Microsoft has released Microsoft Office v. X for Mac Security Update (2006-08-08). Microsoft claims that this update fixes product vulnerabilities in Office v. X that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code. Applies to: Office v. X, Microsoft Word X for Mac, Microsoft Excel X for Mac, Microsoft PowerPoint X for Mac, Microsoft Entourage X for Mac.
More info here.
Microsoft has also released Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.2.6 Update. Microsoft claims that this update fixes vulnerabilities in Office 2004 that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code. Applies to: Office 2004 Standard Edition, Office 2004 Student and Teacher Edition, Office 2004 Professional Edition, Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac, Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac, Microsoft PowerPoint 2004 for Mac, Microsoft Entourage 2004 for Mac.
More info here.
Related MacDailyNews article:
Mac users should not buy Microsoft software (or hardware) – May 16, 2003
I admit, I love Office. It has it’s quirks, but there is not another package that can beat it for completeness and compatibility with the vast majority of other people in the working world.
But why the heck does it have to be that M$ produces the only thing on my Mac that provides any real security threat?!?!? I swear that M$ codes their apps and OS to INCLUDE security holes on purpose. I mean, damn, with all their resources, why can’t they improve year over year rather than get worse??? [the age old question]
Because security has always been an afterthought.
Its hard not getting office for mac @ my college being its only 15dollars, how could I pass that one up, M$ or not.
Apple users will continue to use Office until Apple comes out with something just as good that is COMPLETELY compatible with Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc… etc… (this will not happen anytime in the next decade)
The Mac Software Update server seems to be down.
1 Drop VPC and no Development for Intel Macs.
2 Drop VB support for Office on the Mac.
3 Drop Windoze Media PLayer for Mac.
Nice bunch of guys, right?
i used to think it was just winows microsoft f*@cked up, but no, its everything they touch, how do they manage it, my friends windows mobile recently crashed and he lost EVERYTHING, yet he carries on lol
Keeping count, this is the 4th time this year MS has issued a patch that allegedly “fixes vulnerabilities in Office 2004 that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code.”
Um, thanks? I guess?
This is like having an ADT worker come to your house for the 4th time to repair your home security alarm system, even though it didn’t work the first 3 times you were robbed…
Enough is enough.
iWork works for me. Spreadsheets need to be addressed but that is looking up…
Leave it to Microsoft to be the only ones to make it possible for “an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code” on a Mac. Congratulations.
Lock the file: Normal.dot so that Office cannot write to it. Since macro viruses need to store themselves in that file in order to spread, locking it should take care of more than 90% of the threats.
Personally…..after Jobs remarks about Vista, I’d be scared to death this may be (Microsoft’s)Ballmer’s way of getting somthing into Macs’ to screw with performance….
agree. ms got it right with office. mac is a few years away before mail could overtake entourage or outlook…
i have mac everything, note.
What you should do is backup your Office directory. Then update the software. Then compare the two sets using BBEdit (or some app that can do difference checks). My guess is that there is no fix really going on here, and possibly a malicious dump of code from Microsoft.
But why the heck does it have to be that M$ produces the only thing on my Mac that provides any real security threat?!?!? I swear that M$ codes their apps and OS to INCLUDE security holes on purpose. I mean, damn, with all their resources, why can’t they improve year over year rather than get worse??? [the age old question]
The answer is simple, Microsoft creates a Stockholm Syndrome effect as soon as you start using their products.
It’s similar to the spousal behavior of drunks, they feel a need to help the drunk, gives them a purpose in life, a mission to turn this persons life around. Unfortunately the drunk remains a drunk and just uses people, even abuses the spouse and children with physical and sexual abuse.
The best thing one can do is completely avoid the defective person/product.
I admit, I love Office. It has it’s quirks, but there is not another package that can beat it for completeness and compatibility with the vast majority of other people in the working world.
If everyone at your local bar is drinking and driving, should you?
If everyone at your club is smoking crack, should you?
Why is it that you have to give editable files to others to begin with?
Does one really send Office files to everyone in the world? I think not.
OpenOffice/NeoOfficeJ is absolutely free and cross platform and has a lot more use than Office.
Create your files with that and send a copy of the program along with your files.
Change doesn’t occur overnight, but reinforcing the same old malfunctioning stereotype doesn’t make sense.
Be a agent of change, escape the herd mentality, you’ll always be poor unless you do.
Psychologist,
Thanks for the tips, however, you are living in an unrealistic world. If I am working on a $200mm financing with bankers in NY who run 100% M$ crap, am I going to waste time sending them OpenOffice?
I am fortunate to use a Mac in a financial business and have no compatibility problems. When I show up to a meeting an whip out my PowerBook, people comment (usually good things).
Also, your analogies suck. and your question:
Why is it that you have to give editable files to others to begin with?
Well, that’s how business is done. If you can’t realize that, then I’m wasting my time with you.
Chris:
If only locking nomal.dot would solve all Office problems. Unfortuneately, from what I understand, the current attacks on Office are not the macro virus attacks of days gone by. They are done with specially crafted documents that essentially exploit Office in a manner similar to buffer overflow that has been the bane of MS Internet Exploder.