A patch released from Microsoft earlier this week, through Windows Updates, to close a major security loophole have landed some users in trouble.
If users opt not to install the patch, there are opening door onto trouble from hackers. The flaw would allow malicious hackers to fake website address, even if the user typed it correctly.
Whilst a large majority of users the world over haven’t been effected since installing the update (Update KB951748), some users may well find that they cannot get online. The end result being no access to email or the Internet.
The problem only occurs on machines running Windows XP and 2000. Windows Vista users have nothing to worry about.
Users of the popular freebie firewall software ZoneAlarm have been floored by the fix to the Internet’s addressing system.
Users of the ZoneAlarm are advised by the manufacturer to uninstall the security update, or lower their firewall settings in the software to “medium” temporarily.
Further to this though, ZoneAlarm has started distributing an update to their software, which can resolve the problem even with the fix installed.
Users are always advised to make sure that they keep their machines up-to-date, in two particular areas:-
- Their operating system (i.e. Windows Update)
- AntiVirus software (i.e. Norton’s LiveUpdate)
Users are however strongly advised to install the patch having checked that the above is done regularly.
Link: update for ZoneAlarm (basic / free version)
Link: How to temporarily fix ZoneAlarm - with links for updates for all other versions.
Update:-
- Click the “Start Menu”
- Click “Control Panel”, or click “Settings” then “Control Panel”
- Click on “Add or Remove Programs”
- On the top of the add/remove programs dialog box, you should see a checkbox that says “show updates”. Select this checkbox
- Scroll down until you see “Security update for Windows (KB951748)”
- Click “Remove” to uninstall the hotfix
- Restart PC.
- Done!
Update to update:-
Users have been in touch to say that Internet problems have arisen, despite not having Zone Alarm installed (or at any point in the past).
Advice is: stay tuned and follow advice as listed above in reverse order – AntiVirus updates first, then Windows Updates second.
e.g. Norton users. Press Start > (All) Programs > Norton > either Norton 360, Norton AntiVirus, or Norton Internet Security [depending on what you are using] > when on status screen choose LiveUpdate and run until complete. Restart maybe required. Then you can install KB951748 update as normal.
Of course, any user, from anywhere, who has found a good fix for their PC (on this issue) is more than welcome to share with the rest of us. Click here to get sharing – you might like it! Returning users click here.
