As Microsoft readies its new beta for its security analyzer, Baseline Security Analyzer 2.0. The beta will officially start on May 16th a little behind schedule, and will conclude July, 2005. It is relatively a short amount of time for a bit but consistent with previous MBSA beta programs.
What are the new and big changes for this new release? Click Read More to continue reading.
View: Microsoft BetaPlace (Registration Required)
What are the new and big changes for this new release? Click Read More to continue reading.
View: Microsoft BetaPlace (Registration Required)
Well, the new version uses Windows Update Agent (WUA) 2.0 in conjunction with its scan results and scanning. If it finds a product which needs a newer version or a new update, it will provide the necessary information about the update and a direct download link. It also will check operating systems and service packs. Windows NT will show up with a red X if it is the operating system used, this is because of the end of support for that operating system. Reports now list the most current updates that are installed and not yet replaced by newer updates.
Baseline Security Analyzer adds support for many new products, with widens the range of support it can give you for your programs and services that need updating. The new version also supports Windows 64-Bit edition and Windows XP Embedded Edition.
Updates with MSBA 2.0 Reporting:
- Provide a "not yet approved" score for WSUS server administrators
- Current Update Compliance (history) appears in the report
- ‘Restart Required’ now shown in report
- Now offers XML output for all update scanning
• MBSA 1.2.x had XML only for MBSA-style scans, not /HF scans
- Elimination of the blue asterisk ‘Note’ message for security updates
- Locate update packages, KB and bulletin directly
- Maximum bulletin severity and 3rd party related IDs
Error Messages are now handled in an easier fashion:
- Many error messages made easily actionable
- ‘How to correct this’ link in report
• Opens new guidance in main help file
- Main help and FAQ work in conjunction with error messages
- Web site FAQ topic enhanced over time
This new version of Baseline Security Analyzer looks a very strong release. The integration with Windows Update Services is promising and something that I am pleased to think will ease the process of patching a system that needs it.
I uses MSBA regularly. Great piece of work.
However, in my opinion, MSBA freatures should be integrated into Microsoft Update.
It only goes to the page that contains that one specific update. Not MS Update. So why does it explicityly choose Internet Explorer? I thought we were tryign to get away from such "features"? I thought we wanted to live in a world of interopibility? What you say now is you don't want to be able to use say Opera or Firefox when clicking on the scan results to get individual updates? Think about what you say.
MSBA is a great tool. But the last thing it should do is be intertwined into Internet Explorer and Windows update. There are many reasons why Internet Explorer and updates would be crippled on a system and hence would render MSBA useless if this were to be done.
"wouldn't of"
Aaah, WTF!
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/couldof.html
OK, I'm feeling better now.
Last edited by 22280 on 24 Apr 2005 - 12:34
Last edited by 23471 on 24 Apr 2005 - 12:36
That worked.
nice article!
the guest id for it is MBSA20
cheers
-fm
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