MS Recruits Outsiders for Patch Testing

Microsoft is beefing up its quality control process for engineering software security patches by calling on external testers, according to a report in eWeek. Testers who participate in the program, officially named the Security Update Validation Program, will be given access to patches before they are made available to the public.

An elite group of testers will form dedicated evaluation teams that will be responsible for carrying out application compatibility, stability and reliability verification tasks in production class environments.

Although the program adds an additional layer onto the patching process, Microsoft has imposed some controls on the group: Access will be limited and overseen by external beta test coordinators.

Microsoft's pool of external testers is made up of draftees from the Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) program, as well as customers and partner ISVs.

Some further improvements that have been made to the patching process include the release of Microsoft Software Update Services (MSUS) 2.0 and Windows Installer (MSI) 3.0