Microsoft has kicked up a notch the level of control of codecs parsing, with a focus on Windows Vista and Windows XP. Essentially, the Redmond-based company has worked to enhance the Graphics Device Interface (GDI) of Windows releases, preceding Windows 7. According to Microsoft, the GDI+ update for Windows operating systems has different roles in accordance to the platforms it is tailored to. However, the refresh is designed to boost the security level of Windows, by enhancing the security of GDI.

“For Windows Vista, this update gives a per format switch to control the parsing of each file format in GDI+. As a part of this release, a new feature is added to GDI+. This new feature enables you to control the parsing of different codecs. The idea behind the feature is to control the attack surface area. This feature is controlled by using different registry entries that are part of this update. By changing these registry entries, you can control which images are parsed and rendered and which images are rejected in GDI+,” Microsoft informed.

No less than 10 updates are now live on the Microsoft Download Center and up for grabs. Users will be able to find the download links at the bottom of this article. The refreshes are set up to integrate seamlessly into Windows Vista RTM/SP1/SP2, Windows XP SP2/SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Server 2008 RTM-SP1/ SP2.

Essentially, the update enables a greater level of control over the parsing and rendering of Windows Bitmap (BMP), Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), Icon files (ICO), Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), Network Graphics (PNG), and Tagged Image File Format (TIFF). All the codecs enumerated above can be enabled or disabled via the registry.

“To add registry entries, you must create the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Gdiplus. Then, create a DWORD value that corresponds to each codec. To do this, create the following registry entries (DWORD values) under the registry subkey that you create: DisableBMPCodec, DisableGIFCodec, DisablePNGCodec, DisableICOCodec, DisableTIFFCodec, DisableJPEGCodec. To disable a particular codec, set the corresponding registry entry to 1,” the software giant noted.

The Redmond-based company informed that users would need to restart the applications used to deal with files requiring codecs which have been either enabled or disabled through the registry. Still, it is important to note that the GDI+ update does not block the codecs by itself or by default. Users will have to edit the registry in order to add the entries above, otherwise the refresh has absolutely no impact and all codecs will continue to be parsed.

“For Windows XP and for Windows Server 2003, the update ships a more robust version of GDI+. Other than the new feature that is added to Windows Vista, this update includes other security hardening,” the software giant added. 

- Package for Windows XP, 32-bit versions
- Package for Windows XP, 64-bit versions
- Package for Windows Server 2003, 32-bit versions
- Package for Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions
- Package for Windows Server 2003, 64-bit versions
- Package for Windows Vista, 32-bit versions
- Package for Windows Vista, 64-bit versions
- Package for Windows Server 2008, 32-bit versions
- Package for Windows Server 2008, Itanium-based versions
- Package for Windows Server 2008, 64-bit versions