Microsoft Patches 12 Vulnerabilities - SMB Bug "Definitely Serious"
Microsoft on Tuesday rolled out 10 security bulletins that covered 12 vulnerabilities, and for the first time, offered up its monthly patch batch using the revamped update services and tools for both individuals and enterprises.
Three of the 12 vulnerabilities were marked as "Critical," Microsoft's most urgent alert level in its four-step warning system. All three affect OS components or flaws in Internet Explorer that have been patched multiple times in the past.
Bulletins marked as MS05-025, 026, and 027, are the three with Critical vulnerabilities, said Microsoft, and affect Internet Explorer; the HTML help system in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003; and the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.
"All three of these services have been patched in the past," said Mike Murray, the director of research at vulnerability management vendor nCircle. "In fact, one of the IE vulnerabilities, the XML redirection vulnerability, is just a new variant of an older vulnerability."
