April to be another big Microsoft security patch month

by Robert McMillan

April 3, 2008 —

Microsoft plans to release eight security updates next Tuesday, five of which
are rated critical by the software vendor.

The critical patches affect Windows, the VBScript programming software, Microsoft
Project and Internet Explorer, which will get two updates. They will be released
as part of the company's monthly software update cycle, which mandates security
updates on the second Tuesday of each month.

The updates were described in general terms in
a note posted Thursday to Microsoft's Web site. More details will be released
Tuesday, when the patches are made available.

Two less-critical updates -- rated important by Microsoft -- are planned for
Windows. A third important update is being readied for the Visio design software,
the company said.

The critical Windows update -- called Bulletin 2 by Microsoft -- looks particularly
important because it affects all supported versions of Windows, said Andrew
Storms, director of security operations with nCircle Network Security. "This
really bucks the trend for Microsoft recently. Their trend is the newer operating
systems have lower criticality," he said. "It's got to be something
core to the operating system in order for it to be critical all the way across
the board."

The VBScript update is probably the same one that Microsoft ended up pulling
at the last minute in March, he said.

With two more updates this month, Office has been keeping Microsoft's Security
Response Center busy.

Last month the company patched a total of 12 bugs in four security updates.
All of them were for Office products.

IDG News Service