Patches & Support files - September '97

Updates and fixes from this month's Bug Patrol Column

Rose Vines provides bugs, fixes, anomalies and workarounds for your favourite applications.

The Internet

The Web is a colander
After months of reporting various security breaches in Internet Explorer in this column, you might think it's time to jump ships and use Netscape as your browser. Well, maybe you need to think again: Netscape has been scrambling to close its own recently discovered security holes. More disturbing, though, is the unearthing of major security flaws in Java, which affect any Java-enabled browser (and that includes both IE and Netscape).

One of the recently uncovered JavaScript holes allows a hacker to steal information entered into Web forms, regardless of whether the user's browser employs encryption technology or the Web site is behind a security firewall.

Let's face it: Web security currently has all the characteristics of a colander. Microsoft, Netscape, Sun and other players are posting fixes for security breaches almost fortnightly.

Rather than give you news of the latest patches -- which will most likely be superseded by the time you read this -- the best advice we can give is for you to adopt your own security plan on the Web:

1. Keep in mind the lack of dependable security on the Internet whenever you provide personal or financial information to Web sites. You need to make your own assessment of the risks involved. Remember that while there are problems with browser security, the dangers are often blown out of proportion. The risks in, say, using a credit card on the Web, are probably no worse than giving your card details over the phone or using a card in a restaurant where it is whisked out of your sight. If you do use your credit card on the Web, make sure you keep careful track of your card statements.

2. Visit your browser's main site regularly to check on security alerts. Microsoft has a special site devoted entirely to security issues in all its products. Internet Explorer users should visit the site weekly at www.microsoft.com/security. If you're a Netscape or Communicator user, drop by www.netscape.com for the latest information.

3. Adjust your browser's security settings. You can decide, amongst other things, whether your browser will run Java applets, accept cookies or warn you before information is sent to a Web site. Check out these settings and set them to a level that makes you comfortable.

Windows NT

No joy with NT
We know Windows NT 4 is the real workhorse of Microsoft's operating systems, but it seems things with NT are even more serious than we thought: joysticks and NT don't mix.

If you're using Win NT 4 Workstation or Server and find your joystick suddenly loses control or appears to act as if you're pressing all the buttons simultaneously, then you need to get yourself the NT Service Pack 2.

Of course, Service Pack 2 (and 3, which is also available but requires Service Pack 2 to be installed first) provide many more improvements than a working joystick. You can get the service packs from Microsoft's Web server at www.microsoft.com/ntserver/info/servicepacks.htm, or you'll find both Service Packs 2 and 3 on this CD.

Paint Shop Pro

Disappearing toolbars
In our April Bug Patrol, we included a registry patch to fix the problem of disappearing toolbars in Paint Shop Pro 4. You can get a more permanent fix to the problem by grabbing a copy of the latest shareware version of Paint Shop Pro (4.12) from www.jasc.com. We've included the shareware version on this month's PC User Offline CD-ROM. If you have a registered copy of Paint Shop Pro 4.0 or 4.1, all you need is the upgrade to version 4.12, which we've also included on the CD-ROM.

Word Pro

SmartSuite Update Program
Lotus has introduced an Update Program for SmartSuite 97. The company is producing quarterly updates which fix bugs and provide incremental improvements to the various SmartSuite programs.

The (US) Summer Update Kits include fixes for Lotus 1-2-3 @ function bugs, a JPEG filter for Freelance Graphics, improved ODBC and SQL support in Approach, printing and file filter enhancements for Word Pro, and other assorted goodies.

Keep track of the latest on the Update Program at www.support.lotus.com, and check the PC User Offline CD for the summer collection of upgrades.

Previous PC User Offline CD's

Patches and Support files - August '97

Patches and Support files - July '97

Patches and Support files - June '97

Patches and Support files - May '97

Patches and Support files - April '97

Patches and Support files - March '97