The loss of the sidebar is of little concern to me as I only currently use the clock, but a few years ago I downloaded some gadgets that are only in the gallery not running. Will my computer be affected next time I use it? As I am unable to get there until tomorrow. I have AVG by the way. Oh no, the calender and clock has to be disabled… how will I know the date or time? Oh that's right, it is, will be and always ever has been in the system tray anyway. I remember now why I turned off the pointless Gadgets in the first place.
I use the calendar, clock and Quotes by IDC for the current stock market indexes. I will miss my gadgets! I'm confused! I ran the Enable version of the MS Fix-it and rebooted. The sidebar and gadgets are still there! I ran the Disable version and rebooted.
So what is meant to change? I suspect I'll have to resort, reluctantly, to hacking the registry which is always nerve-wracking and I always take a full back-up just in case things go wrong. What you are experiencing is in contrast to what happened to me, the Disable Fix It tool actually carried out these registry changes for me, while the Enable Workaround removed the changes. Sootie I stated that the gadgets were a resource hog since having 3 gadgets open causes Sidebar.
From what I can tell from recent blog posts and new articles, Microsoft have chosen to disable gadgets since there is the potential to introduce malware by the malicious downloading of new gadgets or exploiting the weaknesses of existing gadgets. If the flaws to be demoed at BlackHat are serious enough, it could result in scenarios of people only needing to visit a malicious website not intentionally which could cause the silent download of a malicious gadget or use of an existing gadgets with the potential to cause further harm.
Such links to these websites arriving via the usual methods of spam, instant messages or social engineering techniques from social networks etc. It could be that to effectively mitigate against the potential threat required too many changes to Windows to warrant doing so and it was considered best to simply disable gadgets. Its purpose was to block potentially malicious gadgets while still allowing legitimate ones to run.
Since new methods of exploiting gadgets are to be unveiled at BlackHat, to me it seems clear that rather than use resources to fix the flaws to be demoed at BlackHat, it is simply best to disable them.
While the gadgets that you are using now are legitimate they may not be built according to modern security best practices e. Since Microsoft credits the authors of the presentation to be given at BlackHat with assisting them in making this decision you can this credit at the end of the Security Advisory , Microsoft must deem the issues to be discussed serious enough to take action now. I look forward to finding out exactly how serious later this month when the presentation is given, I will be following the security blogs closely to find out.
If the decision was taken to keep gadgets after the above flaws were demoed and Microsoft took the time and resources to fix all of the flaws, it may require too much re-coding of existing gadgets which the developers of those existing gadgets are not going to waste resources on to re-code when such gadgets are going to be scrapped in favor of the new Metro UI apps when Windows 8 arrives in the coming months.
Too much re-coding was required for the older versions of Windows and was deemed not necessary for the diminishing benefit it would have. A similar comparison can be made between the shift from gadgets to Windows 8 apps. Yes, Windows Aero could be described as a resource hog too but it actually uses comparatively little RAM for all of the functionality and usability it provides. When I say Windows Aero, I mean dwm.
I consider Windows 7 very efficient and Windows 8 is even better. I am simply basing my argument on what I have seen them do with other security updates over the years. Does this mean Microsoft does not take this as a threat? Microsoft does take this threat seriously and I think they have done a good job. They have closed off a potential point of attack before such attack details are given and made available to the public and the wider security audience.
This advisory is for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users. They have not been notified explicitly unless you have signed up for Security Advisory alerts via email from the following link. I take your point though; it is more difficult than it should be to find out about such important security changes. I never considered how anyone would find out about this advisory if they do not monitor the blogs, I have simply become too used to knowing where to look!
I suppose this is what the Sophos Naked Security blog is for! Namely to monitor any changes for us and let us know what action to take. Here are the links to the Microsoft blogs that I monitor on a regular basis. I have only included the most relevant blogs:. I am just an average user like you. Just disable every Windows feature possible and I bet you get Windows as secure and with same features as Ubuntu.
If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take complete control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. The answer to all 3 questions is: there is no difference between this vulnerability and another vulnerability. The same methods of exploitation will be used, but just to a gadget and not a traditional application.
For those interested, the difference between a. So because you can run a gadget that may contain malware, the gadget functionality is to be disabled. Or have I missed something: Is this "fix" just a means to enable corporates to stop their employees "playing" with gadgets?
Good news, the relevant knowledge base article for this advisory has now been corrected. I posted in a thread on the TechNet forums about this and it was fixed by a forum moderator at least that is who it appears to be. Your list of current security is already very good but I would also recommend that you install all Windows security updates to boost your protection even further:.
I would also recommend installing updates for popular 3rd party software that you may be using e. Here is a link that describes how to install updates for the most popular software:. When I had vista I used the sidebar often but it crashed at times and I can understand the vulnerability issue. I don't have them with Win 7. Ironically I looked for a few to download before this happened. Glad I didn't. However, I miss the sidebar…. A friend of mine did the "fix" but is telling me after she did the Microsoft fix she lost all of her photos, documents, etc.
How can that happen? Since this support is in relation to a Microsoft Security update, your friend should not be charged for this support. I have installed this update on 4 different computers and it works as expected with no loss of data. Since I received such wonderful assurances from the geek squad, I immediately ran the fix.
Using the correct and still mislabeled one. Well, in the interest of dispersing knowledge, whilst browsing Microsoft's bulletins, I found a bulletin entitled "Grammer Checker". They even managed to spell it correctly in the body of the bulletin, but the headline really stands out…as in outstanding work! This seems to me to be a sorry cop out like oracle pulled. These people employ several highly paid programers, make them earn thier money and fix the problems they created in the first place.
If they cant get the job done replace them. There are thousands of qualified people looking for jobs that would gladly replace the people who dont want to do thier jobs. I followed the instructions and disabled my sidebar.
However, the consequence of disabling the sidebar was that my only user id had its administrator rights disabled as well. I was reduced to a standard user, and left me without full control of my machine. I was able to restore my administrator status by turning User Account Control off momentarily. However, even after backing off this Microsoft supplied fix, I am unable to add or manage ODBC system data sources, which I absolutely require for my work.
When I travel I always like to know what time and temperature it is at home for phoning etc. They will be sorely missed. I find that being able to access Google Calendar, Pandora, and news feeds from my desktop is very handy, much more so than doing it through a browser. The gadgets take up a lot less memory.
I hope they find a fix instead of just giving up. Gadgets i loved them why is it micorsoft never listens to the people and what they want i love to be able to see my item fast and to make some cool one that make my day better stop making new os system and just make a good one unsted of make a new one every dam year. I may come off sounding like a conspiracy nut, but… Doesn't seem really weird that their is suddenly a huge security issue with Windows Sidebar Gadgets on the eve of the coming release of Windows 8?
I mean first MS decides to stop supporting this very useful feature because it doesn't fit into the new Win 8 scheme of things. But because it's a useful Win 7 feature that the community outside the scoop and control of MS support there is suddenly a "horrible security issue" which reduces a functionality of Win 7. It just seems a little to convenient to me. Unknown to me my weather gadget, which came with windows, caused hachers to send me unwanted lewd material.
So, I advise everyone to be carefull. Gary in Las Vegas. I liked a few of the gadgets and never used 3rd party ones. Never had any issues — for years! Does this mean it's back to Yahoo widgets? I found a few things very useful.
Clock set to other location, temperature, currency exchange, clipboard by Jan Zeman, Screen snaper. Very sad. And the Kaspersky gadget is a security hole, LOL!!!
If I really wanted to be safe wouldn't I simply disable the Internet? I mean, isn't that mostly where our security issues come from? I don't care how many gadgets you disable or how many anti-virus programs you run, somebody is concocting a new threat every minute from out there in cyberspace and the odds are good we'll all get hit sometime. I downloaded from the link 'fix it tool' above. Everything completely gone. No problems before, just followed the advice 'to be safe'.
Prime lesson in 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Shit i still use alll of my gadgets and two of them are third party distributed. The story is interesting for old ladies and grandpa.
Each time when new product is on sight Win8 or something similar, new usefull program, they say it will be aim for hackers old one — gadgets this time. The story is only for those who are forced with it to buy, buy, buy….. Yust use licensed antivirus, as I do, NOD32 is the best, and use licensed antimalware, for instance Malwarebyte, and you can free, and safely use your gadgets. The story is only for small childrens. Since the only ones I use are the pre-installed MS gadgets, the clock and weather tools, then I am safe.
I'd never install a 3rd party gadget anyway so it really doesn't affect me. So how is this such a security risk, and how is a firewall, anti-virus, and anti-malware software so woefully inadequate to address it? Humor me with specifics. By the logic presented here, I guess I better stay off the internet, too. Switch it to off, and the icon to that feature will be immediately eliminated from the bottom corner of your Windows 10 desktop, as shown in Figure D.
Turn the switch back to its "On" position to reactivate the Action Center. Note : if you are working with Windows 10 Pro or are in an enterprise setting, disabling the Action Center can also be accomplished by accessing the correct setting via the Group Policy Editor.
Be your company's Microsoft insider by reading these Windows and Office tips, tricks, and cheat sheets. Delivered Mondays and Wednesdays. Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the IT industry, gadgets, finance, accounting, and tech-life for more than 25 years. Most recently, he has been a regular contributor to BreakingModern. Microsoft Weekly Newsletter Be your company's Microsoft insider by reading these Windows and Office tips, tricks, and cheat sheets.
Delivered Mondays and Wednesdays Sign up today. Editor's Picks. PCI Express 6. Wordle Scams. T-Mobile iCloud Private Relay. Avira Antivirus Crypto Miner. Linux PinePhone Pro. Google Green Messages. Use Your iPhone as a Webcam.
Hide Private Photos on iPhone. All Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows. Take Screenshot by Tapping Back of iPhone. Windows 11 Default Browser. Browse All Windows Articles. Windows 10 Annual Updates. OneDrive Windows 7 and 8. Copy and Paste Between Android and Windows. Protect Windows 10 From Internet Explorer. Mozilla Fights Double Standard. Connect to a Hidden Wi-Fi Network.
0コメント