Microsoft to delay security patch

Microsoft Corp. said it will delay until next week the release of a major

security update to its Outlook 98 and 2000 e-mail software.

Microsoft originally planned to release the update this week, but the company

is delaying the release in order to modify the software in response to feedback

from customers.

New to the update will be a set of tools that will give administrators more

say in what e-mail attachments are allowed through to the user desktop,

Microsoft said.

The beta version of the software, which was released last week, included

a set of predefined file types — the ones most likely to contain a virus — to be automatically removed when received. Users could add file types

but not remove any from the master list.

Based on customer feedback, the update will allow administrators of systems

where files are scanned at network level to modify the master list and decide

which files users can see. Microsoft said the change does not weaken the

security of the systems because additional scanning at network level is

also taking place.