I use linux also my fave distro is Mepis (dual boot with Ubuntu) but with any MS OS comes IE and with IE comes the patches so as long as it is MS OS it will have IE and therefore needs the patches. Does not really matter if we use firefox and thunderbird as I also do since IE is part of the OS. I too love linux.

unfortunately it is extremely important so some way some how we will all have to do this. Here are articles to help you get an understanding on this DNS vulnerbility which the patch is for. The DNS converts the words you type in the address bar into a numerical address thatÂs used to route all Internet traffic. Exploiting an error like that would make phishing scams simple  people would think they were at their bank website and happily type in personal details, which the criminals could then harvest. Internet flaw could let hackers take over the Web Deficiencies in the DNS protocol Major DNS flaw could disrupt the Internet this is the site where you can find the DNS checker to have it run on your pc and see what it says about your system and how vulnerable it is. DNS Checker For those that are needing to completely remove ZA from their system many people are reporting using this program to get a clean full uninstall, it is a free uninstall program which works well to remove many programs that can tend to be hard to remove. I personally have not used it but several people on the tech sites are recommending it. Revo Uninstaller Zone Alarm also has detailed instructions on their site on how to do a clean uninstall should you need it.

the shield will show you exactly what the updates are if you just click on it, you can see each one and get additional info on each one, you can also uncheck any one you do not want to get and it will not install it. When you have done all the updates listed at the shield and the pc is rebooted the shield will go away till the next time there are updates available for your pc. You can choose to set it to automatically install all those updates or you can choose to have it just tell you they are there but not install them. That is the method I prefer, I can look at them and see what is available and decide. Personally I never ever get mine by using the shield or auto updates I always use my IE browser and go to the actual download website, have it scan my pc to see what my pc needs then I choose custom to look at what is listed and I select only the ones marked as critical to install, (not sp3 though not for me)To go to the windows update website just go to start> all programs> up at the top click on windows updates. If once it scans it lists updates those are ones that have been selected for you pc only some people get more than others etc that is due to their specific setup and programs. Some versions of MS office will come with windows updates but some will not so if you have office on your pc you must go to the dedicated windows office update site and have it scan your pc and then do the critical updates for office. I personally like to wait about a week after they are released before I install them on my pc, I am on lots of forums that instantly get reports of any conflicts or issues with the updates so I have learned I don't want to be first in line, I let the other guys go on ahead, if no one gets a bite taken out of them then I go. At the windows update site you can check your installed updates history, you can also see on the left side any other updates that are available either for your pc such as drivers and for programs and such, those are up to you. I get emails from Microsoft when new updates are going to be issued and they inform me of everything that is going to be affected, if there are changes to the bulletin I get an update, so I know to be on alert and watching. For example there is an out of band update being issued either sometime today or tomorrow depending on your timezone, this is very unusual because they are normally done on patch Tuesdays each month(2nd Tues) so for them to issue something out of band is unusual. this is a MS technet bulletin about it. Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for October 2008 Microsoft to rush out emergency Windows patch Advance Notification for Out-of-Band Release and this is the actual KB of this particular out of band fix Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-067 Critical a lot of this kind of info goes out to us ahead of time so that there is some advance notice and believe me there are a lot of people just waiting for the responses if there are problems so they can start working on them asap. so if you got an update today now you know why.

no definitely not Moni!In fact it is extremely outdated, it's really important to keep updated java, adobe reader and other adobe product, including flash on every browser,which is mentioned in the second link for Corrines blog. You are definitely at risk. Shirley do you have the latest version of Firefox if not update it, 18 is current. Some sites do use java, most are moving to newer safer technology. YouTube shouldn't be a problem. Firefox yesterday disabled java in their browser which is why you are not seeing it now. It sounds like you are ok. According to recent info supposedly there will be a patch Tuesday, we shall see.