I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now posted -
thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx

New in the FAQ :

Q. What versions of MBSA are supported?
A. PSS only supports the latest version of MBSA which is currently 1.2.1. The
mssecure.xml file that MBSA uses to identify missing security updates is
different for MBSA 1.2+ than for earlier versions. As of April 20th, 2004, the
mssecure.xml file used by earlier versions is no longer being updated.
Therefore, scans performed with MBSA 1.1.1 or earlier versions will be
incomplete. Users running less than MBSA 1.2.1 will see a message notifying them
that 1.2.1 is available.

Q. Do I need to uninstall MBSA 1.2 before installing MBSA 1.2.1?
A. No, MBSA 1.2.1 will automatically uninstall any previous version of MBSA
before installing MBSA 1.2.1

Q. Does MBSA support 64-bit Windows?
A. No.

Q. What is the current version of MBSA? Why do I see conflicting version
numbering in the product?
A. The latest version of MBSA is version 1.2.1 - which is also referred to as
1.2.4013.0 on some screens. The 4013.0 refers to build versioning. The official
version number exists in the "About Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer" link.
If you are running MBSA 1.2 you will see a message that a new version 1.2.4013.0
is available.

Q. What settings are required for a successful remote scan of a Windows XP SP2
machine?
A. This is addressed in the "readme.html" file in the "Help" directory under the
"#firewall" section. If you require remote scanning of Windows XP Service Pack 2
machines, these conditions must be met :
. The Server service, Remote Registry service, and File & Print Sharing services
must be enabled.
. Remote machine scans are performed using TCP ports 139 and 445. In a
multi-domain environment, where a firewall or filtering router separates the two
networks, TCP ports 139 and 445 and UDP ports 137 and 138 must be open in order
for MBSA to connect and authenticate to the remote network being scanned. You
must allow these ports on the remote Windows Firewall.

--
Mike Chan
Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
Security Business Unit
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--

Re: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by Bill

Bill
Wed Aug 25 19:18:59 CDT 2004

Hi, Mike. Thanks for the heads-up. The changes are much
appreciated.


Bill



Mike Chan [MSFT] wrote:
> I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now
> posted - thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx
>



RE: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by TSP

TSP
Thu Aug 26 22:39:06 CDT 2004

Solved it, I believe.

It seems, for off-liners, the correct versions of the contents of
"invcm.exe" (link appears to have been removed from the FAQ), are not
installed by MBSA. Found a recent version of the file manually, extracted
the files (convert.exe etc) and replaced the versions installed. These
files' versions now match the Patchdata.XML version headers.

The scan now works and completes with a meaningful report.

Just to let you know.
(But something still must be awry in the build or install for this to
happen)

Regards.


"TSP" wrote:

> Folks,
>
> Unfortunately this and other Posts make no mention of an Offline Office
> Critical scanning error.
>
> This may well have something to do with the FAQ entry covering manual
> downloads and extraction of the "invcif.exe" file no longer being correct.
> That is, once extracted there are now two files in the "OfficeUpd/cifs"
> directory, namely "puids.cif" (which contains only Version information) and
> now a second file called "puids.dat"
>
> Could we please have some clarification on this please, as all my Scans
> result in a message of "Error occured while checking for Office updates.
> Could not update files for Office Update Inventory Tool. 030003" and I
> suspect it has something to do with this data in fact having been changed by
> Microsoft without notice, and MBSA no longer being able to detect the data.
>
> TIA (Note: I can only work on manual downloads of all data)
>
>
>
> "Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:
>
> > I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now posted -
> > thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!
> >
> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx
> >
> > New in the FAQ :
> >
> > Q. What versions of MBSA are supported?
> > A. PSS only supports the latest version of MBSA which is currently 1.2.1. The
> > mssecure.xml file that MBSA uses to identify missing security updates is
> > different for MBSA 1.2+ than for earlier versions. As of April 20th, 2004, the
> > mssecure.xml file used by earlier versions is no longer being updated.
> > Therefore, scans performed with MBSA 1.1.1 or earlier versions will be
> > incomplete. Users running less than MBSA 1.2.1 will see a message notifying them
> > that 1.2.1 is available.
> >
> > Q. Do I need to uninstall MBSA 1.2 before installing MBSA 1.2.1?
> > A. No, MBSA 1.2.1 will automatically uninstall any previous version of MBSA
> > before installing MBSA 1.2.1
> >
> > Q. Does MBSA support 64-bit Windows?
> > A. No.
> >
> > Q. What is the current version of MBSA? Why do I see conflicting version
> > numbering in the product?
> > A. The latest version of MBSA is version 1.2.1 - which is also referred to as
> > 1.2.4013.0 on some screens. The 4013.0 refers to build versioning. The official
> > version number exists in the "About Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer" link.
> > If you are running MBSA 1.2 you will see a message that a new version 1.2.4013.0
> > is available.
> >
> > Q. What settings are required for a successful remote scan of a Windows XP SP2
> > machine?
> > A. This is addressed in the "readme.html" file in the "Help" directory under the
> > "#firewall" section. If you require remote scanning of Windows XP Service Pack 2
> > machines, these conditions must be met :
> > .. The Server service, Remote Registry service, and File & Print Sharing services
> > must be enabled.
> > .. Remote machine scans are performed using TCP ports 139 and 445. In a
> > multi-domain environment, where a firewall or filtering router separates the two
> > networks, TCP ports 139 and 445 and UDP ports 137 and 138 must be open in order
> > for MBSA to connect and authenticate to the remote network being scanned. You
> > must allow these ports on the remote Windows Firewall.
> >
> > --
> > Mike Chan
> > Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
> > Security Business Unit
> > Microsoft Corporation
> >
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> > --
> >
> >
> >

Re: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by Doug

Doug
Fri Aug 27 13:28:07 CDT 2004

TSP - here are some steps that should help. The steps below include
guidance for accessing MSSECURE.XML and Office Update files in an offline
mode, so if you only need the Office files, feel free to ignore the
unnecessary steps.

Since MBSA requires a direct connection to the internet - without being
blocked by a proxy server that may prevent CAB file downloads - a specific
set of steps is necessary to provide the files necessary for MBSA in an
offline or secure mode. Likewise, the Office Inventory Tool opens an
anonymous connection to the web to download the cabs - and there's currently
no way to obtain and use the user name/password to authenticate the
connection with the Proxy server. The steps below should help provide the
proper locations to download the necessary files and where to copy them into
a secure environment so MBSA can be run within a secure or offline
environment. An alternate version of these steps is available online in the
MBSA FAQ (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx) under
the heading, "How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if my
proxy server requires authentication?"



Whether these steps are scripted or manually performed, these files are
frequently updated on the Microsoft site to ensure customers have the latest
security database to detect missing patches. If a scripted or offline
solution is used, it is critical to COPY THESE FILES ON A REGULAR AND
FREQUENT BASIS to ensure scans performed in the secure/offline environment
are performed using the latest versions of the database files available.
Otherwise, outdated XML files may result in incorrect and/or outdated scans
which will fail to catch vulnerabilities.



Necessary files:

a.. MBSA 1.2 MSSECURE.XML file (including localized versions once they are
released)
b.. Office Update PATCHDATA.XML file


STEP 1 - Ensure MBSA 1.2 is successfully installed on a scanning machine

Install MBSA 1.2 on a machine in the secure or offline environment.



STEP 2 - Download all needed files

Depending on your localization needs, download all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files
you will need for your environment from a connection that allows download
from the internet and does not block CAB file downloads. Also download both
sets of Office Inventory Tool files (INVCIF and INVCM) from the locations
listed below:



Download localized versions of MSSECURE.XML from the following locations
(for English-only environments, only the ENU version needs to be
downloaded):

a.. ENU (MSSECURE_1033): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18922
b.. DEU (MSSECURE_1031) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18121
c.. FRN (MSSECURE_1036) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18122
d.. JPN (MSSECURE_1041): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18120


Download INVCIF.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18842 and

Download INVCM.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18452



STEP 3 - Copy MSSECURE.CAB files to MBSA directory

Copy all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files to the MBSA installation directory where
MBSA is installed in the secure environment (usually C:\Program
Files\Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer directory)



STEP 4 - Expand and copy Office Inventory files to correct directories

Run INVCIF.EXE, answer Yes to install the Office Update Inventory Tool, read
the EULA and agree to its terms, specify a local directory to expand the
contents to (say c:\TEMP).



This will create two files (PATCHDATA.XML and INVENTORYCATALOG.HTML) and a
directory named CIFS - which also contains an additional file named
PUIDS.CIF.



Copy these two files and directory into the Microsoft Baseline Security
Analyzer\OfficeUpd directory on the scanning machine



STEP 5 - Run MBSA in the secure environment

Once these files have been copied into the correct locations in the MBSA
installation directory, MBSA should be able to run without accessing the
internet to download these files.



The local ***.CAB files will be expanded by MBSA when they are needed and
the Office Update files will be present in the \OfficeUpd directory for MBSA
to use these files in offline mode.




--


Doug Neal [MSFT]
dugn@online.microsoft.com

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

If newsgroup discussion with experts and MVPs is unable to solve a problem
to your satisfaction, feel free to contact PSS for the Microsoft Baseline
Security Analyzer (MBSA) at the following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;Prodoffer20a

This e-mail address does not receive e-mail, but is used for newsgroup
postings only.


"TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:60FD4534-F291-4766-B26E-388999275392@microsoft.com...
> Solved it, I believe.
>
> It seems, for off-liners, the correct versions of the contents of
> "invcm.exe" (link appears to have been removed from the FAQ), are not
> installed by MBSA. Found a recent version of the file manually, extracted
> the files (convert.exe etc) and replaced the versions installed. These
> files' versions now match the Patchdata.XML version headers.
>
> The scan now works and completes with a meaningful report.
>
> Just to let you know.
> (But something still must be awry in the build or install for this to
> happen)
>
> Regards.
>
>
> "TSP" wrote:
>
>> Folks,
>>
>> Unfortunately this and other Posts make no mention of an Offline Office
>> Critical scanning error.
>>
>> This may well have something to do with the FAQ entry covering manual
>> downloads and extraction of the "invcif.exe" file no longer being
>> correct.
>> That is, once extracted there are now two files in the "OfficeUpd/cifs"
>> directory, namely "puids.cif" (which contains only Version information)
>> and
>> now a second file called "puids.dat"
>>
>> Could we please have some clarification on this please, as all my Scans
>> result in a message of "Error occured while checking for Office updates.
>> Could not update files for Office Update Inventory Tool. 030003" and I
>> suspect it has something to do with this data in fact having been changed
>> by
>> Microsoft without notice, and MBSA no longer being able to detect the
>> data.
>>
>> TIA (Note: I can only work on manual downloads of all data)
>>
>>
>>
>> "Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:
>>
>> > I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now
>> > posted -
>> > thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!
>> >
>> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx
>> >
>> > New in the FAQ :
>> >
>> > Q. What versions of MBSA are supported?
>> > A. PSS only supports the latest version of MBSA which is currently
>> > 1.2.1. The
>> > mssecure.xml file that MBSA uses to identify missing security updates
>> > is
>> > different for MBSA 1.2+ than for earlier versions. As of April 20th,
>> > 2004, the
>> > mssecure.xml file used by earlier versions is no longer being updated.
>> > Therefore, scans performed with MBSA 1.1.1 or earlier versions will be
>> > incomplete. Users running less than MBSA 1.2.1 will see a message
>> > notifying them
>> > that 1.2.1 is available.
>> >
>> > Q. Do I need to uninstall MBSA 1.2 before installing MBSA 1.2.1?
>> > A. No, MBSA 1.2.1 will automatically uninstall any previous version of
>> > MBSA
>> > before installing MBSA 1.2.1
>> >
>> > Q. Does MBSA support 64-bit Windows?
>> > A. No.
>> >
>> > Q. What is the current version of MBSA? Why do I see conflicting
>> > version
>> > numbering in the product?
>> > A. The latest version of MBSA is version 1.2.1 - which is also referred
>> > to as
>> > 1.2.4013.0 on some screens. The 4013.0 refers to build versioning. The
>> > official
>> > version number exists in the "About Microsoft Baseline Security
>> > Analyzer" link.
>> > If you are running MBSA 1.2 you will see a message that a new version
>> > 1.2.4013.0
>> > is available.
>> >
>> > Q. What settings are required for a successful remote scan of a Windows
>> > XP SP2
>> > machine?
>> > A. This is addressed in the "readme.html" file in the "Help" directory
>> > under the
>> > "#firewall" section. If you require remote scanning of Windows XP
>> > Service Pack 2
>> > machines, these conditions must be met :
>> > .. The Server service, Remote Registry service, and File & Print
>> > Sharing services
>> > must be enabled.
>> > .. Remote machine scans are performed using TCP ports 139 and 445. In a
>> > multi-domain environment, where a firewall or filtering router
>> > separates the two
>> > networks, TCP ports 139 and 445 and UDP ports 137 and 138 must be open
>> > in order
>> > for MBSA to connect and authenticate to the remote network being
>> > scanned. You
>> > must allow these ports on the remote Windows Firewall.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Mike Chan
>> > Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
>> > Security Business Unit
>> > Microsoft Corporation
>> >
>> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> > rights.
>> > --
>> >
>> >
>> >



Re: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by TSP

TSP
Sun Aug 29 18:51:01 CDT 2004

Thank you Doug

Those are exactly the steps I took. (as detailed in the FAQ)

However, as I was trying to point out some of this information is no longer
available and also not correct in the FAQ for the Q mentioned. I remembered
the source for INVCM.EXE from the previous FAQ, it is not mentioned in the
new FAQ. Also the details of what is extracted from INVCIF.EXE are not
complete in the FAQ (that is the existence of PUIDS.DAT in the CIFS directory
is not mentioned)

So please could the FAQ be updated to include all this. Thanks

And yes don't worry I regularly check for updates, that's how I discovered
these inconsistencies.

TSP


"Doug Neal [MSFT]" wrote:

> TSP - here are some steps that should help. The steps below include
> guidance for accessing MSSECURE.XML and Office Update files in an offline
> mode, so if you only need the Office files, feel free to ignore the
> unnecessary steps.
>
> Since MBSA requires a direct connection to the internet - without being
> blocked by a proxy server that may prevent CAB file downloads - a specific
> set of steps is necessary to provide the files necessary for MBSA in an
> offline or secure mode. Likewise, the Office Inventory Tool opens an
> anonymous connection to the web to download the cabs - and there's currently
> no way to obtain and use the user name/password to authenticate the
> connection with the Proxy server. The steps below should help provide the
> proper locations to download the necessary files and where to copy them into
> a secure environment so MBSA can be run within a secure or offline
> environment. An alternate version of these steps is available online in the
> MBSA FAQ (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx) under
> the heading, "How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if my
> proxy server requires authentication?"
>
>
>
> Whether these steps are scripted or manually performed, these files are
> frequently updated on the Microsoft site to ensure customers have the latest
> security database to detect missing patches. If a scripted or offline
> solution is used, it is critical to COPY THESE FILES ON A REGULAR AND
> FREQUENT BASIS to ensure scans performed in the secure/offline environment
> are performed using the latest versions of the database files available.
> Otherwise, outdated XML files may result in incorrect and/or outdated scans
> which will fail to catch vulnerabilities.
>
>
>
> Necessary files:
>
> a.. MBSA 1.2 MSSECURE.XML file (including localized versions once they are
> released)
> b.. Office Update PATCHDATA.XML file
>
>
> STEP 1 - Ensure MBSA 1.2 is successfully installed on a scanning machine
>
> Install MBSA 1.2 on a machine in the secure or offline environment.
>
>
>
> STEP 2 - Download all needed files
>
> Depending on your localization needs, download all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files
> you will need for your environment from a connection that allows download
> from the internet and does not block CAB file downloads. Also download both
> sets of Office Inventory Tool files (INVCIF and INVCM) from the locations
> listed below:
>
>
>
> Download localized versions of MSSECURE.XML from the following locations
> (for English-only environments, only the ENU version needs to be
> downloaded):
>
> a.. ENU (MSSECURE_1033): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18922
> b.. DEU (MSSECURE_1031) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18121
> c.. FRN (MSSECURE_1036) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18122
> d.. JPN (MSSECURE_1041): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18120
>
>
> Download INVCIF.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18842 and
>
> Download INVCM.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18452
>
>
>
> STEP 3 - Copy MSSECURE.CAB files to MBSA directory
>
> Copy all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files to the MBSA installation directory where
> MBSA is installed in the secure environment (usually C:\Program
> Files\Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer directory)
>
>
>
> STEP 4 - Expand and copy Office Inventory files to correct directories
>
> Run INVCIF.EXE, answer Yes to install the Office Update Inventory Tool, read
> the EULA and agree to its terms, specify a local directory to expand the
> contents to (say c:\TEMP).
>
>
>
> This will create two files (PATCHDATA.XML and INVENTORYCATALOG.HTML) and a
> directory named CIFS - which also contains an additional file named
> PUIDS.CIF.
>
>
>
> Copy these two files and directory into the Microsoft Baseline Security
> Analyzer\OfficeUpd directory on the scanning machine
>
>
>
> STEP 5 - Run MBSA in the secure environment
>
> Once these files have been copied into the correct locations in the MBSA
> installation directory, MBSA should be able to run without accessing the
> internet to download these files.
>
>
>
> The local ***.CAB files will be expanded by MBSA when they are needed and
> the Office Update files will be present in the \OfficeUpd directory for MBSA
> to use these files in offline mode.
>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> Doug Neal [MSFT]
> dugn@online.microsoft.com
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
> If newsgroup discussion with experts and MVPs is unable to solve a problem
> to your satisfaction, feel free to contact PSS for the Microsoft Baseline
> Security Analyzer (MBSA) at the following link:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;Prodoffer20a
>
> This e-mail address does not receive e-mail, but is used for newsgroup
> postings only.
>
>
> "TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:60FD4534-F291-4766-B26E-388999275392@microsoft.com...
> > Solved it, I believe.
> >
> > It seems, for off-liners, the correct versions of the contents of
> > "invcm.exe" (link appears to have been removed from the FAQ), are not
> > installed by MBSA. Found a recent version of the file manually, extracted
> > the files (convert.exe etc) and replaced the versions installed. These
> > files' versions now match the Patchdata.XML version headers.
> >
> > The scan now works and completes with a meaningful report.
> >
> > Just to let you know.
> > (But something still must be awry in the build or install for this to
> > happen)
> >
> > Regards.
> >
> >
> > "TSP" wrote:
> >
> >> Folks,
> >>
> >> Unfortunately this and other Posts make no mention of an Offline Office
> >> Critical scanning error.
> >>
> >> This may well have something to do with the FAQ entry covering manual
> >> downloads and extraction of the "invcif.exe" file no longer being
> >> correct.
> >> That is, once extracted there are now two files in the "OfficeUpd/cifs"
> >> directory, namely "puids.cif" (which contains only Version information)
> >> and
> >> now a second file called "puids.dat"
> >>
> >> Could we please have some clarification on this please, as all my Scans
> >> result in a message of "Error occured while checking for Office updates.
> >> Could not update files for Office Update Inventory Tool. 030003" and I
> >> suspect it has something to do with this data in fact having been changed
> >> by
> >> Microsoft without notice, and MBSA no longer being able to detect the
> >> data.
> >>
> >> TIA (Note: I can only work on manual downloads of all data)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:
> >>
> >> > I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now
> >> > posted -
> >> > thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!
> >> >
> >> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx
> >> >
> >> > New in the FAQ :
> >> >
> >> > Q. What versions of MBSA are supported?
> >> > A. PSS only supports the latest version of MBSA which is currently
> >> > 1.2.1. The
> >> > mssecure.xml file that MBSA uses to identify missing security updates
> >> > is
> >> > different for MBSA 1.2+ than for earlier versions. As of April 20th,
> >> > 2004, the
> >> > mssecure.xml file used by earlier versions is no longer being updated.
> >> > Therefore, scans performed with MBSA 1.1.1 or earlier versions will be
> >> > incomplete. Users running less than MBSA 1.2.1 will see a message
> >> > notifying them
> >> > that 1.2.1 is available.
> >> >
> >> > Q. Do I need to uninstall MBSA 1.2 before installing MBSA 1.2.1?
> >> > A. No, MBSA 1.2.1 will automatically uninstall any previous version of
> >> > MBSA
> >> > before installing MBSA 1.2.1
> >> >
> >> > Q. Does MBSA support 64-bit Windows?
> >> > A. No.
> >> >
> >> > Q. What is the current version of MBSA? Why do I see conflicting
> >> > version
> >> > numbering in the product?
> >> > A. The latest version of MBSA is version 1.2.1 - which is also referred
> >> > to as
> >> > 1.2.4013.0 on some screens. The 4013.0 refers to build versioning. The
> >> > official
> >> > version number exists in the "About Microsoft Baseline Security
> >> > Analyzer" link.
> >> > If you are running MBSA 1.2 you will see a message that a new version
> >> > 1.2.4013.0
> >> > is available.
> >> >
> >> > Q. What settings are required for a successful remote scan of a Windows
> >> > XP SP2
> >> > machine?
> >> > A. This is addressed in the "readme.html" file in the "Help" directory
> >> > under the
> >> > "#firewall" section. If you require remote scanning of Windows XP
> >> > Service Pack 2
> >> > machines, these conditions must be met :
> >> > .. The Server service, Remote Registry service, and File & Print
> >> > Sharing services
> >> > must be enabled.
> >> > .. Remote machine scans are performed using TCP ports 139 and 445. In a
> >> > multi-domain environment, where a firewall or filtering router
> >> > separates the two
> >> > networks, TCP ports 139 and 445 and UDP ports 137 and 138 must be open
> >> > in order
> >> > for MBSA to connect and authenticate to the remote network being
> >> > scanned. You
> >> > must allow these ports on the remote Windows Firewall.
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Mike Chan
> >> > Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
> >> > Security Business Unit
> >> > Microsoft Corporation
> >> >
> >> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> > rights.
> >> > --
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
>
>
>

Re: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by Mike

Mike
Tue Aug 31 16:05:27 CDT 2004

can you post the section of the old faq you are referring to or what question
you are referring to?

--
Mike Chan
Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
Security Business Unit
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--
"TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E532493F-2635-4048-8FEA-478121281CEE@microsoft.com...
> Thank you Doug
>
> Those are exactly the steps I took. (as detailed in the FAQ)
>
> However, as I was trying to point out some of this information is no longer
> available and also not correct in the FAQ for the Q mentioned. I remembered
> the source for INVCM.EXE from the previous FAQ, it is not mentioned in the
> new FAQ. Also the details of what is extracted from INVCIF.EXE are not
> complete in the FAQ (that is the existence of PUIDS.DAT in the CIFS directory
> is not mentioned)
>
> So please could the FAQ be updated to include all this. Thanks
>
> And yes don't worry I regularly check for updates, that's how I discovered
> these inconsistencies.
>
> TSP
>
>
> "Doug Neal [MSFT]" wrote:
>
>> TSP - here are some steps that should help. The steps below include
>> guidance for accessing MSSECURE.XML and Office Update files in an offline
>> mode, so if you only need the Office files, feel free to ignore the
>> unnecessary steps.
>>
>> Since MBSA requires a direct connection to the internet - without being
>> blocked by a proxy server that may prevent CAB file downloads - a specific
>> set of steps is necessary to provide the files necessary for MBSA in an
>> offline or secure mode. Likewise, the Office Inventory Tool opens an
>> anonymous connection to the web to download the cabs - and there's currently
>> no way to obtain and use the user name/password to authenticate the
>> connection with the Proxy server. The steps below should help provide the
>> proper locations to download the necessary files and where to copy them into
>> a secure environment so MBSA can be run within a secure or offline
>> environment. An alternate version of these steps is available online in the
>> MBSA FAQ (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx) under
>> the heading, "How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if my
>> proxy server requires authentication?"
>>
>>
>>
>> Whether these steps are scripted or manually performed, these files are
>> frequently updated on the Microsoft site to ensure customers have the latest
>> security database to detect missing patches. If a scripted or offline
>> solution is used, it is critical to COPY THESE FILES ON A REGULAR AND
>> FREQUENT BASIS to ensure scans performed in the secure/offline environment
>> are performed using the latest versions of the database files available.
>> Otherwise, outdated XML files may result in incorrect and/or outdated scans
>> which will fail to catch vulnerabilities.
>>
>>
>>
>> Necessary files:
>>
>> a.. MBSA 1.2 MSSECURE.XML file (including localized versions once they are
>> released)
>> b.. Office Update PATCHDATA.XML file
>>
>>
>> STEP 1 - Ensure MBSA 1.2 is successfully installed on a scanning machine
>>
>> Install MBSA 1.2 on a machine in the secure or offline environment.
>>
>>
>>
>> STEP 2 - Download all needed files
>>
>> Depending on your localization needs, download all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files
>> you will need for your environment from a connection that allows download
>> from the internet and does not block CAB file downloads. Also download both
>> sets of Office Inventory Tool files (INVCIF and INVCM) from the locations
>> listed below:
>>
>>
>>
>> Download localized versions of MSSECURE.XML from the following locations
>> (for English-only environments, only the ENU version needs to be
>> downloaded):
>>
>> a.. ENU (MSSECURE_1033): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18922
>> b.. DEU (MSSECURE_1031) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18121
>> c.. FRN (MSSECURE_1036) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18122
>> d.. JPN (MSSECURE_1041): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18120
>>
>>
>> Download INVCIF.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18842 and
>>
>> Download INVCM.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18452
>>
>>
>>
>> STEP 3 - Copy MSSECURE.CAB files to MBSA directory
>>
>> Copy all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files to the MBSA installation directory where
>> MBSA is installed in the secure environment (usually C:\Program
>> Files\Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer directory)
>>
>>
>>
>> STEP 4 - Expand and copy Office Inventory files to correct directories
>>
>> Run INVCIF.EXE, answer Yes to install the Office Update Inventory Tool, read
>> the EULA and agree to its terms, specify a local directory to expand the
>> contents to (say c:\TEMP).
>>
>>
>>
>> This will create two files (PATCHDATA.XML and INVENTORYCATALOG.HTML) and a
>> directory named CIFS - which also contains an additional file named
>> PUIDS.CIF.
>>
>>
>>
>> Copy these two files and directory into the Microsoft Baseline Security
>> Analyzer\OfficeUpd directory on the scanning machine
>>
>>
>>
>> STEP 5 - Run MBSA in the secure environment
>>
>> Once these files have been copied into the correct locations in the MBSA
>> installation directory, MBSA should be able to run without accessing the
>> internet to download these files.
>>
>>
>>
>> The local ***.CAB files will be expanded by MBSA when they are needed and
>> the Office Update files will be present in the \OfficeUpd directory for MBSA
>> to use these files in offline mode.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Doug Neal [MSFT]
>> dugn@online.microsoft.com
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>>
>> If newsgroup discussion with experts and MVPs is unable to solve a problem
>> to your satisfaction, feel free to contact PSS for the Microsoft Baseline
>> Security Analyzer (MBSA) at the following link:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;Prodoffer20a
>>
>> This e-mail address does not receive e-mail, but is used for newsgroup
>> postings only.
>>
>>
>> "TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:60FD4534-F291-4766-B26E-388999275392@microsoft.com...
>> > Solved it, I believe.
>> >
>> > It seems, for off-liners, the correct versions of the contents of
>> > "invcm.exe" (link appears to have been removed from the FAQ), are not
>> > installed by MBSA. Found a recent version of the file manually, extracted
>> > the files (convert.exe etc) and replaced the versions installed. These
>> > files' versions now match the Patchdata.XML version headers.
>> >
>> > The scan now works and completes with a meaningful report.
>> >
>> > Just to let you know.
>> > (But something still must be awry in the build or install for this to
>> > happen)
>> >
>> > Regards.
>> >
>> >
>> > "TSP" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Folks,
>> >>
>> >> Unfortunately this and other Posts make no mention of an Offline Office
>> >> Critical scanning error.
>> >>
>> >> This may well have something to do with the FAQ entry covering manual
>> >> downloads and extraction of the "invcif.exe" file no longer being
>> >> correct.
>> >> That is, once extracted there are now two files in the "OfficeUpd/cifs"
>> >> directory, namely "puids.cif" (which contains only Version information)
>> >> and
>> >> now a second file called "puids.dat"
>> >>
>> >> Could we please have some clarification on this please, as all my Scans
>> >> result in a message of "Error occured while checking for Office updates.
>> >> Could not update files for Office Update Inventory Tool. 030003" and I
>> >> suspect it has something to do with this data in fact having been changed
>> >> by
>> >> Microsoft without notice, and MBSA no longer being able to detect the
>> >> data.
>> >>
>> >> TIA (Note: I can only work on manual downloads of all data)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now
>> >> > posted -
>> >> > thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!
>> >> >
>> >> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx
>> >> >
>> >> > New in the FAQ :
>> >> >
>> >> > Q. What versions of MBSA are supported?
>> >> > A. PSS only supports the latest version of MBSA which is currently
>> >> > 1.2.1. The
>> >> > mssecure.xml file that MBSA uses to identify missing security updates
>> >> > is
>> >> > different for MBSA 1.2+ than for earlier versions. As of April 20th,
>> >> > 2004, the
>> >> > mssecure.xml file used by earlier versions is no longer being updated.
>> >> > Therefore, scans performed with MBSA 1.1.1 or earlier versions will be
>> >> > incomplete. Users running less than MBSA 1.2.1 will see a message
>> >> > notifying them
>> >> > that 1.2.1 is available.
>> >> >
>> >> > Q. Do I need to uninstall MBSA 1.2 before installing MBSA 1.2.1?
>> >> > A. No, MBSA 1.2.1 will automatically uninstall any previous version of
>> >> > MBSA
>> >> > before installing MBSA 1.2.1
>> >> >
>> >> > Q. Does MBSA support 64-bit Windows?
>> >> > A. No.
>> >> >
>> >> > Q. What is the current version of MBSA? Why do I see conflicting
>> >> > version
>> >> > numbering in the product?
>> >> > A. The latest version of MBSA is version 1.2.1 - which is also referred
>> >> > to as
>> >> > 1.2.4013.0 on some screens. The 4013.0 refers to build versioning. The
>> >> > official
>> >> > version number exists in the "About Microsoft Baseline Security
>> >> > Analyzer" link.
>> >> > If you are running MBSA 1.2 you will see a message that a new version
>> >> > 1.2.4013.0
>> >> > is available.
>> >> >
>> >> > Q. What settings are required for a successful remote scan of a Windows
>> >> > XP SP2
>> >> > machine?
>> >> > A. This is addressed in the "readme.html" file in the "Help" directory
>> >> > under the
>> >> > "#firewall" section. If you require remote scanning of Windows XP
>> >> > Service Pack 2
>> >> > machines, these conditions must be met :
>> >> > .. The Server service, Remote Registry service, and File & Print
>> >> > Sharing services
>> >> > must be enabled.
>> >> > .. Remote machine scans are performed using TCP ports 139 and 445. In a
>> >> > multi-domain environment, where a firewall or filtering router
>> >> > separates the two
>> >> > networks, TCP ports 139 and 445 and UDP ports 137 and 138 must be open
>> >> > in order
>> >> > for MBSA to connect and authenticate to the remote network being
>> >> > scanned. You
>> >> > must allow these ports on the remote Windows Firewall.
>> >> >
>> >> > --
>> >> > Mike Chan
>> >> > Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
>> >> > Security Business Unit
>> >> > Microsoft Corporation
>> >> >
>> >> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> >> > rights.
>> >> > --
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>>
>>
>>



Re: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by TSP

TSP
Wed Sep 01 17:39:01 CDT 2004

Mike,

for the Following Q. (in the New FAQ)
How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if my proxy server
requires authentication?

I won't repeat the answer here. Suffice to say that it is unclear on or
missing the aspects I have referred to. (That is the real contents of
INVCIF.EXE)

For the old FAQ, I only have a paper printout but at one stage it did also
have a link for INVCM.EXE. (The latest versions of its contents MBSA 1.2.1
does not seem to install, thus the errors)

Thanks.
TSP


"Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:

> can you post the section of the old faq you are referring to or what question
> you are referring to?
>
> --
> Mike Chan
> Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
> Security Business Unit
> Microsoft Corporation
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> --
> "TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E532493F-2635-4048-8FEA-478121281CEE@microsoft.com...
> > Thank you Doug
> >
> > Those are exactly the steps I took. (as detailed in the FAQ)
> >
> > However, as I was trying to point out some of this information is no longer
> > available and also not correct in the FAQ for the Q mentioned. I remembered
> > the source for INVCM.EXE from the previous FAQ, it is not mentioned in the
> > new FAQ. Also the details of what is extracted from INVCIF.EXE are not
> > complete in the FAQ (that is the existence of PUIDS.DAT in the CIFS directory
> > is not mentioned)
> >
> > So please could the FAQ be updated to include all this. Thanks
> >
> > And yes don't worry I regularly check for updates, that's how I discovered
> > these inconsistencies.
> >
> > TSP
> >
> >
> > "Doug Neal [MSFT]" wrote:
> >
> >> TSP - here are some steps that should help. The steps below include
> >> guidance for accessing MSSECURE.XML and Office Update files in an offline
> >> mode, so if you only need the Office files, feel free to ignore the
> >> unnecessary steps.
> >>
> >> Since MBSA requires a direct connection to the internet - without being
> >> blocked by a proxy server that may prevent CAB file downloads - a specific
> >> set of steps is necessary to provide the files necessary for MBSA in an
> >> offline or secure mode. Likewise, the Office Inventory Tool opens an
> >> anonymous connection to the web to download the cabs - and there's currently
> >> no way to obtain and use the user name/password to authenticate the
> >> connection with the Proxy server. The steps below should help provide the
> >> proper locations to download the necessary files and where to copy them into
> >> a secure environment so MBSA can be run within a secure or offline
> >> environment. An alternate version of these steps is available online in the
> >> MBSA FAQ (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx) under
> >> the heading, "How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if my
> >> proxy server requires authentication?"
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Whether these steps are scripted or manually performed, these files are
> >> frequently updated on the Microsoft site to ensure customers have the latest
> >> security database to detect missing patches. If a scripted or offline
> >> solution is used, it is critical to COPY THESE FILES ON A REGULAR AND
> >> FREQUENT BASIS to ensure scans performed in the secure/offline environment
> >> are performed using the latest versions of the database files available.
> >> Otherwise, outdated XML files may result in incorrect and/or outdated scans
> >> which will fail to catch vulnerabilities.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Necessary files:
> >>
> >> a.. MBSA 1.2 MSSECURE.XML file (including localized versions once they are
> >> released)
> >> b.. Office Update PATCHDATA.XML file
> >>
> >>
> >> STEP 1 - Ensure MBSA 1.2 is successfully installed on a scanning machine
> >>
> >> Install MBSA 1.2 on a machine in the secure or offline environment.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> STEP 2 - Download all needed files
> >>
> >> Depending on your localization needs, download all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files
> >> you will need for your environment from a connection that allows download
> >> from the internet and does not block CAB file downloads. Also download both
> >> sets of Office Inventory Tool files (INVCIF and INVCM) from the locations
> >> listed below:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Download localized versions of MSSECURE.XML from the following locations
> >> (for English-only environments, only the ENU version needs to be
> >> downloaded):
> >>
> >> a.. ENU (MSSECURE_1033): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18922
> >> b.. DEU (MSSECURE_1031) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18121
> >> c.. FRN (MSSECURE_1036) : http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18122
> >> d.. JPN (MSSECURE_1041): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18120
> >>
> >>
> >> Download INVCIF.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18842 and
> >>
> >> Download INVCM.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18452
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> STEP 3 - Copy MSSECURE.CAB files to MBSA directory
> >>
> >> Copy all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files to the MBSA installation directory where
> >> MBSA is installed in the secure environment (usually C:\Program
> >> Files\Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer directory)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> STEP 4 - Expand and copy Office Inventory files to correct directories
> >>
> >> Run INVCIF.EXE, answer Yes to install the Office Update Inventory Tool, read
> >> the EULA and agree to its terms, specify a local directory to expand the
> >> contents to (say c:\TEMP).
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> This will create two files (PATCHDATA.XML and INVENTORYCATALOG.HTML) and a
> >> directory named CIFS - which also contains an additional file named
> >> PUIDS.CIF.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Copy these two files and directory into the Microsoft Baseline Security
> >> Analyzer\OfficeUpd directory on the scanning machine
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> STEP 5 - Run MBSA in the secure environment
> >>
> >> Once these files have been copied into the correct locations in the MBSA
> >> installation directory, MBSA should be able to run without accessing the
> >> internet to download these files.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> The local ***.CAB files will be expanded by MBSA when they are needed and
> >> the Office Update files will be present in the \OfficeUpd directory for MBSA
> >> to use these files in offline mode.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >>
> >> Doug Neal [MSFT]
> >> dugn@online.microsoft.com
> >>
> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> >>
> >> If newsgroup discussion with experts and MVPs is unable to solve a problem
> >> to your satisfaction, feel free to contact PSS for the Microsoft Baseline
> >> Security Analyzer (MBSA) at the following link:
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;Prodoffer20a
> >>
> >> This e-mail address does not receive e-mail, but is used for newsgroup
> >> postings only.
> >>
> >>
> >> "TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:60FD4534-F291-4766-B26E-388999275392@microsoft.com...
> >> > Solved it, I believe.
> >> >
> >> > It seems, for off-liners, the correct versions of the contents of
> >> > "invcm.exe" (link appears to have been removed from the FAQ), are not
> >> > installed by MBSA. Found a recent version of the file manually, extracted
> >> > the files (convert.exe etc) and replaced the versions installed. These
> >> > files' versions now match the Patchdata.XML version headers.
> >> >
> >> > The scan now works and completes with a meaningful report.
> >> >
> >> > Just to let you know.
> >> > (But something still must be awry in the build or install for this to
> >> > happen)
> >> >
> >> > Regards.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "TSP" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Folks,
> >> >>
> >> >> Unfortunately this and other Posts make no mention of an Offline Office
> >> >> Critical scanning error.
> >> >>
> >> >> This may well have something to do with the FAQ entry covering manual
> >> >> downloads and extraction of the "invcif.exe" file no longer being
> >> >> correct.
> >> >> That is, once extracted there are now two files in the "OfficeUpd/cifs"
> >> >> directory, namely "puids.cif" (which contains only Version information)
> >> >> and
> >> >> now a second file called "puids.dat"
> >> >>
> >> >> Could we please have some clarification on this please, as all my Scans
> >> >> result in a message of "Error occured while checking for Office updates.
> >> >> Could not update files for Office Update Inventory Tool. 030003" and I
> >> >> suspect it has something to do with this data in fact having been changed
> >> >> by
> >> >> Microsoft without notice, and MBSA no longer being able to detect the
> >> >> data.
> >> >>
> >> >> TIA (Note: I can only work on manual downloads of all data)
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> "Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> > I wanted to alert everyone that a new version of the MBSA FAQ is now
> >> >> > posted -
> >> >> > thanks to your feedback on the newsgroups!
> >> >> >
> >> >> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx
> >> >> >
> >> >> > New in the FAQ :
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Q. What versions of MBSA are supported?
> >> >> > A. PSS only supports the latest version of MBSA which is currently
> >> >> > 1.2.1. The
> >> >> > mssecure.xml file that MBSA uses to identify missing security updates
> >> >> > is
> >> >> > different for MBSA 1.2+ than for earlier versions. As of April 20th,
> >> >> > 2004, the
> >> >> > mssecure.xml file used by earlier versions is no longer being updated.
> >> >> > Therefore, scans performed with MBSA 1.1.1 or earlier versions will be
> >> >> > incomplete. Users running less than MBSA 1.2.1 will see a message
> >> >> > notifying them
> >> >> > that 1.2.1 is available.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Q. Do I need to uninstall MBSA 1.2 before installing MBSA 1.2.1?
> >> >> > A. No, MBSA 1.2.1 will automatically uninstall any previous version of
> >> >> > MBSA
> >> >> > before installing MBSA 1.2.1
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Q. Does MBSA support 64-bit Windows?
> >> >> > A. No.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Q. What is the current version of MBSA? Why do I see conflicting
> >> >> > version
> >> >> > numbering in the product?
> >> >> > A. The latest version of MBSA is version 1.2.1 - which is also referred
> >> >> > to as
> >> >> > 1.2.4013.0 on some screens. The 4013.0 refers to build versioning. The
> >> >> > official
> >> >> > version number exists in the "About Microsoft Baseline Security
> >> >> > Analyzer" link.
> >> >> > If you are running MBSA 1.2 you will see a message that a new version
> >> >> > 1.2.4013.0
> >> >> > is available.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Q. What settings are required for a successful remote scan of a Windows
> >> >> > XP SP2
> >> >> > machine?
> >> >> > A. This is addressed in the "readme.html" file in the "Help" directory
> >> >> > under the
> >> >> > "#firewall" section. If you require remote scanning of Windows XP
> >> >> > Service Pack 2
> >> >> > machines, these conditions must be met :
> >> >> > .. The Server service, Remote Registry service, and File & Print
> >> >> > Sharing services
> >> >> > must be enabled.
> >> >> > .. Remote machine scans are performed using TCP ports 139 and 445. In a
> >> >> > multi-domain environment, where a firewall or filtering router
> >> >> > separates the two
> >> >> > networks, TCP ports 139 and 445 and UDP ports 137 and 138 must be open
> >> >> > in order
> >> >> > for MBSA to connect and authenticate to the remote network being
> >> >> > scanned. You
> >> >> > must allow these ports on the remote Windows Firewall.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > --
> >> >> > Mike Chan
> >> >> > Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
> >> >> > Security Business Unit
> >> >> > Microsoft Corporation
> >> >> >
> >> >> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> >> > rights.
> >> >> > --
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

Re: Updated FAQ available for MBSA 1.2.1 by Doug

Doug
Fri Sep 03 10:44:32 CDT 2004

I have written this up so we can update the FAQ. Thanks for letting us know
about this, TSP. I hadn't realized this was removed from the latest version
of the FAQ.

--


Doug Neal [MSFT]
dugn@online.microsoft.com

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

If newsgroup discussion with experts and MVPs is unable to solve a problem
to your satisfaction, feel free to contact PSS for the Microsoft Baseline
Security Analyzer (MBSA) at the following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;Prodoffer20a

This e-mail address does not receive e-mail, but is used for newsgroup
postings only.


"TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:30926BFF-2297-481C-8926-00F80D34C024@microsoft.com...
> Mike,
>
> for the Following Q. (in the New FAQ)
> How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if my proxy server
> requires authentication?
>
> I won't repeat the answer here. Suffice to say that it is unclear on or
> missing the aspects I have referred to. (That is the real contents of
> INVCIF.EXE)
>
> For the old FAQ, I only have a paper printout but at one stage it did also
> have a link for INVCM.EXE. (The latest versions of its contents MBSA
> 1.2.1
> does not seem to install, thus the errors)
>
> Thanks.
> TSP
>
>
> "Mike Chan [MSFT]" wrote:
>
>> can you post the section of the old faq you are referring to or what
>> question
>> you are referring to?
>>
>> --
>> Mike Chan
>> Technical Product Manager (MBSA)
>> Security Business Unit
>> Microsoft Corporation
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>> --
>> "TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:E532493F-2635-4048-8FEA-478121281CEE@microsoft.com...
>> > Thank you Doug
>> >
>> > Those are exactly the steps I took. (as detailed in the FAQ)
>> >
>> > However, as I was trying to point out some of this information is no
>> > longer
>> > available and also not correct in the FAQ for the Q mentioned. I
>> > remembered
>> > the source for INVCM.EXE from the previous FAQ, it is not mentioned in
>> > the
>> > new FAQ. Also the details of what is extracted from INVCIF.EXE are not
>> > complete in the FAQ (that is the existence of PUIDS.DAT in the CIFS
>> > directory
>> > is not mentioned)
>> >
>> > So please could the FAQ be updated to include all this. Thanks
>> >
>> > And yes don't worry I regularly check for updates, that's how I
>> > discovered
>> > these inconsistencies.
>> >
>> > TSP
>> >
>> >
>> > "Doug Neal [MSFT]" wrote:
>> >
>> >> TSP - here are some steps that should help. The steps below include
>> >> guidance for accessing MSSECURE.XML and Office Update files in an
>> >> offline
>> >> mode, so if you only need the Office files, feel free to ignore the
>> >> unnecessary steps.
>> >>
>> >> Since MBSA requires a direct connection to the internet - without
>> >> being
>> >> blocked by a proxy server that may prevent CAB file downloads - a
>> >> specific
>> >> set of steps is necessary to provide the files necessary for MBSA in
>> >> an
>> >> offline or secure mode. Likewise, the Office Inventory Tool opens an
>> >> anonymous connection to the web to download the cabs - and there's
>> >> currently
>> >> no way to obtain and use the user name/password to authenticate the
>> >> connection with the Proxy server. The steps below should help provide
>> >> the
>> >> proper locations to download the necessary files and where to copy
>> >> them into
>> >> a secure environment so MBSA can be run within a secure or offline
>> >> environment. An alternate version of these steps is available online
>> >> in the
>> >> MBSA FAQ (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsaqa.mspx)
>> >> under
>> >> the heading, "How can I download the files necessary to run a scan if
>> >> my
>> >> proxy server requires authentication?"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Whether these steps are scripted or manually performed, these files
>> >> are
>> >> frequently updated on the Microsoft site to ensure customers have the
>> >> latest
>> >> security database to detect missing patches. If a scripted or offline
>> >> solution is used, it is critical to COPY THESE FILES ON A REGULAR AND
>> >> FREQUENT BASIS to ensure scans performed in the secure/offline
>> >> environment
>> >> are performed using the latest versions of the database files
>> >> available.
>> >> Otherwise, outdated XML files may result in incorrect and/or outdated
>> >> scans
>> >> which will fail to catch vulnerabilities.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Necessary files:
>> >>
>> >> a.. MBSA 1.2 MSSECURE.XML file (including localized versions once
>> >> they are
>> >> released)
>> >> b.. Office Update PATCHDATA.XML file
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> STEP 1 - Ensure MBSA 1.2 is successfully installed on a scanning
>> >> machine
>> >>
>> >> Install MBSA 1.2 on a machine in the secure or offline environment.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> STEP 2 - Download all needed files
>> >>
>> >> Depending on your localization needs, download all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB
>> >> files
>> >> you will need for your environment from a connection that allows
>> >> download
>> >> from the internet and does not block CAB file downloads. Also
>> >> download both
>> >> sets of Office Inventory Tool files (INVCIF and INVCM) from the
>> >> locations
>> >> listed below:
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Download localized versions of MSSECURE.XML from the following
>> >> locations
>> >> (for English-only environments, only the ENU version needs to be
>> >> downloaded):
>> >>
>> >> a.. ENU (MSSECURE_1033):
>> >> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18922
>> >> b.. DEU (MSSECURE_1031) :
>> >> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18121
>> >> c.. FRN (MSSECURE_1036) :
>> >> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18122
>> >> d.. JPN (MSSECURE_1041):
>> >> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18120
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Download INVCIF.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18842
>> >> and
>> >>
>> >> Download INVCM.EXE from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=18452
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> STEP 3 - Copy MSSECURE.CAB files to MBSA directory
>> >>
>> >> Copy all MSSECURE_xxxx.CAB files to the MBSA installation directory
>> >> where
>> >> MBSA is installed in the secure environment (usually C:\Program
>> >> Files\Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer directory)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> STEP 4 - Expand and copy Office Inventory files to correct directories
>> >>
>> >> Run INVCIF.EXE, answer Yes to install the Office Update Inventory
>> >> Tool, read
>> >> the EULA and agree to its terms, specify a local directory to expand
>> >> the
>> >> contents to (say c:\TEMP).
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> This will create two files (PATCHDATA.XML and INVENTORYCATALOG.HTML)
>> >> and a
>> >> directory named CIFS - which also contains an additional file named
>> >> PUIDS.CIF.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Copy these two files and directory into the Microsoft Baseline
>> >> Security
>> >> Analyzer\OfficeUpd directory on the scanning machine
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> STEP 5 - Run MBSA in the secure environment
>> >>
>> >> Once these files have been copied into the correct locations in the
>> >> MBSA
>> >> installation directory, MBSA should be able to run without accessing
>> >> the
>> >> internet to download these files.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> The local ***.CAB files will be expanded by MBSA when they are needed
>> >> and
>> >> the Office Update files will be present in the \OfficeUpd directory
>> >> for MBSA
>> >> to use these files in offline mode.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Doug Neal [MSFT]
>> >> dugn@online.microsoft.com
>> >>
>> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> >> rights.
>> >>
>> >> If newsgroup discussion with experts and MVPs is unable to solve a
>> >> problem
>> >> to your satisfaction, feel free to contact PSS for the Microsoft
>> >> Baseline
>> >> Security Analyzer (MBSA) at the following link:
>> >> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;Prodoffer20a
>> >>
>> >> This e-mail address does not receive e-mail, but is used for newsgroup
>> >> postings only.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "TSP" <TSP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:60FD4534-F291-4766-B26E-388999275392@microsoft.com...
>> >> > Solved it, I believe.
>> >> >
>> >> > It seems, for off-liners, the correct versions of the contents of
>> >> > "invcm.exe" (link appears to have been removed from the FAQ), are
>> >> > not
>> >> > installed by MBSA. Found a recent version of the file manually,
>> >> > extracted
>> >> > the files (convert.exe etc) and replaced the versions installed.
>> >> > These
>> >> > files' versions now match the Patchdata.XML version headers.
>> >> >
>> >> > The scan now works and completes with a meaningful report.
>> >> >
>> >> > Just to let you know.
>> >> > (But something still must be awry in the build or install for this
>> >> > to
>> >> > happen)
>> >> >
>> >> > Regards.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "TSP" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Folks,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Unfortunately this and other Posts make no mention of an Offline
>> >> >> Office
>> >> >> Critical scanning error.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> This may well have something to do with the FAQ entry covering
>> >> >> manual
>> >> >> downloads and extraction of the "invcif.exe" file no longer being
>> >> >> correct.
>> >> >> That is, once extracted there are now two files in the
>> >> >> "OfficeUpd/cifs"
>> >> >> directory, namely "puids.cif" (which contains only Version
>> >> >> information)
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> now a second file called "puids.dat"
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Could we please have some clarification on this please, as all my
>> >> >> Scans
>> >> >> result in a message of "Error occured while checking for Office
>> >> >> updates.
>> >> >> Could not update files for Office Update Inventory Tool. 030003"
>> >> >> and I
>> >> >> suspect it has something to do with this data in fact having been
>> >> >> changed
>> >> >> by
>> >> >> Microsoft without notice, and MBSA no longer being able to detect
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> data.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> TIA (Note: I can only work on manual downloads of all data