14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just shipped a new batch of cumulative updates for Windows 10, and obviously, the focus is now on security fixes given the timing of this release.
It’s Patch Tuesday today, so Microsoft addresses vulnerabilities in Windows 10 with cumulative updates, as it follows: KB4088776 for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, KB4088782 for Creators Update, KB4088787 for Anniversary Update, KB4088779 for November Update, and KB4088786 for the original Windows 10 version shipped in July 2015.
In addition to a number of non-security fixes that we’re going to detail in separate articles, these cumulative updates also include patches for vulnerabilities discovered in both the OS itself and the other components and apps, like Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, the Windows Shell, and the Windows Kernel.
One particular highlight is the change that Microsoft makes for antivirus checks. Starting January, Microsoft required antivirus solutions running on Windows 10 to be whitelisted with a registry setting, so security products that didn’t include this change blocked PCs from receiving updates.
Antivirus restriction lifted
This new batch of security updates lifts this restriction and Microsoft explains that all systems can now download and install cumulative updates, regardless of the running security solution.
“Lifts the Anti-Virus (AV) compatibility check to expand the number of Windows 10 devices that are offered cumulative Windows security updates. This includes cumulative Spectre and Meltdown protections for 32-Bit (x86) and 64-Bit (x64) versions of Windows, except the KB4078130 update that was offered to disable mitigation against Spectre Variant 2,” the firm explains.
At the time of writing this article there are no reported failed installs, but given how many changes they include, it’ll be interesting to see if these cumulative updates install correctly for everyone or not.
As usual, Microsoft recommends everyone to start patching as soon as possible, despite fears that some updates could fail to install or cause other issues.