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Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Lucy
Grafter
Posts: 52
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Microsoft does it again  Roll_eyes
Today's Windows update (XP) completely messed up Zone Alarm. Installing the patch resulted in ZA denying rights to everything: wireless adapter, Thunderbird, Firefox, Google toolbar, fridge door...everything! Also denied me the right to change any permissions  Crazy
Has anyone else experienced this?
I had to do a system restore to remove today's patches, and all was back to normal.
Needless to say, the sane half of my PC runs Ubuntu and was totally unaffected  Wink
43 REPLIES 43
samuria
Grafter
Posts: 1,581
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Sounds like a new feature of windows it now stops everything which make it more secure. It only make sit 99% secure so the next update will blow up the pc so you can never get hacked.
Dont you just love windows
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Lots of reports on the net about this...
KB951748 is the cause. Just uninstall it and it works again.
ZA are aware and investigating.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

I spent 2 hours last night trying to figure out why my Broadband and e-mail wasn't working  >:(. Eventually I noticed (in the ZoneAlarm logs) that all outbound connections were being blocked.
There is a work around without de-installing KB951748 - move the ZoneAlarm Firewall "Internet Zone Security" slider from High to Medium.
Hopefully ZoneAlarm will come up with a fix soon.
Bob
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

That is not a workaround as it negates any use the firewall has.
Also be aware that after uninstalling the patch, it will reinstall itself automatically if you have your system set to download and install updates automatically. In fact I have mine set to download and inform only and it still updated my system again and rebooted for good measure!
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Quote from: Peter
That is not a workaround as it negates any use the firewall has.

After I made the change I tested my PC using Shields Up (https://www.grc.com) and it game me a perfect "TruStealth" rating so I assumed that I was ok. I presumed that my Router was still giving me some protection from inbound attacks but I have to admit that I'm no expert on this ?Huh
Bob
Pendragon
Rising Star
Posts: 445
Thanks: 9
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎07-04-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Just had this happen to me. Could not understand why I could 'ping' and 'tracert' everything but not connect to anything then realised it was because those two were set to ask for permission, all the rest were on automatic.
Regards, P.
coastergrotto
Grafter
Posts: 1,016
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

I've had to run System Restore on both my computers after downloading the Microsoft Updates, running Zone Alarm free and AVG free.  I'm pleased that I had previously read the Service Status Update so I guessed that was where the problem lay.
I have now turned off Automatic Updates but can the Service Status be updated so i know when it's safe to download the updates.
hulls
Grafter
Posts: 1,699
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

My auto update went ahead today.  Admittedly I don't use ZA any more, but I do use AVG free, and I'm not experiencing any problems (so far) Wink
John
bobpullen
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 16,869
Thanks: 4,950
Fixes: 315
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

The security update in question is in response to this.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

Bookworms
Grafter
Posts: 188
Registered: ‎13-11-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Quote from: Bob
The security update in question is in response to this.

Hmm, I love the denial from Microsoft:
Quote
Some readers have contacted the BBC saying that applying Microsoft patch had caused problems with their PC. However, a Microsoft spokesman said its call centre staff had not seen any calls about such problems.

Yeah, sure.  Roll_eyes
I downloaded this but uninstalled it before it got to the reboot stage - I wonder what will happen when I DO reboot, seeing as I use Zone Alarm...?
Mav
Moderator
Moderator
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

This had me going bnts for around two hours this afternoon as internet was completely blocked on my wife's PC but not on mine.
After comparing all settings with my PC I just couldn't see what was going wrong. Did a restore to before she had installed some software and rebooted but still the same - OK on my PC no internet on wife's.
I removed Zone Alarm just to see if it was the culprit and all internet returned. Unisntalled ZA and re-installed latest version and problem returned but still  not on my PC. Decided something must be serious wrong with wife's PC Angry
Left the wife's as I was about to re-install XP. After full installation inclucing SP3 and other updates I, too, lost all internet connectivity.
A Google search showed the above issue and immediately uninstalled the offending update and all OK. My wife has automatic updates set but I will now change this for her. I have it set to manual but downloaded all anyway as I had just done a clean XP install.
What a day!

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Mav
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 22,371
Thanks: 4,725
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

I now want to update to WMP 11 and 4 other updates:
Quote
Root Certificates Update
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0: x86 (KB829019)
Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1
Advanced Micro Devices - Other Hardware - AMD Processor

I made sure Security Update for Windows XP (KB951748) is unticked but none of the other updates will work even if I attempt each one individually.
Any ideas why this might be?

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Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark Twain
He who feared he would not succeed sat still

MickKi
Grafter
Posts: 543
Registered: ‎30-09-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

Quote from: bobboulby
After I made the change I tested my PC using Shields Up (https://www.grc.com) and it game me a perfect "TruStealth" rating so I assumed that I was ok. I presumed that my Router was still giving me some protection from inbound attacks but I have to admit that I'm no expert on this ?Huh

There's three levels of packet filtering (firewalling) that a GRC probe will have to go through before it arrives (if it ever manages to) at your machine:
1. The PlusNet firewall (only selected ports filtered in its default setting)
2. Your router (should filter the lot and drop uninvited packets)
3. Your PC's firewall - in this case ZA, but for incoming packets WinXP will do a fine job.
So, in all likelihood what you see from grc.com is mostly your router.  To see what your PC is doing you should place it temporarily into a DMZ and run the grc.com test again (or ask a friend to nmap you).
Lucy
Grafter
Posts: 52
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Patch Tuesday - Argh!

I like the BBC's optimism:
Quote
Despite the scale of the operation few are expected to see any disruption to their web experience as the patch is applied.

Grin Grin Grin
... I guess there'll be plenty of spare badwidth tonight as the patch rolls over.