14 DAY TRIAL // Next week, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft will start delivering a new set of security updates for its products, as part of its usual monthly update roll-out.
Pushed to users as the July 2012 update, the new security package will include a total of nine bulletins, meant to patch various flaws that were found in the company’s products.
Three of these bulletins are rated Critical, while the other six are rendered only Important, the Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for July 2012 unveils.
The first bulletin in the upcoming security update suite is meant to resolve vulnerabilities that affect Microsoft Windows, the software giant explains.
The second of them is destined to resolve security issues in Windows and Internet Explorer and appears to be the most important of the nine. This patch will require restart to be applied.
According to Marcus Carey, security researcher at Rapid7 (via The Verge), the issue might have been introduced in Internet Explorer 9, since it does not appear to affect previous browser releases.
The third bulletin fixes a hole in Windows. The same as the other two, it is rated Critical and the patched vulnerability could have resulted in Remote Code Execution.
Two of the remaining six bulletins patch issues that might have resulted in Remote Code Execution as well, one affecting Microsoft Office and Microsoft Developer Tools, and the other found in Windows.
Three of the six Important bulletins resolve vulnerabilities that could have resulted in Elevation of Privilege and which affect Windows, Office, and Microsoft Server Software.
The last of the bulletins, number 7, in fact, patches a hole in Windows that might have resulted in Information Disclosure.
For those out of the loop, we should note that Microsoft is issuing the monthly security updates the second Tuesday of every month, and that July 2012 will be no different.
As usual, those users who have the Automatic Update feature enabled on their computers will receive the new software without having to perform specific actions (Windows Update will take the necessary measures). The rest of them will have to perform manual updates to install the package.