Surprise patch KB 3005628 bodes ill for Microsoft's patching strategy

 
Yesterday Microsoft released patch KB 3005628 for Windows 8, 8.1, Server 2012, and Server 2012 R2. It's a trivial, non-security patch. The fact that it wasn't kept and issued in the normal cadence (patches usually arrive on Update Tuesday, which is next Tuesday) points to either an accidental release to the Automatic Update chute -- which we've seen before -- or an unwelcome switch in Microsoft's patching strategy. Either possibility is troubling.
The patch's sole reason for existence is to remove two earlier botched patches -- KB 2966827 and KB 2966828 -- which were part of August's MS14-046, a multifaceted "Important" patch for .Net Framework 2, 3, 3.5, and 3.5.1. (Important, in Microsoft patch-speak, means that it wasn't important at all, of course.)
 
 http://www.infoworld.com/article/2692409/microsoft-windows/tuesdays-surprise-out-of-band-patch-kb-3005628-bodes-ill-for-microsofts-patching-strategy.html