Microsoft warns of "critical flaw" Sept. 3, 2003

[dArKeR]

Microsoft has warned that users of its Office software are at risk of having their computers taken over by an attacker unless they apply a patch to correct the problem.

The world's largest software maker said a "critical" flaw in its Visual Basic for Applications software, used to develop applications for Windows and Office, could enable a malicious programmer to create documents that would launch attacks on unsuspecting users.

Microsoft has vowed to improve security and reliability of its software, which has been hit by several high-profile flaws this year. The Slammer worm nearly brought the Internet to a halt in January while the Blaster worm and its variants crippled hundreds of thousands of computers in August.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft urged users in a security bulletin (http://www.microsoft.com/security/) to apply the software fix.

[alfredo]

1. Visual Basic is so good that the creator

has disassociated himself from it. He does not like what MS has done with it.

A sure fix for MS bugs

http://www.mandrakesoft.com/

http://www.suse.com/index_us.html

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

[quispquake]

2. Thanks for the heads up...

I am so freaking SICK of Microsoft!!! My boss at work (I'm the IT Manager there) recently reminded me when I started working, I was really pushing for Linux...BUT, the jewelry software we bought only runs on MS systems...oh well :(

My boss is REALLY WISHING we had gone with anything other than MS now...

The amount of time I've spent this last month on patches, viruses, & worms has been amazing...

Screw MS and their crappy scripting...

[mike_c]

3. there are several very good options for running MS software on...

...Linux systems, including win4lin that runs Windows itself on the Linux box so that MS apps can run natively (and much more stable, too). Unless your software does some really sketchy things at the hardware level, you don't need to be wedded to Microsoft.

[disgruntella]

4. you mean they've finally gotten rid of the paper clip?

Talk about a critical flaw... that talking, dancing "help"-bot is from hell.

Actually, I don't know if the latest versions of Office even have it - maybe someone can enlighten me - Office 2000 is bloated enough, I don't dare to go further down the upgrade road...

[dArKeR]

5. Link - sorry I forgot before

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/24by7panews/page.cfm?objectid=13367478&method=full&siteid=50143