Microsoft plans to fix critical bugs in its Word, Publisher and Jet database software next week.
The software vendor also plans to release a less-critical update for its antivirus products, fixing a flaw that attackers could use to launch a denial of service (DoS) attack against products such as Windows Live OneCare and Microsoft Forefront Security.
The updates will be released Tuesday, the day set aside for Microsoft's monthly set of security patches. Microsoft provided some early details on the patches Thursday, in a note on its Web site.
Microsoft considers flaws to be critical when they could be exploited by attackers in order to run unauthorized software on a victim's system.
Although Microsoft's note does not describe the bugs in detail, it looks like the company is planning to fix a known bug in the Jet database engine, which was disclosed in late March. Attackers had figured out a new way to launch a malicious Jet file using Microsoft Word, Microsoft warned in a blog posting.
Jet files, which have a .mdb extension, are typically blocked by Outlook, but "attackers have figured out a way to work around the mitigations built into Outlook," Microsoft said in its post.
The Jet flaw affects Windows XP, 2000 and Server 2003 Service Pack 1.
The Word flaw is rated critical for both Windows and Mac users.
Although rated only "moderate," the DoS bug in Microsoft's security products is also a cause for concern. It affects many Microsoft security products including OneCare, Antigen, Windows Defender, Standalone System Sweeper and several Forefront Security products.
- Sponsored Resource:Are you ready for virtualization? Try the sever assessment tool.
- Sponsored Resource:Stay at home servers. Learn more about a home server for your family.
- Sponsored Resource:Get the communications, data, and security a business needs in one neat package. Learn more.
- Sponsored Resource:Learn more about ultra light notebooks from Asus and the best warranty in the industry.
- Sponsored Resource:Thinking about a new Laptop? Lenovo has models to meet everyone's needs.
- Sponsored Resource:Get the truth about remanufactured ink. Learn more from HP.
- Sponsored Resource:Six smart ways to grow small business IT
News For Your Business
- OS X Virus Described
- E-mail List Vendor: Our Records Are Accurate
- Fugitive Spam King Dead in Apparent Murder-suicide
- Buying an E-mail List? Marketing Company Says Never Again
- Study Paints Open-Source Software as a Security Risk
Community Comments