Microsoft Security Updates for December, 2017

The December security release consists of 32 security updates in which 20 are listed as Critical and 12 are rated Important. The release consists of security updates for the following software: 

• Internet Explorer
• Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Office and Microsoft Services and Web Apps
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• ChakraCore
• Microsoft Malware Protection Engine 

The updates address Remote Code Execution, Information Disclosure, "Defense in Depth" (Note:  "Defense-in-Depth" is a fix that does not apply to an actively exploitable vulnerability but prevents future vulnerabilities caused by the same code when surrounding code changes expose the problem.), Security Feature Bypass, Spoofing and Denial of Service.

For more information about the updates released today, see https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/summary.  Updates can be sorted by OS from the search box. Information about the update for Windows 10 is available at Windows 10 Update history.

Also see this month's Zero Day Initiative — The December 2017 Security Update Review by Dustin Childs in which he discusses several of the patches.

Additional Update Notes

• Adobe Flash Player -- For Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows 10, Adobe Flash Player is now a security bulletin rather than a security advisory and is included with the updates as identified above.
• MSRT -- Microsoft released an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services, and the Download Center.  Note:  Users who are paranoid about the remote possibility of a FP can opt to run this tool from a Command Prompt, appending a   /N   parameter [for "detect only" mode].
• Windows 10 -- A summary of important product developments included in each update, with links to more details is available at Windows 10 Update History. The page will be regularly refreshed, as new updates are released.

References

• Release Notes
• Security Update FAQ
• Security Updates Guide
• Windows 10 Update History

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