new patches msie
#1
02-18-03, 07:57 AM
new patches msie
hello
i just read that microsoft issued new patches. the first was to stop attackers when you visit a site but resulted in an inability to access that site. the second was a hot fix to correct the problem.
i went to the microfot download site and it was confirmed BUT further said that even if you do not use msie 5,5.5 or 6 and it just resides in your pc the invasion threat is real.
i surfaced this in my isp forums and the vote was 50-50.
i have three questions: i have win 98se so do i have msie 5 or 5.5? i ask this b/c i installed version 7 of compuserve which uses netscape and when i go to the place that used to id my browser it says gecko netscape. so the second question is how do i find out if i have netscape 6 or 7?
the third question is msie resides on my pc but my 'active' browser is netscape so would you bother getting these patches?
even if you could just tell me where to look for #'s 1+2 i would be thankful.
have a good day
pete
i just read that microsoft issued new patches. the first was to stop attackers when you visit a site but resulted in an inability to access that site. the second was a hot fix to correct the problem.
i went to the microfot download site and it was confirmed BUT further said that even if you do not use msie 5,5.5 or 6 and it just resides in your pc the invasion threat is real.
i surfaced this in my isp forums and the vote was 50-50.
i have three questions: i have win 98se so do i have msie 5 or 5.5? i ask this b/c i installed version 7 of compuserve which uses netscape and when i go to the place that used to id my browser it says gecko netscape. so the second question is how do i find out if i have netscape 6 or 7?
the third question is msie resides on my pc but my 'active' browser is netscape so would you bother getting these patches?
even if you could just tell me where to look for #'s 1+2 i would be thankful.
have a good day
pete
#2
02-18-03, 08:57 AM
Pretty much all Windows programs are the same when finding version numbers.
Look in the Menu Bar, click Help, then About...
Most programs will work that way and tell you the version number. I know for sure IE and Netscape do. There are a few programs out there that maybe don't have a menu bar, or don't stick to standards, yada yada, but for the most part you can check the version number of programs by following those steps.
As for whether or not to update? It can't hurt. You mentioned that the article says that it can be a problem even if you don't use IE and that it is just installed on your computer. So why not? Pretty much anytime you can get an update to software, it's for the better (I know, I know, this is not true for all programs, but again for the majority of programs.)
Oh boy, I can just see the discussion to follow this
Good luck!
BTW, post that url where you read that, I'd be interested to take a look. Thanks.
Look in the Menu Bar, click Help, then About...
Most programs will work that way and tell you the version number. I know for sure IE and Netscape do. There are a few programs out there that maybe don't have a menu bar, or don't stick to standards, yada yada, but for the most part you can check the version number of programs by following those steps.
As for whether or not to update? It can't hurt. You mentioned that the article says that it can be a problem even if you don't use IE and that it is just installed on your computer. So why not? Pretty much anytime you can get an update to software, it's for the better (I know, I know, this is not true for all programs, but again for the majority of programs.)
Oh boy, I can just see the discussion to follow this
Good luck!
BTW, post that url where you read that, I'd be interested to take a look. Thanks.
#3
02-18-03, 09:27 AM
A tiny bit of help
(Safewatch beat me and then I had posting problems, so some of this is simply a concurrance and I agree, if you read something others would love it, if you cited the source for our own benefit)
---
To id your version numbers for virtually any windows-based program, you'd choose "Help" from the menubar and select "About" from the list;
As for the patches; If the patches were legitimately from microsoft and not someone making a pretty webpage, they certainly can't hurt; But for someone to "attack" you, they'd have to exploit a hole in something; Most of the time, they exploit a weakness in your browser or email program; Microsoft merges so much of the browser into the operating system that an "attacker" has somewhat of an extended reach, but you're not using the browser...
Of course, the Microsoft dialer/networking could have a hole and a lot of folks who use Netscape still use these aspects of Windows, so that may have some bearing on the fear factor; But, you are using neither; So, I conclude that it's up to you; But, I'm not a fearful person and there's a lot of other folks in this forum who know a lot more about cyberattacks and the like, so they'll probably steer you in a different direction and of course, an update from a legitimate source rarely causes harm, anyway.
Also, you most likely can use IE with Compuserve; I can't swear to that because I haven't even seen a Compuserve screen since they added graphics, but Compuserve is just another division of AOL; AOL distributes the Microsoft browser in exchange for the AOL option being included in every copy of Windows; It's a marketing ploy; Compuserve isn't included with very copy of Windows, so AOL simply elected to include what is now their in-house browser to avoid licensing fees; But, you should be able to go back and forth with no problems...
---
Addendum
IOW: If a program isn't loaded and no aspect of it is active; No weakness in that program can be exploited;
---
To id your version numbers for virtually any windows-based program, you'd choose "Help" from the menubar and select "About" from the list;
As for the patches; If the patches were legitimately from microsoft and not someone making a pretty webpage, they certainly can't hurt; But for someone to "attack" you, they'd have to exploit a hole in something; Most of the time, they exploit a weakness in your browser or email program; Microsoft merges so much of the browser into the operating system that an "attacker" has somewhat of an extended reach, but you're not using the browser...
Of course, the Microsoft dialer/networking could have a hole and a lot of folks who use Netscape still use these aspects of Windows, so that may have some bearing on the fear factor; But, you are using neither; So, I conclude that it's up to you; But, I'm not a fearful person and there's a lot of other folks in this forum who know a lot more about cyberattacks and the like, so they'll probably steer you in a different direction and of course, an update from a legitimate source rarely causes harm, anyway.
Also, you most likely can use IE with Compuserve; I can't swear to that because I haven't even seen a Compuserve screen since they added graphics, but Compuserve is just another division of AOL; AOL distributes the Microsoft browser in exchange for the AOL option being included in every copy of Windows; It's a marketing ploy; Compuserve isn't included with very copy of Windows, so AOL simply elected to include what is now their in-house browser to avoid licensing fees; But, you should be able to go back and forth with no problems...
---
Addendum
IOW: If a program isn't loaded and no aspect of it is active; No weakness in that program can be exploited;
#4
02-18-03, 03:24 PM
patches
thanx guys for the advice-don't forget that i read the article that the patches were issued-the rest i'm just the messenger. most folks in the forum denied the m,s, position that they were vulnerable just having the msie in their machine even if not being used.
i 'm still not sure what i;ll do.
hope i haven't stirred up a hornets nest-it's too bad i don't know how to recreate the m.s article on this page but those interested can always locate it at the site.
further comments should be interesting-remeber i'm only the messenger as i said.
pete
i 'm still not sure what i;ll do.
hope i haven't stirred up a hornets nest-it's too bad i don't know how to recreate the m.s article on this page but those interested can always locate it at the site.
further comments should be interesting-remeber i'm only the messenger as i said.
pete
#6
02-18-03, 04:15 PM
My guess is it's this one:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/...47/default.asp
That's the most recent one I could find.
One point I'd like to make, peterr, is that MS comes out with a new security patch every other day for one product or another. And since IE is MS's interface to the internet (and portal for controlling the world), it gets updated more than anything else they put out, including OS's. Yes, it's good to keep up with the updates, but nothing to worry about. We're talking about a hacker/attacker targeting your computer (out of the billions out there.)
Besides, if you have automatic updates enabled, you probably already have both patches installed.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/...47/default.asp
That's the most recent one I could find.
One point I'd like to make, peterr, is that MS comes out with a new security patch every other day for one product or another. And since IE is MS's interface to the internet (and portal for controlling the world), it gets updated more than anything else they put out, including OS's. Yes, it's good to keep up with the updates, but nothing to worry about. We're talking about a hacker/attacker targeting your computer (out of the billions out there.)
Besides, if you have automatic updates enabled, you probably already have both patches installed.
#7
02-18-03, 04:49 PM
I see a cumlative patch for IE and after reading the bulletin, I only see that it addresses weaknesses in IE; So Peterr, if you never run IE, you don't need the patch and if you were to suddenly decide to start running IE; You'd probably need to update it anyway and the patch will be included; As for the linked WindowsUpdates, that may be another story, altogther...
(Darn; I smelled a conspiracy where MS was trying to entice or trick folks who don't use IE, therefore they hadn't updated it since the first installation and I wanted to extrapolate this scheme out to verify a rumor I heard last summer; But golly, it's just a cumlative patch...)
PS) Thanks for the link, Brandon
I guess, I was too lazy to go look...
(Darn; I smelled a conspiracy where MS was trying to entice or trick folks who don't use IE, therefore they hadn't updated it since the first installation and I wanted to extrapolate this scheme out to verify a rumor I heard last summer; But golly, it's just a cumlative patch...)
PS) Thanks for the link, Brandon
I guess, I was too lazy to go look...
Last edited by magister; 02-18-03 at 05:09 PM.
#9
02-19-03, 07:31 AM
patches
i'm calling bill gates to get his take on all this-do you think his secretary will PATCH me through-you all have a good one and we'll be talking soon.
pete
pete
