News


Security Firm Finds Program to Create JPEGs Exploiting Microsoft Flaw

Panda Software reported finding a tool on black hat hacker sites that can be used to create files in the JPEG image format that exploit the vulnerability in Microsoft's JPEG processing component.

Opinion: Upcoming Service Pack Doesn't Change Much -- And That's Good

All the emphasis right now is on Windows XP SP2 -- and rightly so. But there's another Windows service pack just around the bend, and if early indications are accurate, Windows Server 2003 SP1 shows how far Microsoft has come in terms of OS security.

Microsoft Licenses Exchange Sync Technology to Palm OS Smartphone Maker

Treo, a maker of Palm OS-based smartphones, entered a licensing agreement with Microsoft to allow the next generation of its phones to link up with the ActiveSync technology in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.

Allen's SpaceShipOne Wins X Prize

A ship sponsored by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, SpaceShipOne, won the $10 million Ansari X Prize on Monday as the first privately built craft to fly into suborbital space two times in two weeks.

Windows XP SP2 Installs Grinding Along

Microsoft is ratcheting up its Windows XP Service Pack 2 distributions as the company seeks to meet an internal goal of getting the critical security update out to about 40 percent of its Windows XP installed base within two months of SP2's release.

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Outpaces SBS 2000 Sales

At the one-year anniversary of the release of Windows Small Business Server 2003, the packaged server for small business is outpacing sales of the previous version of the product, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft Solomon 6.0 Released

Microsoft is releasing an update of its enterprise resource planning package for midsize project-, service- and distribution-oriented organizations this month.

Microsoft Seeks Stay of European Commission Antitrust Penalty

Microsoft and the European Commission faced off in open court on Thursday for the first time in their five-year legal battle over antitrust concerns.

Fifth Windows XP 'Lite' Country is India

Fast on the heels of its announcement that Russia would be the fourth of five countries in a pilot program of a low-cost, limited-functionality version of Windows XP, Microsoft named India as the fifth country.

New Features Coming to SQL Server 2005 in Beta 3

When Microsoft delivers the Beta 3 version of SQL Server 2005, formerly code-named "Yukon," it will carry a number of feature enhancements that weren't available in the more broadly distributed Beta 2 version.

Beta 3, RTM Schedules Stand for SQL Server 2005

After having taken nearly every opportunity so far to push back the release schedule for SQL Server 2005, formerly known as "Yukon," Microsoft is allowing its SQL Server PASS Community Summit to pass without disclosing a new delay.

SQL Reporting Services Expanded Through Add-on Packs

Microsoft extended the usefulness of its SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services by making available three Report Packs, which are collections of report templates for specific Microsoft applications.

Russia is Fourth Country for Windows XP Starter Edition

Microsoft this week announced that it's expanding its Windows XP Starter Edition pilot program into Russia. The company said that it hopes to get the software to PC OEMs in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States by early 2005.

Microsoft Expands Mainframe Migration Alliance

The Mainframe Migration Alliance, Microsoft's coalition of the willing for moving customers from mainframes to Windows servers, got some new members and an official Web site on Tuesday.

Microsoft Releases Best Practices Tool for Exchange

About a year after releasing Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft rolled out a free, automated best practice tool to help IT get the most out of the e-mail server and its two predecessors -- Exchange 2000 and Exchange 5.5.

EMC Combines Storage Stack for Exchange

Over the last few years, EMC has found itself controlling a number of the assets that medium-sized businesses might need to consolidate and manage their Microsoft Exchange-based storage.

Exchange 2003 at One Year: a Migration Progress Report

Microsoft formally launched Exchange Server 2003 about a year ago. The company is holding off until next month to formally announce how much momentum the incremental upgrade to Exchange 2000 Server has built up in that time. Several analyst firms that track messaging closely, however, think they have a pretty good idea how migrations are going.

Microsoft Updates Volume Licensing Programs

Microsoft made some minor changes to its volume licensing programs this week as it launched a new centralized Web site for licensing information.

Oracle, Dell Partner on 10g for Windows

Dell and Oracle this week began jointly promoting a packaged offering of Oracle's low-end Standard Edition One version of its 10g database on Dell hardware and running Windows Server 2003. Previously Dell and Oracle only offered the packaged deal on the Red Hat Linux operating system.

Exploit Code Circulating for JPEG Flaw

The seriousness of an already critical flaw in the way a Microsoft component processes JPEG files got ratcheted up a notch this week as exploit code began circulating.