Beware of three new Microsoft security flaws.

Announced in the corporation’s October Security Bulletin, the flaws are listed as “critical”—Microsoft’s most serious warning level Microsoft gives.

One vulnerability opens up Internet Explorer to hackers, enabling them to exploit your computer by running malicious software after luring you to a bogus website. The result: unknowingly surrendering complete control of your computer. The other critical vulnerabilities surface after opening certain corrupt email attachments. This month Microsoft also issued four further “important” security warnings and two other “moderate” warnings.

If you are not a Windows XP user or do not receive Automatic Updates, patches to fix all flaws are available at www.microsoft.com/security. Users are urged to apply these updates and to avoid opening any unknown attachments or clicking on suspicious looking links.

But what if you are an XP user and receive Automatic Updates? It may still be worth visiting the Windows Update site.

Windows Updates are available online and address known issues and help against known security threats while Automatic Updates will check your computer for the latest high priority updates and install them according to your Automatic Updates setting. Automatic Updates delivers only the highest priority updates. To get other important updates, you will still need to visit the Windows Update Website.

So ensure your computer is secure, a trip to WindowsUpdate.com every couple months to download new drivers and security versions. It’s free, it’s easy and will help your computer run at its optimum performance level.