Microsoft

Microsoft will break a previous record by addressing 34 security vulnerabilities with this coming week's Patch Tuesday. The Redmond-based firm will issue a total of 14 security bulletins, eight of which are marked critical. According to a statement ... from the company on Thursday, the fixes address flaws in a number of Microsoft products, including the Windows operating system (OS), Office, the Internet Explorer web browser, SQL and Silverlight. (Source: computerworld.com ) Most Security Bulletins Ever "This will be the most bulletins we have ever released in a month; we have released 13 ... (view more)

Microsoft's Windows Shortcut Flaw has certainly grabbed headlines these past few weeks. Fortunately, the company looks ready to move beyond the sensational headlines with a new, permanent fix due out later today. A flaw associated with .LNK ... (shortcut files) in Windows 2000 through Windows 7 was first discovered about two weeks ago by security researchers. At first, the issue involved industrial firm Siemens and could only be transmitted through infected USB key, variants of the bug have spread to common Windows users. Worse yet, researchers found that merely plugging a compromised USB stick ... (view more)

Microsoft Corporation will face tough questions today at the annual Financial Analysts Meeting (FAM), where it's expected the software giant will have to answer for some troubling financial numbers. Topping the list of questions: a struggling ... Internet business, mobile-phone troubles, and where the company sees its future in a constantly-changing PC market. Microsoft shares have dipped significantly this year, down about 15 per cent over the same period in 2009 and just recently emerging from a 52-week low. That's prompted questions amongst financial analysts about how the company is ... (view more)

Two third-party software companies have come together to release temporary fix for a highly contagious and critical zero-day flaw which affects all versions of the Windows operating system (OS). The security flaw, which Microsoft says it knows about ... and is working on a permanent patch towards, makes users of Windows 2000 through Windows 7 vulnerable to attack if they open a desktop folder packing an infected .LNK file extension. Microsoft Temp Fix Not Popular Microsoft last week released its own temporary solution in the form of a workaround, but few users were very fond of a solution that ... (view more)

Windows XP continues to represent the single biggest target for hackers , according to security experts who also suggest these threats could initiate a considerable push for home and business users to upgrade to Windows 7. The recent discussion is ... based on Microsoft's early 2010 "Security Intelligence Report Volume 8," or SIRv8, which covered the six-month period July 2009 to December 2009. The report found that the United States continues to be the top spot for malware threats, with populous China running second, just in front of Brazil. WinXP Vulnerabilities Behind Push to Windows 7 An ... (view more)

Mozilla and Google have taken an interesting approach to ensuring that flaws, bugs and other problems associated with their Internet browsers are reported on in a timely manner. The two companies are paying outside researchers as added motivation, ... with the belief being that if a bonus is attached for their efforts, more individuals will be willing to offer up their time to discover new errors. Not All Researchers Financially Motivated Microsoft employees need not get too excited with the news, as company representatives announced that no such bonuses will be given to their researchers. ... (view more)

According to a new poll by tech blog PC Advisor, just one in every six users of Windows XP plan an upgrade to Microsoft's newest operating system (OS), Windows 7. WinXP SP2 Cut-Off Causes Concern PC Advisor's poll was based on Microsoft's recent ... deadline to end active support for Windows XP Service Pack 2, or SP2. That leaves fans of Windows XP who want and need security updates and support for their systems the option of upgrading to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (which should continue to receive support until at least 2014 ) or a newer operating system, like Windows 7, released last October. ... (view more)

A serious security flaw affecting Windows shortcuts could pose a significant risk to critical global infrastructure, says a new report from security research firm Sophos. Power grids and manufacturing plants could soon be targeted by a flaw that ... researchers say has already been exploited by hackers. "Early versions of the malware have been programmed to seek out SCADA software (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) by Siemens Corporation, which is used in managing industrial infrastructures, such as power grids and manufacturing plants," said Sophos. Security Firms Fear Growing Threat ... (view more)

Microsoft has issued an automated workaround for a Windows shortcut flaw that security researchers yesterday flagged with a yellow alert. The workaround is a temporary measure while the company works furiously to provide a more permanent patch. The ... Windows shortcut flaw affects files with the .LNK extension (otherwise known as "shortcut files"). The zero-day vulnerability could allow cyber criminals to seize control of victim PCs. A similar and more public version of the exploit affected Siemens industrial automated systems just last week. Temporary Fix Alters Icons, Leaving them ... (view more)

Microsoft has made keeping in touch with friends a one-click experience now that it has integrated Facebook features with its Outlook email program. Users can view the photos, status updates, and wall posts of fellow contacts who are also members of ... the social networking site. The move is a big one for both Facebook -- now the world's most-visited site -- and Microsoft Outlook, traditionally one of the world's most popular email programs. Microsoft is calling the new plug-in the Outlook Social Connector, and it follows similar Microsoft mash-ups involving less outstanding social networking ... (view more)