Update: Apple patches Safari, boasts 1 million downloads

Cupertino (CA) - Less than a week after launching its first beta, in response to rampant criticism, Apple has released a security update to fix three vulnerabilities in the Windows version of its Safari browser.

Version 3.0.1 Beta of the Windows Safari browser is now available from Apple’s website, claiming to have the "latest security updates". Two Windows-specific flaws and one that could also affect Mac users are fixed in the new update.

As many as 18 flaws were found with the browser immediately after it was released for the Windows platform on Monday. In spite of the fact that it is only a preliminary beta version, critics had strong words for Apple, which has always prided itself on bug-free software applications.

The early bug reports did not create a huge deterrence, though, as Apple announced yesterday that over one million downloads for the new browser were recorded in its first two days.

Though it does not boast a huge slate of additional features over other Windows-based browsers, Safari 3 is credited as the world’s fastest browser.

As a Mac exclusive, Safari held about 1.7% of the browser market share earlier this year.