Microsoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook Express for Macintosh. The vulnerability can allow attachments to Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) e-mail messages to be automatically downloaded onto your computer.

The patch also provides replacements for several digital certificates that are included in Internet Explorer for Macintosh, that are dated to expire on December 31, 1999.

You can download the patch from the following Microsoft Web site: You can find frequently asked questions about this vulnerability at the following Microsoft Web site: The patch addresses the following two issues:

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A security vulnerability found in Outlook Express 5. When you receive an HTML e-mail message, the message content is downloaded onto your computer. Any attachments to the e-mail message are not downloaded unless you choose to download them. Because of a problem in Outlook Express 5 for Macintosh, when you receive an e-mail message with an attachment, all of the e-mail message content is downloaded, including any attachments. The vulnerability does not provide a way for a malicious user to start the downloaded attachments.

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Updated certificates for Internet Explorer 4.5 for Macintosh. The digital certificates that are included in Internet Explorer 4.5 for Macintosh are dated to expire on December 31, 1999. The patch includes updated certificates. There is no security vulnerability associated with the certificates' expiration; Microsoft is simply providing replacements for your convenience.