Twenty-six flaws fixed by Microsoft

Microsoft yesterday released 10 patches to fix flaws in the Windows operating system and Office, its productivity suite.

Six of the patches were rated 'critical', Microsoft's highest level of warning. There were supposed to be 11 patches issued, as Web User reported last week, but one was scrapped at the last minute as it failed to come up to scratch, Microsoft said yesterday.

The patches address 26 vulnerabilities - the highest number of flaws Microsoft has had to fix in its regular monthly security updates this year. The second Tuesday of every month is known as 'Patch Tuesday' by company insiders and industry analysts as it is this day that Microsoft releases the updates.

Of the six critical patches, two affect Windows and four affect applications within Office - Powerpoint, Word and Excel. The vulnerabilities they address could, if exploited, allow malicious hackers to take control of a PC and remotely execute code. Phishing gangs and spammers often use PCs or 'bots' they have taken control of for their own illegal ends.

Microsoft advises customers to visit the Microsoft Security website and download the patches, or to enable the automatic updates function if you have not already done so.

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/default.mspx

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