This month Microsoft is releasing 17 updates meant to patch 64 different vulnerabilities in Windows operating systems as well as Office. The 17 updates tie a record set in December, but the 64 vulnerabilities they’re patching is an all-time record. Out of the 17 updates, 9 are labeled “critical”, the remaining 8 “important”.

Updates are set to be released on Tuesday the 12th at around 10 AM PDT. 6 of the updates will require a computer restart after applied. Other than that, if you have automatic updates on, no other user intervention is required. If you don’t have automatic updates set to on, it behooves you to download and install these updates.

If you were to draw an analogy, applying software patches and updates is like closing open doors and windows ( 🙂 ) that could allow access to your house by thieves. A sound security system (antivirus, firewall etc)  would be like a fence around the house that prevent thieves from entering your property. Even if thieves were to successfully jump the fence and enter your courtyard, they would not be able to get into the house if there was no open entrance.

Theoretically, a fully patched computer could get infected by a virus, but if the vulnerability the virus was set to exploit was patched, no adverse effect would ensue.

Always keep your operating system and main programs up-to-date for a better intrusion prevention security level.