sort of OT: Windows Security Update killed my Internet

[Kevin Spencer]

On Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 9:24 AM, Jason Hayes <jason at jasonhayes.org> wrote:
> Just thought that I would try to help people avoid the same problems that I
> had yesterday.
>
> The Internet connections on two XP machines on my network just stopped working
> yesterday morning. I won't bother people with the details but I fought with
> the network settings for about an hour or more on those machines and my
> router. No matter what I did, I couldn't figure out why I had network
> connectivity but no Internet on two machines and fully functioning network
> and Internet on another two (one Linux and one XP).
>
> It took the XP virtual machine on my main Linux box trying to apply a security
> update for me to figure out the problem. I allowed update and my Internet
> died. So I went back in and removed the update and the Internet was back.
> Same thing with the two non-functioning units. I pulled the updates and ta
> da, the Internet was back again.
>
> So if your Internet on an XP machine dies suddenly, look for
>
> Security Update for Windows XP KB951748
> Update for Windows KB951978
>
> I expect that you're maintaining other security precautions that will hold you
> over until M$ figures out the problem with these latest updates.

It's an issue if you run the Zonealarm firewall:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=KB951748%20zonealarm

Kevin
--
kevin at kevinspencer.org