:: Microsoft Patch 912945: de consequenties voor IBM Lotus Software

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Op 23 maart waarschuwde ik voor een probleem met Microsoft security Update 912945: het toepassen van die patch kan problemen veroorzaken met het gebruik van Domino Web Access, Sametime en QuickPlace, omdat ActiveX-controls niet meer automatisch geladen worden. De gebruiker moet een keer extra klikken of een toets indrukken om de control te activeren; als een gebruiker dat over het hoofd ziet, of niet doet, functioneert de control niet. Dit betekent verlies van functionaliteit en, zeer waarschijnlijk, calls naar de helpdesk.

Deze losse patch van eind maart zit ook in de cumulatieve patch die Microsoft vandaag uitbrengt. Mocht u de patch twee weken geleden bewust niet geïnstalleerd hebben, dan krijgt u hem vandaag dus alsnog toegediend.

IBM heeft de laatste dagen een email-bericht verspreid, waarin uitgelegd wordt wat er gebeurt en wat uw opties zijn (de mooiste verklap ik alvast: "Use another supported web browser to access the affected web pages, thereby avoiding the changes to ActiveX controls."). IBM geeft links naar technotes en andere waardevolle informatiebronnen; daarom geef ik hieronder het emailtje in zijn geheel aan u door.

Vooral noem ik vast de belangrijkste conclusies: Microsoft is bezig met een nieuwe patch (de 'compatibility patch') die het oude gedrag van IE weer terugbrengt; en IBM werkt aan Fix Packs voor ND6.5.5 en ND7.0.1 (ND6.5.5. FP1 en ND7.0.1. FP1) die het probleem aan de serverkant (grotendeels?) oplossen.

Dit is de volledige tekst van de email die IBM vorige week naar veel klanten uitgestuurd heeft:

This note contains links (URLs) to technical support documents (technotes) related to Microsoft changes to the Internet Explorer browser, which affects IBM Lotus products relying on ActiveX controls. You are receiving this notification because you are a customer who has called us for technical support in the past year. If you do not wish to receive notifications like this one on other topics in the future, please reply to this email and change the Subject field to: unsubscribe , e.g. unsubscribe user@company.domain. This is a special mailing separate from regular Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) mailings to address problems specifically related to this Microsoft change.

Internet Explorer update affects IBM Lotus software products
This note is to alert you to changes in product behavior you may experience with IBM Lotus software after applying Microsoft Internet Explorer Update KB912945.
Link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912945/en-us

The update, currently optional, will change Internet Explorer behavior to require extra end user actions to use certain Java applets and ActiveX controls in web pages. If these applets and controls are loaded directly in the page, user actions in them don't work until they are "activated" by an extra click or keystroke. The message to do that is temporary hover text which may be overlooked or not understood by the end user.

The change affects a number of very widely used products, including various IBM Lotus products that surface content through Internet Explorer. The common symptom is to see messages "Click to activate and use this control" or "Press SPACEBAR or ENTER to activate and use this control" when the cursor is moved into the area of the web page managed by the affected applets and controls. Details of the impact are contained in the following technotes for Domino, Domino Web Access, Quickplace and Sametime, respectively.

Title: Internet Explorer update KB912945 requires extra user actions in Domino applications
Link: http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&uid=swg21234162
Title: After applying Microsoft patch KB912945, certain DWA actions require extra click: 'Click to enable and use this control'
Link: http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&uid=swg21232216
Title: QuickPlace: Internet Explorer software update KB912945 disables ActiveX Controls by default
Link: http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&uid=swg21233215
Title: Internet Explorer update KB912945 requires extra user actions in Sametime Meeting Room Client and Java Connect
Link: http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&uid=swg21234161

As referenced in the first technote above, IBM Lotus Domino will make a change in Domino 6.5.5 FP1 and Domino 7.0.1 FP1 to avoid the issues caused by the new Internet Explorer update for most Domino customer applications. See the Domino Technote 1234162 above for details, and use this developerWorks site to track the release of these Fix Packs (FP): http://www.lotus.com/ldd/r5fixlist.nsf/Progress/655%20FP1

While currently optional, Microsoft will include update KB 912945 on April 11th 2006 in a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer. Users may install it without realizing they have changed the behavior of their applications. Update KB912945 is a non-security update for Windows, and Microsoft will also release an optional Compatibility Patch which will restore previous Internet Explorer behavior until the next cumulative security update in June, 2006. See Microsoft Security Advisory 912945 for the most current schedule details: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/912945.mspx

The following options are available to avoid the impact on IBM Lotus products from Microsoft Internet Explorer Update KB912945:

Remove update KB912945, using the "Add/Remove Programs" option in the Windows Control Panel, remembering to check the "Show updates" box.
Prevent application of optional update KB912945, if you have control over desktop software installations. After application of the April cumulative security update, apply the upcoming Microsoft Compatibility Patch to Internet Explorer
Research and modify your own applications that may also be affected by the imminent change to Internet Explorer. Details on how to rewrite your HTML to load the control or applet to be initially active are in this Microsoft document.
Use another supported web browser to access the affected web pages, thereby avoiding the changes to ActiveX controls.

General Self-Help Resources

Here are some ways that you can access IBM Lotus general self-help support information on the Web: