Security Advisor
Welcome to Patch Tuesday, Windows 8
Who says you need a product to be released before it can join the patching fun? Microsoft's April security update features a "critical" update for Microsoft's .NET Framework running on all versions of Windows -- including the test versions of Windows 8.
Those running either the Consumer Preview or the Developer Preview (released in October of last year) will want to apply bulletin MS12-024 because, even though Windows 8 isn't ready, hackers won't wait around for the release candidate to target Windows' upcoming OS -- if there's a hole, attackers will exploit it.
The hole in question here is of the remote code execution variety, something April's security update is not lacking of. Five of the six bulletins released this month deal with this nasty intrusion
While it may be a bit strange to already be seeing Windows 8 as a receiver of security updates, it's not the star of the show this month. That honor goes towards a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer that plugs five privately reported vulnerabilities. The worst of these can lead to, you guessed it, a remote code execution.
What makes this update so important is that while a hacker may have to jump through a few holes to pull off a RCE attack in, say, Excel or Office, it's a bit easier to do in a Web browser -- all they have to do is to trick you into clicking on a link that you shouldn't be clicking on.
For those who slept through all of this month's Patch Tuesday festivities, get caught up here.