DETROIT – In response to customer pressure Thursday, Microsoft delivered a fix for a Windows flaw that lies in the way Windows renders Windows Meta File images. The flaw that has become a conduit for several attacks.
Microsoft said previously that it would wait until its regularly scheduled Patch Tuesday to issue the fix that repairs the WMF problem. But, it says, the new, earlier release does not mean Patch Tuesday is now off the calendar.
Indeed, Microsoft plans to release its first security update of the year early on Jan. 10, when Microsoft will deliver two updates as part of its scheduled monthly bulletin of Patch Tuesday fixes.
Both updates will fix at least one flaw that the software maker deems critical, according to the notice. Microsoft rates as critical any security threat that could allow a malicious Internet worm to spread without any action required on the part of the user.
Microsoft’s notice did not specify which components of Windows are being repaired with Tuesday’s update or how many vulnerabilities the fix will tackle. The company did say that both patches may require a restart of the software.
