Microsoft releases biggest ever patch to address a range of security issues

Microsoft Corp released its biggest ever software patch yesterday to fix a number of security issues in its programs, including its yet to be released Windows 7 operating system.

The patch, comprising 13 security bulletins, which Microsoft sent to users of its software in its monthly update addresses 34 vulnerabilities across its Windows, Internet Explorer, Silverlight, Office and other products.

The company said six of the bulletins were high priority and needed to be deployed immediately. The bulletins that update software to write over glitches served to protect users from hackers and malicious software inadvertently downloaded over the internet.

Eight of the bulletins have been given a security rating of 'critical', Microsoft's highest alert while the remaining carry an 'important' risk level.

The eight critical bulletins cover fixes for components in Server Message Block, Windows Media Player and Runtime as also software for Internet Explorer, Active Template Library, .NET and GDI Library. All eight bulletins address flaws which could allow remote execution of codes by a hacker on a targeted system.

The bulletins marked important include two fixes for remote code execution flaws as well as a pair of patches for denial of service vulnerabilities, a spoofing flaw and an elevation of privilege vulnerability.

The company said that the update will also include a re-issue for a previously-fixed flaw in the XML Core Services component of Windows. The re-issue would extend the coverage of the bulletin.