Security updates for Windows 8 apps can be released outside of Microsoft’s monthly Patch Tuesday

Ron

Windows 8

Patch Tuesday, the second tuesday of every month, has been the common day for Microsoft to release security updates for its products. But it seems that Microsoft is taking a bit of a better approach when it comes to releasing security updates for its Windows 8/RT apps.

“Our security update policy has been adapted to align with the new model. It will apply to Microsoft apps that are installed using the Windows Store and to apps like Mail (preinstalled with Windows 8 but updated using the Windows Store),” Microsoft stated in an app update policy.

According to Microsoft, app security updates can be delivered on days other than the second Tuesday of the month. However, there is an exception to this new rule. When the same vulnerability affects the desktop version of a software or a modern/metro app, then Microsoft will release updates to both apps simultaneously via Patch Tuesday.

But if the risk to consumers is great, Microsoft will release the security updates outside of Patch Tuesday. So there you have it! This just means you will have to keep an eye on Windows Update as well as the Windows Store for any security updates.

Thanks for the tip Markus!