Microsoft releases 13 security updates to fix 34 vulnerabilities

Users can update patches through Windows update Website.

Admitting that this is the most number of bulletins ever released by the company, Microsoft underplayed the size issue saying, “we have, on several occasions, released between 10 and 12 bulletins so this is business as usual”.

Before this, Microsoft had released 12 patches in one month twice-- in February 2007 and October 2008.

Security updates to fix a record number of security holes
The security bulletins are expected to fix 34 vulnerabilities, thus patching highest number of security holes in a single month.

The patches will fix errors in Windows applications, including Internet Explorer, Silverlight, Microsoft Office, Developer Tools, Forefront, SQL Server, and SSL among others.

Eight of the 13 security updates have been rated critical, thereby signifying that they need to be patched immediately.

The most critical vulnerabilities being addressed include two zero-day flaws in its Server Message Block protocol, File Transfer Protocol Service, Service in Microsoft Internet Information Services and GDI.

Ben Greenbaum, senior research manager, Symantec Security Response, was quoted by InformationWeek as saying, "The primary danger the GDI+ graphics library and Internet Explorer vulnerabilities pose is that these vulnerable components are present on the majority of Windows machines.”

He further added that many of the vulnerabilities can easily be exploited.

Unlike Internet Explorer, GDI, a protocol that affects a number of applications like Windows, Microsoft Office, SQL Server, Developer Tools, Microsoft Forefront etc, might be difficult to patch.

End users happy with updates but cautious
The latest security updates have stirred up more than a few Windows operating system users who are discussing it out on forums, blogs etc.

A user named mistasandman commented on cnet news, “I'm so glad I'm a Windows guy... Microsoft always takes care of it's users, unlike Apple who not only charges for service packs, but also deletes all your data. Windows rocks :)”

Another user named Vegaman_Dan posted his view on the same site, “That's a lot of security patches to release in a single day. I'm glad they are releasing patches for Win7, but even more so for the SMB issues.”

“İt is to be hoped however, that this big bunch won't be causing any system crashes,” stated istanbul on PCWorld.

Another user named nonseq warned on the same site saying, “In light of the recent demonstration of MS's failure to recognize back-up in the SideKick debacle, before installing any of these fixes users should make sure that they are really and truly backed up.”