Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday for November is a bumper edition that includes 16 bug fixes, with five rated as critical.
Patch Tuesday, which occurs on the second Tuesday of the month, allows the software giant to send out updates and bug fixes to its software.
The five critical vulnerabilities affect the Windows operating system and one also affects Internet Explorer. The 16 fixes also cover Office, Exchange, Server and the .NET framework.
Five of the patches deal with remote code execution exploits and seven cope with elevated permissions. There are also two fixes for security bypasses, one for a denial of service flaw and one for a potential information leak.
Users should receive the above Patch Tuesday updates as regular Windows updates, but Qualys CTO Wolfgang Kandek issued caution in a statement.
"We are looking at a substantial Patch Tuesday from Microsoft for November," he said, reporting that the 16 bulletins will bring Microsoft’s count to 79 for the year.
Kandek said the total for 2014 will be below 100 vulnerabilities and will be fewer than in 2013. However, he warned IT staff to stay alert, particularly with regards to this month’s five critical patches.
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"[There is] plenty of work for IT admins on all levels, server, desktop and applications, but the focus should be on the top five," said Kandek.
