Windows administrators can expect five security updates for
Windows and one for Visual Studio when it releases its monthly
patch update next Tuesday. Some of the flaws to be repaired are
critical, the software giant said in an advance bulletin on its
TechNet site.
All fixes will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline
Security Analyzer and the Enterprise Scan Tool, and some updates
may require a restart, the company said.
Microsoft will also update its Windows malicious software
removal tool and release 14 non-security, high-priority updates.
Four of the non-security updates will be available on Windows
Update (WU) and Software Update Services (SUS), while 10 will be
released via Microsoft Update (MU) and Windows Server Update
Services (WSUS).
"Although we do not anticipate any changes, the number of
bulletins, products affected, restart information and severities
are subject to change until released," Microsoft said.
Microsoft is grappling with a number of zero-day flaws, but it
remains unclear which ones might be addressed Tuesday.
Two zero-day flaws surfaced this week -- one in
Microsoft Word and the other in
Windows Media Player.
A
zero-day flaw in Visual Studio has gone unpatched since early
November. It is expected that Tuesday's patch release would address
the issue.