Microsoft investigates possible Exchange 2003 flaw

<font size="3">Microsoft investigates possible Exchange 2003 flaw </font>

Microsoft is investigating a potential security issue with Exchange Server 2003, which would be the first since the e-mail server was launched last month.

The potential flaw lies in the Outlook Web Access (OWA) component of Exchange Server 2003. A network administrator at a Nashville, Tennessee, provider of investment performance reporting tools found that users logging in to OWA could be logged in to another user's mailbox at random and have full access privileges.

"This seems to be a major security flaw and we have had to shut off OWA indefinitely because of the issue," the network administrator wrote in a posting to NTBugtraq, a well-known security mailing list.

A preliminary investigation by Microsoft indicated that the issue occurs only with Kerberos authentication disabled, which the vendor said is uncommon. "We recommend that...

Exam 70-299 Betas Nov. 26-Dec. 11

<font size="3">Exam 70-299 Betas Nov. 26-Dec. 11 </font>
Newest security specialist exam to go under beta testing in late November.

While the objective guide for Exam 70-299, Implementing and Administering Security in a Windows Server 2003 Network (click here to view the guide), hints at an impending beta testing phase in November, testing centers Vue has opened registration for the exam in its beta form. Vue's online registration site indicates that the beta exams are available from November 26 to December 11. Microsoft Corp. doesn't typically comment on exams under development.

Exam 70-299, numbered 71-299 while in beta, is an administration-oriented exam that counts as core credit toward the prescribed exams under the MCSE: Security specialization. It's also an elective for the MCSA and MCSE on Windows 2003 tracks.

News...

Is Microsoft Linux in the Wind?

<font size="3">Is Microsoft Linux in the Wind?</font>

Speculation that Microsoft might build a flavor of Linux into Windows Server 2003 has been rife since May, when the company said it was licensing the Unix source code and patent from the SCO Group. That action followed SCO's infamous US$1 billion lawsuit, filed in March, which accuses IBM of improperly lifting copyrighted Unix technology and building it into Linux. The Microsoft-Linux speculation has been fueled by Linux' increasing prominence on the enterprise server level, largely thanks to IBM, and Microsoft's historical willingness to react to competitive threats by creating its own versions of rival products. Still, despite the speculation, there is considerable doubt that Microsoft will develop or distribute its own version of Linux anytime soon.

Proprietary by Nature

Perhaps the most compelling reason for skepticism is that such a...

Virtualisation comes to Windows PCs

<font size="3">Virtualisation coming to Windows PCs</font>

Tuesday 18th November 2003

Virtualisation technology from Microsoft will bring closer the dream of running multiple instances of an operating system on a single computer

Software giant Microsoft and start-up VMware are bringing closer to reality a technology for running multiple instances of an operating system on a single computer.

The technology, called virtualisation, is a layer of software that isolates programs from the hardware they run on. In the near term, Microsoft hopes to use the idea to support customers with newer computers that must run older programs. But VMware is further along in a strategy to make its software a key part of the utility computing concept popular in the industry.

Read Full article here

Hackers Crack Latest Windows Flaw

<font size="3">Hackers Crack Latest Windows Flaw</font>

Computer code that exploits a critical new software vulnerability in the Windows XP and Windows 2000 operating systems is circulating on the Internet, according to security experts. Two examples of "exploit" code for a buffer overrun in the Windows Workstation Service were posted to security-related Internet discussion groups on Friday and Saturday. Both exploits have been tested and work, according to Dan Ingevaldson, director of X-Force at Internet Security Systems.

The Workstation Service vulnerability was disclosed by Microsoft in Security Bulletin MS03-049, which was released on November 11. The service is turned "on" by default in Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems and allows computers on a network to connect to file servers and network printers, Microsoft said.

Both the CERT Coordination Center at Carnegie Mellon University and ISS issued...

What Bill Gates Has to Say About Security

<font size="3">What Bill Gates Has to Say About Security</font>

Microsoft product managers at the PDC hammered home the idea that code has to get better, and that buffer overruns are caused, basically, by sloppy programming. But Bill Gates said, "You don't need perfect code to avoid security problems." Not if you use firewalls and keep your software up to date.

Read more in this illuminating article published by Informit

Microsoft Windows Update CD released to beta Testers

<font size="3">Microsoft Windows Update CD released to beta Testers </font>

Neowin has learned of a new beta released by Microsoft to its Windows Update Beta testers. The beta involves downloading an ISO of Microsoft's new "Windows Security Update CD". The CD, at 300 meg, contains most of Microsofts recent security patchs for Windows 2000 / XP users, although it is uncertain as to whether this CD is useful for Win 9x users. Specific to XP the CD has on it Service Pack 1 (a), Direct X 9, and Windows Media Player 9.

Microsoft have also included a useful tool on the CD called Windows Security advisor. In some ways, its sort of a trimmed down version of Microsoft Base Line Security Advisor (aimed more at Admins, find it here). The program essentially turns on automatic updating which for joe average this is undoubtedly a good thing, and also enables the firewall built into Windows XP. Again, undoubtedly a good...

An Open Source Effort to rival Windows

<font size="3">An Open Source Effort to rival Windows
</font>
The government, electronics manufacturers and software makers launched a forum Friday to promote the development of a new operating system for next-generation networked appliances and other smart devices.

The forum is part of a trilateral initiative among the governments of Japan, China and South Korea to create, in cooperation with the private sector, an OS to rival Microsoft Corp.'s Windows.

The domestic forum is made up of 16 Japanese companies, including Hitachi Ltd., NTT Data Corp. and Tokio Marine &amp; Fire Insurance Co. and is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

A similar forum has already been set up in South Korea, with China to follow suit soon.

The goal of the forums is to develop a new system based on open source software (OSS), which is compatible with numerous platforms because its source code can...

Windows XP OS Exam Beta Testing This Week

<font size="3">Windows XP OS Exam Beta Testing This Week </font>
Exam 70-271 also to continue beta testing to Nov. 20.

Microsoft began beta testing Exam 70-272, Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Windows XP Operating System, this week; beta testing will continue until November 20. As well, Microsoft has also extended beta testing of Exam 70-271, Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Windows XP Operating System, until November 20. Both exams are listed online on the VUE registration site.

Exam 70-272, numbered 71-272 while under beta, is the second of two exams that are prescribed exams for the new Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician. It's primarily aimed at those who troubleshoot problems with the operating system (70-271 differs in that it's aimed at those who support and troubleshoot desktop applications).

New Source:...

MS Releases Virtual PC 2004 to Manufacturing

<font size="3">MS Releases Virtual PC 2004 to Manufacturing</font>

Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Microsoft® Virtual PC 2004, a desktop virtual machine solution to help technical professionals migrate legacy applications to Windows® XP. Scheduled to be available by the end of 2003, Microsoft Virtual PC offers customers a cost-effective safety net to ease their migration to Microsoft Windows XP Professional and a tool to help accelerate the development, testing, deployment and support of PC applications. Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 allows enterprise customers to run multiple operating systems on one PC, so employees can run critical legacy applications on an interim basis while information technology (IT) professionals proceed with the migration to Windows XP Professional.

"Our enterprise customers have told us that virtual machine technologies are crucial for their...