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Microsoft`s Patch is Available Two Weeks Early

A few days ago Microsoft preceded its planned schedule and released a critical Internet Explorer vulnerability patch two weeks earlier than planned. As Microsoft has stated, the patch, MS06-055, fixes defects in the two latest versions of Internet Explorer and should be applied without delays. According to The Redmond, Wash. Developer, the bug is critical, especially for IE editions that run on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.

"An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system", Microsoft said. Even though it was indicated by Microsoft that a patch would be released before October 10, the fix came as a complete surprise. MS06-055 is the second update in 2006 to enter outside the normal schedule.

Users were warned by Microsoft that those who had already applied one of the few authorized measures of defense available at the time that the company worked on the fix may not be able to install the new patch. Microsoft said: "If the workaround `Modify the Access Control List on Vgx.dll to be more restrictive` has been applied, the security updates provided with this security bulletin may not install correctly". On the Microsoft Security Response Team blog it was said that the MS06-049 update that was originally released on August 8 will be released once again.