Microsoft Issues 8 'Critical' Software Patches

[scuzzman]

Microsoft Corp. today released a dozen software patches to cover 16 security flaws -- half of which it deemed "critical" -- in all versions of the Windows operating system and a broad range of popular Microsoft applications such as its Internet chat and media player products.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant issued patches to mend a total of 16 security flaws, with more than half addressing security glitches found in Service Pack 2, the massive software security upgrade Microsoft made available to Windows XP users last August.

Security experts said a weakness in Windows disclosed today could become a vehicle for the next big Internet virus outbreak. The flaw involves the "server message block" service enabled by default in every version of Microsoft Windows that allows users to share files on a network. Attackers could potentially exploit the weakness over the Internet without any action by the user, but only if a computer was not already protected by firewall software. Hackers could also exploit it by tricking a user into clicking on a specially crafted Web link in an e-mail.

Original story available here.

[-pops-]

There were 11 updates for one of my machines.

I downloaded and started to install when I was greeted by the message that "Windows is unable to install these updates". It then proceeded to install them :unsure: :unsure:

[andsome]

Recieved notification this morning. It looks like a big job. so I'll finish up here and then get to work. I always choose to pick my own updates and install those first. It's a wast of time installing updates for things I never use, like Messenger, or MS CD burning