Computer and internet briefs

Sep 25, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Five new patches close Microsoft security gaps

Berlin (dpa) - Microsoft has released five new patches to seal a total of 15 security gaps.

Most of the problems were in the database programme Excel and the Sharepoint platform software, both of which are primarily used by businesses. Four of the problems were directly linked to the operating system, reported the company.

Users of Windows, Office or Sharepoint who have activated the automatic Windows update function need do nothing else. Everyone else should find the updates and install them, for example, by visiting the Windows update website at http://www.windowsupdate.com.

Security gaps reported in Adobe Reader and Acrobat

Berlin (dpa) - Adobe has plugged critical security gaps in its PDF programmes Reader and Acrobat. Users should be sure to use the software's integrated update function, advises the German Federal Office for Information Security.

The update function is available by first going to the help tab and then seeking updates. Without the updates, hackers could gain extended user rights and install dangerous software.

To make sure the programmes update themselves in the future, users should set the programmes to update automatically.

Firefox tool allows view of unencrypted passwords

Berlin (dpa) - Security measures that automatically mask a password when it's typed in online are there to make sure others can't sneak a peek at a password over the user's shoulder.

But if access is denied, that security feature makes it impossible to tell if it's a case of an incorrect password or a simple typing error. Here's where the Firefox browser helps with a simple add-on, fittingly called Show My Password.

After installation of the add-on, the password is disguised as other symbols, as usual. But if you drag your mouse over those symbols or right-click on them, you get to see the original characters.

The different options are laid out in the settings. They include a setting to hide the password as soon as the mouse is moved elsewhere on the screen. The add-on also allows users to copy passwords and cut and paste them.

Delete unnecessary data before your hard drives runs over

Berlin (dpa) - Windows sounds the alarm when a hard drive is down to only 200 megabytes free, advising users to initiate a programme to clean up the drive.