Following the installation of updates KB5074109, KB5073455, or KB5073724, users attempting to access Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365 Cloud PCs through the Windows App may encounter authentication errors and credential prompt failures. In response, Microsoft is actively preparing an out-of-band fix. Until this solution is rolled out, enterprise teams are advised to guide affected users towards connecting via the Remote Desktop client for Windows (MSRDC) or the Windows App Web Client.
Additionally, a minor subset of users may find that the password icon on the Windows login screen is absent. This issue has persisted since the August 2025 update. To mitigate this, Microsoft has introduced a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) aimed at Pro and Home users. For enterprise deployments, it is recommended to implement an updated Group Policy to restore the missing icon.
In a significant update, Microsoft has intentionally removed legacy Agere and Motorola soft modem drivers (agrsm64.sys, agrsm.sys, smserl64.sys, smserial.sys) to address CVE-2023-31096, an elevation of privilege vulnerability. It is important to note that the presence of these drivers, even without an active modem connection, posed a security risk. Consequently, hardware reliant on these drivers will cease to function following the application of the January updates.
As previously highlighted in December, the 2011 certificates that are currently in use by the majority of Windows devices will begin to expire in June, with a subsequent batch set to expire in October. Devices that do not receive the updated 2023 certificates may face issues such as failure to boot securely or loss of access to future Secure Boot security fixes.
Resolved issues
This month marks the introduction of a new section dedicated to resolved issues within our monthly updates. Depending on the trajectory of future Microsoft updates, this section may evolve or be integrated into platform-specific segments. The January release addresses several challenges that have been impacting enterprise environments:
