Software company Microsoft will be offering updated patches for 12 security flaws – including three deemed as “critical” – in its Patch Tuesday release.
Six bulletins will deliver the updates on 8 December. They will aim to fix problems in several Microsoft applications, including Windows 7 and IE8.
Patches will also be available for Project, Word and Work 8.5; Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2003 and 2008, Office XP, and Office 2003.
‘Critical’ flaws
Microsoft ranked three of the flaws as “critical”, meaning hackers can exploit them by using a malicious code. Hackers can use the zero-day IE flaw, which has been reported on IE8, to gain control of a computer and access to login and financial information.
Anti-virus company Symantec had issued a warning when the IE flaw was first discovered, and advised the users of IE6, IE7 and IE8 to update their firewalls and anti-virus software, and to disable JavaScript in their browsers.
Patch Tuesday is now a regular “event” held by Microsoft and one which has changed how system administrators globally deal with patches and software updates. It simplifies the security management process by making it easier to implement.
Photos: One of the patches Microsoft will be issuing on 8 December will strive to fix problems with Windows 7, among other other applications.
