All Windows versions get security patches, Mac users have to wait.

PowerPoint is the only program needing security patches in May 2009 but only the Windows versions of the presentation software are updated, for Office for Mac users will have to just wait.

Here’s a list of the affected programs and the security patch link. As is too often the case, the update process is a bit more involved than the simple ‘use Windows/Microsoft Update’ advice that Microsoft likes to push and most news outlets parrot without checking. There are a few traps for the unwary.

• PowerPoint 2007 users have TWO patches to apply – the main Office 2007 patch and the Office Compatibility Pack patch that many would assume is only for earlier versions of Office.
  
• Users of Office 2000, Office XP and Office 2003 can (and in our view should) have the Office Compatibility Pack installed. There is a separate patch for the Compatibility Pack as well as update for PowerPoint itself.
  
• Office XP and Office 2000 users have newly blocked file types for PowerPoint 4 documents.

PowerPoint 2007

Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 is required.

· PowerPoint 2007 (KB957789)

PowerPoint 2007 viewer

Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 is required.

· PowerPoint Viewer 2007 (KB970059)

PowerPoint 2003 with Service Pack 3

· PowerPoint 2003 (KB957784)

PowerPoint 2003 Viewer

· PowerPoint Viewer 2003 (KB969615)

PowerPoint 2002 (XP) with Service Pack 3

· PowerPoint 2002 (KB957781)

This patch will disable the ability to open PowerPoint v4 native files. Those files have been added to the blocked file list, as they already have been blocked in PowerPoint 2003 SP3. To workaround this ‘feature’ you need to tinker with the registry and detailed here.

PowerPoint 2000 with Service Pack 3

· PowerPoint 2000 (KB957790)

This patch will disable the ability to open PowerPoint v4 native files. Those files have been added to the blocked file list, as they already have been blocked in PowerPoint 2003 SP3. To workaround this ‘feature’ you need to tinker with the registry and detailed here.

Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel and PowerPoint 2007 file format

Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 is required.

This is the add-on for Office 2000 to Office 2003 that lets you open the Office 2007 files like .pptx . Microsoft somewhat confusingly calls this patch an update for the “PowerPoint 2007 converter”.

PowerPoint 2007 users also need to install this update as well as the separate patch listed above.

Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 2
(KB969618)

 

Office for Mac

The same security breach is present in Office 2004 and Office 2008 for Mac however there is no patch for those products yet.

It’s the first time we can recall that Microsoft hasn’t patched all products for the one security issue at the same time.

Office for Mac users are entitled to feel left out.  On the other hand Microsoft did not want to delay releasing the Windows program patches and risk customers being affected.

See Also

• PowerPoint security patch next week
• Powerpoint security warning
• Get the Office 2007 Compatibity Pack