Contacting us might be hard today
Just a quick note that the SANS NOC is actively working on a server outage that appears to have a critical role in getting both email and web input to the handlers (who are spread out around the world as some of you might know).
So we're having an unusually quiet day -for a Black Tuesday it's extremely quiet- (did I just say the q word twice? 
). It might take a bit before we can get back to you once the service is restored. So please be patient.
It might be a very good time to remind all of the URL of our alternate "emergency" website network: http://iscems.sans.org/ best to bookmark it should our web servers one day be unavailable for some reason.
Update : Mail routing is back, and we've been monitoring it not for a few hours. If you've not had a response from us, we appologise! If you've request a password reset e-mail, then you'll likely need to request another as they time out.
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Swa Frantzen -- Section 66
December Black Tuesday Overview
Overview of the December 2008 Microsoft patches and their status.
| # | Affected | Contra Indications | Known Exploits | Microsoft rating | ISC rating(*) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| clients | servers | |||||
| MS08-070 | Multiple vulnerabilities in activeX controls from visual basic 6.0's runtime allow random code execution. Also affects Visual studio, Foxpro, Frontpage, and MS Project. The vulnerable files are distributed with 3rd party applications as well. | |||||
| Visual Basic Active X CVE-2008-3704 CVE-2008-4252 CVE-2008-4256 CVE-2008-4253 CVE-2008-4254 CVE-2008-4255 |
KB 932349 |
CVE-2008-3704 Exploit code publicly available since August 2008. |
Critical | PATCH NOW | Important | |
| MS08-071 | Multiple overflow vulnerabilities allow code execution with the rights of the logged on user via crafted WMF files. Replaces MS08-021. |
|||||
| GDI CVE-2008-3465 CVE-2008-2249 |
KB 956802 | No publicly known exploits. | Critical | Critical | Important | |
| MS08-072 | A multitude of vulnerabilities allow random code execution in office (and via extension Outlook). Also affects the mac versions of office (Office 2004 and Office 2008). Replaces MS08-026, MS08-042, MS08-052 and MS08-057. |
|||||
| Word CVE-2008-4024 CVE-2008-4025 CVE-2008-4026 CVE-2008-4027 CVE-2008-4028 CVE-2008-4030 CVE-2008-4837 CVE-2008-4031 |
No publicly known exploits. |
Critical | Critical | Important | ||
| MS08-073 | Multiple vulnerabilities allow random code execution with the rights of the logged on user. Replaces MS08-058. |
|||||
| MSIE CVE-2008-4258 CVE-2008-4259 CVE-2008-4261 CVE-2008-4260 |
KB 958215 | No publicly known exploits. | Critical | Critical | Important | |
| MS08-074 | Multiple vulnerabilities allo allow random code execution in office. Also affects the mac versions of office (Office 2004 and Office 2008). Replaces MS08-058. |
|||||
| Excel CVE-2008-4265 CVE-2008-4264 CVE-2008-4266 |
No publicly known exploits. |
Critical | Critical | Important | ||
| MS08-075 | Multiple vulnerabilities allow random code execution with the rights of the logged on user. Replaces MS08-038. |
|||||
| Windows explorer CVE-2008-4269 CVE-2008-4268 |
KB 959349 | No publicly known exploits. | Critical | Critical | Important | |
| MS08-076 | Multiple vulnerabilities allow random code execution with the rights of the logged-on user. | |||||
| WMC (media player) CVE-2008-3010 CVE-2008-3009 |
No publicly known exploits. |
Important | Critical | Important | ||
| MS08-077 | Bypassing authentication is possible on sharepoint servers. Replaces MS07-059. |
|||||
| Sharepoint CVE-2008-4032 |
KB 957175 | Microsoft's workaround publicizes serious clues on how to attack: "block all HTTP requests to your SharePoint site that contain "mode=ssp" in the URL, but do not contain "/ssp/admin/_layouts" in the URL" | Important | N/A | Critical | |
We appreciate updates
US based customers can call Microsoft for free patch related support on 1-866-PCSAFETY
- We use 4 levels:
- PATCH NOW: Typically used where we see immediate danger of exploitation. Typical environments will want to deploy these patches ASAP. Workarounds are typically not accepted by users or are not possible. This rating is often used when typical deployments make it vulnerable and exploits are being used or easy to obtain or make.
- Critical: Anything that needs little to become "interesting" for the dark side. Best approach is to test and deploy ASAP. Workarounds can give more time to test.
- Important: Things where more testing and other measures can help.
- Less Urgent: Typically we expect the impact if left unpatched to be not that big a deal in the short term. Do not forget them however.
- The difference between the client and server rating is based on how you use the affected machine. We take into account the typical client and server deployment in the usage of the machine and the common measures people typically have in place already. Measures we presume are simple best practices for servers such as not using outlook, MSIE, word etc. to do traditional office or leisure work.
- The rating is not a risk analysis as such. It is a rating of importance of the vulnerability and the perceived or even predicted threat for affected systems. The rating does not account for the number of affected systems there are. It is for an affected system in a typical worst-case role.
- Only the organization itself is in a position to do a full risk analysis involving the presence (or lack of) affected systems, the actually implemented measures, the impact on their operation and the value of the assets involved.
- All patches released by a vendor are important enough to have a close look if you use the affected systems. There is little incentive for vendors to publicize patches that do not have some form of risk to them.
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Swa Frantzen -- Section 66
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