Microsoft Updates for August and Everything After

Not feeling secure in your Microsoft software? Well, the company appears ready to make at least nine steps towards giving you some comfort while using Windows, Office, and development program Virtual Basic.

Security updates are nothing new for Microsoft, which typically releases similar patches on a monthly basis. However, this update is a bit special given its size and the number of applications it seeks to improve.

Patches are a mix of critical and not-so critical. Windows XP and Vista will receive security improvements addressing both minor and major holes (not outlined by Microsoft), while less serious updates will also be available for the company's Virtual PC and Virtual Server software. (Source: pcworld.com)

For those who use a lot of Microsoft software (and most of us have little choice), August could be the "security month". System administrators and IT professionals can expect a steady parade of similar updates as we approach Labor Day weekend and back to school.

For the record, Microsoft has averaged seven patches each month in 2007. Given the retail bonanza for laptop computers, more users than ever will be logging on and opening themselves to virtual attack in the next 30 days.

Perhaps the most important component in the coming download is an update to Microsoft's Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, which can be found on Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services, and the official Download Center. There's no clear indication that a meteor-sized hole has been found in Microsoft software, but given the growing stack of phishing and email scams, any security update is a good update. (Source: microsoft.com)