While studying for the win7 exam (70-680) I stumbled upon rather simple way to implement desktop imaging without investing in external tools such as Ghost or Acronis. Although, due to the numerous errors and omissions from all sources I researched, I found no single reference that contained the information needed to generate and apply a working image without error. I’m therefore puting together the following how-to as a complete reference. Click read more to see the how-to. Questions/Comments can be directed to (opticfiber at topsight.net).

Think Vista's secure? Think again.

According to a recent computer world article "...58,000 PCs running Vista were compromised by at least one piece of malware over the six months to May 2008, equivalent to 27 percent of all Vista machines probed. Vista made up 12.6 percent, or 190,692, of the 1,513,502 machines running Windows in the user base."

For more info see: computerworld.com.au

Tweakguides.com has released an all inclusive guide for Windows Vista (all versions). If you're new to windows vista or an advanced user looking to speed up or lock down your vista machine this guide is equally useful and effectively replaces any printed reference material. Best of all it's free.

Note as of writing this post the guide was last update 7/5/07

From Financial Times:

The flaw is a symbolic blow to Microsoft, which has spent five and a half years developing Vista. The software, which was launched two years later than originally planned, is the biggest upgrade to the operating system since the release of Windows 95 and Microsoft focused heavily on improving security.

See more at : Ft.com

From Peter Gutmann:

Windows Vista includes an extensive reworking of core OS elements in order to provide content protection for so-called "premium content", typically HD data from Blu-Ray and HD-DVD sources. Providing this protection incurs considerable costs in terms of system performance, system stability, technical support overhead, and hardware and software cost. These issues affect not only users of Vista but the entire PC industry, since the effects of the protection measures extend to cover all hardware and software that will ever come into contact with Vista, even if it's not used directly with Vista (for example hardware in a Macintosh computer or on a Linux server). This document analyses the cost involved in Vista's content protection, and the collateral damage that this incurs throughout the computer industry.

For more information see: Peter Gutmann complete article

According to microsoft KB913086, all updates are currently avalable on one tidy ISO download for wide deployment.

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913086

According to TheReigster:

Microsoft's patch bandwagon rolled into town yesterday loaded with three critical updates and seven other new bulletins. A cumulative security update for Internet Explorer (MS05-025), a vulnerability in Windows HTML Help that could allow hackers to inject hostile code into vulnerable systems (MS05-026) and a security bug in Windows Server Message Block that could likewise allow remote code execution (MS05-027) all earn Redmond's dreaded critical sobriquet.

Read more at:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/06/15/ms_june_patch_batch/

Yesterday zdnet, released a news story about how microsoft was silent in addressing a vulnerability in it's TCP/IP stack. Today the nice people at eclipse.org.il (Yuri Gushin & Alex Behar) have released Proof of concept code specific to the windows platform on both bugtraq and full disclosure. The PoC code can be found on Yuri and Alex's site.

Today microsoft released beta 1 of its antispyware software which I've tested and verified (no this isn't some sick joke). The software actully works suprisingly well compared to adaware and spy bot search and destroy. So of the key likable features are automatic restore point creation on change, restoration of Internet Explorer setting upon hyjack detection, and active resident protection. As of late it appears microsoft will not be charging for this application so feel free to give it a try.

Download avalable at:
Microsoft.com

Yep, it seems that eBay has started a new year with a little bit of a focus on security. OK, for those that know me, I'm not into Micro$oft all that much - but hey, they are the richest and most dangerous techno monopoly on the 3rd rock from the sun! But, it just doesn't stop at Passport - .net isn't alone either.

According to their press release:

In late January, we will no longer support the ability for members to sign in to eBay through Microsoft Passport.

As part of this change, we will also discontinue sending eBay Notifications through Microsoft .NET alerts.

The press release in it's entirety