full-disclosure - The new Microsoft math: 1 patch for 14 vulnerabilities, MS04-011

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Message-ID: <20040414153744.GB741@sentinelchicken.org>
From: tim-security at sentinelchicken.org (Tim)
Subject: The new Microsoft math:  1 patch for 14 vulnerabilities, MS04-011

> I use Linux, OpenBSD and Windows in my enterprise.  Linux and OpenBSD use
> the "1 patch for 1 vulnerability" rule.  Seems to me that MS is bunching
> their patches together in order to make it seem on the surface that Windows
> has less patches than other Oses, therefore it is more secure.  CIOs, take
> note. 

Yeah, this is pretty disgusting.  

Seemingly harmless in application, but when you consider features often
creep into patches in M$ software, it makes it extremely difficult to
test a single mega-patch like this on a few thousand systems with
different configurations and custom software installations.  I can tell
you first hand, that dealing with them in bunches severely slows the
patch release process in enterprise environments.

And I don't buy "its easier if it is all together".  If your patch
management system doesn't suck, any number of seperate patches can be
applied just as easily as a subset of them.

tim