Getting a non tech person to download a product that they already have is a challenge. My mom probably can’t tell the difference between OS X and Vista, yet you want her to download o new version of IE? Oh and from a special website? Yeeeaahhhh, it COULD happen, but only if it comes at the end of a video showing a dangling kitten while it installs 30 different viruses.

One piece of the effort is a charity push in which Microsoft will donate meals to a food bank for each person that downloads IE 8 via a special “Browser for the Better” Web site. Technically, the company is donating $1.15 per completed download, up to a maximum of $1 million.

Although Microsoft is also pushing out Internet Explorer 8 over Windows Update and including a version of it with Windows 7 (except in Europe), the company is trying to build awareness of the latest version and spur active usage.

The software maker has seen its browser share–which once topped 90 percent–continue to decline, with Mozilla’s Firefox having gained considerable ground. The company also faces competition from Apple, Google and others in the browser arena.

You know how you get people to get on the bandwagon? You push the porn privacy mode. That would get people on board REAL quick.

(Via CNET.)

Did you get all excited about the Windows 7 RC, so instead of waiting till Microsoft released it you downloaded it on torrent? Turns out that prerelease version had a nasty botnet built into it. But don’t worry, you were not the only one, it is spreading at roughly 500 machines an hour.

Damballa reckons malicious hackers distributed the malware by hiding it within counterfeit copies of pre-release versions of Microsoft’s next operating system on offer through BitTorrent.

Damballa reckons that the pirated package was released around 24 April. By 10 May, when security researchers effectively curtailed the operation, as many as 552 new users were becoming infected per hour as a result of the attack.

“Since the pirated package was released on 24 April, my best guess is that this botnet probably had at least 27,000 successful installs

This means if you have not done so already, you need to get the official release from Microsoft. I will even be nice and give you the link right here.

(Via The Register.)

Microsoft today released a patch for the hole found in PowerPoint. Sadly the patch doesn’t cover Mac or the older Works Suite. CNET has some more:

Without the patch, the vulnerability can be exploited by getting a person to open a PowerPoint file rigged for the attack, Microsoft has said. When the file is opened, PowerPoint will access an invalid object in memory. That then allows an attacker to remotely execute code on the system.

The fix was released as part of the company’s regularly scheduled monthly Patch Tuesday.

Microsoft said that the vulnerability is not rated critical for PowerPoint 2002 and later versions because they prompt a user before opening a document, meaning that the vulnerability “requires more than a single user action to complete the exploit.”

Yeah ok, this guy obviously works in an environment of smart users. Let me tell you about the general work force, a prompt asking if they are sure if they want to open the file means nothing. A chance to see cute cats doing something dumb is just too hard for most to pass up.

(Via CNET)

Well can you believe it? Windows 7 actually shows up early with the Release Candidate. Microsoft just posted it for general public download here.