IE 8 and IE 9 now getting pushed

Ready or not, you’re getting IE 8 or IE 9, if you have automatic updates turned on.

Susan Bradley’s Top Story for Windows Secrets Newsletter.

I certainly hope all of you folks upgraded to IE 8 (for XP) or IE 9 (for Vista, Win7,) or IE 10 (Win8) months ago.

I, personally, use Chrome most of the time, Firefox to get to secure sites, and IE on occasion. They’re all excellent. Really.

MS-DEFCON 2: New patches are out – hold off

The January 2012 Security Bulletins are out, and there aren’t any screaming “install me” at the moment.

The biggest hole is covered by MS12-004, the Windows Media Player patch. There are no known exploits at this point.

Make sure you’re locked down, and let’s see how this month’s crop goes.

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.

MS-DEFCON 4: Get patched now

It’s time to apply all of the outstanding Microsoft patches.

I gave up on the .NET follies last November. I still think you’re better off applying them than ignoring them. I also recommend that you install Office 2010 Service Pack 1, and/or Office 2007 Service Pack 3, if they’re on offer.

Several of you have written, asking why Microsoft Update is offering to patch Office 2007, when you have Office 2010. Almost always that’s because you have a vestige of Office 2007 lying around – perhaps a file viewer, perhaps an add-in. Anyway, if MS Update offers to patch Office 2007, go ahead and appease it.

I also suggest that you go ahead and install MS11-100, the out-of-band patch to plug a hole in (you guessed it) .NET.

There’s only one gotcha that I’m aware of. After you install MS11-099, the  Internet Explorer monster patch, you may not be able to Select All inside a web page using Ctrl+A or right-click Select All. If that happens to you, just swipe over everything with the mouse and it’ll copy correctly.

We’re down to MS-DEFCON 4: There are isolated problems with current patches, but they are well-known and documented here. Check this site to see if you’re affected and if things look OK, go ahead and patch.

Make sure you turn off Automatic Update. Next Tuesday should be another heavy-duty patching day.

MS-DEFCON 2: Time to get your system locked down

Incoming!

This month’s Black Tuesday will be a real lollapalooza.

Or something like that.

In preparation, make sure you’re all patched up, then turn OFF Automatic Updates.

The PC you save may be your own.

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.

Microsoft releases old recovery software in new wrapper

The old Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper beta has just been released as the Windows Defender Offline beta.

Find out what it does, how to use it – and why the name change.

BTW, WDO works with Windows 8.

InfoWorld Tech Watch.

MS-DEFCON 4: Get patched

Microsoft has a big batch of patches coming next Tuesday: 14 security bulletins in all.

November’s crop of patches weren’t all that bad. Only one necessitated a re-write of the associated KB article, and the patch itself wasn’t affected.

If you’re an all-or-nothing kind of patcher, go ahead and get caught up. If you want to look at individual patches, see Susan Bradley’s Patch Watch list in Windows Secrets Newsletter (subscription required, but you get to decide how much you want to pay in order to subscribe.) Susan suggests that you avoid the .NET 4 patch KB 2533523 and Office 2010 Service Pack 1, KB 2510690.  I haven’t had trouble with either, but if you’re being very cautious or updating hundreds of machines, take Susan’s advice into account.

I’m moving us to MS-DEFCON 4: There are isolated problems with current patches, but they are well-known and documented here. Check this site to see if you’re affected and if things look OK, go ahead and patch.

More Java woes

Brian Krebs reports that a painful Java security hole has just been made available to a whole lot of people.

Follow his advice and check to make sure you have either Java 6 Update 29, or Java 7 Update 1.

Leaked emails reveal Microsoft Security Essentials Beta program

Run over and sign up while you still can.

InfoWorld Tech Watch.