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Starting with February 2017, the Security Only update will not include updates for Internet Explorer, and the Internet Explorer update will again be available as a separate update for the operating systems listed above. The bundled Windows 7 and 8.1 “ patchocalypse” patching method has been amended, with Microsoft declaring last month that starting in February, IE patches won’t be included with the monthly Win7 and 8.1 security-only patch: For those who don’t use Flash-or who only use Flash from inside Chrome or Firefox or a different browser-the fixes aren’t important. These Flash patches are important for those who still use Flash with IE or Edge. No other security updates are scheduled for release until the next scheduled monthly update release on March 14, 2017. These updates will be offered to the following operating systems: Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2016. Microsoft is planning to release security updates for Adobe Flash Player. Apparently Microsoft’s announcement last week that it would delay February patches until March 14 didn’t tell the whole story. Microsoft sent an email to its largest customers on Monday, alerting them that Adobe Flash Player patches for Internet Explorer and Edge will be coming today.
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