Last updated: October 25, 2017
It’s Microsoft Patch Tuesday February 2017! Well, not your regular Patch Tuesday. Patch Tuesday, or Update Tuesday, refers to the day each month when Microsoft releases security patches for its software. Microsoft normally issues the security bulletins and updates on the second Tuesday of each month. This month, however, Microsoft delayed its normal Patch Tuesday update until March 2017.
In today’s update, Microsoft released 1 security bulletin. The bulletin received a Critical rating. The patched vulnerability could have allowed remote code execution:
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-005 – Critical
Security Update for Adobe Flash Player (4010250)
According to Microsoft’s Security Bulletin Severity Rating System, Critical means:
A vulnerability whose exploitation could allow code execution without user interaction. These scenarios include self-propagating malware (e.g. network worms), or unavoidable common use scenarios where code execution occurs without warnings or prompts. This could mean browsing to a web page or opening email.
Microsoft recommends that customers apply Critical updates immediately.
Download and install the Microsoft Patch Tuesday February 2017 updates using Windows Update. Before starting, consider exiting out of programs that may be running on your computer. Windows 7 users click the Start button. Choose All Programs above the Search input field, and click Windows Update. Click the Check for updates link.
Windows 8 users, click the Search icon in the upper right-hand corner of the Start screen. Input Windows Update, and click Check for updates in the search results.
Windows 10 users, input Windows Update into the Windows search bar to the right of the Start button. Click Check for updates in the search results.
Windows will inform you if updates are available to download and install. Click the Install updates button to begin the download and installation process.
After the installation of updates, a prompt to restart your computer will display. Consider restarting your computer right away rather than choosing to restart it later. This will allow the updates to take effect immediately.
References for Microsoft Patch Tuesday February 2017
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for February 2017
US-CERT: Microsoft Releases February 2017 Security Bulletin (pending)
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