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. I strongly suspect there is more going on than meets the eye.
A gadget is simply an executable program like any other application that runs on the system. It poses no particular additional risk over other apps. However, it may well pose a marketing risk for Windows 8 by adding functionality that Microsoft only wants available in Window 8.
In this case the security risk is probably real but no different than the risk posed by any other program and subject to the same defenses.
The marketing risk is also very real and of much greater importance to MS. Naturally, it is not something they will speak about. I use gadgets and find them useful so I did some more investigating. I have been programming since and am still active. It appears that most gadgets are written in either Javascript or Visual Basic. They are handled by the Windows Scripting Host.
That has been a target and source of vulnerabilities in the past along with nearly every part of the operating system since Win 3. I see nothing special about the Sidebar that would pose any extra risk. Gadgets are generally very simple programs with very little code to exploit. Something such as a simple clock program does little more than read the system time and draw some appropriate graphics on the screen using a small cache of pre-drawn shapes.
It usually writes a few bits of ordinary text to a settings file in the same directory as the script file. If there is a problem with the Scripting Host then Microsoft needs to fix it regardless of whether the side bar is enabled or not. If it is a truly important security issue, why is it not part of Windows Update? Why has it not been a major news item?
Rather than fixing the insecure code that allows Sidebar Gadgets to create a security risk, why has MS told people to instead disable the feature? It should be safe to assume that gadgets made by Microsoft are secure, but that doesn't seem to be mentioned. Are they also inherently insecure or is the issue overblown? Alternate gadget packages e. Rainmaker are not any safer since they are also made by third parties. Again, it comes down to the intention of the developer and the intelligence of the user to avoid introducing system security holes by installing garbage.
The Windows 8 tile UI is essentially an implementation of gadgets i. One could get the impression that MS is telling users to disable Sidebar gadgets to push people towards Windows 8.
Personally, I suspect this is an overreaction to a legitimate but small security issue blown out of proportion by MS deciding to not fix it to encourage Win8 sales. I plan to keep on using the same half dozen gadgets made by MS and two developers that I've been using without a problem since Who would buy this crap?
The last good OS Microsoft had was Windows XP was too hard to get used to. It just works. Gadgets are the main reason i like win7. To take them away is to me a crime. I like my gadgets, especially the weather, translator, and clock gadgets, and the money changer. If I cannot get them, I will move to Linux where all is free and never a crooked upgrade.
You not only took away the weather gadget, but also shut down the server that fed it. Shame on you, and all to try to sell windows8. I will go to linux if I cannot replace that weather gadget with a functional alternative.
I also only see "security risk" being used without any hard facts of the breach. Without hard facts, it makes it pretty hard to believe there is a real threat of any kind with the MS Gadgets. Third party gadgets I can see a possible risk with, however so long as you have a good security tool in place that continuously monitors malicious activity you have nothing to worry about imho. I haven't applied any fixes, but my gadgets just disappeared. I want them back.
The only thing I did today was updated RealPlayer and my gadgets are gone. Gonna try dumping RealPlayer. Microsoft has discontinued the Gadgets website with an announcement to instead use their live tiles within Windows 8! Pure marketing ploy! Gadgets running on desktops which were included with Windows 7 would be fine to use. Why would MS issue gadgets which had the vulnerabilties in the first place!
Are you not all aware this is just a way to make people become fearful of Windows 7 and migrate to Windows 8? This is poppy cock nonsense when it comes to the onboard gadgets Microsoft included in Windows 7. Now third party gadgets from any site is inviting a possible problem but I see nothing more then a well planned security scare from Microsoft to sell Windows 8.
To hell with Microsoft! Sorry to sink your floating boat. If mine have just given up yours most likely will too. Eliminating the gadgets is a first step in a Microsoft masterplan to transition its customers to closed PCs onto which you will be unable to load software in the conventional manner.
They have, in essence, thrown in the towel on any attempt to create a properly securable desktop OS, and are trying to build a software Maginot Line instead. We know how that worked out for the French. Not once have I had a virus or any malicious activity on this machine. I say this is an overboard knee jerk reaction from MS. Sorry guys , no hard feelings..
They all know about the sticker that you have to apply to your webcam in order to be safe when you use i. But what about the microphone? So disable it and enable it when you need it. Since day one i have disable that also.
Something is rotten in Denmark and it ultimately means I pay you for the safety of your product.! Its and still using my gadgets. Still using antivir 9 and pctfp.
Not 1 virus or problem. I have everything backed up with seagates free acronis and I just dont gaf anymore. Skip to content. XG Firewall. Intercept X.
For Home Users. Free Security Tools. Free Trials. Product Demos. Have you listened to our podcast? Listen now. Previous : Hacked email accounts unleash waves of weight loss spam. Next : Yahoo Voices hacked, nearly half a million emails and passwords stolen. Sophos Cloud Optix Monitor 25 cloud assets for free. I will miss my clock and weather gadgets, but as tariqk says ….
The one called "Disable". That is the msi and thanks for the alert. I will miss the sticky notes. For example, a gadget can give you a view of all your online instant messaging contacts, the day view from your calendar, or an easy way to control your media player. Gadgets can be created for almost anything in Windows 7.
They can be Search Gadgets, Clocks, sticky notes, and more. If you are still on Windows XP, Thoosje sidebar is a great way to experience sidebar and gadgets.
It is not only good for XP but is also an excellent alternative for the default Windows sidebar in windows Vista and windows 7. Your email address will not be published. Windows sidebar — Backup and restore with Vista sidebar restoration. Get windows Vista sidebar for XP. Get real windows vista sidebar for XP. Download Vista sidebar for XP skin packs.
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