This past Tuesday, or “Patch Tuesday” as it has been referred to, Microsoft released its biggest security update “to date”. To cover 34 vulnerabilities discovered within its product line, Microsoft released 14 security patches, eight which have been deemed “Critical” and the remaining six “Important”.
Microsoft issued a statement saying the updates address “vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft XML Core Services and Server Message Block.”
Four of the upgrades Microsoft released are to help organizations protect their computer data from specific vulnerabilities in tainted media files. Malware writers are embedding viruses in media files, and taking advantage of the fact that users are not aware of their presence. Computer users who regularly access the Internet for video and music purposes typically do not realize the potential security threats on hand.
Vulnerabilities like these lead Internet users to “mousetrap” websites, or trick them into opening malicious files or links. Once a PC becomes victim to an attack, the compromised machine could attack neighboring machines, and gain access to the entire network.
IT administrators and business owners need to be aware of the risks of their employees using the Internet unprotected. Microsoft suggests IT administrators assess the Microsoft updates and prioritize which are most important for their business.
For questions regarding which Microsoft Security Updates your company needs, contact The Computer Company, Inc. We will assist you in what is involved in protecting every PC within your organization from Microsoft security vulnerabilities.
Sources:
http://www.scmagazineus.com/microsoft-lists-4-of-its-record-14-patches-as-high-priority/article/176727/
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/081010-record-patch-tuesday-where-to.html?source=nww_rss
