Microsoft To Issue Early Warnings For Patch Tuesday

For about a year, Microsoft has been issuing advanced alerts to select customers and patch-management service companies about upcoming patches.

Thursday, the software maker issued a statement saying that everyone will have access to advance information about pending security updates. In its statement, Microsoft said the new policy is in "response to customer feedback."

Starting this month, Microsoft's TechNet Security Web site will provide a summary of the planned security bulletin releases three business days before so-called Patch Tuesday, which falls on the second Tuesday of each month.

According to Microsoft, the advance notifications will include how many security bulletins may be released, how severe the security problems being fixed are, and a list of the affected products. The information provided in the notification will be general and won't disclose vulnerability details or other information that could put customers at risk.

Microsoft says it will launch an advance bulletin notification E-mail list in December.

The early-warning Web site is available here.