Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 5: Get all Microsoft patches applied NOW

  Posted on June 5, 2013 at 09:19 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  There’s never been a better time — at least, not recently — to get all of Microsoft’s patches applied. Go, go, go.

  The lingering problem with KB 2823324 has been fixed with KB 2840149, and the fix (unlike so many other fixes in the past) seems to be working well.

  The May 2013 Black Tuesday patches have passed the “cannon fodder” test. Install them.

  Several of you are still reticent about installing Internet Explorer 10 on your Windows 7 systems. There were some problems with the first iterations of IE 10 running on Win7, but now all looks good. Install it.

  Go, go, go.

  I’m lowering us to a (very unusual) MS-DEFCON 5: All’s clear. Patch while it’s safe.

  Windows Patches/Security May 2013 Black Tuesday, MS-DEFCON 5

• MS-DEFCON 2: Another huge crop of patches

  Posted on May 15, 2013 at 06:52 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  The Black Tuesday patches are out and, as usual, there’s no reason to install any of them immediately…

  … with one exception: if you’re still using Internet Explorer 8, you should stop using it, as I explained in January. Get Firefox or Chrome (my current favorite) and stop using IE 8. If you absolutely must continue using IE 8, install MS13-038 / KB 2847204 (one of today’s patches) immediately. The hole covered by this patch was well documented weeks ago, and is now widely available.

  Let’s see how this month’s patches fare. We’ve had two bad patches so far this year, and a couple that were a bit dicey.

  I’m moving us up to MS-DEFCON 2: Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don’t do it.

  Windows Patches/Security Internet Explorer 8, KB 2847204, May 2013 Black Tuesday, MS13-038