Microsoft has released security bulletin MS08-045. To view the complete security bulletin, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites:

• Home users:
  http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/bulletins/200808.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/bulletins/200808.mspx)
  Skip the details: Download the updates for your home computer or laptop from the Microsoft Update Web site now:
  http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/ (http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/)
• IT professionals:
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS08-045.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS08-045.mspx)

How to obtain help and support for this security update

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY in the United States and Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary. For more information about how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary for support issues with security updates, visit the Microsoft International Support Web site: North American customers can also obtain instant access to unlimited no-charge e-mail support or to unlimited individual chat support by visiting the following Microsoft Web site: For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available through your usual support contacts.

Non-security-related fixes that are included in this security update

General distribution release (GDR) fixes

Individual updates may not be installed depending on the version of Windows and on the version of the affected application. Please view the individual articles to determine your update status.

Hotfixes

Security update 953838 packages for Windows XP and for Windows Server 2003 include Internet Explorer hotfix files and general distribution release (GDR) files. If no existing Internet Explorer files are from the hotfix environment, security update 953838 installs the GDR files.

Hotfixes are intended to correct only the problems that are described in the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are associated with the hotfixes. Apply hotfixes only to systems that are experiencing these specific problems.

These hotfixes may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains these hotfixes. For more information about how to install the hotfixes that are included in security update 953838, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Note In addition to installing hotfix files, review the Microsoft Knowledge Base article that is associated with the specific hotfix that you have to install to determine the registry modification that is required to enable that specific hotfix.

For more information about how to determine whether your existing Internet Explorer files are from the hotfix or from the GDR environment, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

File information

The English (United States) version of this software update installs files with the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Note that dates and times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time and with your current daylight saving time bias. The dates and times may also change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

• The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table:
  Collapse this tableExpand this table

  Version	Product	Milestone	Service branch
  6.0.6000. 16xxx	Windows Vista	RTM	GDR
  6.0.6000. 20xxx	Windows Vista	RTM	LDR
  6.0.6001. 18xxx	Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2008 SP1	SP1	GDR
  6.0.6001. 22xxx	Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 SP1	SP1	LDR

• Service Pack 1 is integrated into Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxxx version number.
• GDR service branches contain only fixes that are broadly released to address widespread, critical issues. LDR service branches contain hotfixes in addition to broadly released fixes.
• The .manifest files and the .mum files that are installed in each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. These files and their associated .cat (security catalog) files are critical to maintaining the state of the updated component. The .cat files are signed with a Microsoft digital signature. The attributes of these security files are not listed.

Internet Explorer 7 on all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008Internet Explorer 7 on all supported 32-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
Internet Explorer 7 on all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP file information notes

• The files that apply to a specific milestone (RTM, SPn) and service branch (QFE, GDR) are noted in the "SP requirement" and "Service branch" columns.
• GDR service branches contain only fixes that are broadly released to address widespread, critical issues. QFE service branches contain hotfixes in addition to broadly released fixes.
• In addition to the files listed in these tables, this software update also installs an associated security catalog file (KBnumber.cat) that is signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

Internet Explorer 7 on all supported 32-bit versions of Windows Server 2003
Internet Explorer 7 on all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003
Internet Explorer 7 on all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP
Internet Explorer 7 on all supported 32-bit versions of Windows XP
Internet Explorer 6 on all supported 32-bit versions of Windows Server 2003
Internet Explorer 6 on all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003