MS patch glitch cripples HP computers

Inaccessible web sites a new feature

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Enterprise Security, 18th April 2006 16:56 GMT

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A critical Windows patch released last week is tripping up third party applications thereby causing interference to the smooth running of Microsoft's operating system. The MS06-015 update is designed to fix a serious security flaw in Windows Explorer but in doing so it can interfere with HP's Share-to-Web software which ships with digital cameras, scanners and some HP CD-and DVD drives.

Microsoft's patch adds a executable file called Verclsid.exe, which validates shell extensions before they are loaded by the Windows Shell or Windows Explorer. HP's Share-to-Web Namespace Daemon (Hpgs2wnd.exe) causes Verclsid.exe to stop responding. Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall asks for user approval before allowing Verclsid.exe to do its work. When this occurs, Verclsid.exe’s execution stops until the user clicks through Kerio's notification dialog.

Symptoms of either of these problems can include an inability to use the My Documents folder properly, frustration when typing in the url of sites you might want to visit or a variety of other glitches in Windows. Microsoft has published an advisory explaining these problems and documenting suggested fixes here. ®

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