Microsoft preps 12 patches for February

Redmond (WA) - In a blog posting at Microsoft's Technet site, Microsoft security program manager Christopher Budd announced details about February's monthly security update, which will be available to Windows users on February 13.

Five patches concern the Windows operating system, with at least one of them ranking in a a critical severity rating. Two updates will be available for Office, also a critical update, according to Microsoft. One update will affect both Windows and Office, and has a lesser severity ranking of "important".

There is also a sweeping critical update for Windows Live OneCare, Microsoft Antigen, Microsoft Windows Defender, Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Microsoft Forefront Security for SharePoint. The rest of the updates are not critical.

In addition, the monthly update to the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool will also be available on the 13th.