Microsofts Patch Tuesday Includes New Rating Index

Microsoft today released 11 software updates to fix at least 20 security flaws in its Windows operating systems and other software. Windows users can grab the latest updates from Microsoft Update or by turning on Automatic Updates.

This month's bundle of updates includes at least five fixes for security holes in Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser, as well as patches for at least four separate flaws in Microsoft Office, three affecting Microsoft Excel exclusively.

October also is the first month Microsoft has detailed how each flaw fares on its "exploitability index," which attempts to gauge how fast hackers will find ways to compromise vulnerable systems.

Seven of the flaws addressed by today's release (including two of the IE bugs) earned Redmond's highest exploitability rating. Bear in mind that several of these IE vulnerabilities are the sort that could be exploited merely by enticing users to visit a malicious or hacked Web site.