I guess this proves that MS will release a patch outside of their normal patch cycle.


Taken from an email I got from MS----


Today, 1 December 2004, Microsoft is releasing one security bulletin for a newly discovered vulnerability in Microsoft Windows.

- One Microsoft Security Bulletin affecting Microsoft Windows with a maximum severity of Critical, MS04-040.

The summary for this month's bulletins can be found at the following page:

- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../ms04-dec.mspx

Customers are advised to review the information in the bulletins, test and deploy the updates immediately in their environments, if applicable.

IMPORTANT: This update may not include hotfixes that have been released since the release of MS04-004 or MS04-038. Customers who have received hotfixes from Microsoft or from their support providers since the release of MS04-004 or MS04-038 should not install this update. Instead customers should deploy update 889669.

Microsoft will host a webcast to address customer questions on these bulletins. For more information on this webcast please see below:

- Information about Microsoft’s December Security Bulletins
- Wednesday, December 15, 2004 11:00 AM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
- http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/We...ventCategory=4

- The on-demand version of the webcast will be available 24 hours after the live webcast at:
- http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/We...ventCategory=4

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TECHNICAL DETAILS

MS04-040
Maximum Severity Rating: Critical

Title: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (889293)

Affected Software:
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 6
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
- Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), and Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) – Review the FAQ section of this bulletin for details about these operating systems.

Non-Affected Software:
- Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
- Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 64-Bit Edition

Affected Components:
- Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, or on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1

- Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a, on Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Service Edition Service Pack 6, on Microsoft Windows 98, on Microsoft Windows 98 SE, or on Microsoft Windows Me

- Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP Service Pack 1 (64-Bit Edition)

Non-Affected Components:
- Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3 on Windows 2000 SP3
- Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 4 on Windows 2000 SP4
- Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2 on Microsoft Windows Me
- Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003
- Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Server 2003 64-Bit Edition and Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003
- Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP Service Pack 2

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution

Security Update Replacement: This update replaces the update that is included with Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-038. That update is also a cumulative update.

Caveats: Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 889293 documents the currently known issues that customers may experience when they install this security update. The article also documents recommended solutions for these issues.

Important: This update may not include hotfixes that have been released since the release of MS04-004 or MS04-038. Customers who have received hotfixes from Microsoft or from their support providers since the release of MS04-004 or MS04-038 should not install this update. Instead customers should deploy update 889669.

Restart required: You must restart your system after you install this security update. You do not have to use an administrator logon after the computer restarts for any version of this update.

Update can be uninstalled: Yes

More information on this vulnerability is available at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../MS04-040.mspx