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patch posts

Filed under: Enterprise, Productivity, Software Update

Patch for Microsoft Office 2008 XML issues now available

As promised, Microsoft has released a patch (dubbed version 12.2.1) to address issues that some Microsoft Office 2008 users have had with opening XML-based documents. When attempting to open a document in Microsoft Office 2008, some users have been presented with an error message that resembles the following:

"Microsoft Excel cannot open the file. You may have to download the latest updates for Office for Mac. Do you want to visit the Microsoft Web site for more information?"

For those who held off on the Service Pack 2 update, guess what? Surprise! Service Pack 2 is required to install the patch. Unlike many Mac apps, where update checks are found in an app's namesake menu, in Microsoft Office 2008 it's in the "help" menu. So, click on "help," and "check for updates" and you're all set. Well, you're all set if you already had Service Pack 2 installed. You're only halfway there if you didn't have it installed. If this is the case, simply do this again. And there you go. Opening XML on Microsoft Office 2008 is no longer XM-hell. (You can also download the patch from the Mactopia web site.)

Filed under: Hacks, Bugs/Recalls, Software Update, Security, iPhone

Did we say Saturday? iPhone OS 3.0.1 out now to block SMS exploit



Maybe it's already Saturday in the UK, or close to it: Apple has released iPhone OS 3.0.1 for iPhone, iPhone 3G & 3GS, an update that patches the phone to prevent bad actors from taking it over or taking it down with the just-demoed SMS exploit.
The update weighs in at close to 300 MBabout 230 MB (like all iPhone updates, it's a full image of the OS), and as far as we can tell there are no other fixes or tweaks; just the privilege of continuing to use your iPhone in peace and security.

Update with care, and let us know in the comments how the update works for you!

14:30 ET: Apple's security mailing list just delivered the notes for 3.0.1, they are reproduced in the 2nd half of this post. Also worth noting that the SMS exploit is not endemic to the iPhone alone; both Android and Windows Mobile platforms can be attacked with similar techniques, although Google tells BW that the issue on Android phones is now fixed (presumably through carrier action on T-Mobile's side, not confirmed though).

Continue readingDid we say Saturday? iPhone OS 3.0.1 out now to block SMS exploit

Filed under: Security

Java vulnerability in Mac OS X finally patched

It's been a long wait. Fire up Software Update and you should see Java for Mac OS X 10.5 (or 10.4) update 4. This update closes a vulnerability first discussed in August of last year; it was patched by Sun and most other JVM developers months ago.

Apple's sluggishness on fixing this security issue could have allowed attackers to run arbitrary applications or processes on your machine if you visited a webpage hosting a malicious Java applet. The vulnerability was pointed out in graphic fashion by security researcher Landon Fuller.

Fuller took the exploit code that was circulating in the wild and built a proof of concept page that would run an innocuous program (the command-line 'say' utility) from a rigged Java applet; after the ensuing publicity, less than a month later, we have a patch.

Once you've updated, if you took the precaution of disabling Java in your browser settings, you can feel free to go ahead and turn it back on... although, if you haven't missed it, no need to change anything.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.


[via Glenn Fleishman / TidBITS]

Filed under: Hardware, Software Update, Steve Jobs, Macbook Pro, MacBook

MacBook/Pro trackpad fix coming soon

Several people who own the new, unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros are reporting trouble with the glass trackpads. Specifically, it's been failing to register clicks, seemingly at random. One user even told PC Pro, "I don't even attempt to use this machine unless I'm at a desk using a mouse."

One user sent a complaint to Steve Jobs via email, and (reportedly) received the brief reply,
"Software fix coming soon." We couldn't confirm that Steve himself actually sent this message, but he has responded to user emails in the past.

Personally, I've only used a new MacBook for a few hours and didn't experience any issues. We'll let you know as soon as this update becomes available.

[Via AppleInsider]

Filed under: iPod Family, Security

iPod touch firmware, Bonjour for Windows close security holes

It's not all new features and delight behind the scenes with the now-shipping iPod touch 2.1 firmware -- among the updates and changes are five patches to address security issues with the device. Frameworks that have been tweaked include the Application Sandbox, CoreGraphics, the mDNSResponder, Networking, and WebKit.

The mDNS fix tackles the Dan Kaminsky DNS vulnerability that sparked controversy over the pace of Apple's patch releases... yet more proof that the iPod touch is a teensy little computer, with all the risks and challenges thereto. You can review the security notes for the update at Apple's security site, and of course you can download the update through iTunes.

Also updated for security purposes today was the Bonjour for Windows package, now at version 1.0.5. This utility, which gives XP and Vista machines access to zero-configuration network resources such as printers or Mac OS X web sharing, now includes a couple of DNS-related patches including one for the vulnerability noted above. See here for the full details; Bonjour for Windows is downloadable from Apple as well.

Filed under: OS, Software Update, Apple

10.5.2 in Software Update right now

Apple has dropped a 10.5.2 update out on Software Update. The patch has a number of different bugfixes all across the OS, from Dashboard and Airport improvements all the way to a menubar option in Time Machine and the disabling of GrowlMail 1.1.2 or earlier "to avoid security issues fix 1.1.2 from crashing growlmail."

My Software Update is apparently taking its sweet time downloading the patch, but other TUAWers have already grabbed it and gotten rolling. Welcome to 10.5.2!

UPDATE: Chris Forsythe from Growl notified us that it wasn't a security issue with Growl.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Cool tools, Graphic Design

Pixelmator releases version 1.1.2



I nabbed Pixelmator last week as part of the Macheist bundle, and I have to say that it's quickly become my photo editor of choice for blogging-- it's quick, beautiful, simple, and perfect for what I need. Of course, what I need is mostly just resizing and cropping (with the occasional color fills or quick brushes), so I'm not a pro photo editor by any means, but as the creators said in our interview, it gets the job done.

And with the new patch 1.1.2, just released today, it gets the job done even better. The patch offers quite a few bug fixes, and a short list of interface tweaks and improvements. Selection tools have been beefed up, as have those color fills (they work in real-time, unlike before, you know, when they worked in fake-time). The update is now available for download over on the site, or should show up in the application as well.

Filed under: Security

Office 11.3.7 update fixes security hole

Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends -- Patch Tuesday. Microsoft's once-a-month day to caulk and fill security holes and repair product bugs has a special treat for all of us this time around: a patch for Microsoft Office 2004. The vulnerability in question also affects Windows 2000, 2003 and XP along with Visual Basic 6.0, and could theoretically allow the crafter of a malicious web page to get full access to a targeted computer. See the technical details on the "vulnerability in OLE automation" here. Note that this exploit has not been seen in the wild; it was 'responsibly reported.'

The 11.3.7 update to Office is downloadable now and weighs in at 8.7 MB, with no features mentioned except for the security fix. Happy patching!

Thanks, Scott.

Tip of the Day

Holding the Command key (aka the Apple key) and pressing Tab will cycle through your open applications. It's easier to Cmd-Tab if you are Copy (Cmd-C) and Pasting (Cmd-V) to and from various applications.


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