Newsletter Archives

• Patch Lady: Preparing for Microsoft’s patch-security changes

  Posted on April 8, 2019 at 03:44 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Are you running Windows 7 or Server 2008? There are some important updates coming down the pike, and you need to install them if you want to keep getting security patches.

  Patch Lady Susan Bradley takes you through the why’s and wherefore’s of the massive change from SHA-1 to SHA-2, and why it’s important for all Win7 and Server 2008 machines (and WSUS 3.0 update servers).

  Details in this week’s AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.13.0, out this morning to AskWoody Plus Members.

  Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch, SHA-1, SHA-2

• Seven Semper Fi: Win7 to get SHA-2 encryption for patches, DirectX 12 for games

  Posted on March 13, 2019 at 05:43 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  In addition to the “Get Windows 10” nag screens I described yesterday, and a Servicing Stack Update that implements SHA-2 level encryption for future Win7 patches,  Tom Warren at The Verge says MS is allowing some game developers to use DirectX 12 technology in their Win7 games:

  the company is allowing some game developers to implement DirectX 12. The first game to appear with DirectX 12 support on Windows 7 is Blizzard’s World of Warcraft.

  Microsoft heard feedback from Blizzard that features like multi-threading in DirectX 12 were bringing substantial framerate improvements to World of Warcraft on Windows 10. Blizzard wanted these same features on Windows 7, presumably because it still has a large base of players on this older OS. Microsoft originally launched DirectX 12 as part of Windows 10, and has not made it available for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 users.

  As if you didn’t know, Microsoft will stop delivering security patches for Win7 in 10 months – end of life for the PC’s second-most-popular operating system.

  Martin Brinkmann has a summary of the official announcement on ghacks.net.

  Life’s a bit bizarre, wouldn’t you say?

  Windows News Seven Semper Fi, SHA-2

• Microsoft updates its schedule for SHA-2 ‘critical’ Win7 update, now due in March

  Posted on February 16, 2019 at 07:05 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Remember the dire warning, back last November, that you had to install a forthcoming Win7 security patch in order to continue to receive security patches?

  I had an article in Computerworld about it:

  Microsoft is changing its method for electronically signing patches from an old approach known as SHA-1 to the much more secure SHA-2. If you want to continue to get Win7, Server 2008 and WSUS security patches, you need to install a patch in February or March that makes Windows SHA-2-conversant.

  I hadn’t heard anything more about the transition until @abbodi86 posted an update a few minutes ago. Ends up that Microsoft will push the patch in March, according to a new bulletin posted just a few hours ago:

  Starting in early 2019, the migration process to SHA-2 support will occur in stages, and support will be delivered in standalone updates. Microsoft is targeting the following schedule to offer SHA-2 support.

  March 12, 2019

  Stand Alone updates that introduce SHA-2 code sign support will be released as security updates.

  Windows 7 SP1,
  Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

  …

  July 16, 2019

  Required: Updates for legacy Windows versions will require that SHA-2 code signing support be installed. The support released in March and April will be required in order to continue to receive updates on these versions of Windows.

  I’m sure you Win7 fans will love the fact that “legacy Windows” now includes Win7, Server 2008, and Server 2008 R2, but nevermind….

  Nothing wrong with being a legacy, eh?

  Windows Patches/Security SHA-2

• A “critical” Win7/Server 2008 patch coming in February/March really IS critical

  Posted on November 20, 2018 at 06:59 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Microsoft is changing to the SHA-2 encryption method for all of its updates. The change will happen in April. In order to get new updates starting in April, your Win7 or Server 2008 (or older version of WSUS) has to be patched.

  Details in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  Thx @abbodi86

  Windows Patches/Security SHA-2

• Windows programmers: Renew or upgrade your code signing certificates now

  Posted on December 16, 2015 at 11:45 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  There’s an interesting debate about using old SHA-1 technology, vs the newer SHA-2.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  t/h David Ching

  Windows News certs, SHA-1, SHA-2