Users of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Word can expect six security patches on Tuesday, designed to fix critical security weaknesses, the company has revealed.
Microsoft, who typically release security updates in bulk on the second Tuesday of the month, will issue four updates for Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Server editions 2003 and 2008 on November 10, three of which are considered to be “critical”.
All four of the updates for Windows will require a system restart once the download has completed.
Two updates are to be issued for Microsoft Office which will apply to both Windows and Apple Mac versions.
“Customers should plan a restart for the Windows bulletins,” said Jerry Bryant, security program manager for Microsoft Security Response Center in his blog.
“The Office bulletins may not require a restart if the components being updated are not in use.”
Last month, the software giant issued its biggest ever security update, aimed at fixing as many as 34 security vulnerabilities, mainly in Internet Explorer 8 and its latest operating system, Windows 7. Security flaws in Office, Silverlight and other tools were also affected.
The biggest update prior to that also came this year, with ten bulletins issued in June to fix 31 vulnerabilities.
Microsoft will host a webcast to address customer questions on these upcoming bulletins on November 11, 2009, at 11:00am Pacific Time (US & Canada). Computer users are also advised to run a virus scan their antivirus software prior to downloading the updates.
