Secure Your Windows and Office 2007 Installations

Posted by:
Paul Cooke
04:20 PM Monday
Dec 15, 2008
24 Comments

I noticed over the weekend that Microsoft's Solution Accelerator team has just released a Beta of Project Codename Sundance. This Solution Accelerator builds on previous Microsoft security guidance and is aimed at helping you configure and deploy security settings for both Windows and Office 2007. With more than 700 security setting recommendations, the guidance and tools included should help fine-tune the security posture of your Windows and Office 2007 deployments.

After deploying the security settings, you can even verify the settings and monitor policy changes by using one or more of 18 new configuration packs designed for the Desired Configuration Management (DCM) feature of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007.

This solution accelerator can help you in a number of ways:

Accelerate and secure deployments
Predefined templates and automated tools enable you to greatly reduce the time required to deploy security settings and monitor security baselines.
Provide higher reliability
Eliminate a number of manual steps and get faster, more reliable security results.
Comprehensive solution
Includes information about hundreds of security and privacy setting options, as well as recommendations for each one based on best practices.
Manage risk
Manage security setting changes in Windows operating systems and Office applications that otherwise could place the integrity of your IT systems at risk.
Right Price
It's free from Microsoft Connect.

I invite you to join the Beta Program for Project Codename Sundance and take a look at how it might help you secure your Windows and Office 2007 installations.

To join the Beta Program for Project Codename Sundance, please click on the following link:
https://connect.microsoft.com/InvitationUse.aspx?ProgramID=2682&InvitationID=SUN-698V-PYJF&SiteID=715

After you have joined the program, add the following link to your favorites
https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=715

[Edited on 12/17/2008 to provide best user experience for beta program links.]

Comments

toonces

Posted on: December 16, 2008 at 2:10PM
Serious Flaw in Internet Explorer Not Fixed Yet

Hackers exploiting `zero-day' flaw in Internet Explorer; thousands of sites compromised

SAN FRANCISCO December 16, 2008 (AP)

The Associated Press

Users of all current versions of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer browser might be vulnerable to having their computers hijacked because of a serious security hole in the software that had yet to be fixed Monday.

The flaw lets criminals commandeer victims' machines merely by tricking them into visiting Web sites tainted with malicious programming code. As many as 10,000 sites have been compromised since last week to exploit the browser flaw, according to antivirus software maker Trend Micro Inc.

The sites are mostly Chinese and have been serving up programs that steal passwords for computer games, which can be sold for money on the black market. However, the hole is such that it could be "adopted by more financially motivated criminals for more serious mayhem — that's a big fear right now," Paul Ferguson, a Trend Micro security researcher, said Monday.

"Zero-day" vulnerabilities like this are security holes that haven't been repaired by the software makers. They're a gold mine for criminals because users have few ways to fight off attacks.

The latest vulnerability is noteworthy because Internet Explorer is the default browser for most of the world's computers. Also, while Microsoft says it has detected attacks only against version 7 of Internet Explorer, which is the most widely used edition, the company warned that other versions are also potentially vulnerable.
keithzjwang

Posted on: December 17, 2008 at 11:53AM
What I am more concerning is that there are lots of tools revealing the serial numbers of installed Windows and Office. Perhaps there will be some tools to deal with this situation to prevent revenue loss of enterprises.
Paul Cooke

Posted on: December 17, 2008 at 6:57PM
Toonces, an out of band security patch was released today to fix the particular vulnerability that the article references. Please see www.microsoft.com/security for details...
canbilteknoloji

Posted on: January 18, 2009 at 4:29AM
It's an realy nice and important subject. Thanks for u knowledge Paul!!!
đ€ฬ€ℓ0p€я

Posted on: February 03, 2009 at 7:12AM
o Yeah , Beautiful is Shared..

Thanks By Paul Cooke ,

See You...
bariyer

Posted on: September 07, 2009 at 5:07AM
a good idea has been described with a good schematic table was beautiful office in 2007 was a version in many places thanks to a separate issue we've inform
tatilyerinianlat...

Posted on: September 22, 2009 at 4:35AM
thank you very good

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