Category Archives: Time to Patch

Short posts on the latest security updates for widely-used software.

Demystifying KB976902, a.k.a. Microsoft’s “Blackhole” Update

October 28, 2010

I’ve received several e-mails from readers concerned about a mysterious, undocumented software patch that Microsoft began offering to Windows 7 users through Windows Update this week. Readers were nervous about this patch because it lacks any real description of its function, and what little documentation there is about it says that it cannot be removed once installed, and that it may be required as a prerequisite for installing future updates.

Koobface Worm Targets Java on Mac OS X

October 27, 2010

A new version of the infamous Koobface worm designed to attack Mac OS X computers is spreading through Facebook and other social networking sites, security experts warn.

Security software maker Intego says this Mac OS X version of the Koobface worm is being served as part of a multi-platform attack that uses a malicious Java applet to attack users. According to Intego, the apple includes a prompt to install the malicious software:

‘Stuxnet’ Worm Far More Sophisticated Than Previously Thought

September 14, 2010

The “Stuxnet” computer worm made international headlines in July, when security experts discovered that it was designed to use a previously unknown security hole in Microsoft Windows computers to steal industrial secrets and potentially disrupt operations of critical information networks. But new information about the worm shows that it leverages at least three other previously unknown security holes in Windows PCs, including a vulnerability that Redmond fixed in a software patch released today.