Microsoft to release four critical patches

Microsoft is set to release four ‘critical’ security bulletins next week that should fix problems with Windows Mail, Internet Explorer and Windows XP.

Six bulletins in total will be released, including the four critical fixes, reported Microsoft’s advance advisory notification.

The term critical usually means that a system can be compromised remotely.

Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003, IE 5.01 running on Windows 2000 with SP4, Outlook Express and Windows Mail in Vista are among the affected software, reported ZDNet.

Despite claims from Microsoft that Vista will be the most secure version of Windows to date, the firm issued an emergency update last April.