stable release:
  http://www.opera.com/browser/

Apple iTunes 9.0 was released over the weekend, shortly after Patch Tuesday, as Apple has become prone to doing with their cross-platform applications. This update provides a number of bug fixes, a new interface, integration of the WebKit engine (meaning that it’s essentially including a complete browser now – with all the security considerations that engenders), and now adds features like “watched folders” that have been a staple of competing products (like WinAMP and Windows Media Player) for at least a couple years. If you have iTunes *installed*, you need to install this update since it won’t be long before updates to previous versions are no longer provided or supported.
  http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
Or use the “Apple Updater” to get the most recent version:
  Start, (All) Programs, Apple Software Update
Check everything at the TOP, but leave the bottom options unchecked.

Quicktime 7.6.4 was released concurrently, including almost exclusively security updates. If you have Quicktime installed, you need this update ASAP. You can install it by using the Apple Updater:
  Start, (All) Programs, Apple Software Update
Check everything at the TOP, but leave the bottom options unchecked. Do not install iTunes now if you do not already have it installed! Likewise, don’t install Bonjour, Safari or any other applications if they appear in the bottom half of the window – if you don’t have it already, you probably don’t need it. Alternatively, you can download the installer here:
  http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Only select the option to download “QuickTime … with iTunes” if you already have iTunes installed, otherwise select the option to download only “QuickTime …” UNCHECK the two boxes below “Sign-up”, then
click the “free download now” option WITHOUT entering your email address.

If you’re using the Apple Updater you’ll also find two other new update packages:
  iPhone Configuration Utility 2.1
  MobileMe Control Panel 1.5
These packages are both designed for people using iPhone/iPod devices with their computers. If you don’t have that type of device or use it with your computer, you do not need these updates. If you *are* using an iPhone/iPod with your computer, you’ll find that these options both significantly expand the computer-based configuration options for your device(s), and will be greatly worth the time to install and learn to use them. For example, multiple devices and device profiles are now supported so you can share your computer with your spouse, without worrying that she’ll mess up your iPhone playlist. 🙂

For you Mac people, there’s another 15+ stability, security, firmware and driver updates for OSX that you should obtain through Mac Update as well, released over the course of the last week. Check back often, as this seems to be an increasing trend during the last month since the Snow Leopard release.

Sun released VirtualBox 3.0.6.52128 over the weekend, including almost exclusively stability and automation improvements. When you install the update, don’t forget to update your Virtual Machine Additions! This update is only necessary if you’re using the VirtualBox system already:
  http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Miranda IM 0.8.6 was released yesterday, including primarily stability fixes with various networking protocols. While not a security update, if you use Miranda IM as your instant messaging solution, this will probably reduce the number and severity of crashes and other frustrations:
  http://www.miranda-im.org/download/

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.41 was released yesterday as well, consisting primarily of performance improvements. If you have MBAM installed, this is an important update that will reduce the memory footprint as well as speed of scans & removals.
  http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

uTorrent 1.8.4 Build 16442 was released yesterday, fixing a crash with certain types of links. If you’re using uTorrent, this update will install through the automatic update feature, or you can get it here:
  http://www.utorrent.com/downloads/

For you web people…

phpMyAdmin 3.2.2 was released over the weekend, including several bugfixes and one security update, focusing almost exclusively on export functionality.

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

Regards,

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