The latest round of security updates from Microsoft is currently available via Windows Update for all users, with the company stressing the urgency to plug the security holes affecting Internet Explorer ahead of anything else. Earlier this week, the Redmond company started serving no less than six security bulletins as a part of its routine monthly security update cycle. The updates are designed to resolve a total of 12 vulnerabilities spanning across Windows (including Windows Vista and Windows XP), Internet Explorer (IE), Windows Server and Microsoft Office.

Users that have already upgraded to Windows 7 following general availability on October 22nd, 2009, will be happy to know that they needn’t apply any of the Windows patches offered. However, they’re not exactly out of the woods when it comes down to the December 2009 Security Bulletin Release. In fact, this month Microsoft patched several vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, including in IE8 running on Windows 7 RTM.

“As always, it’s recommended that customers deploy all security updates as soon as possible. Of the bulletins released this month, customers should prioritize and deploy the cumulative IE bulletin, MS09-072, given its Critical severity rating, Exploitability Index rating of 1 (“Consistent Exploit Code Likely&rdquo... (read more)