Microsoft urges Flash bug patching

Microsoft has posted a security advisory urging Windows users to install fixes to Macromedia's Flash Player. The alert, published Wednesday, comes days after Macromedia warned of a serious security bug in its Flash Player, an application that plays Flash "movies," commonly used on Web sites for animation or interactivity.

It is the first time Microsoft has issued a security advisory on a third-party product. "The reason Microsoft issued this advisory is because the vulnerable version of Macromedia was redistributed with Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1, Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows Millennium Edition," a Microsoft representative said. "Microsoft customers were potentially at risk."