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Microsoft to change location of some security updates as of May Patch Tuesday

Microsoft will be excluding some, but not all, security updates from the Microsoft Download Center starting next week on Patch Tuesday.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is going to cease its current practice of making all security updates available from both the Microsoft Download Center and the Microsoft Update Catalog.

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In a very brief April 29 blog post, company officials noted the coming change, which takes effect next Tuesday, May 10 -- which is Patch Tuesday. Moving forward, security bulletins will point to the Microsoft Update Catalog when updates are not listed on the company's Download Center website.

From Microsoft's post:

"Updates have historically been published on both the Microsoft Download Center and the Microsoft Update Catalog and Security Bulletins linked directly to update packages on the Microsoft Download Center. Starting May 10, some updates will no longer be available from the Microsoft Download Center."

What Microsoft's blog post doesn't say is why the company is making this change.

Rod Trent on Windows IT Pro speculates that Microsoft may be doing this to lessen the amount of time it takes to make updates available or otherwise hone the process. Trent also wonders whether Microsoft will extend the new policy to other non-security updates at some point.

On ghacks.net, Martin Brinkmann notes that another theory is Microsoft may be moving to make Windows Update exclusive for home users, and will use the Microsoft Update Catalog for Enterprise and other business users.

I've asked Microsoft for an explanation as to why the company is making this change. I'll update this post if and when I hear back. (I've also got a question in as to why the Microsoft Update Catalog only works with Internet Explorer.)

Update: A spokesperson says the original Microsoft blog post is all that the company will share on any of these matters at this time.

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