MS Windows Component Publisher wants to install something on my PC

[hdnlan]

Running XP, SP3

Yesterday at the Windows Update site, I was asked to install an update to
the Windows Update software. I did - then shut down for the night.

Today, I went to the WU site to check on needed updates. A small window
appeared, asking if I wanted to install software from "Microsoft Windows
Component Publisher". The name of the item to be installed was "Windows
Update". The small screen was entitled "IE Security Warning". Should I
agree to install this software" or is this a virus? It is strange to get
this message after installing (I thought) WU software last night. And no
explanation from Microsoft!

[MowGreen]

It sounds like the latest release of the Windows Update Agent was
installed along with what is known as a Root Certificate.

" A public key certificate, usually just called a certificate, is a
digitally signed statement that binds the value of a public key to the
identity of the person, device, or service that holds the corresponding
private key. One of the main benefits of certificates is that hosts no
longer have to maintain a set of passwords for individual subjects who
need to be authenticated as a prerequisite to access. Instead, the host
merely establishes trust in a certificate issuer.

A digital signature is a way to ensure the integrity and origin of data.
A digital signature provides strong evidence that the data has not been
altered since it was signed and it confirms the identity of the person
or entity who signed the data. This enables the important security
features of integrity and nonrepudiation, which are essential for secure
electronic commerce transactions.

Digital signatures are typically used when data is distributed in
plaintext, or unencrypted form. In these cases, while the sensitivity of
the message itself might not warrant encryption, there could be a
compelling reason to ensure that the data is in its original form and
has not been sent by an impostor because, in a distributed computing
environment, plaintext can conceivably be read or altered by anyone on
the network with the proper access, whether authorized or not. "

Sources: Certificates Overview
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732331.aspx

Using Certificates
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771926.aspx

In short, allow the Certificate to install as it makes updating more
secure.
The installation of the Windows Update Agent requires that the system be
restarted. Perhaps that's why you were seeing the message when the
system was restarted.
To confirm that the latest release of the Windows Update Agent is now
installed, check the WindowsUpdate.log:

How to read the Windowsupdate.log file
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093

Start at the bottom for the most recent entries and work your way back
up until you find an entry that looks like this:

2009-11-16 08:16:47:485 980 8e0 Setup *********** Setup: Checking
whether self-update is required ***********

Under that entry will be the check to see if the latest release of the
WUA is present -

009-11-16 08:16:47:485 980 8e0 Setup * Inf file:
D:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\SelfUpdate\Default\wsus3setup.inf
2009-11-16 08:16:47:535 980 8e0 Setup Update NOT required for
D:\WINDOWS\system32\cdm.dll: target version = 7.4.7600.226, required
version = 7.4.7600.226
2009-11-16 08:16:47:565 980 8e0 Setup Update NOT required for
D:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll: target version = 7.4.7600.226, required
version = 7.4.7600.226

All of the files listed should now be at version 7.4.7600.226

MowGreen
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked"

[hdnlan]

Thanks for the reply. It gave me the courage to go ahead and install the
software. Everything seems to be working ok.

Strange, I have another XP< SP3 PC for which I didn't get the security alert
sfter installing the update for WU software.

Thanks

"MowGreen" wrote:

> .
>