Windows XP SP3: The Third Huge Update
Ubuntu 8.04 was my first big update in the past 30 days, followed closely by Windows Vista SP1 (which I'm still evaluating), and now by Windows XP SP3 (claimed to be the final service pack for XP). Before you start downloading it, understand that it's big. At 316MB, it will take you at least 30 minutes to download if you have a decent connection. Far longer if you're still on dial-up. In fact, if you're on dial-up, just order the CD. It will arrive before your download finishes. If you use Windows Update to install SP3, it will download only the pieces you need. I like having the full service pack available, though. If I need to reinstall the operating system, I'll already have all the pieces I need to rebuild the kit. You might be wondering what's in SP3. So was I.
If you're thinking about downloading the service pack, a good place to start is at the Microsoft Knowledgebase where you'll find several useful links with information you should know before installing, directions for installing SP3 or having Windows Update do it, and an explanation of what's new.
If you can't find a kitchen sink in SP3, that's because it's one of the few items missing. Windows XP SP3 includes all previously released updates for the operating system and a few new functionalities.
Previously released updates in SP3 include:
- MMC 3.0, a framework that combines common system management tools by standardizing the user interface.
- MSXML6, which provides better reliability and security with the XML 1.0 and XML Schema 1.0 W3C Recommendations. It also provides compatibility with System.XML 2.0.
- Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1 v2, a minor update to Windows Installer that Microsoft released in 2004. The update primarily resolves problems in the 3.0 version of the installer.
- BITS, the Background Intelligent Transfer Service 2.5 that is required by Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Windows Live OneCare. The updates are primarily to resolve security issues.
- IPSec Simple Policy Update, which simplifies the creation and maintenance of IPSec filters, reducing the number of filters that are required for a server and domain isolation deployment. Most individual users won't notice this one.
- DIMS, the Digital Identity Management Service that allows users who log on to any domain-joined computer to silently access all of their certificates and private keys for applications and services.
- PNRP, the Peer Name Resolution Protocol that enables specific Windows XP programs that use PNRP to communicate with Windows Vista programs that use PNRP.
- RDP, the Remote Desktop Protocol 6.1, which is used for communication between the Terminal Server and the Terminal Server Client. Improvements primarily affect communication between machines running Windows XP and Windows Vista.
- WPA2, Wi-Fi Protected Access 2, with better support for the latest standards to improve wireless security.
The main new functions in SP3 include:
- "Black Hole" Router Detection to identify routers that silently discard packets.
- Network Access Protection similar to that built in to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. NAP allows an administrator to enforce compliance with security rules.
- CredSSP is a new Security Service Provider that enables an application to delegate the user’s credentials from the client to the target server. This is used by RDP 6.1 (noted above) and can be used by any third-party application willing to use the service.
How Does it Work?
It works well, at least for most people. Almost immediately there were complaints of system problem, though: Machines that rebooted for no apparent reason, machines that wouldn't boot at all, machines that lost contact with external disk drive.
Major operating system updates can cause problems and that's why a full system backup is so important. The problems usually involve device drivers or previously installed applications. These problems are usually sorted out and resolved within a few weeks.
Bottom line: Windows XP SP3—you probably want it
Look through the SP3 documentation before you install the patch to be sure that you won't encounter any unpleasant surprises. Make sure you have a full system backup and, even through the system will create it's own restore point before installing, it would be wise for you to create one manually. Be sure you have your Windows XP installation disc handy just in case you need to boot to the Recovery Console. You probably won't, but being prepared is better than being sorry.
For more information, visit Microsoft's XP SP3 section.
Stupid Spam of the Week
I've Been Approved, But I Still Must Apply: I'm so excited! Vision Visa has approved me for a card. All I have to do is apply for it. Hmmm. Wait. I've been approved but I have to apply. Something sounds a bit fishy here. And when I looked at the link the "approved" card provided, it didn't engender a lot of confidence. The link wanted to send me to:
"http://heartstelline.com/test.php?32=10ilnkimpvision.o85GM.R40.14a93"
which didn't look much like a bank or credit card link. That "test.php" really gave me second thoughts. "heartstelline.com" is registered to a Texas company, but I'll trust is about as far as I could throw George W. Bush uphill in a downdraft from an oil well fire. Which is to say not very far.
The link sends me immediately to nutny.com, which redirects me to hashaya.com, which redirects me to getagreatdealnow.com, which redirects me to impulsemg.com:
(http://secure.impulsemg.com/pixel/rdr.php?campaignid=10000695147
&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.logiforms.com%2Fformdata%2Fuser_forms%2F13641
_8017752%2F53848%2F%3Fcamefrom%3DImpulse%26utm_source%3D1000069
5147&exc=1&siteid=1167&accountid=204215&crea=6462), which redirects me to logiforms.com. This last one actually would display a Web page if I would allow it to. Given the redirection of the redirection of the redirection of the redirection, I'm just slightly reluctant to do so.
The image above on the left is the real VisionVisa website. Do we need a service such as this? Although I think we don't, the site appears legitimate. The problem is with imposters.
So who is ...
nutny.com? (Platinum Marketing Power Pvt Ltd, El Paso, Texas)
hashaya.com? (Platinum Marketing Power Pvt Ltd, El Paso, Texas)
getagreatdealnow.com? (Impulse Marketing Group, Atlanta, Georgia)
impulsemg.com? (Impulse Marketing Group, Atlanta, Georgia)
logiforms.com? (DAVIES, BROOK, logiforms.com Inc., c/o Network Solutions, Herndon, VA 20172-0447)
Well, that's pretty disgusting. Not at all surprising, but disgusting nonetheless. Network Solutions is not surprisingly part of the problem. Are there any good guys here? Who are the bad guys?
It's hard to tell. But anytime a website redirects you to a website that redirects you to a website that redirects you to a website, you can be fairly certain that this is a company you don't want to do business with.
What about Vision Visa?
It's hard to tell about this company, too, but it may be a legitimate operation. The Vision Visa website positions the company as being an ideal solution to paying your employees. Instead of writing them a check or using standard direct deposit, put their wages into a prepaid credit card. Maybe some people would like that. I wouldn't. Vision Visa seems to be a service of precash.com (PreCash Inc., 309 SW 6th Avenue Suite #700, Portland, OR 97204). So although I question the need for such a service, it appears to be legitimate.
And this makes it even harder to tell legitimate organizations from the rip-offs.
No, That Spam Wasn't from Me!
A funny thing happened to my office e-mail account this week: In two days I received more than 900 bounced and rejected messages that I didn't send. It's always a bit disconcerting when this happens, but it's an easy problem to deal with. The rejections generally include the message that caused the rejection in the first place, so spam filters on my end identify the messages as spam and quarantine them. All I have to do is delete them. Maybe this has happened to you. Maybe you thought that somebody had hijacked your machine. That's probably not what happened to you and I know it's not what happened to me.
What happened is that spammers selected my office address and started forging it on their spams. My name was never associated with the spams, only the e-mail address (which I show here as "example.com): "Great watch Service" <bblinn@example.com>, "Purses" <bblinn@example.com>, "Cartier Watches" <bblinn@example.com>, adnan khanh <bblinn@example.com>, and Totally Satisfied <bblinn@example.com>, to name just a few.
Fighting Spam is a Full-Time Job
Research organizations say that spam has decreased slightly in the past year. MessageLabs says just under 85% of all messages are now spam, compared with slightly more than 86% last year. When you read a number such as that, you may examine your e-mail and conclude that something is wrong. Maybe you receive only a few spams every day and the volume is nowhere near 85%.
True. Spammers send millions of messages and often they merely guess at actual addresses. A lot of spams bounce because the address is no good. Some inexperienced spammers place the addresses in the "to" or "cc" field instead of the "bcc" field, so you can see what they do: Sometimes there will be messages to "bblinn" at dozens of different domains; in other instances there will be dozens of addresses beginning with the letter "b" at my domain.
Companies spend a huge amount of time dealing with spam. Anti-spam filters are tricky to setup and users often get in the way. A spam filter that stops 100% of the spam will also stop a lot of legitimate messages, so users will spend time finding and reporting false positives so that the IT managers can whitelist the addresses. When the rules are relaxed a bit, some of the spam gets through and users report those messages so that IT managers can try to find a way to block those messages without blocking legitimate mail.
Users who have subscribed to a newsletter or mailing list may decide they no longer want the mail. Instead of unsubscribing, they file a spam complaint. The IT manager assumes the user has registered a legitimate complaint and blocks the messages, then receives complaints from people who subscribed and still want the messages.
It's not going to get better anytime soon.
Nerdly News
Firefox 3 Takes Down the Mozilla Web Server
What happens when you announce to the world that you want to set a new download record on June 17? If you're the Mozilla folks, makers of Firefox, you'll have a lot of people buy into the idea and then your server will go belly up part way through the day.
See the screen shot at the right.
Eventually I obtained the latest version on download day and installed it on the Windows machines. For a while, they were handling 14,000 downloads per minute.
It was the 18th before I had time to download and install Firefox 3 on the Mac, where I found that selecting Help from the menu now provides help instead of the revolving beach ball of death.
And it was the 19th before I had time to ask Ubuntu's program manager to search for updates and install them.
So now Firefox 3 is running on all of my computers and it's about the same as Firefox 3, beta 5, which I told you about a few weeks ago—except that most of the add-ons I want are available for the final release version.
You Look Really Stupid, (INSERT NAME HERE)
I haven't mentioned these spams because you undoubtedly know better than to open one. The only way you'll really look stupid is if you do open one. The “stupid-face” spams come with an attachment called video.exe. The spammer claims that it's a video clip in which you look stupid. Instead, it installs malware that will enroll your computer in a spam botnet.
Spammers could probably make more money in a legitimate marketing firm than sending spam because they've learned the hooks that get people. There are the messages promising you'll see some famous person naked, spams that tell you you've won millions or that some Nigerian prince wants to give you his fortune, or that you can make $1000 an hour working at home.
The latest trick is called the “slam spam” because it attempts to insult you into opening it.
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