Microsoft has sent out an advanced notice containing plans to release during the monthly security and system update. Patch Tuesday is the second Tuesday of every month and the only day every month where Microsoft addresses security and software update issues. Often if the need is severe, they will release a security patch outside the update cycle. This was the case recently when they patched an issue with Office 2000 and 2002.
Last month the original list of updated was cut back by four patches. Microsoft released no information on what those four patches covered. This month they are releasing twenty-one updates.
There are five updates related to Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Windows. Two updates related to Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Office. One update related to Security Bulletins issued for Microsoft Data Access Components. There is also one update related to Windows OneCare Live, Microsoft Antigen, Windows Defender, and Microsoft ForeFront. Microsoft rates each of these releases a maximum level of Critical.
The list of patches rated important by Microsoft includes one for Visual Studio, one for Microsoft Office, and one for Step-by-Step Interactive Training. There are also ten non-security related updates for Windows Update, Software Update Services, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server Update Services. Microsoft has rated these updates as non-security High-Priority updates. The Malicious Software Removal Tool will get another monthly update.
While this is an extensive list, Microsoft changed it at the last minute last month and could do so again. On the day after the releases this story will be updated to reflect what was patched and what is still open for exploitation on Windows.
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