TechSoup Stock New Product Alert – June 2007

I have two exciting announcements connected to the month of June. First of all, mark June 30 on your calendar! Our fiscal year end is coming soon and your organization may benefit. In addition, our customers may earn 5 free movie rentals during our June Movie Jam with Jaman. Read on for more information about these two June events.

 

Also this month, I’d like to let you know about:

o new Intuit Canada products for Canadian organizations o the return of Magic School Bus (for a limited time) for public libraries.

 

And we have two new TechSoup web pages which may assist you if you’re considering an upgrade to Windows Vista or Office 2007.

 

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JUNE 30TH — SAVE THE DATE!

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Many of the donation programs at TechSoup Stock allow organizations to receive a fixed quantity of technology products between July 1st and June 30th of each year (TechSoup Stock’s fiscal year). Then, on July 1st, organizations again become eligible to place orders for these products.

 

To see which donation programs are on a fiscal year-end schedule, visit:

http://ga0.org/ct/Z1LRaAn1pYmR/

 

IMPORTANT: The Microsoft Software Donation Program (MSDP) and the Microsoft Canada I CAN program ARE NOT affected by the June 30th deadline.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Q: How can I find out which products my organization already received through TechSoup Stock during this past fiscal year?

A: It’s easy to check your order history:

http://ga0.org/ct/KpLRaAn1pYmQ/

 

Q: Can I only order from one donation program during your fiscal year?

A: Your organization may be eligible to order from multiple programs, or place more than one order per program, during our fiscal year. View the eligibility guidelines for individual programs here: http://ga0.org/ct/Z7LRaAn1pYmT/

 

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JUNE MOVIE JAM WITH JAMAN

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TechSoup Stock and Jaman are pleased to present a special offer that makes it easy (and free) for nonprofits and public libraries to discover inspirational and eye-opening films that highlight social and environmental issues.

 

From June 1-14, the first 5,000 eligible organizations to register on TechSoup Stock for the first time or place a donation request will receive a “movie pack” of 5 movie rentals from Jaman for free. We expect to have enough movie packs to last 14 days, but supplies are limited.

 

Jaman (http://ga0.org/ct/DdLRaAn1pYm9/) specializes in socially relevant documentaries, world cinema, and other genres of particular interest to the social change community. You can even upload your own film that tells your organization’s story.

 

Learn more about the June Movie Jam with Jaman and check out our movie recommendations:

http://ga0.org/ct/ZdLRaAn1pYmY/

 

ELIGIBILITY: U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits and Canadian Registered Charities; U.S. and Canadian public libraries

 

On TechSoup – Digital Storytelling: A Tutorial in 10 Easy Steps http://ga0.org/ct/D7LRaAn1pYmo/

 

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INTUIT CANADA DONATIONS

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We have some exciting news for Canadian nonprofits and libraries! TechSoup Stock now offers donated Intuit accounting and financial management software specifically designed for Canada. Both Canadian and U.S. product versions from Intuit are now available to Canadian nonprofits and public libraries. Learn more about the Intuit Donation Program at http://ga0.org/ct/DpLRaAn1pYml/

 

One of the most requested product donations at TechSoup Stock is Intuit’s QuickBooks, which can help your organization with essential financial tasks like payables and receivables. It also helps with more advanced tasks, such as customer management, forecasting, cash flow projections, and tracking vehicle mileage. We have three versions of QuickBooks in stock, including QuickBooks Premier 2006 (Canadian Version) for an administrative fee of $45 USD ($49 CAD) (retail value is $332 USD).

 

View the product details for Intuit Canada product donations:

http://ga0.org/ct/KdLRaAn1pYmp/

 

ELIGIBILITY: Canadian Registered Charities and nonprofits; Canadian public libraries. View eligibility restrictions:

http://ga0.org/ct/ZpLRaAn1pYmH/

 

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MAGIC SCHOOL BUS — FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES ============================================

Microsoft Magic School Bus learning software for Windows and Mac is now back in stock for a limited time through June 22 at TechSoup Stock. Please note that this software is only available to qualified U.S. and Canadian public libraries (for use on their public access computers).

 

Travel to exotic locales with Ms. Frizzle and the gang with our Magic School Bus titles, recommended for ages 6 through 10. You may wish to request the Magic School Bus Bundle, which includes four popular titles.

 

The Magic School Bus product donations are available for qualified U.S. and Canadian public libraries for administrative fees ranging from $1 to $4, as part of Microsoft’s donation program for public libraries.

 

Learn more and place your donation request:

http://ga0.org/ct/K1LRaAn1pYm0/

 

Review the Microsoft Public Libraries Software Donation Program

restrictions:

http://ga0.org/ct/V1LRaAn1pYmG/

 

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NEW PRODUCT RESOURCE PAGES

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Considering upgrading to Windows Vista or Office 2007? TechSoup has introduced new resource pages to help you make decisions about new products.

Find support, product information, free trials, and more:

 

o Windows Vista Resource Page

http://ga0.org/ct/V7LRaAn1pYm-/

 

o Microsoft Office 2007 Resource Page

http://ga0.org/ct/VdLRaAn1pYmF/

 

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TELL A FRIEND

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As a nonprofit helping other nonprofits get the technology they need, TechSoup Stock depends on your referrals to reach organizations that may not know about our service. I encourage you to take a moment and forward this email to nonprofits and libraries you know that could benefit from access to these products and savings. Since 2002, TechSoup Stock has helped over 50,000 nonprofits and public libraries take advantage of product donations.

 

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QUESTIONS?

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If you have questions about our donation programs that were not addressed by this email or the program pages on our web site, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Department via email at newproducts@techsoup.org or call us at 1-800-659-3579, extension 700. TechSoup Stock Customer Service is available Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time. In addition, you may get answers to your questions at our online Email and Answer Center at http://ga0.org/ct/K7LRaAn1pYmP/.

 

Sincerely,

 

Rebecca Masisak

Vice President and General Manager

 

TechSoup Stock

Bringing technology donations to nonprofits http://www.techsoup.org/stock http://www.techsoup.org/stock/libraries (libraries start here)

Firefox Patch Corrects a Critical Flaw (Plus Minor Ones)

Severity: Medium

31 May, 2007

Summary:

Yesterday, the Mozilla Foundation released an update to fix five security vulnerabilities in Firefox 1.5.0.11 and 2.0.0.3, for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh. If one of your Firefox users visits a malicious Web page, an attacker could exploit the worst of these vulnerabilities to execute code on that user’s computer, with that user’s privileges, possibly gaining complete control of the computer. If you run Firefox on any platform, you should download and deploy version 2.0.0.4 at your earliest convenience.

Exposure:

Yesterday, the Mozilla Foundation released Firefox 1.5.0.12 and Firefox 2.0.0.4, fixing five security vulnerabilities in the popular web browser. While most of these vulnerabilities pose only a low to moderate risk, Mozilla does rate one as critical.

This critical vulnerability involves unspecified flaws in the way Firefox handles Javascript. If an attacker can trick one of your Firefox users into visiting a malicious Web page containing specially malformed Javascript, he can exploit these flaws to corrupt Firefox’s memory space. A skilled attacker could leverage this memory corruption to execute malicious code on your user’s computer, with your user’s privileges. Since most Windows users run as administrator of their own machine, this usually means the attacker gains complete control of your user’s computer.

The remaining vulnerabilities include a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaw, a low risk Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerability, and a minor URL spoofing issue. If you’d like to know more about them, check out Firefox’s known issues page. However, the critical vulnerability alone should convince you to upgrade your Firefox users to the fixed version at your earliest convenience.

Solution Path:

Mozilla has updated Firefox in order to correct these security vulnerabilities. If you use Firefox in your network, we recommend that you download and deploy version 2.0.0.4 as soon as possible. Mozilla also released Firefox version 1.5.0.12 to fix these issues for users who insist on sticking with the 1.5.x branch of Firefox. However, Mozilla plans to end 1.5.x support in the future. We recommend that 1.5.x users migrate to 2.0.0.4 now.

• Windows
• Linux
• Mac OS X

Note: The latest versions of Firefox 2.0 automatically inform you when a Firefox update is available. We highly recommend you keep this feature enabled so that Firefox receives its updates as soon as Mozilla releases them. To verify you have Firefox configured to automatically check for updates, click Tools => Options => Advanced tab => Update tab. Make sure that “Firefox” is checked under “Automatically check for updates.” In this menu, you can configure Firefox to automatically download and install the update, or to simply inform the user that the update exists.

For All WatchGuard Users:

Some of these attacks arrive as normal-looking HTTP traffic, which you must allow through your firewall if your network users need to access the World Wide Web. Therefore, the patches above are your best solution.

Status:

The Mozilla Foundation has released Firefox 1.5.0.12 and 2.0.0.4, fixing these security issues.

References:

• Firefox 2.0.0.4 Release Notes

Vulnerabilities Fixed in Firefox 2.0.0.4

Help & How-To Weekend Project:Prep Your PC for Vista

Getting ready for Windows Vista? Follow these steps before you pop in that upgrade disc.

By Jamie Bsales

Microsoft Windows Vista, the long-awaited successor to Windows XP, is finally here—but is your system ready for it? If you own an older PC, chances are it falls short of the hardware requirements you’ll need to enjoy the new OS in all its glory. Fortunately, getting your system Vista-ready is a task you can undertake at home. In a few simple steps, we help you determine what components your PC needs and how to install them.

Step 1: Determine the Vista version you want

Vista certainly makes a strong case for itself. Aero, its slick new 3D interface, delivers translucent effects and smooth animations, as well as a more intuitive way to manage your open windows. Aero works only on PCs that have a powerful-enough 3D-graphics engine installed, however.

Vista’s not just good looks. In terms of features, Microsoft has added a host of security, search, and performance enhancements in its latest Windows, as well as data-migration and -backup tools. (See www.microsoft.com/windowsvista for details.)

Of course, upgrading an operating system isn’t a task to be undertaken lightly. You always face the risk that a legacy device or an aging (or custom) application won’t work with the new OS. Before you begin, gauge whether the benefits of the upgrade outweigh the cost and potential pitfalls.

If you’re sold on an upgrade, you’ll need to determine which version of Vista is right for you. Vista Home Basic ($199, or $99.95 for those upgrading from a registered copy of Windows) delivers enhanced security and a data-migration assistant, as well as the new Instant Search feature, which lets you quickly find a file on your hard drive by entering a relevant keyword. You don’t get the Aero interface with Vista Basic, but its hardware requirements are fairly lenient: an 800MHz or faster processor, at least 512MB of RAM, and DirectX 9-compatible graphics.

Vista Home Premium ($239, or $159 for the upgrade version) delivers the same benefits as Home Basic, plus the Aero interface and all the multimedia features formerly found only in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (photo, video, and music management; TV recording and playback; and the living-room-friendly, couch-side user interface). Also, you can more easily collaborate and share documents, using the new Windows Meeting Space feature. To run Vista Premium, you’ll need a 1GHz or faster CPU, 1GB of RAM, a DirectX 9 GPU with at least 128MB of dedicated video RAM and support for Pixel Shader 2.0, a TV-tuner card (optional), a 40GB or bigger hard drive (with 15GB of available space), and a DVD-ROM drive.

The top of the line is Vista Ultimate ($399, or $259 for the upgrade), which adds data-backup and -encryption capabilities, as well as native remote-access features. It has the same hardware requirements as Vista Home Premium.

Step 2: Download the Upgrade Advisor

Microsoft makes it easy for users with Windows XP machines to determine exactly what new hardware their target PCs may need, thanks to its free Vista Upgrade Advisor tool. Download and install the tool, then launch the Advisor. It automatically scans your PC and generates a handy printable report that tells you which system, device, and program issues you need to address before you can upgrade to Vista.

On an older PC, for example, you’ll likely need to add more RAM and a more powerful graphics card. (We’ll address these upgrades in Steps 3 and 4.) If the Advisor recommends that you upgrade your PC’s CPU and hard drive, too, it’s time to rethink your plan. The cost of all those new components, plus the OS itself, is likely more than you’d pay for a whole new Vista-equipped PC.

Step 3: Install the recommended amount of RAM

Press each RAM module firmly into its slot, then snap up the plastic tabs to hold it in place.

If your PC lacks enough memory to support Vista, you’ll need to add more RAM. Check your PC’s documentation for the type of RAM your model of motherboard accepts. If you don’t have the manual or it doesn’t specify, don’t worry: Most online and retail computer-parts makers have a database they can check to determine the right RAM for your model. Just be sure to have the exact manufacturer, model name, and model number of your PC handy. We recommend that you upgrade to at least 1GB of RAM for Vista. You may want to install the additional RAM as a pair of identical modules, instead of one big module—assuming your motherboard has the slots to accept the pair. Doing so can confer the small performance benefit of a dual-channel memory configuration.

To install the new RAM, first power down and unplug your machine. Never open the case with the power cord still attached, as juice could still be flowing inside the chassis, even if the power button is off. Also, be sure to touch the metal chassis frame before you work inside the case. With the power cord disconnected, the machine is no longer grounded, and static from your hands (called electrostatic discharge, or ESD) could damage internal components.

Locate the RAM slots on the motherboard, and flip down the plastic tabs that hold the module or modules in place. Handling a module only by its edges, press the new memory firmly into place (the module’s edge will be keyed to match the slot) and flip up the tabs to lock it in.

If you need to install a new graphics card, too, don’t button up the case just yet. But before carrying on with the graphics card, first reconnect your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and power cord, then boot the machine to check that the RAM is working. If the machine fails to boot, power down, unplug, and check that the module is seated properly. If all goes according to plan, you should be able to see the new RAM amount listed on Windows’ System Properties pane. (Double-click the System icon in Control Panel.)

Step 4: Install the new graphics card

Slide the new graphics card into place, then screw down its bracket to fasten it securely.

Assuming you need more graphics horsepower to run Vista’s Aero interface, installing a new graphics adapter is the next hurdle. First, determine which type of add-in card your motherboard will accept (AGP or the newer PCI Express, or, failing either of those, old-style regular PCI) by checking the documentation or online knowledge base. (If all else fails, you’ll need to look at the internal slot on your motherboard, and match it to diagrams of graphics-card slots you can find online.)

To ensure your system’s longevity, pick a recent midrange graphics card, such as the $130 EVGA e-GeForce 7600 GS we used. This will give you plenty of overhead not just for Vista, but also for moderate 3D gaming.

Follow the steps of powering down, unplugging, and protecting your machine from ESD, just like you did when installing the new RAM. Locate the open slot for the graphics card on your motherboard and remove the small metal strip at the rear of the PC to make way for the rear-facing connectors on the new card. Seat the card securely, and screw its bracket into place. Button up your machine, power it on, and install any drivers that came with your new card.

Step 5: Uninstall incompatible apps, install Vista

When you ran the Vista Upgrade Advisor, the utility generated a list of programs installed on your PC that have known incompatibilities with the new OS. You’ll need to uninstall those programs (using the Add or Remove Programs utility in Control Panel) before installing the OS.

Once that’s complete, your PC should be up to par, so pop in the upgrade disc, install Vista, and enjoy the new view.

GET (OR GIVE) HELP WITH VISTA

Check out the Computer Shopper Vista forum to get answers to your questions on using the new OS. Or flex your geek chops by answering other participants’ questions.

All versions of Office can play nice — Crabby shows you how

The Crabby Office Lady

The world would be pretty boring if we all looked the same, liked the same things, and thought exactly alike. However, when it comes to software, it helps if everyone is on the same page, using the same version. When that isn’t possible, it’s up to you to … adapt.

Applies to

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Get the Crabby Office Lady’s book
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Many of you have already hopped on board the 2007 Microsoft Office system. You’re getting to know the Ribbon (which is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface), you and that Office button have a little office romance going on, and you’re creating skyscrapers with the building blocks in Microsoft Office Word 2007. In a phrase, you’re captain of your computer and a pillar of productivity.

However (and there is always a “however” since everyone is a little bit different), not everyone you work or are friends with — be it inside or outside your organization — is using Office 2007 (could it be?). Some are sticking with Office 2003, others never got off the Office XP bus, while others are still partying like it’s 1999 (when Office 2000 came out).

So even though being unique is a great thing (and “unique” rhymes with my real name … ), it doesn’t always work well when it comes to sharing files among your peers and your customers. That’s why we’ve made it simple for all of you, no matter what version of Excel, PowerPoint, or Word you’re using, to create, open, and share your files.

Making sure Office 2007 files can be opened and viewed

Yes, you can do this because no, we are not trying to exclude anyone who hasn’t had the sense to upgrade to Office 2007.

 Note   It’s okay folks — you can stop that frantic clickety-clack of your fingers as they send off an irritated e-mail to me about how not everyone can upgrade at will. Rest easy: I know that if you work for a company that is not upgrading, you are at the mercy of the decision makers. But if you CAN upgrade, I highly recommend that you do.

There are a couple of ways to make sure that everyone is able to read, view, and work with Office 2007 documents, presentations, and workbooks.

• If you are the one who created the Office 2007 file, you can save a copy of it that is compatible with Word 97-2003, PowerPoint 97-2003, or Excel 97-2003. Click one or more of the links in the See also section to learn how to do that for each program.
• If you are the one who is opening a Word 2007, PowerPoint 2007, or Excel 2007 file with an earlier version, you can download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats, which will allow you to do just that.

Note that certain 2007 features are lost or changed when you open a document, presentation, or workbook with an earlier version of Office. You can read more about that, too, by clicking the links in the See also section at the top of this page.

Working in Word 2007 with previous versions

If you have Word 2007 but receive a document that was created in a previous version of Word, when you open it, Compatibility Mode is turned on automatically. This ensures that no new or enhanced features in Word 2007 are available while you’re working with the document. Thus, people who are using previous versions of Word will have the full editing capabilities of those versions.

You can also convert this document to Word 2007 so that you can take full advantage of the new features in Word 2007 that aren’t available in other versions.

Take a look at this demo that shows you what you need to know about working in Word 2007 with documents created in other versions.

Working in PowerPoint 2007 with previous versions

If someone sends you a presentation created in an earlier version of PowerPoint, you have two choices: Keep the presentation in its original format, thereby making sure that everyone has access to all its functionality and features, or convert it to the PowerPoint 2007 format (.pptx). Me, I’d do both: Keep the original one that was sent to you, and then save it with a different file name in the new format.

If you do decide to convert the presentation to the current file format (.pptx), you should check whether a PowerPoint 2007 presentation is compatible with earlier versions of PowerPoint. There are several new features in PowerPoint 2007 that aren’t available in earlier versions, and you wouldn’t want to send off a presentation that didn’t look exactly like you expected, would you? Of course you wouldn’t. So do yourself (and your audience) a favor: Run the checker.

Working in Excel 2007 with previous versions

If you have Excel 2007, you can open a workbook that was created in an earlier version of Excel and work in Compatibility Mode so that the workbook remains in a file format that can easily be opened again in the earlier version. An Excel 2007 workbook can also be opened in an earlier version of Excel by downloading the Compatibility Pack.

And if you convert the workbook to the current Excel 2007 file format (.xlsx), you can check your workbook for compatibility with earlier versions of Excel so that you can make the necessary changes to avoid the loss of data or fidelity that might occur when that workbook is opened in an earlier version of Excel.

As you see, we can all play together nicely; it’s just a matter of those who have Office 2007 being sensitive to the fact that not everyone else does, and those not yet using Office 2007 being sensitive to the glory that some already are.

Something new! Office Hours: Your inside look into how WE work with Office

You have choices when it comes to learning how to use Office programs: You can read assistance articles and columns, watch demos, take free online training, and more. Now we’ve come up with a way to share, with other Office users such as yourself, some of the ways in which we here at Microsoft use the very same products you’re using. I know that I’ve learned a lot just by gazing over my cohorts’ shoulders to observe how they begin to create a presentation, how they organize their copious notes, and even how they use their Tablet PCs in a meeting. (And no, this isn’t cheating; there normally are no tests at the end of meetings.) Well now we want YOU to get a peek into the hearts and minds of Office users at Microsoft.

I’ve assembled an ever-growing group of folks here  — some of whom work in the Office group, and some who are in other groups — who are willing to share their time, expertise, and trade secrets (theirs, not the company’s, of course) with you, the folks who make our jobs possible. A new column called Office Hours will be coming your way every other Monday starting April 30, 2007. There will be a different columnist each week, covering a wide variety of topics. For example, one week you may read about the best ways to take notes using your Tablet PC, and the next column might be all about storyboarding using PowerPoint. These aren’t necessarily “how-to” columns; they’re more scenario-focused, and their goal is to offer you a different way to learn more about the programs you use. We’re hoping they may just set off a lightbulb in your head that gives you ideas for new and better ways of working.

Take a look at the first column that islive today, April 30, 2007, The 5 W’s of note taking, and on May 14, head over to the Office Hours Home Page to read all about the most efficient ways to get all your RSS feeds in Outlook. Then, every other Monday, check back for a new column. And please, don’t be shy: Let me and other other columnists know what you think about the columns by making good use of the Was this information helpful? question at the end of each column. We can only know what’s working for you and what isn’t if you talk to us. (We don’t like the silent treatment.)

“Despair is perfectly compatible with a good dinner, I promise you.” — William Makepeace Thackeray

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About the author

Annik Stahl, the Crabby Office Lady columnist, takes all of your complaints, compliments, and knee-jerk reactions to heart. Therefore, she graciously asks that you let her know whether this column was useful to you — or not — by entering your feedback using the Was this information helpful? tool below. And remember: If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.

Get organized with Windows Vista folders

Intuitive folders can make a big difference in your productivity

By S.E. Slack for Microsoft at Work

Related Links • Windows Vista: New features to find files faster and easier

I made an awful lot of resolutions for 2007 but only one seems to have stuck: getting organized on my computer. That, in no small part, is due to Windows Vista. I did okay on Windows XP, but I still searched around too often for files and folders that I used frequently. And forget about the files and folders I didn’t access that much?I could waste several minutes looking for one of those.

Windows Vista, however, comes with a variety of common folders that I use as anchors for everything else. By using these folders, Windows Vista automatically finds information for me when I open up a program, such as Windows Media Player. Along with these folders is another new folder feature called the Search Folder. It will save your searches and later automatically search for and display the most current files as you designate.

In this article, I’ll show you what these folders are and how Vista uses them to get you files more quickly than any other operating system. The automated, intuitive nature of these Windows Vista folders saves time by getting you the information you need so you can move on with your day and improve your productivity.

On This Page

Is it a file or a folder?

Is it a file or a folder?

Files and folders are easy to confuse if you’re not sure how your computer sees them. A folder is essentially a container for your files?think of a desk with a drawer of hanging folders and the papers within those hanging folders. That sort of organizational method is exactly what Windows Vista uses to help you organize your information. The “hanging folders” are your folders; the “papers” within them are your files.

Folders are always represented by a yellow folder icon; the files within a folder are represented by a variety of icons to help you find the right file quickly. In the figure below, you can see how file icons might appear within a folder.

Different icons represent different file types in Windows Vista.

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Use Windows Vista common folders for your files

With Windows Vista, there are several common folders that you can use to organize your files. You don’t have to use these folders, of course, but as you’ll see, they make it simple to store and find files easily. Common folders are plainly named: Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, and Downloads.

You can access common folders from a variety of different programs within Windows Vista. That’s why they are called “common”?they are common to all programs within Windows Vista. For example, whether you open Windows Media Player or Windows Media Center, both programs will automatically display the music files from your Music folder.

Your Personal folder is where all the other common folders are located. The personal folder isn’t actually called “personal.” It’s the one with your name that appears when you click the Start button in Windows Vista, as shown in the figure below. You can access individual common folders directly from here if you wish?just open your personal folder to see them all.

In the example shown here, the personal folder is the one with my name on it. This view appears when you click the Start button in Windows Vista. Below the personal folder are some of the individual common folders that Windows Vista displays by default in Start view: Documents, Pictures, Music.

Common folders are stored within your Personal folder (shown here with my name), and some can also be accessed individually from the Start menu.

Here is a quick overview of each common folder you will see in Windows Vista:

•	Documents: The documents folder is where you can store all your files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and other business-oriented documents. It’s probably the folder that I use the most since most of my work is done in Word and PowerPoint.
•	Pictures: I use the Pictures folder for all my digital pictures?whether from my digital camera, scanner, or anywhere else.
•	Video: For video files, such as clips from my digital camera or the digital files from my camcorder, I use the Videos folder. A bonus with Windows Vista is that when you download these pictures or videos, or copy them from a CD, Windows Vista will automatically place them into either the Pictures or Video folders for you unless you tell it not to.
•	Music: This folder holds all your music files, which Windows Vista then automatically uses as primary folders for Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center. Whether you download music or copy it from a CD, your music will automatically go here unless you direct it to another location.
•	Downloads: This folder is a new concept for me to use. Previously, I lumped together anything I downloaded from the Internet into a single folder. But it is easier to separate the items that I download?I occasionally download something from the Web that isn’t music related, for example, and shouldn’t go in the Music folder automatically. By letting the downloaded file go straight to the Downloads folder, I can find it later and then file it where I want to.

With all of these common folders, I create a variety of subfolders. I tend to list my music by artist subfolders and my pictures by dates or events, for example. You can add tags to your files, too, when you open or save a file. Tags help you identify files more easily by allowing you to input additional information that will be seen during a search.

Tags can be easily added to any file as it is saved or opened in Windows Vista.

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Take advantage of the Search Folder

Depending upon how often you search for a certain group of files, you might want to take advantage of Windows Vista’s new Search Folders, too. These are searches that run instantly when you click them—you don’t even need to insert a search term after the first time you run a search and save it.

You can use the preconfigured searches that Windows Vista offers, such as Recent Documents (which shows you all recently used documents on your computer), or you can set up your own searches.

To set up your own Search Folders, click Start and click your personal folder. In your personal folder navigation pane, click Searches to bring up the program “searches.” Click the program and the Search Folders window will appear.

Next, type in the information that you want to search for in the search box at the top right of the Searches window. In the example shown here, I typed in Microsoft. Then I clicked Save Search to save the search. Now, the next time I’m looking for information related to Microsoft, I just click my personal folder and select the Microsoft search from my Search Folders.

This shows the results of a search called Microsoft. Clicking Save Search turns that initial search into one that you can run with a single click of the mouse.

To use Windows Vista’s preconfigured Search Folders, open the search that you want and you will see all the files on your computer related to that search. For example, selecting the Recent Music search will show you all music recently used on your computer. You can see in the figure shown below that both preconfigured Windows Vista searches and my own (see the Microsoft icon?) are shown as selections to choose from.

Windows Vista Search Folders run instantly and show you all files on your computer related to the search you run.

Take a few minutes to explore the common and Search folders on your computer running Windows Vista. Because of the intuitive nature of Windows Vista, you’ll find that getting?and staying?electronically organized is actually pretty straightforward. It looks like computer organization is one resolution I can keep this year!

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S.E. Slack S. E. Slack specializes in simplifying complex topics so the masses can both understand and apply difficult concepts. She is a co-author of Breakthrough Windows Vista: Find Your Favorite Features and Discover the Possibilities. She is currently writing CNET Do-It-Yourself Digital Home Office Projects. She has written five other books.

Introducing Windows Mobile 6

Working mobile is about to take a leap forward with Windows Mobile 6 – bringing great enhancements to familiar Microsoft® mobile applications like Outlook® Mobile, Office Mobile, and now Windows Live™ for Windows Mobile. Plus with security, scalability and manageability improvements, you will find it easier than ever to make your mobile workforce productive.

• Read the Windows Mobile 6 press release
• New datasheet: Delivering Great Performance and Value for IT Professionals
• Download the new Windows Mobile 6 Flash demo
• Visit the Windows Mobile home page

With Windows Mobile 6 mobile workers can:

• Access the company address list and add contacts via Outlook, have mail sent directly by Microsoft Direct Push Technology, and manage multiple e-mail accounts and mail folders – just like Outlook on the PC.
• View and edit Office attachments and now get access to files on your corporate file shares and Sharepoint sites.
• Enjoy the advantages of Windows Live, including single sign-on to Windows Live services, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Mail, Hotmail, and Windows Live Search.
• Get increased control, security, and greater interoperability with Exchange Server and other IT infrastructure that helps businesses efficiently deploy, manage and secure Windows Mobile devices.

Windows and OS X Share Two Quicktime Vulnerabilities

Severity: Medium

29 May, 2007

Summary:

Today, Apple released an update that fixes two security vulnerabilities in Quicktime 7.1.6 (and earlier versions) for Windows and OS X. By enticing one of your users into visiting a malicious web page, an attacker can exploit the worst of these vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code on your user’s computer, possibly gaining control of it. If you allow Quicktime or iTunes in your network, or suspect that users have installed them, you should have users either remove the applications or install Apple’s update.

Exposure:

Today, Apple released an alert describing two security vulnerabilities in Apple’s popular media player application, Quicktime 7.1.6 (and possibly earlier versions). Current versions of iTunes also ship with Quicktime. If your users have iTunes, they most likely have Quicktime. These applications run on Windows and Macintosh computers; the vulnerabilities affect both platforms.

The vulnerabilities involve Quicktime’s inability to properly handle specially crafted Java applets. By tricking one of your Quicktime users into visiting a booby-trapped web page, an attacker can exploit either of these flaws in one of two ways: He could either exploit the first flaw to execute arbitrary code on that user’s computer, perhaps gaining full control of the user’s machine; or, he could exploit the second flaw to read your user’s web browser memory, which could disclose sensitive information about your user and her web browsing habits. Neither case bodes well for your Quicktime users.

Solution Path:

Apple has released an update for Quicktime 7.1.6 that corrects these vulnerabilities. If you allow (or suspect that users have installed) Quicktime or iTunes in your network, recommend that users either remove the applications or install this upgrade.

The latest versions of Quicktime and iTunes for Windows ship with Apple Software Update. Apple Software Update automatically detects updates such as this one for Quicktime, then informs you, so that you can install the update as soon as possible. If you choose to allow Quicktime or iTunes in your network, we recommend you set Apple Software Update to check for new updates daily and allow it to assist you in keeping your Apple software current.

Note: By default, Apple ships Quicktime combined with iTunes. If you do not want iTunes, download the standalone version of Quicktime.

For All WatchGuard Users:

This attack relies on Java to succeed. Some of WatchGuard’s Firebox models allow you to block Java, which prevents this type of attack from working. However, blocking Java could also prevent many legitimate web sites from working. Instead, you should insist that users either remove Quicktime and iTunes, or install Apple’s Quicktime update.

Status:

Apple released an update for Quicktime 7.1.6, which fixes this issue.

References:

• Apple’s Second Quicktime Alert for May 2007

Apple OS X Security Update Fixes Thirteen Software Packages

Severity: Medium

24 May, 2007

Summary:

Today, Apple released a security update fixing 17 security issues in 13 software packages that ship as part of OS X, including fetchmail, BIND, and iChat. An attacker exploiting the worst of these security issues could execute code on your Mac, possibly gaining full control of your computer. If you manage OS X 10.3.9 or 10.4.9 computers, you should download, test, and install the appropriate Apple security update as soon as possible.

Exposure:

Apple’s latest security update corrects 17 vulnerabilities affecting software packages that ship as part of OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.9. Some of these vulnerabilities allow attackers to execute any code they choose on your OS X machines, so you should apply Apple’s update as soon as you can. Three of the fixed vulnerabilities include:

• Remote code execution vulnerability in CoreGraphics. CoreGraphics is a component that OS X uses to present its Graphical User Interface (GUI). It’s responsible for tasks such as displaying the windows you see on your screen, and for rendering PDF files. The CoreGraphics component suffers from an integer overflow involving the way it handles PDFs. By enticing one of your users into downloading and opening a PDF file, an attacker can exploit this flaw to execute code on that user’s computer, inheriting that user’s privileges. The attacker could then exploit other local vulnerabilities described in Apple’s alert to gain complete control of that user’s Mac.

• Local privilege escalation vulnerability in PPP. OS X ships with a component to support the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). The PPP component suffers from an unspecified design flaw, which a local attacker could exploit to gain full system privileges on your OS X machines. Furthermore, a remote attacker could combine the attack described above with this local privilege escalation vulnerability to take over your OS X computer.

• Denial of Service vulnerabilities in BIND. OS X Server ships with BIND, the most popular DNS server used on the Internet today. BIND suffers from four unspecified security vulnerabilities. The worst of these vulnerabilities allows a remote attacker to disrupt your DNS server in a Denial of Service attack. This could prevent customers from reaching your Web site since they can’t resolve its domain name.

Apple’s alert includes 11 more flaws, including a few more code execution flaws like those described above. The remaining vulnerabilities also include password disclosure vulnerabilities, file overwriting flaws, and more. Other components that this security update patches include:

Alias Manager	iChat
crontabs	mDNSResponder
fetchmail	ruby
file	screen
texinfo	VPN

Refer to Apple’s alert for more details.

Solution Path:

Apple has released updates to fix these vulnerabilities for both OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.9. Apple OS X administrators should download, test, and deploy the appropriate updates as soon as possible.

• Security Update 2007-004 (10.3.9 Client)
• Security Update 2007-004 (10.3.9 Server)
• Security Update 2007-004 (PPC)
• Security Update 2007-004 (Universal)

Note: If you have trouble figuring out which of these patches corresponds to your version of OS X, we recommend you let OS X’s Software Update utility automatically pick the correct update for you.

For All Users:

These flaws support diverse exploitation methods. Some of the exploits are local, meaning that your perimeter firewall never encounters the attack (unless you use firewalls internally between departments). The most secure course of action is to install the updates.

Status:

Apple released updates to fix these issues.

References:

• Apple’s May OS X Advisory

 

Multiple Holes in Cisco IOS Cryptography Components

Severity: Medium

22 May, 2007

Summary:

Today, Cisco released two advisories describing multiple vulnerabilities in some of the cryptography components that ship with Cisco IOS and other Cisco devices. By sending specially malformed packets to your Cisco router or switch, an attacker can exploit any of these vulnerabilities to crash your Cisco IOS device. By repeatedly exploiting these vulnerabilities against your gateway router, an attacker could effectively knock your network off the Internet. If you manage vulnerable Cisco devices, you should download, test and install Cisco’s fixes as soon as possible.

Exposure:

Cisco’s IOS software is the operating system that runs on most Cisco routers and switches. The IOS operating system provides network services for managing Cisco devices, and processes the network traffic passing through the device. Today, Cisco released two advisories describing four vulnerabilities in optional cryptography components that ship with Cisco IOS and other Cisco devices. We summarize these flaws below:

Three SSL processing vulnerabilities in IOS

Cisco IOS devices running the Crypto Feature Set suffer from three security vulnerabilities involving the way IOS processes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) traffic. While these vulnerabilities differ technically, they share the same scope and impact. By sending your Cisco IOS device specially malformed SSL traffic, an attacker can exploit any of the three flaws to crash your IOS device, causing a Denial of Service (DoS). Furthermore, an attacker could repeatedly exploit one of these vulnerabilities against your gateway router in order to keep users behind it from accessing the Internet.

However, these flaws only affect you if you’ve configured the SSL protocol on your IOS device. You may have configured SSL for the following reasons:

• To enable an HTTPS server on your Cisco device for secure web management
• If you use the Cisco Network Security (CNS) Agent
• If you use IOS’s Firewall Support of HTTPS Authentication Proxy
• If you use IOS’s Clientless SSL VPN (WebVPN).

If you have not enabled any of these features on your IOS device, attackers cannot exploit these SSL vulnerabilities against you. Nonetheless, you should still patch in case you (or someone on your staff) decide to enable these features in the future.

An ASN.1 processing vulnerability in IOS and other products

Abstract Syntax Notation 1 (ASN.1) is a standard language used to define how two dissimilar network systems should send data to one another. The following Cisco products ship with a third party cryptography library that handles ASN.1 processing:

• Cisco IOS
• Cisco IOS XR
• Cisco Pix and ASA Security Appliances (only 7.x releases)
• Cisco Firewall Service Module (FWSM) (releases prior to 2.3(5) and 3.1(6))
• Cisco Unified Call Manager.

Unfortunately, this third party cryptography library suffers from a DoS vulnerability involving the way it handles specially malformed ASN.1 objects. By sending your Cisco device such an object, an attacker could exploit this flaw to crash the Cisco device. Like the flaws described above, an attacker could repeatedly exploit this vulnerability to sustain his DoS attack, keeping your network off the Internet indefinitely.

However, this flaw only affects you if you’ve enabled a one of the following protocols or features:

• Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) used for IPSec VPNs.
• Secure Socket Layer (SSL) (see the the flaws described above)
• Threat Information Distribution Protocol (TIDP)
• Cisco IOS SIP Gateway Signaling Support Over TLS (SIP-TLS)
• Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS).

If you have not enabled any of these protocols or features on your Cisco device, attackers cannot exploit this flaw against you. Nonetheless, you should still patch in case you decide to enable them in the future.

Solution Path:

Cisco has released patches to fix these vulnerabilities. If you use any Cisco device running IOS software, or any of the other vulnerable Cisco products, you should immediately consult the “Software Versions and Fixes” [ 1 / 2 ] and “Obtaining Fixed Software” [ 1 / 2 ] sections of Cisco’s advisories to learn which fixes apply to your devices, and how to obtain them.

For All WatchGuard Users:

Since this vulnerability can affect your router, which is typically in front of your firewall, the solutions above are your primary recourse.

Status:

Cisco has made fixes available.

References:

• Cisco Security Advisory: Vulnerability In Crypto Library
• Cisco Security Advisory: Multiple Vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS While Processing SSL Packets