Deane wrote:
> On Nov 13, 7:39 am, Deane <de...@blendinteractive.com> wrote:
>> I've had the Windows Update icon in my system tray for a while, and
>> the lone update (SP3) always failed to install for some reason.
>>
>> This morning, I decided to go through the browser in the hopes that I
>> would get some kind of error message I could follow up on.
>>
>> I opened Windows Update through the start menu.
>>
>> IE opened to "update.microsoft.com," and I got an information bar that
>> I need to authorize an ActiveX control.
>>
>> Weird thing was, the referenced add-on was "'DTBDOT~1.ocx' from
>> 'ALLTEL (unverified publisher)'".
>>
>> Who is ALLTEL? Why are they wanting to run ActiveX controls on
>> Microsoft's own site? And why would they be unverified?
>>
>> I got to wondering if this was a man-in-the-middle attack. I checked
>> my HOSTS file for rogue entries, but found nothing.
>>
>> I pinged "update.microsoft.com" and it came back "65.55.184.93".
>> Reverse DNS failed to resolve, but there was a pointer to
>> "update.microsoft.com.nsatc.com."
>>
>> What is "nsatc.com"? I tried to pull this up in a browser, but it
>> doesn't resolve.
>>
>> Needless to say, I didn't do the update.
>>
>> So...does all this seem weird to anyone else?
>
> I tried on my computer at the office, and I did not get prompted to
> load that ActiveX control. Additionally, I searched the controls
> currently installed, and it did not appear anywhere.

Alltel is/was a wireless provider which was/is being acquired by Verizon;
cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alltel

Were you connecting via a wireless USB key at home (or wherever you were at
the time)?

>> I've had the Windows Update icon in my system tray for a while, and
>> the lone update (SP3) always failed to install for some reason.

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron...tallation.aspx

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and
e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...spx?gprid=1173 | select "Windows
XP" then select "Windows XP Service Pack 3"
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/