New monthly rollups published on Patch Tuesday

Jan 9, 2019 09:59 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has released new monthly rollup for Windows 7 and 8.1 on Patch Tuesday, along with the security-only updates that these OS versions with every rollout.

First and foremost, let’s see what’s new for Windows 7. This month, the 2009 operating system is being provided with rollup KB4480970 and security-only update KB4480960.

There are three different improvements in the full update, namely additional Spectre Variant 2 mitigations, a fix for a security vulnerability in session isolation hitting PowerShell remote endpoints, and security patches for the Windows Kernel, the Windows storage and filesystem, the Windows wireless networking service, and the Microsoft JET database engine.

The security-only update comes just with the security improvements mentioned above, so you are recommended to get the full package to bring your system fully up-to-date.

There is a known issue in this update as well, with Microsoft saying that after applying the update the network interface controller may stop working.

The Windows 8.1 monthly rollup

Windows 8.1 devices are serviced with monthly rollup KB4480964 and security-only update KB4480964.

The changelog is very similar to the one mentioned above for Windows 7, but the security fixes also include improvements for the Windows app platform and frameworks and the Windows MSXML. The same refinements are part of the security-only update as well.

The known issue, in this case, is a bug that also exists in some Windows 10 cumulative updates released this month and which breaks down some third-party applications that can no longer authenticate hotspots. A fix for this problem is expected to be released later this month.

What’s also important to know is that Windows 7 is entering its last 12 months of support. Microsoft will no longer release security patches after January 2020, so customers who are still running this OS version are recommended to begin planning the upgrade to a newer OS in the remaining months.