MS16-036: Security update for Adobe Flash Player: March 10, 2016

You can obtain the stand-alone update package through the Microsoft Download Center. Follow the installation instructions on the download page to install the update.

Click the download link in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS16-036 that corresponds to the version of Windows that you are running.

Security CentralYou can manage the software and security updates that you have to deploy to the servers, desktops, and mobile systems in your organization. For more information, see the TechNet Update Management Center. The
Microsoft TechNet Security website provides more information about security in Microsoft products.

Security updates are available from
Microsoft Update and
Windows Update. Security updates are also available from the
Microsoft Download Center. You can find security updates most easily by doing a keyword search for "security update."

You can download security updates from the
Microsoft Update Catalog. The Microsoft Update Catalog provides a searchable catalog of content that is made available through Windows Update and Microsoft Update. This includes security updates, drivers, and service packs. For more information about the Microsoft Update Catalog, see the
Microsoft Update Catalog FAQ.

Detection and deployment guidanceMicrosoft provides detection and deployment guidance for security updates. This guidance contains recommendations and information that can help IT professionals understand how to use various tools for detection and deployment of security updates. For more information, see
Microsoft Knowledge Base article 961747.

Microsoft Baseline Security AnalyzerMicrosoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) lets administrators scan local and remote systems for missing security updates and common security misconfigurations. For more information, see
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.

The following table provides the MBSA detection summary for this security update.

Note Customers who use legacy software that is not supported by the latest release of MBSA, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server Update Services should see the "Legacy Product Support" section of
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. Here they will find information about how to create comprehensive security update detection by using legacy tools.

Windows Server Update ServicesWindows Server Update Services (WSUS) lets information technology administrators deploy the latest Microsoft product updates to computers that are running Windows. For more information about how to deploy security updates by using Windows Server Update Services, see the following Microsoft TechNet article:

Windows Server Update Services

Systems Management ServerThe following table provides the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) detection and deployment summary for this security update.

Note Microsoft discontinued support for SMS 2.0 on April 12, 2011. For SMS 2003, Microsoft also discontinued support for the Security Update Inventory Tool (SUIT) on April 12, 2011. Customers are encouraged to upgrade to
System Center Configuration Manager. For customers who remain on SMS 2003 Service Pack 3, the Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates (ITMU) is also an option.

For SMS 2003, the SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates (ITMU) can be used by SMS to detect security updates that are offered by
Microsoft Update and that are supported by
Windows Server Update Services. For more information, see Systems Management Server 2003. For more information about SMS scanning tools, see
Systems Management Server 2003 Software Update Scanning Tools. See also Downloads for Systems Management Server 2003.

System Center Configuration Manager uses WSUS 3.0 for detection of updates. For more information, see
System Center.

For detailed information, see
Microsoft Knowledge Base article 910723: Summary list of monthly detection and deployment guidance articles.

Update Compatibility Evaluator and Application Compatibility Toolkit

Updates frequently write to the same files and registry settings that are required for your applications to run. This can trigger incompatibilities and increase the time that is required to deploy security updates. You can streamline the testing and validating of Windows updates against installed applications by using the
Update Compatibility Evaluator components that are included in Application Compatibility Toolkit.

The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) contains the necessary tools and documentation to evaluate and decrease application compatibility issues before you deploy Windows Vista, a Windows update, a Microsoft Security update, or a new version of Windows Internet Explorer in your environment.

Windows 8.1 (all editions)

Reference tableThe following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find more information in the "Deployment information" section.

Deployment information

Installing the updateWhen you install this security update, the installer checks whether one or more of the files that are being updated on your system have previously been updated by a Microsoft hotfix.

For more information about the terminology that appears in this Knowledge Base article, such as "hotfix," see
Microsoft Knowledge Base article 824684.

This security update supports the following installation switches.

Note For more information about the Wusa.exe installer, see the "Windows Update Stand-alone Installer" section in the TechNet article
Miscellaneous Changes in Windows 7.

Verifying that the update was appliedBecause there are several editions of Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are different, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

Verifying the file version

1. Click Start, and then type an update file name in the Search box.

2. When the file appears under Programs, right-click the file name, and then click Properties.

3. On the General tab, compare the file size with the file information tables that are provided in this Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

   Note Depending on the edition of the operating system or the programs that are installed on your system, some files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.

4. You can also click the Details tab and compare information, such as file version and date changed, with the file information tables that are provided in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

   Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update was applied. Also, in certain cases, files are renamed during installation. If the file or version information does not exist, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.

5. Finally, you can also click the Previous Versions tab and compare file information for the earlier version of the file together with the file information for the new, or updated, version of the file.

Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 (all editions)

Reference tableThe following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find more information in the "Deployment information" subsection in this section.

Deployment information

Installing the updateWhen you install this security update, the installer checks whether one or more of the files that are being updated on your system were previously updated by a Microsoft hotfix.

For more information about the terminology that appears in this Knowledge Base article, such as "hotfix," see
Microsoft Knowledge Base article 824684.

This security update supports the following installation switches.

Note For more information about the Wusa.exe installer, see "Windows Update Stand-alone Installer" in the following Microsoft TechNet article:

Miscellaneous Changes in Windows 7

Verifying that the update was appliedBecause there are several editions of Windows, the following steps may be different in your system. If they are different, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

Verifying the file version

1. Click Start, and then type an update file name in the Start Search box.

2. When the file appears under Programs, right-click the file name, and then click Properties.

3. On the General tab, compare the file size with the file information tables that are provided in the Knowledge Base article.

   Note Depending on the edition of the operating system or the programs that are installed in your system, some files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.

4. You can also click the Details tab to compare information, such as file version and date changed, with the file information tables that are provided in the Knowledge Base article.

   Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update was applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information does not exist, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.

5. Finally, you can also click the Previous Versions tab, and then compare file information for the earlier version of the file with the file information for the new or updated version of the file.

Help for installing updates: Support for Microsoft Update

Security solutions for IT professionals: TechNet Security Troubleshooting and Support

Help for protecting your Windows-based computer from viruses and malware: Virus Solution and Security Center

Local support according to your country: International Support

The English (United States) version of this software update installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables.

Windows Server 2012 file information

Notes

• The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table:

  Version	Product	Milestone	Service branch
  6.2.920 0.17xxx	Windows Server 2012	RTM	GDR
  6.2.920 0.21xxx	Windows Server 2012	RTM	LDR

• GDR service branches contain only those fixes that are widely released to address widespread, critical issues. LDR service branches contain hotfixes in addition to widely released fixes.

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and MUM files (.mum) that are installed are not listed.

For all supported x64-based versions

For all supported x86-based versions

Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 file information

Notes

• The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table:

  Version	Product	Milestone	Service branch
  6.3.960 0.17 xxx	Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2	RTM	GDR

• GDR service branches contain only those fixes that are widely released to address widespread, critical issues. LDR service branches contain hotfixes in addition to widely released fixes.

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and MUM files (.mum) that are installed are not listed.

For all supported x86-based versions

For all supported x64-based versions

Windows 10 file information

For all supported x86-based versions

For all supported x64-based versions

Windows 10 version 1511 file information

For all supported x86-based versions

For all supported x64-based versions