Back to normal operation

Posted on January 9, 2006 by Ilfak Guilfanov

I restored the old configuration and the blog will continue its normal operation now. The hotfix can not be downloaded from the site anymore but its source code is still available.
Thank you all for the support! I’d like to say thank you once more to the guys who mirrored the files!
P.S. Next week we will talk about some decompilation problems.

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17 Responses to Back to normal operation

  1. Hello says:
    January 9, 2006 at 21:49

    Could you please make a Win 95/98/ME WMF patch since Microsoft won’t? There are millions of machines still vulnerable due to Microsoft’s reluctance to support their earlier versions.
    Thanks!

  2. ilfak says:
    January 9, 2006 at 21:58

    Unfortunately I do not have a Windows98 machine. It is impossible for me to create a fix without it. Second, while the vulnerability exists, it seems to be much less exposed. Thanks for understanding.

  3. X-COM says:
    January 9, 2006 at 22:14

    looks, that you will have some additional work there :-D
    http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/16167

  4. Mark says:
    January 10, 2006 at 00:37

    ilfak
    I installed your patch and found it prevented me from using the MS fax and picture viewer. I just changed the file association to another program. I just installed the “official” MS fix and would like to be able to use the MS Fax and Picture viewer. Is there some way to uninstall your patch?

  5. ilfak says:
    January 10, 2006 at 01:25

    Yes, the hotfix comes with an uninstaller. You can uninstall it from the Add/Remove Programs window. It will be listed as “Windows Metafile Hotfix”
    The hotfix does not disable the Fax and Picture viewer. To be able to use the viewer you will need to restore the original setting for the file assiciation.
    To learn about alternative methods of uninstalling the patch, I recommend you to read a nice and comprehensive FAQ from CastleCops:
    http://castlecops.com/a6445-WMF_Exploit_FAQ.html

  6. Kokuryu Tenchi says:
    January 10, 2006 at 15:30

    Hi! It looks like there are 2 new WMF vulnerabilities that have been reported. Microsoft has poo-pooed them away, but it is an exploit that can be used to 100% crash a windows machine every time with a BSOD with an error message that doesnt match what happened. Any possibility either (a) your patch already blocks that threat or (b) you will work on a fix for that?

  7. Benny says:
    January 10, 2006 at 17:02

    Hi Ilfak,
    My name is Benny. I have a business proposition for you. Would you consider it? Please send me an e-mail.
    Thank you..

  8. Paul Laudanski says:
    January 10, 2006 at 17:49

    Welcome back Ilfak!

  9. bluffer says:
    January 10, 2006 at 18:22

    welcome back its been too long :)

  10. tom yencha says:
    January 11, 2006 at 20:08

    Ever since I installed the “hotfix”, deregistered shimgvw.dll, then registered shimgvw.dll and undid the hotfix and installed the MS fix, I cannot send email from MS Outlook. Any ideas?

  11. ilfak says:
    January 11, 2006 at 22:13

    At first sight it looks like a problem not linked to the patch or hotfix. They modify the graphical subsystem which displays things on the screen but nothing network or mail related. I’d recommend you to verify the mail settings with your provider.

  12. Nobody says:
    January 12, 2006 at 05:49

    Thank you for coming out with a fix. Its wonderful to see someone who is more concerned with computer security than profits or schedules and has the courage to pick up the ball after Microsoft has dropped it.

  13. GNAA_TIMECOP says:
    January 14, 2006 at 04:06

    normal operation?
    Sir, your blog looks like total shit on a 1920×1200 screen. I realize that you being a russian citizen can’t afford a screen wider than 640×480, but us capitalist americans have no problem buying new hardware. To see what i’m talking about, view http://pihost.us/~dj28/narrow.PNG
    Thanks.

  14. ilfak says:
    January 14, 2006 at 16:19

    Wide text is difficult to read. Empty spaces to the left and right of the text could be filled by advertisement blocks but I do not use ads on the site.
    Here is a link for your perusal:
    http://www.outfront.net/tutorials_02/design/text_design.htm

  15. Steve Dodd says:
    January 15, 2006 at 12:18

    Is it possible to specify the width in inches/cm rather than pixels, so that the centre column is a readable width for all users, regardless of resolution? (Assuming that the browser/OS combo knows the dpi of the screen, of course, and that smug people with huge monitors don’t sit much further away from them <g>)

  16. Charles says:
    January 26, 2006 at 09:19

    First off, thanks a bunch for doing the right thing and releasing a patch, your efforts probably resulted in preventing a lot of people a lot of pain.
    I deployed it where I work without issue, and I know that some one here would have gotten infected if that patch had not gotten out.
    Now on to the next flaw, do ya know anybody working on the BlackWorm LAN exploit vector? :) . Thanks a bunch, see ya next outbreak!
    -charles

  17. David Collier-Brown says:
    January 26, 2006 at 15:29

    I too would like to be able to download
    the patch for 95/98/ME, as my wife is running
    98 on her old-but-still-good machine.
    –dave