Microsoft recently addressed a vulnerability with Windows Animated Cursor handling by releasing a patch. This patch causes a problem in Windows XP SP2 producing an error message on start up about an ‘Illegal System DLL Relocation’. More information on this error is available here.

The good news is there is already a fix for this problem. The patch, KB935448, can be downloaded from here.

Install this update to resolve an issue where the Realtek HD Audio Control Panel may not start after you install security update KB925902 (MS07-017) and security update KB928843 (MS07-008). After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

A vulnerability has been discovered in Microsoft Windows, which can be exploited by malicious people to compromise a user’s system.

The vulnerability is caused due to a boundary error within the handling of animated cursors and can be exploited to cause a stack-based buffer overflow via a specially crafted animated cursor file.

Successful exploitation allows execution of arbitrary code when a user e.g. visits a malicious website using Internet Explorer or opens a malicious e-mail message.

NOTE: The vulnerability is currently being actively exploited.

Update Downloads

THis vulnerability has been addresses by Microsoft and you should install the patch relevant to your system:

• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 — Download the update
• Windows Vista — Download the update
• Windows Vista x64 Edition — Download the update
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 — Download the update
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 — Download the update
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 — Download the update
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems — Download the update
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 — Download the update

Welcome to the Ask Computer Jim blog, the place to get all the latest news and info about the show. We’ll also be trying out something new this week - releasing the show as a Podcast. But you don’t need an iPod to listen, any MP3 player can be used to download and listen to a Podcast. Find out more about Podcasts here. Don’t worry if you’re without an MP3 player, you’ll also be able to listen to the show in your browser using our embedded flash player. All will be explained in the first Show Notes post.

Each Podcast will be accompanied by a blog post that will contain all of the useful information and links from the radio show. You’ll be able to add comments and contribute answers or just catch up on information you might have missed during the show.

Thanks for reading, and keep listening!

As you may be aware, this year’s Daylight Savings Time (DST) goes into effect Sunday, March 11 and ends on Sunday, November 4. These dates are different from previous Daylight Savings Time due to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Additional information on the DST date change is available at http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/daylight_time.html

What this Means to You?

Telelink and AskComputerJim are preparing for the new DST requirements and we want to make sure you are as well.The following Microsoft operating systems automatically provide a code-fix upgrade, provided you have selected the automatic updates in your Windows operating system, or if you go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com:

• Windows XP SP2
• Windows Server 2003 SP1
• Windows Server 2003 (with no Service Pack)
• Windows 2000 with SP4 (workstation and all server platforms)

For Windows XP (Pre-SP2) and Windows 2000 (pre-SP4), users should update their operating system or applying the latest service pack. For more information, please visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928388 and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/317211.

If you do need additional help, please feel free to email me at help@askcomputerjim.com and let’s schedule an appointment for you.