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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Microsoft’s August Patch Tuesday fixes 421 vulnerabilities.
- One vulnerability has already been exploited in the wild.
- The update also tweaks File Explorer, Windows Hello, and other features.
Microsoft continues its onslaught against security vulnerabilities, fixing a whopping 421 bugs in August’s Patch Tuesday update. But looking beyond the sheer number, Windows users should install this month’s update, as it patches a zero-day flaw that’s already been exploited by attackers.
Aimed at Windows 11 25H2/24H2, Windows 11 23H2, and Windows 10, the 421 vulnerabilities encompass a range of Microsoft products, including Office, Exchange, Azure, and SharePoint. But it’s the Windows patches that clobber the exploited zero-day. In technical jargon, Microsoft titles this flaw a “Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.” What that means isn’t as important as what it could do.
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By exploiting this bug, an attacker could gain system privileges on a Windows 11 or 10 PC without any interaction on the user’s part. The person would already need lower-level access to the PC from an initial intrusion. But from there, system privileges would give the attacker the ability to view or delete your files, compromise your security, create user accounts, install malware, and enlist your PC in a botnet.
“The primary threat is local privilege escalation,” patch management provider Action1 said in a post on the latest update. “An attacker who already has low-privileged access could exploit the vulnerability to gain SYSTEM privileges, potentially obtaining extensive control over the affected Windows system. Exploitation has been detected in the wild, so deployment should be prioritized even though the vulnerability is rated Important rather than Critical.”
More zero-day flaws
The August patches also squash two other zero-day flaws. One, labeled Windows User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability, could allow an attacker to gain administrative privileges on a compromised computer. Though this one hasn’t yet been exploited in the wild, it was publicly known before this month’s update, and Microsoft says that exploitation is more likely.
Since the Patch Tuesday updates are mandatory, they should automatically download and install on all supported PCs. But you still should double-check if only to restart your computer to complete the process.
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In Windows 11, head to Settings and select Windows Update. Click the Check for updates button and reboot your PC when prompted. If you’re still on Windows 10, you do need to be enrolled in the free Extended Security Updates (ESU) program to continue receiving security patches. In that case, go to Settings, select Update & Security, and then click Windows Update.
The August update squashed fewer bugs than the one in July, which patched a hefty 570 flaws. Still, Microsoft has been on a roll fixing security vulnerabilities. For that, the company can thank AI.
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Microsoft uses its own internal “multi-model agentic scanning harness,” codenamed MDASH. This AI-powered tool tries to identify actual Windows vulnerabilities, reduce false positives, and send the results to engineers more quickly. This process reduces the amount of time during which attackers can exploit zero-day flaws.
Minor improvements
Beyond the security fixes, this month’s Patch Tuesday update also kicks in minor improvements to a few core Windows features, including File Explorer, Windows Hello, Voice Access, and touchpad controls.
For File Explorer, you’ll now see the size of larger files displayed in MB or GB instead of KB. Middle-clicking a tab to open a new folder now works in both the address bar and Home page. Plus, file thumbnails in the Recommended section should be easier to read.
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Windows Hello now supports external fingerprint readers. That means you can connect such a reader to your desktop PC and you’ll be able to register and use your fingerprint to sign in to Windows.
Voice Access is a handy Windows feature that allows you to control your PC hands-free via your voice. Here, you’ll find a new Voice Isolation feature that aims to improve speech recognition by reducing background noise and the sound of other people speaking.
For laptops, there are two new controls for touchpads. One lets you adjust the speed of the screen when you scroll or zoom in and out. Another enables accelerated scrolling so that the faster you scroll on your touchpad, the faster you’ll move up and down the screen.
