14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently released another highly surprising Windows XP security update which, at first glance, does not seem to be related to the WannaCry patch that the company also shipped before the weekend.
Specifically, this new update is KB982316 and was published by Microsoft for Windows XP systems on May 19. Even though no specifics are available, there’s a good chance this update fixes an NSA vulnerability exploited by hackers following the latest leaks from Shadow Brokers, so XP users are recommended to install it as soon as possible.
The update is only 492 KB in size and, according to Microsoft, it fixes a “security issues [that] has been identified and which could allow an authenticated local attacker to compromise your system and gain control over it.”
Microsoft does not provide any other information on this security update, but it looks like the same patch was rolled out in August 2010 for all supported Windows systems at that point, including Windows XP. This particular OS version no longer receives updates since April 2014 after reaching end of support.
In a KB knowledge article last reviewed on June 10, 2011, Microsoft explains that this update patches the Windows Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI).
Emergency Windows XP updates
The first update that Microsoft released for Windows XP systems after the 2014 end of life was KB4012598, published last week.
This patch, however, was particularly released to protect Windows XP computers against the WannaCry ransomware, with the same update also being available on the other Windows versions.
The difference is that all Windows versions except Windows XP got the patch in March this year via Windows Update because they were still supported (including Windows Vista, which in the meantime reached end of support as well).
It goes without saying that Windows XP users should install all official patches as soon as possible, especially given the most recent cyber attacks that seem to be making thousands of victims across the world.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft to ask for more information about this second Windows XP security update and we’ll update the article should any specifics be provided.