Microsoft said yesterday it will patch a critical bug in its Windows server software and two other vulnerabilities in PowerPoint, the presentation maker bundled with Office.
After April’s record-setting Patch Tuesday — which fixed 64 flaws — May’s much lighter load was not surprising. Microsoft habitually takes an even-odd approach, with even-numbered months featuring fewer updates.
Of the two updates slated to ship May 10, Microsoft has classified one as “critical,” the highest threat ranking in its four-step score, and the other as “important,” the next-most serious.
The critical update will patch Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, the three still-supported editions of its server operating system.
The vulnerability exists even in the newest version, Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1). Windows desktop operating systems, including Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, are not affected, however.
Without more information, it’s impossible to tell what server component Microsoft will patch, said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Security. “It’s definitely a [reading of the] tea leaves,” said Storms. “It could be an Active Directory component, or the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) component.”
Because the bug planned for patching exists on servers running Windows, Storms said that network administrators would likely require a day, perhaps two, additional time to test the fix before applying it.
The other bulletin applies to Office XP, Office 2003 and Office 2007, Microsoft said in its typically bare-bones advance notification today. The company specifically called out PowerPoint as the Office application that will receive a fix. Also slated for patching: Office 2004 for Mac and Office 208 for Mac.
Next week’s patch for Office XP’s edition of PowerPoint will be one of its last: That 10-year-old suite will not receive security updates after July 12.
The newest versions — Office 2010 on Windows and Office 2011 for Mac — are immune to the PowerPoint bugs.
The two updates will be released at approximately 1 p.m. ET on May 10.