The Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk) reports that Microsoft has
released a command-line utility that will scan the local PC and PCs on the
network to see if they have the latest patches. The utility checks for
patches for IIS (4.0 & 5.0), SQL Server (7 & 2000), and IE 5.01 or later,
Details are available here:

     http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/21019.html

The link to the download on the MS site is:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/win2000platform/Utility/2.1/NT45/EN-US/nshc.exe

The link to details and instructions are here (it may not be live yet):

     http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q303/2/15.asp

I have run the program on a test server, and here is the contents of its
help screen and some sample output:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Network Security Hotfix Checker, 2.1
Developed for Microsoft by Shavlik Technologies, LLC
infoshavlik.com (www.shavlik.com)

hfnetchk.exe [-h hostname] [-i ipaddress] [-d domainname] [-n] [-r range]
             [-a action] [-t threads] [-o output] [-x datasource] [-z] [-v]

Description:
        The HFNETCHK tool assesses a machine or group of machines for
security
        hotfixes that have either been installed and/or need to be
installed.
        For more information on this tool, please refer to Microsoft
Knowledge
        Base Article Q303215.

Parameter List:
        -h hostname Specifies the NetBIOS machine name to scan.
                                Default is the localhost.

        -i ipaddress Specifies the IP address of the machine to
scan.

        -r range Specifies the IP address range to be
scanned,
                                starting with ipaddress1 and ending with
                                ipaddress2 inclusive.
<ipaddress1-ipaddress2>

        -d domain_name Specifies the domain_name to scan. All
                                machines in the domain will be scanned.

        -n network All systems on the local network will be
                                scanned. (i.e., all hosts in Network
                                Neighborhood)

        -a action Displays (i)nstalled hotfixes,
                                (m)issing hotixes, (n)ecessary hotfixes or
                                (b)oth installed and missing. Default will
                                display necessary hotfixes.

        -t threads Number of threads used for executing scan.
                                Possible values are from 1 to 128. Default
is 64

        -o output Specifies the desired output format.
                                (tab) outputs in tab delimited format.
                                (wrap) outputs in a word wrapped format.
                                Default is wrap.

        -x datasource Specifies the xml datasource containing the
                                hotfix information. Location may be an xml
                                filename, compressed xml cab file, or URL.
                                Default is mssecure.cab from the Microsoft
                                website.

        -z reg checks Do not perform registry checks.

        -v verbose Display the reason a test failed
                                in wrap mode.

        -? help Displays this menu.

Examples:
        HFNETCHK.exe
        HFNETCHK.exe -h hostname
        HFNETCHK.exe -h h1,h2,h3
        HFNETCHK.exe -i 192.168.1.1 -a m -t 10 -v
        HFNETCHK.exe -i 192.168.1.1,192.168.1.8 -h hostname -x mssecure.xml
        HFNETCHK.exe -d domain_name -a b -o tab -x c:\temp\mssecure.xml
        HFNETCHK.exe -r 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.254 -a i -t 20
        HFNETCHK.exe -x http://www.xyz.abc/mssecure.xml
        HFNETCHK.exe -x "c:\Space In Path\mssecure.xml"

---------------------------------------------------------
SAMPLE OUTPUT
----------------------------------------------------------

Microsoft Network Security Hotfix Checker, 2.1
Developed for Microsoft by Shavlik Technologies, LLC
infoshavlik.com (www.shavlik.com)

 ** Attempting to download the XML from
http://download.microsoft.com/download/x
ml/security/1.0/NT5/EN-US/mssecure.cab. **

 ** File was successfully downloaded. **

 ** Attempting to load D:\Program Files\Hotfix checker\mssecure.xml. **

Using XML data version = 1.0.1.131 Last modified on 8/14/2001.

Scanning SIDEREAL
.....................................
Done scanning SIDEREAL
----------------------------
SIDEREAL
----------------------------

        WINDOWS 2000 ADVANCED SERVER SP2

                Patch NOT Found MS00-077 Q299796
                Patch NOT Found MS00-079 Q276471
                Patch NOT Found MS01-007 Q285851
                Patch NOT Found MS01-013 Q285156
                WARNING MS01-022 Q296441
                Patch NOT Found MS01-025 Q296185
                Patch NOT Found MS01-031 Q299553
                Patch NOT Found MS01-036 Q299687
                Patch NOT Found MS01-037 Q302755
                Patch NOT Found MS01-040 Q292435
                Patch NOT Found MS01-041 Q298012

        Internet Information Services 5.0

                Patch NOT Found MS01-025 Q296185

        Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1

                Patch NOT Found MS00-093 Q279328
                Patch NOT Found MS01-012 Q283908
                Patch NOT Found MS01-015 Q286043
                Patch NOT Found MS01-027 Q299618
---------------------------------

I'm sure this tool will be a blessing to many.

-Amir Brown

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