Category: Software

  • Clamav 0.88 for Mandrake 10.0

    I’ve got a couple of older Mandrake 10.0 servers that I’m still maintaining. They’re systems that it hasn’t been practical (yet) to do an upgrade to a more recent release of the base operating system. Two of those are currenlty using Clamantivirus for their mailscanning. So, with the recent security vulnerability an update was needed. I basically took the clamav 0.88 source rpm from cooker and rebuilt on a 10.0 system. For convenience I’m posting ALL of these for download. So…. I’ll post the original src rpm from Mandriva cooker. (Which you could make use of to rebuild for another release of Mandrake.) And also the resulting built rpm’s….

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  • Apple Quicktime security vulnerabilites and update

    There are a number of vulnerabilites reported with Apple Quicktime player related to the way it handles various file formats. Quicktime Player 7.0.4 is the current released GOOD version, everything from 7.0.3 and prior are vulnerable. The Security Fix has some details. There were a total of about 8 vulnerabilities fixed in 7.0.4 and they affect both Windows And Mac….

  • Microsoft’s speed to get security patches out

    Brian Krebs at the Security Fix has done an interesting study related to how long it takes Microsoft to release a security fix for a problem, starting from the time they are notified of the security vulnerability. For the most part, 134.5 days has been the window between notification and vulnerability patching for the last 2 years from Microsoft. (That is for vulnerabilities that were submitted to Microsoft through the normal process…)

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  • Codeweavers fixes WMF vulnerability in Crossover Office

    There has been a bugfix release to Crossover Office, released by Codeweavers. Crossover Office is an offshoot of the Wine project, which is a windows compatibility suite for Linux, to allow Windows applications to run under modern Linux operating systems. It was found recently that wine suffered from the WMF vulnerability just the same as Windows. The new release is 5.0.1, notes on what has changed can be found here.

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  • Symantec fixes possible rootkit issue

    Brian Krebs at the SecurityFix has the story. Symantec, has fixed a problem with their SystemWorks and SystemWorks premier software that could allow malicious software to hide in the Norton Protected Recycle Bin. That software, could have used the nprotect directory to evade detection by antivirus and antispyware programs.

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  • Clamav vulnerability

    There’s a security fix available for a vulnerability in Clamantivirus. Version 0.88 fixes the vulnerability which could allow a remote attacker to control a machine running clamantivirus. The Security Fix has coverage on this, and the update can be found at the clamav site. This affects ClamWin as well, available here

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  • Windows more secure than Linux?

    For the last week, I’ve seen various headlines referring to a report from US-CERT that indicated 2005 had 5,198 security flaws reported. Out of those 2,328 were reported for Linux/Unix, 812 for Windows and 2,058 affecting more than one operating system. Now, I’m seeing all sorts of headlines about how Windows is more secure than Linux based on this report. (?!?) Did anyone reporting “windows more secure than linux/unix” actually read the report, look at some of the details and compare with the Technical Cyber Security Alerts?

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  • XP Home support period

    This is something you should consider if you are looking to abandoned a pre-Winxp operating system in favor of a flavor of XP. The product life cycle. In their infinite wisdom, Microsoft has different support plans for consumer products than “business-products”. As such… arstechnica.com has a post explaining why support for Windows XP Home will end the end of this year 12/31/06 and Windows XP Pro will continue to be supported perhaps as long as December of 2013.

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  • Microsoft advisory on Sober “Awakening”

    Microsoft has posted a security advisory (912920) on the previously reported “awakening” of the Sober worm, expected January 6th.

    Systems that are infected with Win32/Sober.Z@mm may download and run malicious files from certain Web domains beginning on January 6, 2006

    Further they give the following note….
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  • Kubuntu Review and Ubuntu Review

    There’s a good review up of both Kubuntu and Ubuntu over at Desktoplinux.com. The writer doesn’t seem to find either a perfect fit. Ubuntu is Gnome based, Kubuntu is KDE based. The versions reviewed are 5.10

    Ultimately the writer suggests Suse Linux 10.0 or Xandros as a desktop workstation, Mepislite or SimplyMepis for a new user and OpenSuse for a server-based linux OS.

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