I have been trying to move more and more away from the world that is Microsoft (more on that later). However I recently started taking a network security class, and many of the hands-on labs require you to perform security analysis, (analysi, analysises?), against a windows machine. (I guess they make a good study…).

For this last lab, I needed to update my windows machine to the latest patch level, so I clicked on the “Microsoft Update” icon, which took me to the latest version of the windows update page. Unfortunately that was as far as I got. Every time I tried to scan for updates, I received an error message, with the ever helpful code 0×8024502D. After doing some research on this, I discovered that this code meant that my firewall was blocking the communication with the ActiveX control that was being used to scan for updates. They recommended allowing Microsoft’s update site into your “trusted domain” of the firewall, and Internet Explorer.

Some points, in case you haven’t been following along:

1. The SECURITY update site uses an ActiveX control
2. I have to punch a hole in my firewall to receive SECURITY updates
3. Instead of displaying the message: “Your firewall is preventing the update scanner from scanning. Click here for more information.”, they used the helpful message: “Error 0×8024502D”.

And I’m supposed to put these people in my “trusted domain”?

Well, begrudgingly I complied (because not to comply is worse, as is always the case with this particular tech vendor). Then the update scanner scanned, and gave me this message:

To use Microsoft Update, you must first install the latest version of some Windows components. This will allow your computer to work with these new features on the site:

• More updates: Get updates for Windows and for popular Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Office in one place.
• Faster updates: The latest Microsoft Systems Installer (MSI) improves the way updates are installed, delivering updates in the smallest possible packages in the shortest amount of time.
• Easier navigation: Now you can find updates by priority or by product while helpful links and important messages help ensure you are installing all high-priority updates for your computer.

Sounds reasonable enough right, then I clicked the “Details” button to see exactly what this exciting new software component was going to be…

Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130)
443 KB , less than 1 minute
The Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool enables you to verify that your copy of Microsoft Windows is genuine. The tool validates your Windows installation by checking Windows Product Identification and Product Activation status. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Once you have installed this item, it cannot be removed.

Wow. I installed the software (my Windows install is genuine), and was then told that I could proceed with the software update. There were 17 high priority updates, and 2 optional. (11 for windows and 8 for office). on a side note, I think that the capabilities of office have gone a bit to far if there are 8 critical security updates for them… I mean come on, how many people use it for something other than typing things in Word and keeping a budget in Excel?

For the optional updates, there was this interesting one:

Update for Windows XP (KB900930)
Typical download size: 556 KB , less than 1 minute
Install this update to address multiple Outlook Express issues in Windows XP. This update addresses an issue in which messages are improperly handled if the subject line contains the word �begin� and a display issue concerning watched threads in newsgroups. This update also addresses two issues in which Outlook Express stops responding. After you install this update, you may have to restart your computer.

(emphasis added by me)

It’s things like this and a thousand other reasons accumulated over the years that have caused me to begin to make the switch.

More to come on that soon.