Microsoft's Patch Tuesday to fix five critical holes

Microsoft will issue fixes for five critical holes affecting Windows and a variety of other software on Patch Tuesday next week.

The critical holes, which could allow an attacker to remotely run code on a PC and take control of it, affect Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and 2008, Windows Client for the Mac, Office 2000, XP and 2003, Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006, Visual Studio .NET 2003, Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 and 2006, and BizTalk Server 2002, according to a Microsoft security advisory released on Thursday.

Four additional vulnerabilities, rated "important", affect Windows and Windows .NET Framework and could allow an attacker to remotely execute code, launch a denial-of-service attack or elevate system privileges, the company said.

Original article: Microsoft to fix critical Windows, Office holes from CNET News.com