Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer V1.2

Yesterday I installed the latest Baseline Security Analyzer and started applying patches. This version is much more useful than the previous version and HFNETCHKLT. The big reason is that it can scan more products. As an example it pointed out that I was missing the latest patches for Exchange 2000, SQL 2000, MDAC, and MSXML. Windows Update identified that the MDAC patch was missing.

MBSA can scan for security updates in the following products:

  • Microsoft Office 
  • Exchange Server 2003
  • MDAC 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8
  • Microsoft Virtual Machine
  • MSXML 2.5, 2.6, 3.0, and 4.0
  • BizTalk Server 2000, 2002, and 2004
  • Commerce Server 2000 and 2002
  • Content Management Server 2001 and 2002
  • Host Integration Server 2000, 2004, and SNA Server 4.0

The Braden Files : Looking Beyond Iraq

The Bush Administration never saw the war in Iraq as either a stand-alone operation or as distinct from the generalized war on the Islamist movement that al Qaeda was part of. As clumsy, and at times, as devious the public presentation of the war was, it had a clear logic. Despite ongoing tactical problems in and around Baghdad, the broad strategic goals of the Iraq campaign are being realized. Therefore, the question now is: What will the next stage of the U.S.-Islamist war look like?

I have to admit that I am very tired of the recent media buzz about faulty MWD intelligence. I am developing a mild case of cyncism toward the administration and the quality of the intelligence community even though I feel Saddam got what he deserved.

This stratfor article is an intriguing analysis of current Iraqi and al Qaeda events. I am looking forward to seeing how well the forecast for Saudi Arabia and Pakistan pans out over this election year. If he is correct this will be a great year for the newscasters.

Distribution Release: Knoppix STD 0.1. The first stable version of Knoppix STD has been released: “I'm pleased to announce Knoppix-STD 0.1. Boot the CD and hit Alt-F7 for an introduction to the new features.” Download: knoppix-std-0.1.iso (497MB);… [DistroWatch]

This is a customized version of knoppix that looks slightly better for the security consultant. It has a lot of forensic(i.e. legal hacking tools) pre-installed