Microsoft has released three software updates that patch critical security flaws in its products, including a patch for an Internet Explorer vulnerability that was first reported last week. The company also released patches for Microsoft Word and for a feature of the Windows operating system that is used by a number of applications.

All three of the patches, which Microsoft calls updates, are rated "critical", meaning that the flaws they fix could allow malicious code to be installed on a user’s computer with very little user action. The updates affect current versions of Windows and Internet Explorer as well as certain older versions of Word, according to Stephen Toulouse, security programme manager with Microsoft’s security response centre.

Read the complete story . (Computerworld)