# WinXP Security Updates **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537 "2003-08-12T00:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537/1 "2003-08-12T00:39:33Z")
So it looks like because of my slow connection and lack of internet use over the last couple of weeks, my computer never got around to downloading the security patch which would counteract this MSBlast.exe thing. Can someone please assist me in understanding how to be sure I have downloaded all available security patches even when my computer hasn’t had time to do so automatically? Thank you… -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537/2 "2003-08-12T00:42:06Z")
Also, is it possible to explain to an intelligent person who nevertheless doesn’t know alot about the inner workings of computers why it is that all these WinXP security vulnerabilities involve "buffer overflow"s? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537/3 "2003-08-12T01:54:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Frylock \* > **Can someone please assist me in understanding how to be sure I have downloaded all available security patches even when my computer hasn’t had time to do so automatically?** If you want to make sure you’ve gotten them all, just go to [http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com](http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com) and click on the “Scan for updates” link. It will check your system, and tell you what you need to download. You should always accept the “critical updates and security patches.” It’s probably a good idea to take most of the “recommended updates,” other than those that you’re sure don’t apply to your PC (like the .NET Framework patches, since you’re probably not using any of that software, anyway). I steer people away from accepting the “driver updates,” since a couple of those have blown my PC out of the water (thank Bill Gates for System Restore, in those cases!). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537/4 "2003-08-12T07:40:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Frylock \* > \*\*Also, is it possible to explain to an intelligent person who nevertheless doesn’t know alot about the inner workings of computers why it is that all these WinXP security vulnerabilities involve "buffer overflow"s? > > -FrL- \*\* Here’s [an article](http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000319.html) by a well known programmer, Joel Spolsky, that explains this fairly well, at least if you have a basic understanding of programming. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537/5 "2003-08-12T07:46:21Z")
An even simpler description of a buffer overflow, courtesy of [whatis.com](http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci549024,00.html): > [@](#): > > “A buffer overflow occurs when a program or process tries to store more data in a buffer (temporary data storage area) than it was intended to hold. Since buffers are created to contain a finite amount of data, the extra information - which has to go somewhere - can overflow into adjacent buffers, corrupting or overwriting the valid data held in them. Although it may occur accidentally through programming error, buffer overflow is an increasingly common type of security attack on data integrity. In buffer overflow attacks, the extra data may contain codes designed to trigger specific actions, in effect sending new instructions to the attacked computer that could, for example, damage the user’s files, change data, or disclose confidential information. Buffer overflow attacks are said to have arisen because the C programming language supplied the framework, and poor programming practices supplied the vulnerability.” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winxp-security-updates/194537/6 "2003-08-12T14:30:11Z")
Here is more information on the virus & where to get the patch: [http://www.theksbwchannel.com/sh/technology/stories/national-technology-239811420030812-050828.html](http://www.theksbwchannel.com/sh/technology/stories/national-technology-239811420030812-050828.html)