out-of-band update

Winsage
January 16, 2026
Jen Easterly has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the RSA Conference. She is a cybersecurity expert and former Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Palo Alto Networks has released security updates for a vulnerability (CVE-2026-0227) with a CVSS score of 7.7 affecting its GlobalProtect Gateway and Portal, which can cause a denial-of-service condition in PAN-OS software. The January 2026 security update from Microsoft has caused connection and authentication failures in Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, affecting users across various Windows versions. Microsoft is working on a resolution. The chief constable of West Midlands Police acknowledged an error by Microsoft’s Copilot AI in generating a fictional intelligence report. Microsoft has not confirmed Copilot's involvement. Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has collaborated with Five Eyes partners to provide guidance on securing industrial operational technology, highlighting risks associated with remotely monitored systems. Kyowon, a South Korean conglomerate, confirmed a ransomware attack on January 10 that may have compromised customer information, affecting approximately 5.5 million members. Researchers at Varonis have identified a new attack technique called "Reprompt" that allows data exfiltration from Microsoft Copilot via a malicious link, exploiting a Parameter 2 Prompt (P2P) injection technique. Central Maine Healthcare is notifying over 145,000 patients about a data breach that compromised personal, treatment, and health insurance information, discovered on June 1.
Winsage
January 15, 2026
Microsoft's January security update, released on January 13, 2026, has caused connection and authentication failures for users of Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, particularly affecting those using the Windows App. The update has resulted in credential prompt failures during Remote Desktop connections across all supported Windows versions, from Enterprise LTSC 2016 to Windows 11 25H2, as well as Windows Servers from 2019 to 2025. Microsoft is investigating the issue and plans to release an out-of-band update soon. Users have been advised to either uninstall the update or use the Remote Desktop Client or the Windows App web client as workarounds. Reports indicate persistent issues, including an "Unable to Authenticate" error when attempting to connect via the Windows App. Microsoft has also made a Known Issue Rollback available to address these credential problems.
Winsage
December 23, 2025
Microsoft has released an out-of-band update to fix a Message Queuing (MSMQ) issue that arose after the December 2025 update. This patch is available for several Windows versions, including Windows 10 22H2 ESU, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021, and Windows 10 LTSB 2016, as well as various Windows Server versions from 2008 to 2019. The issue primarily impacted enterprise environments, while users on Pro and Home editions were "very unlikely" to experience it. The root cause was a change requiring MSMQ to have write access to areas typically restricted, leading to message queuing disruptions and misleading error logs. Microsoft documented the known issue on December 12, 2025, after several days of recognition, during which administrators had to implement workarounds. The update addresses the problem but raises concerns about Microsoft's quality assurance practices, especially given MSMQ's importance in corporate infrastructures. Users expressed dissatisfaction due to service disruptions caused by the issue.
Winsage
December 19, 2025
Microsoft released an out-of-band update (KB5074976) on December 19 to address Message Queuing (MSMQ) errors caused by December 2025 security updates. These updates have led to operational disruptions in business applications and IIS websites, particularly on systems running Windows 10 22H2, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2016, which received updates KB5071546, KB5071544, and KB5071543. Users reported issues such as inactive MSMQ queues, IIS sites generating "insufficient resources" error messages, and applications unable to write messages to queues. The problems stem from modifications in the MSMQ security model, which altered permissions for the system folder C:WindowsSystem32msmqstorage, requiring MSMQ users to have write access typically reserved for administrators. Systems with full administrative rights do not experience these issues. Microsoft is investigating the matter but has not provided a timeline for a resolution.
Winsage
November 22, 2025
Microsoft has released the KB5072753 out-of-band cumulative update to fix a recurring issue with the November 2025 KB5068966 hotpatch update on Windows 11 systems, where the hotpatch was being reinstalled repeatedly. The update is being distributed to all Windows 11 25H2 devices and resolves the bug while also including improvements and security fixes from the earlier KB5068966 update. Users do not need to install prior updates before applying KB5072753, as it supersedes all previous updates. Additionally, Microsoft issued an emergency update for Windows 10 to address installation issues related to the November 2025 extended security updates, and resolved incorrect end-of-support warnings for Windows 10 users after the October 2025 updates.
Winsage
November 13, 2025
On November 11, Microsoft issued an emergency out-of-band update (KB5071959) to fix a malfunction in its enrollment wizard for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which had prevented eligible Windows 10 users from accessing security updates after the end of support on October 14. The enrollment system was not functioning properly, leading to a complete halt in security updates for many users. Microsoft had previously extended a complimentary year of ESU updates to users in the European Economic Area and introduced alternative qualification methods for support. Affected users must install the emergency update, re-enroll their devices, and will then be able to access the Windows 10 November 2025 security update. The enrollment wizard issue follows earlier complications, including incorrect out-of-support warnings for some enrolled devices.
Winsage
November 12, 2025
Microsoft has released an emergency update for Windows 10 users who cannot install essential security updates. This update targets users not enrolled in the extended security updates (ESU) program, which has been made complimentary following the end-of-life for Windows 10. The update resolves an issue preventing affected customers from receiving security updates and includes fixes from the October 14, 2025, security update. Users can install the update (KB5071959) by checking for updates in the Windows Update settings and restarting their devices. Some users, particularly in Europe, are experiencing challenges with ESU enrollment, including temporary unavailability and error messages. The update was released on November 11, coinciding with the monthly security updates.
Winsage
November 12, 2025
Microsoft's November 2025 Patch Tuesday addresses a total of 63 vulnerabilities, including one actively exploited zero-day flaw (CVE-2025-62215) related to Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege. The updates include four vulnerabilities classified as "Critical," with two for remote code execution, one for elevation of privileges, and one for information disclosure. The breakdown of vulnerabilities is as follows: - 29 Elevation of Privilege Vulnerabilities - 2 Security Feature Bypass Vulnerabilities - 16 Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities - 11 Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities - 3 Denial of Service Vulnerabilities - 2 Spoofing Vulnerabilities This Patch Tuesday marks the first extended security update (ESU) for Windows 10, and users are encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 or enroll in the ESU program. Microsoft has also released an out-of-band update to assist with enrollment issues. Other companies, including Adobe, Cisco, and Google, have also issued security updates in November 2025.
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