IPS 7.0(8)E4 service pack now available!

Question

The 7.0(8)E4 service pack has been posted and is now available for download here:
http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/release.html?mdfid=282671829&flowid=4417&softwareid=282549759&release=7.0(8)E4&relind=AVAILABLE&rellifecycle=&reltype=latest

Answer 1

The difference between 7.0(5) and 7.0(5a) is just which Signature Update is included.
7.0(5) included S558
7.0(5a) included S549
The reason for including a lower signature update in 7.0(5a) is because of an issue that happened in the S550 Signature Update.
There was a change to default signatures which could cause issues in configuration.
The Signature Update installations could handle the problem and allow users to correct the issue.
The Service Pack installation, however, is not able to detect the problem and could lead to a larger problem.
So in order to prevent a Service Pack from encountering the issue we re-issued the 7.0(5) Service Pack as a 7.0(5a) Service Pack and put in a Signature level prior to the one that could cause the situation.
Both 7.0(5) and 7.0(5a) have all of the same other files on the sensor.
And if you upgrade 7.0(5) and 7.0(5a) to S567 or higher, then both versions are fully equivalent.
The only difference between the 2 was in the Sig level, and so by applying S567 they are now at the same Sig Level.
The issue with the Signature Update will only affect a few rare customers.
There is a specific signature that if tuned could cause a configuration issue.  (You can look in the Readme to see which signature it was, I can't remember right now).
If you did NOT configure this signature, then both 7.0(5) and 7.0(5a) work just fine.
If you've loaded 7.0(5) and it is working, then you don't have to worry about needing to install 7.0(5a), you won't have the issue.
If you have not installed 70(5), then go ahead and use 7.0(5a) so you won't hit the issue.