Patch 'Em Up! IE Releases Critical Patch, Firefox Patches Dozen Bugs

Microsoft has released the patch that closes an Internet Explorer vulnerability that's been exploited hundreds of thousands of times in the last few days. Mozilla has patched more than a dozen Firefox problems, many of them critical. Time to get Patching!Microsoft's Internet Explorer patch fixes a vulnerability that has had JavaScript exploits spreading wildly other past week.

This a rare instance of Microsoft releasing a patch on a day other than its regularly scheduled Patch Tuesdays, and indication of how serious the vulnerability was -- and especially how aggressively the hole was being exploited.

The security bulletin with links to various IE version patches is here.

Patch all machines running IE now.

Meanwhile, rival browser-maker Mozilla released 13 patches for its Firefox browser. Nearly half of the patches are labeled critical, including one that closes a JavaScript-vulnerable hole that could render computers prey to malware.

The patched version of Firefox is 3.0.5; this is the only version you should be running.

Firefox 3.0.5 can be downloaded here.

Patch all machines running Firefox now.

Now.