Patch Tuesday is an unofficial term used in the technology industry, which is when software companies regularly release security patches for their products. This week, both Adobe and Microsoft released a larger than usual amount of patches.
Microsoft released a total of 13 patches that address a multitude of issues. The most notable addressed the following issues:
- Remote Code Execution: Remote code execution is when an attacker gains access to someone else's device, and then executes commands of their choice on the compromised device.
- Elevation of Privilege: Also known as privilege escalation, this is the act of exploiting a vulnerability in an operating system or software application in order to gain access to resources that are normally protected from an application or user.
- Denial of Service: Short for denial-of-service attack, it is a type of attack on a website that is designed to bring it to a halt by flooding it with useless traffic. Attackers can take over an army of computers, also known as a botnet, and direct them all to one site in the hopes of rendering the site unavailable.
These patches are for ALL versions of Windows, however, it is important to note that in the case of Internet Explorer, there will only be patches available for versions IE 11 and the Edge browser.
Adobe released 22 patches for various products and issues:
Additionally, Adobe issued security updates and fixes for a host of vulnerabilities affecting Flash Player, Photoshop, Bridge, Connect, and Experience Manager. A total of 22 critical vulnerabilities that could have allowed attackers to take control of affected computers were patched in Adobe Flash.
While software updates and patches seem like an intrusive and cumbersome task, this just goes to show how vital these are to the security of your system. These flaws are newly discovered and word is now “out on the street.” Attackers will move quickly in the hopes that users have not patched these vulnerabilities in order to try to exploit the system.
What to do to stay protected:
Go patch your systems immediately!!
For Windows instructions, click here.
For Adobe Instructions, click here.