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RELEASED: Microsoft Security Update Guide, Second Edition

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Looking for security guidance?  This Second Edition of the Microsoft Security Update Guide includes additional content describing how Microsoft tests security updates before they are released, revised advice and guidance on testing updates in your own environment, and an expanded and updated resources section. Our goal with the Guide is to help IT professionals manage organizational risk and develop a repeatable, effective deployment mechanism for security updates.

In the Guide, you will find a convenient glossary of terms, an overview of the Microsoft Security Bulletin process, and a stage-by-stage review of Microsoft Security Updates. The Guide is organized according to the following stages of the security update process:

  • Stage 1, Receive Microsoft Security Release Communications;
  • Stage 2, Evaluate Risk;
  • Stage 3, Evaluate Mitigation;
  • Stage 4, Standard or Urgent Update Deployment Timeline;
  • Stage 5, Monitor Systems, and;
  • Ongoing Stage, Watch.

Each section outlines the purpose and objective for that stage, as well as the expected target outcomes upon that stage’s completion.

You can download the Microsoft Security Update Guide from the Microsoft Download Center.