Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 3: Yep, it’s time to get patched

  Posted on November 30, 2017 at 15:50 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Lots of warnings this month for odd bits and pieces, but it’s time to get everything caught up. There’s a nasty Equation Editor malware exploit making the rounds.

  Details in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  With no small amount of fear and trepidation, I’m moving us to MS-DEFCON 3: Patch reliability is unclear, but widespread attacks make patching prudent. Go ahead and patch, but watch out for potential problems.

  UPDATE: You know how I said in the article….

  I’ve been waiting to see what Microsoft would do with Win10 version 1709. There was an entry in the Win10 Update History listing for a cumulative update called KB 4051963, which would bring 1709 up to build 16299.96, but that entry mysteriously disappeared yesterday.

  That was this morning. Guess what? Microsoft just released KB 4051963, which brings 1709 up to build 16299.98.

  Per SB, that new patch not only fixes the bug in this month’s Windows security updates that took out all Epson dot matrix printers (which is documented), it also fixes the bug in RDP/remote printing with certain printers (which is not documented).

  We also got KB 4054022, a new Servicing Stack update for 1709 (Servicing Stack updates are always OK to install); an improvement to “ease the upgrade and recovery experience to Windows 10 version 1709” KB 4055237; and an “update [that] changes the upgrade experience to Windows 10 Version 1709,” KB 4052342. No, I have  no idea what those last two entail.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4051963, KB 4052342, KB 4055237, MS-DEFCON 3, November 2017 Black Tuesday

• Microsoft releases Epson dot matrix fix for Win10 1703, KB 4051033, and teases at a fix for 1709, KB 4051963

  Posted on November 28, 2017 at 12:26 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Win10 1703 has a new, lengthy, cumulative update, November 22, 2017—KB4055254 (OS Build 15063.729), which mentions fixing the Epson dot matrix printer clobbering part of the Patch Tuesday update.

  Addressed issue that impacted some Epson SIDM (Dot Matrix) and TM (POS) printers, which were failing to print on x86 and x64-based systems. This issue affects KB4048953.

  Just love the way MS says “we goofed and here’s the fix.” (Note: I talked about that fix in Computerworld yesterday.)

  There’s a spot reserved for a Win10 1709 cumulative update,  KB 4051963 (OS Build 16299.96), but there’s no KB article as yet. Likely that it’ll include a fix for the Epson printing bug.

  Still no word on Epson printer fixes for Win10 1511 Enterprise, or for Win10 1507 LTSC.

  Thanks to eagle-eyed Günter Born.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4051033, KB 4051963