Baseline Security Analyzer Problem

[Wijono]

In my WinXP SP2 I use to do the Baseline Security Analysis using Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Version 2.0, but since recently it won’t work at all, the “Downloading security update information from Microsoft…” seems to take forever. This happens in more than one PC, something must have changed in Microsoft site so that MBSA does not work anymore, at least not for WinXP SP2!!

Any hint on how to solve that problem? Or any alternative methods to do the same thing?

Thank you so much!!

[nmX.Memnoch]

Have you tried MBSA 2.01?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;DisplayLang=en

MBSA 2.1 is in beta (adds support of Vista).

[Wijono]

Thanks nmX.Memnoch for the reply.

I have then tried MBSA 2.01, MBSA 2.1 Beta, even the old one MBSA 1.2.1, all give the same result, they all stall now at “Downloading security update information from Microsoft…”

I am so disappointed, any other hint please???

[nmX.Memnoch]

Are you behind a proxy server or possibly a firewall blocking access to the Windows Update site?

Edited March 16, 2007 by nmX.Memnoch

[Wijono]

Yes I am behind a proxy server. Could it be that the proxy server changed its behavior?

Any method to work around it?

Or perhaps there is a way besides Windows Update and MBSA to find out what security update is missing in my system?

Thanks a lot again.

[nmX.Memnoch]

The proxy server could be blocking connection to the update site. When you run MBSA it downloads the catalog of hotfixes so it knows the latest stuff to check. Can you get to either the Windows Update or Microsoft Update site?

[Wijono]

No, the proxy server blocks me to get to the Windows Update site. But until recently I could always manage to use MBSA successfully instead. Not now though. Fortunately I still can get into Microsoft Office Update.

[nmX.Memnoch]

Does it block it completely or just keep it from working? We have that situation where I work. You can get to the site...but it won't work. MBSA still works though.

If it blocks it completely then that's probably what's causing your MBSA problem.

[softice]

try BSA connect to internet through the proxy with sockscap

[Wijono]

As I have mentioned, it has been quite a while, when I visited Microsoft Windows Update site I got following error message:

"Network policy settings prevent you from using this website to get updates for your computer." and Error number: 0x8DDD0003.

I believe my corporate proxy server must have blocked it somehow.

Until recently I could use MBSA, but now as I said earlier it stuck at "Downloading security update information from Microsoft..."

Meanwhile I have downloaded and installed Sockscap version 2.38, when I tried to start it I got following error massage though:

"This version of SocksCap has expired. Please get a new version or download from http://www.socks.permeo.com/ or see the Permeo Application Security Platform at http://www.permeo.com/", I tried to get the software from those sites to no avail (not found).

I tried also version 1.03, IE6 won't even go trough at all, error message said: "Connection to SOCKS server refused or timed out", maybe I need better settings...