How Microsoft Distributes Updates

Microsoft continually works to reduce the risk of software vulnerabilities in Microsoft software, including Windows Vista. This section describes the different types of updates released by Microsoft. It also describes the Microsoft product life cycle, which affects update management, because Microsoft stops releasing security updates for a product at the end of its life cycle.

Security Updates

A security update is an update that the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) releases to resolve a security vulnerability. Microsoft security updates are available for customers to download and are accompanied by two documents: a security bulletin and a Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

Note

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