Hi All,

There is currently a Microsoft security patch (released out of cycle) which addresses a remotely exploitable condition in windows file and print sharing. You can find information on the exploit here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../MS08-067.mspx

In order to facilitate a secure environment, and to avoid a potential worm issue from this exploit, we are taking the following steps:

- Filtering port 139 and 445 at our edge routers for a maximum of 7 days

- Updating all machines and ensuring the necessary patches are being applied to the OS

We will be applying the filtering data center wide, with the addition of exclusions if requested. Filtering the ports will impact the following functionality on the windows servers:

- Applications that use SMB (CIFS)
- Applications that use mailslots or named pipes (RPC over SMB)
- Server (File and Print Sharing)
- Group Policy
- Net Logon
- Distributed File System (DFS)
- Terminal Server Licensing
- Print Spooler
- Computer Browser
- Remote Procedure Call Locator
- Fax Service
- Indexing Service
- Performance Logs and Alerts
- Systems Management Server
- License Logging Service

If you currently utilize any of these services on a server within our network, from the outside of our network, you will be impacted. If you require these services for mission critical operations, or
already have patched, then please open up a ticket in our help desk and a technician will assist you with excluding your machine from the network wide filter.

The patches will be installed across all dedicated and managed collocated servers in our data center. All unmanaged collocated servers will only be updated upon request by the client.

Thank you for your patience and understanding on this issue.


Regards,
Frank
Ahosting.biz