Woody re Windows Patches..."Don't Do It"

[George Tyndall]

MS-DEFCON 2:

Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don't do it.

I learned about this site from Bob.

But here are some caveats that Woody also mentions:

My usual boilerplate advice:

For those of you who are new to this game, keep in mind that… You should always use Windows Update to install patches; downloading and installing individual patches is a clear sign of impending insanity. I always install Windows Defender/Microsoft Security Essentials updates as soon as they’re available – same with spam filter updates. I never install drivers from Windows Update (in the rare case where I can actually see a problem with a driver, I go to the manufacturer’s web site and download it from the original source). I almost never install “Recommended” patches (reader Marty suggests that you uncheck the Windows Update box that says “Give me the recommended updates the same way I receive important updates”). If Windows Update has a patch but the box isn’t checked, DON’T CHECK THE BOX. It’s like spitting in the wind. I use Chrome and Firefox, and only pull out IE when I feel very inclined — but even if you don’t use IE, you need to keep up with its patches.

http://www.askwoody.com/category/microsoft-windows-patches-security/

Bob, I don't see Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool Kit listed in the boilerplate advice: It should also be ignored for now?

[Bob]

The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool Kit is safe to run. It's an anti-malware utility that Microsoft updates each month to check for and help remove specific prevalent malware infections. The version of the tool delivered by Windows Update runs once in the background and is silent unless a malware infection is found. No news is good news, as they say. It also comes in a version that you can download and run yourself. But, since it is updated monthly, it's much easier to just let Windows update download and run it.

The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool Kit is intended to supplement your antivirus software. I'd recommend running it. You can install and run just the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool Kit by unchecking every update except for that one. The other patches will be automatically rechecked next time you go into Windows Update.