Microsoft’s first batch of patches for 2012 will include fixes for security vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system and Microsoft Developer Tools and Software.

In all, Microsoft plans to ship 7 bulletins, one rated “critical,” Microsoft’s highest severity rating. A critical bulletin typically deals with security holes that allow remote code execution attacks with minimal user action.follow Ryan Naraine on twitter

The Windows vulnerabilities will apply to all versions of Microsoft’s flagship OS, including the newest Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Microsoft also announced that one of the bulletins will fix an issue described as a “Security Feature Bypass.”  It is the first time Microsoft has used this label on a security update.

The patches will be released next Tuesday (Jan 10, 2012) at approximately 1:00 PM EST