Advance Notice - Microsoft Updates for December 2006

Although subject to change, on 12 December 2006 at approximately 10:00 am PT, Microsoft is planning to release six security updates as well as an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.

Security Updates:

• Five Microsoft Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Windows. The highest Maximum Severity rating for these is Critical. These updates will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and the Enterprise Scan Tool. Some of these updates will require a restart.
  

• One Microsoft Security Bulletin affecting Microsoft Visual Studio. The highest Maximum Severity rating for this is Critical. This update will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and the Enterprise Scan Tool. This update may require a restart.

Non-Security High Priority Updates:

• Microsoft will release four NON-SECURITY High-Priority Updates for Windows on Windows Update (WU) and Software Update Services (SUS).

• Microsoft will release ten NON-SECURITY High-Priority Updates on Microsoft Update (MU) and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Reference: MSDN TechNet Security Bulletin

The following suggestions on what you can do before “Patch Tuesday” are from Calendar of Updates:

• Undo any 3rd party work-around or any work-around that you did on affected system or components in Windows that is going to be patched
  
• Create a backup of your good system (see also: System Back-up) and/or ensure that System Restore service is enabled, actually running, working and not corrupted or in the good state. Note: System Restore is available in Windows Millennium (Me) and the Windows XP (Home and Professional) Operating Systems.
  

To check whether System Restore is enabled and actually running:

• Type services.msc
  
• Click OK button
  
• Locate System Restore Service in the list of services and verify that the status is “Started”.
  

Note: You may also access the Services Console by going to Control Panel>Performance and Maintenance>Administrative Tools>Services.