Microsoft Mac guru explains premature patch

Mac Business Unit developer assures stability of Office patch.

Mac users who downloaded a Microsoft security patch that was removed within hours of its posting last week need not worry for the security or stability of their systems, according to a developer from Microsoft's Mac Business Unit. 

"The code that went live has no known issues so, while we recalled it because it had not been thoroughly vetted, there is no urgent need to uninstall the patch," wrote Erik Schwiebert, a software development leader for the Mac Business Unit.

Schwiebert wrote in the company's MacMojo blog that an official version of the update should be released to all users within a week. 

The update for the Mac version of Office was posted for a short time on Tuesday before it was removed by Microsoft.

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) recommended originally that users uninstall the patch, although security firm SANS noted that doing so would require deleting and reinstalling the software. 

Schwiebert admitted that going through the removal process would be a headache, but said that it would not be necessary.

The accidental release occurred while developers were testing the downloading process for the patch and several components, including a stability fix and security upgrades.

The updates were not related to the exploits that had been plaguing Word in recent weeks, said Schwiebert.

Efforts to clear up the situation following the MSRC posting last week were hampered by a storm that knocked out power to much of the Seattle area, including Microsoft's corporate headquarters, for several days. 

• Microsoft pulls accidental Mac Office update
• Seattle storm knocks out Microsoft campus

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