Microsoft releases security patches to fix 49 vulnerabilities

Microsoft on Tuesday, released its largest ever batch of security patches to fix a record 49 vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, Windows and other software.The Internet Explorer patch is aimed at fixing as many as twelve vulnerabilities. Due to the risk of zero-click drive-by download attacks, the company is suggesting Windows users to apply this patch immediately. The IE versions 7 and 8 running on Windows Vista and Windows 7 are said to be vulnerable to concerned attacks though these versions are claimed to have lessen the affect of such attacks.

Numerous other holes also make it possible to run a malicious code in the Windows common control library as well as the Microsoft foundation class library. But, these holes carried lesser ratings as they can be exploited only on using third-party browsers and file-archiving programs.

The patches also fix vulnerability in Windows XP which was exploited by the Stuxnet worm that is believed to have been released in order to disrupt Iran's nuclear program. The malware spread by exploiting four formerly unpatched Windows security holes. Tuesday's security release fixes three of these holes, while the fourth will be fixed in a future update.
According to Symantec (Norton Antivirus Provider), out of the total 49 flaws, 35 could give hackers the means to run malicious code on victim's computers. Microsoft has already released 86 security patches so far this year, as compared with a total of 74 security bulletins in the previous year.