Fix for Windows vulnerability due Jan. 10

Microsoft said Tuesday it would be about a week before it would release a fix for a vulnerability in Windows that opens the doors to viruses and spyware.

The software company said in a statement that engineers were testing a security update that should eliminate the problem; however, it would likely not be ready for global release until Jan. 10, when the next routine security update is scheduled for release.

Microsoft characterized the time frame as being better for customers, who tend to prefer security updates to be complete rather than rushed. It also downplayed the threat posed to computers.

"Although the issue is serious and the attacks are being attempted, Microsoft's intelligence sources indicate that the scope of the attacks is limited," the statement said. "In addition, attacks exploiting the WMF vulnerability are being effectively mitigated by anti-virus companies with up-to-date signatures."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International