Cheshire Cat Photo Blog(...said the Cat: 'we're all mad here....')

When I carried a company-issued Windows laptop, I always had my operating system software with me, in case I had to reinstall, especially when I traveled on business. No, I was never a Boy Scout, but “Be Prepared” is a good motto. I actually carry the disks for my Mac with me now, but I don’t plan to ever have to use those.

According to CNET’s Elinor Mills, Windows systems that crashed (“Blue Screen of Death“) during the Microsoft security update last week crashed because they were infected with the Alureon rootkit program, which makes changes to Windows Kernel binaries, putting these systems in an unstable state. The Director of the Microsoft Security Response Center, Mike Reavey, wrote in a blog post:

“The restarts are the result of modifications the Alureon rootkit makes to Windows Kernel binaries, which places these systems in an unstable state.” “In every investigated incident, we have not found quality issues with security update MS10-015.”

A vulnerability in 32-bit Windows kernel that could allow elevation of privileges, disclosed last month, was addressed by the patch. The patch for 32-bit Windows will not be offered by Microsoft through Automatic Update until a solution is available, but patches for 64-bit versions will continue to be offered.

The blog post by Mike Reavey offers the following advice for customers, with the disclaimer that “*This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.*:

“A malware compromise of this type is serious, and if customers cannot confirm removal of the Alureon rootkit using their chosen anti-virus/anti-malware software, the most secure recommendation is for the owner of the system to back up important files and completely restore the system from a cleanly formatted disk.

For instructions on how to back up your files in Windows, visit here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Back-up-your-files

For instructions on how to reinstall Windows, visit here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/install-reinstall-uninstall

Customers who believe they are experiencing this reboot issue after installing MS10-015, or require support removing it or repairing their systems, are encouraged to contact their Customer Service and Support group by either going to https://consumersecuritysupport.microsoft.com or by calling 1-866-PCSafety (1-866-727-2338). International customers can find local support contact numbers here: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx.”

Microsoft is working on simpler solutions for detecting and removing Alureon from affected systems.

-Bill at

Cheshire Cat Photo™ – “Your Guide to California’s Wonderland™”

You can view higher-resolution photos (*generally* 7-30 megabytes, compressed) at the Cheshire Cat Photo™ Pro Gallery on Shutterfly™, where you can also order prints and gifts decorated with the photos of your choice from the gallery. Apparel and other gifts decorated with some of our most popular photos can be ordered from the Cheshire Cat Photo™ Store on CafePress®. Both Shutterfly™ and CafePress® ship to most international locations worldwide! Framed prints and prints on canvas can be ordered from our galleries on imagekind® and redbubble®. All four locations are accessible from here. If you don’t see what you want or would like to receive an email when new photos are up on the site, send us an email at info@cheshirecatphoto.com.

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