Microsoft passed on this month's instalment of its regular patch release cycle. Patch Tuesday brought no security updates in March, unlike February when the software giant issued 12 new advisories and a major revision of an earlier notice.

Although there were no new patches, Microsoft updated its malicious software removal tool adding the ability to remove malware families such as Bagle, Bropia, Sober, Sobig, Goweh, 160 new Gaobot variants and 11 new MyDoom variants. Customers can download the tool here (http://www.microsoft.com/malwareremove).

The software giant also revised bulletins MS05-002 (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS05-002.mspx) and MS05-015 (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS05-015.mspx), a brace of critical Windows vulns, to mark the availability of updates for users running Windows 98 and Windows ME. ®

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