I thought this was interesting enough to pass along.

Pooh Bear

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From Windows Secrets Newsletter (formerly LangaList Newsletter)

Use the Software Inspector on your own PC

Windows users face the greatest security risks today not from

flaws in Windows itself but from unpatched media players.

That's because many Windows Secrets readers, according to an online test we sponsored, are running versions of Flash, Java, and QuickTime that are unpatched against the latest security threats.

Readers' systems are rife with outdated add-ons.

In two of our recent issues, subscribers to the Windows Secrets Newsletter were asked to scan their computers using the Software Inspector, a service of Secunia.com. The scan reveals versions of Windows and builds of applications that have security flaws for which a vendor patch is available.

Contributing editor Ryan Russell, whose columns appeared in the July 26 and Aug. 9 issues of the newsletter, described how we affiliated with Secunia.com, a respected security firm that conducts the tests. We've found that Secunia's service provides such important information that we want everyone to take the test as well.

The tests of our subscribers showed which applications are

the most likely to be installed but unpatched on users' PCs.

The top ten unpatched applications found on user's computers are:

1. Adobe Flash Player 9.x

2. Sun Java JRE 1.6.x/6.x

3. Macromedia Flash Player 6.x

4. Macromedia Flash Player 8.x

5. Macromedia Flash Player 7.x

6. Apple QuickTime 7.x

7. Macromedia Flash Player 5.x

8. Mozilla Firefox 2.0.x

9. Macromedia Flash Player 4.x

10. Adobe Reader 7.x

Check your own system using the free Software Inspector at Secunia.com. This online utility requires Java to run, so you should use the Java update procedure described below to make sure you have the latest version of Java before proceeding.

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To update Sun Java:

Step 1. In the Windows Control Panel, launch the Java applet. You can also right-click the Java icon in the Taskbar tray and choose Open Control Panel.

Step 2. Click the Update tab. Use the controls there to customize the update notification. Click OK.

If you prefer to update Java manually, uncheck the box for automatic updating. Then return to this dialog box periodically and click Update Now at the bottom of the Update tab.

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Use this link to test your PC with Software Inspector.

What it does: This scan will find software (including the operating system) with known security flaws for which patches exist. The on-screen report lists your updated apps (with a green checkmark) and nonupdated apps (with a red X). If you have multiple copies of a single application installed, the report will list each version. Click the "+" icon to the left of each item for more information, including the specific path to each file.

What it doesn't do: Software Inspector does not flag applications for which no update exists. Consequently, you may still have applications with security holes that aren't mentioned in the report. In addition, the program can't detect any workarounds you may have put in place to avoid security problems with existing applications.

What should you do if the scan finds multiple versions of software? That depends. Sometimes older versions represent a security risk to your system. But in some cases (such as Java), you may need an older version to keep other application software running properly.

Before doing anything, make a backup of your system, or at least create a restore point using System Restore. (To do this in XP and later, choose Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore, and follow the instructions there.) That gives you a chance to get back to your former state if removing old software causes problems.

Secunia's Software Inspector is especially valuable for those of us who prefer to use manual updating, rather than letting programs check and download patches automatically. The scan not only tells you what updates to look for, but it checks all your software in a single step without having to use each application's update feature one at a time.

Your most difficult task will be remembering to use Software Inspector periodically. To automate that chore, click the reminder service link on the Software Inspector page. This will send you an e-mail notification every time a new update or version is available.

It's disturbing that, even when Windows is fully patched, our application software can represent an even greater vulnerability. To reduce your risk, consider running Software Inspector once a month, just after you've installed the Windows patches that Microsoft typically releases on Patch Tuesday (the 2nd Tuesday of the month).

Here is a link that might be useful: Use this link to test your PC with Software Inspector.