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A  U  S  C  E  R  T                                           A  L  E  R  T

                       AL-2008.0118 -- AUSCERT ALERT
                                   [Win]
    Microsoft Bulletin Notification - December Prerelease Announcement
                              9 December 2008

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        AusCERT Alert Summary
        ---------------------

Product:              Windows Server 2008
                      Windows Server 2003
                      Windows Vista
                      Windows XP
                      Windows 2000
                      Microsoft Office 2000
                      Microsoft Office XP
                      Microsoft Office 2003
                      Microsoft Office 2007
                      Microsoft Office Frontpage
                      Microsoft Office Project
                      Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac
                      Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
                      Open XML File Format Converter for Mac
                      Microsoft Works
                      Microsoft Office Excel Viewer
                      Microsoft Office Word Viewer
                      Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack
                      Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
                      Microsoft Visual Basic
                      Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
                      Microsoft Visual FoxPro
                      Microsoft Search Server
Operating System:     Windows
Impact:               Execute Arbitrary Code/Commands
Access:               Remote/Unauthenticated
Member content until: Tuesday, January 06 2009

Revision History:     December 9 2008: Corrected release date
                      December 9 2008: Initial Release

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OVERVIEW:

        Microsoft will be releasing critical security patches for December
        for their products on Wednesday 10 December 2008 at:

        5:00 am AEDT (ACT, NSW, Tasmania, Victoria)
        4:30 am ACDT (SA)
        4:00 am AEST (Queensland)
        3:30 am ACST (NT)
        3:00 am AWDT (WA)

        Further details are available from the Microsoft web site. [1,2]


DETAILS:

        Microsoft will be releasing eight security bulletins:

        Critical:
            - Two for Windows
            - IE, VB, Word, Excel

        Important:
            - SharePoint, WMC


MITIGATION:

        AusCERT advises that system administrators consider patching their
        machines as quickly as possible following their release by Microsoft.
        Bulletin information will be available from the Microsoft web site
        soon after their release, and AusCERT will be distributing bulletins
        to AusCERT members on Wednesday.

        Historically, exploits targeting Microsoft vulnerabilities are
        released in the days immediately following their announcement, so it
        is critical that system administrators apply patches or mitigate
        vulnerabilities as quickly as possible.


REFERENCES:

        [1] http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/advance.mspx
        [2] http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-dec.mspx

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You have received this e-mail bulletin as a result of your organisation's
registration with AusCERT. The mailing list you are subscribed to is
maintained within your organisation, so if you do not wish to continue
receiving these bulletins you should contact your local IT manager. If
you do not know who that is, please send an email to auscert@auscert.org.au
and we will forward your request to the appropriate person.

NOTE: Third Party Rights
This security bulletin is provided as a service to AusCERT's members.  As
AusCERT did not write the document quoted above, AusCERT has had no control
over its content. The decision to follow or act on information or advice
contained in this security bulletin is the responsibility of each user or
organisation, and should be considered in accordance with your organisation's
site policies and procedures. AusCERT takes no responsibility for consequences
which may arise from following or acting on information or advice contained in
this security bulletin.

NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin.  It may
not be updated when updates to the original are made.  If downloading at
a later date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved directly
from the author's website to ensure that the information is still current.

Contact information for the authors of the original document is included
in the Security Bulletin above.  If you have any questions or need further
information, please contact them directly.

Previous advisories and external security bulletins can be retrieved from:

        http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?cid=1980

If you believe that your computer system has been compromised or attacked in 
any way, we encourage you to let us know by completing the secure National IT 
Incident Reporting Form at:

        http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=3192

===========================================================================
Australian Computer Emergency Response Team
The University of Queensland
Brisbane
Qld 4072

Internet Email: auscert@auscert.org.au
Facsimile:      (07) 3365 7031
Telephone:      (07) 3365 4417 (International: +61 7 3365 4417)
                AusCERT personnel answer during Queensland business hours
                which are GMT+10:00 (AEST).
                On call after hours for member emergencies only.
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