14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 7 no longer receives security patches since January this year, but on the other hand, Microsoft continues to service devices running it and enrolled in its Extended Security Updates, or ESU, program.
In other words, as long as your company keeps paying for custom Windows 7 security patches, running the 2009 operating system on your device is just fine.
The most recent monthly rollup for Windows 7 is KB4586827, and it comes together with security-only update KB4586805.
Since the update lands on a Patch Tuesday, the focus is obviously on resolving vulnerabilities in the operating system and the built-in components. Microsoft claims the patch brings “security updates to Windows Graphics, Windows Silicon Platform, Windows Authentication, Windows Core Networking, Windows Peripherals, Windows Network Security and Containers, Windows Hybrid Storage Services, and Windows Remote Desktop.”
The new monthly rollup also corrects the DST start date for the Fiji Islands to December 20, 2020.
Two known issues
There are two known issues in this update, one of which is inherited from the previous monthly rollups and which block certain operations with files stored on a CSV.
The second one is a failure to install the update, but this only happens if your device isn’t configured to receive ESU patches.
“After installing this update and restarting your device, you might receive the error, “Failure to configure Windows updates. Reverting Changes. Do not turn off your computer,” and the update might show as Failed in Update History,” Microsoft says. “If you have purchased an ESU key and have encountered this issue, please verify you have applied all prerequisites and that your key is activated.”
And of course, if you’re still using Windows 7 at home, the best way to go right now is upgrade to a newer version of Windows that still receives support, such as Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.