Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-044: Vulnerability in the Windows FTP Client Could Allow File Transfer Location Tampering (905495) - Moderate
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-045: Vulnerability in Network Connection Manager Could Allow Denial of Service (905414) - Moderate
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-046: Vulnerability in the Client Service for NetWare Could Allow Remote Code Execution (899589) - Important
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-047: Vulnerability in Plug and Play Could Allow Remote Code Execution and Local Elevation of Privilege (905749) - Important
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-048: Vulnerability in the Microsoft Collaboration Data Objects Could Allow Remote Code Execution (907245) - Important
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-049: Vulnerabilities in Windows Shell Could Allow Remote Code Execution (900725) - Important
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-050: Vulnerability in DirectShow Could Allow Remote Code Execution (904706) - Critical
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-051: Vulnerabilities in MSDTC and COM+ Could Allow Remote Code Execution (902400) - Critical
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-052: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (896688) - Critical
October 11, 2005
October 10, 2005
Download details: Using Domain Controller Virtual Machines: "Running domain controllers in virtual machines is best suited for test and pre-production piloting environments. With strict adherence to the requirements described in this document, domain controllers running in virtual machines can also be used in a production environment."
For more information Virtual Server 2005 Administrator's Guide and Using the VMRC client to access virtual machines.
October 07, 2005
{EWeek} Nematodes: The Making of 'Beneficial' Network Worms: "Convinced that businesses will use nonmalicious worms to cut down on network security costs, a high-profile security researcher is pushing ahead with a new framework for creating a 'controlled worm' that can be used for beneficial purposes.
Dave Aitel, vulnerability researcher at New York-based Immunity Inc., unveiled a research-level demo of the "Nematode" framework at the Hack In The Box confab in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, insisting that good worms will become an important part of an organization's security strategy."
Something like this is nothing new, but it's still a great idea. Anyone remember the Welchia worm in 2003 that removed the Blaster virus and then installed the MS03-026 patch? I would like to follow Aitel's progress in this area; this kind of tech shows promise.
Slew of Windows patches coming | CNET News.com: As part of its monthly patching cycle, Microsoft on Tuesday plans to release eight security alerts for flaws in the Windows operating system.">Slew of Windows patches coming | CNET News.com: "As part of its monthly patching cycle, Microsoft on Tuesday plans to release eight security alerts for flaws in the Windows operating system."
October 03, 2005
Engineer's Toolbox - DesktopEngineer.com: "
Excellent resource - Must have RSS feed.
September 15, 2005
Security Bulletin Search: "Microsoft has no new security bulletins to release as part of the monthly release cycle for the month of September 2005."
Microsoft blames time constraints for pulled patch - vnunet.com: "Microsoft has explained why it decided not to issue the latest instalment of monthly security updates, maintaining that it needed more time to test the patches.
'The update release process involves a significant testing focus if customers are to get high quality updates,' explained Tracey Pretorius, Microsoft's PR manager. 'It was a quality issue. We wanted to do some additional testing.'"
Microsoft's delay to patch fuels concerns: "The concerns come after Microsoft announced last Thursday that a critical fix for the Windows operating system would be distributed in the following week. The next day, the software giant pulled the planned patch due to quality issues, according to Mike Reavey, operations manager for the Microsoft Security Research Center."
Windows XP SP2 Support Tools for Advanced Users: "The Windows Support Tools for Microsoft Windows XP are intended for use by Microsoft support personnel and experienced users to assist in diagnosing and resolving computer problems. For individual tool descriptions, see the Windows Support Tools documentation (Suptools.chm). "
September 14, 2005
Windows 2000 Utilities (Freeware, Shareware, and affordable software for Windows 2000 Administration)
Nice little collection from the great resource LabMice.net. List is a little old, but has some good tools.
September 13, 2005
Magical Jelly Bean Software - Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v1.41: "The Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key (cd key) used to install windows from your registry. "
August 27, 2005
Windows Server 2003 Tools: "On this page you'll find downloadable tools that will help you support Windows Server 2003 systems." - Really helpful little collection of tools. Sometimes we overlook the obvious source...
Windows Server 2003 Feature Packs: "On this page you'll find downloadable feature packs that provide all-new Windows Server 2003 solutions and functionality." - Several nice add-ons...
Download details: File Replication Service Diagnostics Tool (FRSDiag.exe): "FRSDiag provides a graphical interface to help troubleshoot and diagnose problems with the File Replication Service (FRS). FRS is used to replicate files and folders in the SYSVOL file share on domain controllers and files in Distributed File System (DFS) targets. FRSDiag helps to gather snap-shot information about the service, perform automated tests against that data, and compile an overview of possible problems that may exist in the environment."
August 26, 2005
How to upgrade Windows 2000 domain controllers to Windows Server 2003
Common Mistakes When Upgrading a Windows 2000 Domain To a Windows 2003 Domain
Preparing Your Windows 2000 Network for an Upgrade to Windows 2003, from Global Knowledge Network - White Papers, Webcasts and Case Studies - TechRepublic
Using Ntdsutil.exe to transfer or seize FSMO roles to a domain controller
Windows Server 2003 - How to transfer the FSMO Operations Master roles
Transferring FSMO Roles: "How can I transfer some or all of the FSMO Roles from one DC to another?"
August 12, 2005
Microsoft exploit code hits the web - vnunet.com: "Exploit code has started appearing on hacking websites for a critical Microsoft flaw less than three days after the patch was released.
Security testers at eEye claim to have found two separate examples of working exploit code in the past few hours that could give full control of a target PC. "
Here's some of said exploits, from FrSIRT:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Plug and Play Universal Remote Exploit (MS05-039)
Microsoft Internet Explorer COM Objects File Download Exploit (MS05-038)
Microsoft Windows Plug and Play Remote Buffer Overflow Exploit (MS05-039)
August 09, 2005
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-038: "Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (896727)" - Critical
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-039: "Vulnerability in Plug and Play Could Allow Remote Code Execution and Elevation of Privilege (899588)" - Critical
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-040: "Vulnerability in Telephony Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (893756)" - Important
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-041: "Vulnerability in Remote Desktop Protocol Could Allow Denial of Service (899591)" - Moderate
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-042: "Vulnerabilities in Kerberos Could Allow Denial of Service, Information Disclosure, and Spoofing (899587)" - Moderate
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-043: "Vulnerability in Print Spooler Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (896423)" - Critical
3 Criticals.. but beware none-the-less. Although labeled Moderate, MS05-041 (RDP) already has an exploit released over at FrSIRT.
August 04, 2005
Get Home Earlier With Windows Vista: "Windows Vista offers systems engineers, deployment engineers, and support center operators a possibility of life outside of work"
I'll have to admit that I haven't been very excited (at all) about the new Windows Vista (Longhorn). With the loss of WinFS and other features, plus the far away shipping date, I've just ignored all of the hype and looked at this as just MS selling another Service Pack as an OS. Well, this article helps get me a bit more excited by outlining what Vista will do for me, the SysAdmin. Features I'm looking forward to: registry and file virtualization, better Group Policy (configure just about everything), monad, imaging (better, easier to update), customized help fuctions, better error reporting, more in-depth error messages, hardware monitoring, and hopefully much more as I learn more about this new OS. Of course, I'm taking a wait and see approach to whether or not this stuff lives up to the promises, but if it does, I'll be happy with it.
Here's Microsoft's Resources for IT Professionals website.
NirSoft - freeware utilities: password recovery, system utilities, desktop utilities: "NirSoft web site provides a unique collection of small and useful freeware utilities, all of them developed by Nir Sofer. "
Take a look at his MessenPass, Mail PassView, and his Protected Storage PassView utilities... these will blow your mind! MessenPass pulled out my Gaim Yahoo! Messenger account password and Mail PassView was able to pull out several Outlook account password on my box in a matter of seconds (as long as it took for me to double-click). The Protected Storage PassView utility pulls passwords out of IE (saved logins) and just showed me why I NEVER save my passwords in IE or Firefox. This is some scary stuff.. that's one reason why losing physical access to a box results in the end of your security. Wow. If I were you, I'd get this stuff before he wises up and starts selling it.. Right now everything is FREEWARE.