March 2021 – Microsoft Patch Tuesday and Other Patches

Posted on March 13, 2021 by harjit

Update sign and text on a computer keyboard button 3D illustration.

Microsoft has released fixes for 82 vulnerabilities, with 10 updates classified as Critical and 72 as Important. Here’s an updated announcement (2021-02-09) from Microsoft: Deploy Windows SSUs and LCUs together with one cumulative update –

Beginning with the February 2021 LCU, we will now publish all future cumulative updates and SSUs for Windows 10, version 2004 and above together as one cumulative monthly update to the normal release category in WSUS.

LCU = Latest Cummulative Update
SSU – Servicing Stack Update

UPDATE – 2021-03-14:
DYMO Label Printer fix for BSOD issues.

UPDATE – 2021-03-13:
Microsoft shares temporary fix for Windows 10 printing crashes

UPDATE – 2013-03-13:
Updates on Microsoft Exchange Server Vulnerabilities (CISA)

UPDATE – 2021-03-10:
Windows 10 KB5000802 (March) update is crashing PCs with BSOD
Windows 10 BSOD crashes include the both workstation and server versions running March 2021 cumulative updates:

KB5000802: Windows 10 2004/20H2 & Windows Server 2004/20H2
KB5000808: Windows 10 1909 & Windows Server 1909
KB5000822: Windows 10 1809 & Windows Server 2019
KB5000809: Windows 10 1803 & Windows Server 1803

Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Fixes:
1. Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2021-26411)
2. Internet Explorer Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2021-27085)
3. Windows Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (CVE-2021-27077)
4. Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2021-27078)

Windows 10 Updates for February 2021:

Windows 10 version 1507 — KB5000807 (OS Build 10240.18874)
Windows 10 version 1607 — KB5000803 (OS Build 14393.4283)
Windows 10 version 1703 — KB5000812 (OS Build 15063.2679)
(Update: 3/9/21 End of support for Windows 10, version 1703 )
Windows 10 version 1709 — EOS
Windows 10 version 1803 — KB5000809 (OS Build 17134.2087)
Windows 10 version 1809 — KB5000822 (OS Build 17763.1817)
Windows 10 version 1909 — KB5000808 (OS Build 18363.1440)
Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2 — KB5000802 (OS Builds 19041.867 and 19042.867) (If you are running 21H1 in the Beta Channel, see here)

Microsoft Exchange ProxyLogon attacks

Microsoft released out-of-band security updates for the ProxyLogon vulnerability that are actively being used by threat actors worldwide to compromise Microsoft Exchange servers.

These vulnerabilities are being tracked with the following CVEs:

CVE-2021-26855 – Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVE-2021-26857 – Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVE-2021-26858 – Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVE-2021-27065 – Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Microsoft has released security updates for currently supported Microsoft Exchange cumulative updates and older unsupported versions.

Microsoft has released a PowerShell script called Test-ProxyLogon.ps1 that will check for indicators of compromise (IOC) in Exchange HttpProxy logs, Exchange log files, and Windows Application event logs.

March 2021 Exchange Server Security Updates for older Cumulative Updates of Exchange Server

Additional March 2021 Patching Resources:

MSRC – March 2021 Security Updates
Microsoft CVE Summary
Security Update Guide – Microsoft Security Vulnerabilities
Advisory ADV990001 for the latest service stack update (SSU)
Adobe Security patches
Cisco Security patches
Apple Security patches
Android Security Bulletin
Oracle Security Alerts
Google Chrome March Update
F5 Vulnerabilities (March 2021)
Scan Changes and certificates add security for Windows devices using WSUS for updates
Zero Day Initiative blog
SAP February 2021 Security Updates
VMware View Planner update addresses remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2021-21978)
VMware ESXi and vCenter Server updates address multiple security vulnerabilities (CVE-2021-21972, CVE-2021-21973, CVE-2021-21974)

On March 9, 2021 (PT), Microsoft released security updates affecting the following Microsoft products:

Product Family	Maximum Severity	Maximum Impact	Associated KB Articles and/or Support Webpages
Windows 10 v20H2, v2004, v1909, v1809, and v1803	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Windows 10 v2004 and Windows 10 v20H2: 5000802 Windows 10 v1909: 5000808 Windows 10 v1809: 5000822 Windows 10 v1803: 5000809
Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, and Server Core installations (2019, 2016, v20H2, v2004, and v1909)	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Windows Server 2019: 5000822 Windows Server 2016: 5000803 Windows Server v2004 and Windows Server v20H2: 5000802 Windows Server v1909: 5000808
Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Monthly Rollup: 5000848 Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Security Only: 5000853 Windows Server 2012 Monthly Rollup: 5000847 Windows Server 2012 Security Only: 5000840
Internet Explorer 11	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Internet Explorer 11 Cumulative Update: 5000800
Microsoft Office-related software	Important	Remote Code Execution	4484376, 4486673, 4493151, 4493200, 4493203, 4493214, 4493224, 4493225, 4493227, 4493228, 4493229, 4493233, 4493234, 4493239, 4504702, 4504703, 4504707
Microsoft SharePoint-related software	Important	Remote Code Execution	3101541, 4493177, 4493199, 4493230, 4493231, 4493232, 4493238
Power BI Report Server	Important	Information Disclosure	5001284, 5001285
Azure-related software	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Find details on security updates for Azure-related software in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
Microsoft Visual Studio-related software	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Find details on security updates for Visual Studio-related software at https://docs.microsoft.com/visualstudio and in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
Windows Admin Center	Important	Security Feature Bypass	Find details on security updates for Windows Admin Center in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
HEVC Video Extensions	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Find details on security updates for HEVC Video Extensions in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide

Notes:

The summary above is an overview of updates for the most recent versions of commonly used software.
Updates for older versions, apps, and open source software may not be listed.
Updates may have been added or removed from the release after this content was finalized.
Find details for all updates in the monthly release in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
For additional details, see the release notes at: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2021-Mar

Security vulnerability overview:

Below is a summary showing the number of vulnerabilities addressed in this release, broken down by product/component and by impact.

Vulnerability Details	RCE	EOP	ID	SFB	DOS	SPF	TMP	Publicly Disclosed	Known Exploit	Max CVSS
Windows 10 v20H2 & Windows Server v20H2	11	29	3	1	4	0	0	1	0	9.9
Windows 10 v2004 & Windows Server v2004	11	29	3	1	4	0	0	1	0	9.9
Windows 10 v1909 & Windows Server v1909	11	28	3	1	4	0	0	1	0	9.9
Windows 10 v1809 & Windows Server 2019	10	26	3	1	4	0	0	1	0	9.8
Windows 10 v1803	4	21	3	1	2	0	0	1	0	8.8
Windows Server 2016	8	17	3	1	4	0	0	1	0	9.8
Windows 8.1 & Server 2012 R2	8	12	3	0	4	0	0	1	0	9.8
Windows Server 2012	8	12	3	0	3	0	0	1	0	9.8
Internet Explorer 11	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	8.8
Microsoft Office-related software	7	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	7.8
Microsoft SharePoint-related software	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	8.8
Power BI Report Server	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.7
Azure-related software	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	9.3
Microsoft Visual Studio-related software	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8.8
Windows Admin Center	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4.3
HEVC Video Extensions	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.8
RCE = Remote Code Execution \| EOP = Elevation of Privilege \| ID = Information Disclosure \| SFB = Security Feature Bypass \| DOS = Denial of Service \| SPF = Spoofing \| TMP = Tampering

Notes:

Vulnerabilities that overlap components may be represented more than once in the table.
The summary above is an overview of updates for commonly used software. Updates for older versions, apps, and open source software may not be listed.
Updates may have been added or removed from the release after this content was finalized.
Find details for all updates in the monthly release in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
For additional details, see the release notes at: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2021-Mar

Resources for deploying updates to remote devices

With so many people working remotely, it is a good time to review guidance on deploying security updates to remote devices, such as desktops, laptops, and tablets. Here are some resources to answer questions pertaining to deploying updates to remote devices.

Part 1: Helping businesses rapidly set up to work securely from personal PCs and mobiles

Part 2: Helping IT send and provision business PCs at home to work securely during COVID-19

Part 3: Manage work devices at home during Covid-19 using Configuration Manager

Part 4: Managing remote machines with cloud management gateway (CMG)

Part 5: Managing Patch Tuesday with Configuration Manager in a remote work world

See also:

Mastering Configuration Manager Bandwidth limitations for VPN connected Clients

Vulnerability details for the current month

Below are summaries for some of the security vulnerabilities in this release. These specific vulnerabilities were selected from the larger set of vulnerabilities in the release for one or more of the following reasons: 1) We received inquiries regarding the vulnerability; 2) the vulnerability may have received attention in the trade press; or 3) the vulnerability is potentially more impactful than others in the release. Because we do not provide summaries for every vulnerability in the release, you should review the content in the Security Update Guide for information not provided in these summaries.

Notes on details in the vulnerability summaries:

Attack Vector	This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. The Base Score increases the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable component.
Attack Complexity	This metric describes the conditions beyond the attacker’s control that must exist in order to exploit the vulnerability. Such conditions may require the collection of more information about the target or computational exceptions. The assessment of this metric excludes any requirements for user interaction in order to exploit the vulnerability. If a specific configuration is required for an attack to succeed, the Base metrics should be scored assuming the vulnerable component is in that configuration.
Privileges Required	This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess before successfully exploiting the vulnerability.
User Interaction	This metric captures the requirement for a user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise the vulnerable component. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.

CVE-2021-24089	HEVC Video Extensions Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 7.8	Privileges Required: None	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Local	User Interaction: Required	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Unchanged	Availability: High
Affected Software:	HEVC Video Extensions
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24089

CVE-2021-24090	Windows Error Reporting Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Impact	Elevation of Privilege
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 7.8	Privileges Required: None	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Local	User Interaction: Required	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Unchanged	Availability: High
Affected Software:	Windows 10 Version 20H2, Windows 10 Version 2004, Windows 10 Version 1909, Windows Server, version 20H2, Windows Server, version 2004, and Windows Server, version 1909
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24090

CVE-2021-26867	Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 9.9	Privileges Required: Low	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Network	User Interaction: None	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Changed	Availability: High
Affected Software:	Windows 10 Version 20H2, Windows 10 Version 2004, Windows 10 Version 1909, Windows Server, version 20H2, Windows Server, version 2004, and Windows Server, version 1909
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-26867

CVE-2021-27077	Windows Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Impact	Elevation of Privilege
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	Yes
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 7.8	Privileges Required: Low	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Local	User Interaction: None	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Unchanged	Availability: High
Affected Software:	All supported versions of Windows
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-27077

CVE-2021-26897	Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 9.8	Privileges Required: None	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Network	User Interaction: None	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Unchanged	Availability: High
Affected Software:	Windows Server, version 20H2, Windows Server, version 2004, Windows Server, version 1909, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-26897

CVE-2021-26411	Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	Yes
Known Exploits?	Yes
Exploitability	Exploitation detected
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 8.8	Privileges Required: None	Confidentiality: Low
Attack Vector: Network	User Interaction: Required	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Changed	Availability: Low
Affected Software:	Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 10 Version 20H2, Windows 10 Version 2004, Windows 10 Version 1909, Windows 10 Version 1809, Windows 10 Version 1803, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012 and Microsoft Edge (EdgeHTML-based) on Windows 10 Version 20H2, Windows 10 Version 2004, Windows 10 Version 1909, Windows 10 Version 1809, Windows 10 Version 1803, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2016
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-26411

CVE-2021-27076	Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 8.8	Privileges Required: Low	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Network	User Interaction: None	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Unchanged	Availability: High
Affected Software:	Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013, Business Productivity Servers 2010, SharePoint Server 2019, and SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-27076

CVE-2021-27053	Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Score Metrics	Base CVSS Score: 7.8	Privileges Required: None	Confidentiality: High
Attack Vector: Local	User Interaction: Required	Integrity: High
Attack Complexity: Low	Scope: Unchanged	Availability: High
Affected Software:	Microsoft Office 2019, Office Online Server, 365 Apps for Enterprise, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, and Office Web Apps Server 2013
More Information:	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-27053

February 2021 – Microsoft Patch Tuesday and Other Patches

Posted on February 13, 2021 by harjit

Microsoft has released fixes for 56 vulnerabilities, with 11 updates classified as Critical and 43 as Important. Here’s an updated announcement (2021-02-09) from Microsoft: Deploy Windows SSUs and LCUs together with one cumulative update –

LCU = Latest Cummulative Update
SSU – Servicing Stack Update

UPDATE – 2021-02-21
KB4301818 > KB5001078

UPDATE – 2021-02-17
KB4577586

Windows 10 Updates for February 2021:

KB4601319 (OS Builds 19041.804 and 19042.804) for Windows 10 version 20H2 / 2004
KB4601315 (OS Build 18363.1377) for Windows 10, version 1909
KB5001028 (OS Build 18363.1379) Out-of-band for Windows 10, version 1909
KB4601345 (OS Build 17763.1757) for Windows 10 version 1809
KB4601354 (OS Build 17134.2026) for Windows 10 version 1803
KB4601330 (OS Build 15063.2642) for Windows 10 version 1703
KB4601318 (OS Build 14393.4225) for Windows 10 version 1607
KB4601331 (OS Build 10240.18842) for Windows 10, initial release

Additional February 2021 Patching Resources:

MSRC – February 2021 Security Updates
Security Update Guide – Microsoft Security Vulnerabilities
Internet Explorer 11 zero-day vulnerability gets unofficial micro-patch
Windows 10 v1909 receives KB5001028 out-of-band fix for WPA3 Wi-Fi
Advisory ADV990001 for the latest service stack update (SSU)
Intel fixes vulnerabilities in Windows, Linux graphics drivers
Adobe Security patches
Cisco Security patches
Apple Security patches
Android Security Bulletin
Oracle Security Alerts
Scan Changes and certificates add security for Windows devices using WSUS for updates
Netlogon Domain Controller Enforcement Mode enabled by default on February 9, 2021
Zero Day Initiative blog
SAP February 2021 Security Updates
Google fixes severe Golang Windows RCE vulnerability
Apple fixes SUDO root privilege escalation flaw in macOS

Patched publicly disclosed vulnerabilities:

CVE-2021-1721 – .NET Core and Visual Studio Denial of Service Vulnerability
CVE-2021-1727 – Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2021-1733 – Sysinternals PsExec Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
CVE-2021-24098 – Windows Console Driver Denial of Service Vulnerability
CVE-2021-24106 – Windows DirectX Information Disclosure Vulnerability
CVE-2021-26701 – .NET Core Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Intel microcode updates for Windows:

Microsoft has also released Intel microcode updates for Windows 10 20H2, 2004, 1909, and older versions to fix issues impacting current and previously released Windows 10 versions.

These microcode updates are offered to affected devices via Windows Update but they can also be manually downloaded directly from the Microsoft Catalog using these links:

KB4589212: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 2004 and 20H2, and Windows Server, version 2004 and 20H2
KB4589211: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 1903 and 1909, and Windows Server, version 1903 and 1909
KB4589208: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 1809 and Windows Server 2019
KB4589206: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 1803
KB4589210: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 1607 and Windows Server 2016
KB4589198: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 1507

On February 9, 2021, Microsoft released security updates affecting the following Microsoft products:

Product Family	Maximum Severity	Maximum Impact	Associated KB Articles and/or Support Webpages
Windows 10 v20H2, v2004, v1909, v1809, and v1803	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Windows 10 v2004 and Windows 10 v20H2: 4601319 Windows 10 v1909: 4601315 Windows 10 v1809: 4601345 Windows 10 v1803: 4601354
Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, and Server Core installations (2019, 2016, v20H2, v2004, and v1909)	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Windows Server 2019: 4601345 Windows Server 2016: 4601318 Windows Server v2004 and Windows Server v20H2: 4601319 Windows Server v1909: 4601315
Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012	Critical	Remote Code Execution	Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Monthly Rollup: 4601384 Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Security Only: 4601349 Windows Server 2012 Monthly Rollup: 4601348 Windows Server 2012 Security Only: 4601357
Microsoft Office-related software	Important	Remote Code Execution	4493211, 4493222, 4493196, 4493192, 4493204
Microsoft SharePoint-related software	Important	Remote Code Execution	4493210, 4493194, 4493195, 4493223
Microsoft Lync/Skype for Business	Important	Denial of Service	5000675, 5000688
Microsoft Exchange Server	Important	Spoofing	4602269, 4571787
Microsoft .NET-related software	Critical	Remote Code Execution	4601318, 4601050, 4601887, 4603004, 4602960, 4603005, 4602961, 4601354, 4601056, 4603003, 4602959, 4603002, 4602958, 4601051, 4601054
Microsoft Visual Studio	Important	Remote Code Execution	Find details on security updates for Visual Studio-related software in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
Microsoft Dynamics-related software	Important	Information Disclosure	4602915
Microsoft Azure-related software	Important	Elevation of Privilege	Find details on security updates for Azure-related software in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
Developer tools	Important	Remote Code Execution	Find details on security updates for developer tools in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide

Notes:

Find details for all updates in the monthly release in the Security Update Guide: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide
For additional details, see the release notes at: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2021-Feb

Security vulnerability overview:

Below is a summary showing the number of vulnerabilities addressed in this release, broken down by product/component and by impact.

Vulnerability Details	RCE	EOP	ID	SFB	DOS	SPF	TMP	Publicly Disclosed	Known Exploit	Max CVSS
Windows 10 v20H2 & Windows Server v20H2	10	7	5	2	4	0	0	3	1	9.8
Windows 10 v2004 & Windows Server v2004	10	7	5	2	4	0	0	3	1	9.8
Windows 10 v1909 & Windows Server v1909	10	6	5	2	3	0	0	3	1	9.8
Windows 10 v1809 & Windows Server 2019	10	7	5	2	3	0	0	3	1	9.8
Windows 10 v1803	7	6	4	2	3	0	0	3	1	9.8
Windows Server 2016	10	5	3	1	2	0	0	1	0	9.8
Windows 8.1 & Server 2012 R2	7	4	3	0	2	0	0	1	0	9.8
Windows Server 2012	7	4	3	0	2	0	0	1	0	9.8
Microsoft Office-related software	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.8
Microsoft SharePoint-related software	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	8.8
Lync/Skype for Business	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	6.5
Microsoft Exchange Server	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	6.5
Microsoft .NET-related software	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	8.1
Microsoft Visual Studio-related software	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	7.8
Microsoft Dynamics-related software	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	6.5
Microsoft Azure-related software	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.0
Developer tools	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7.8
RCE = Remote Code Execution \| EOP = Elevation of Privilege \| ID = Information Disclosure \| SFB = Security Feature Bypass \| DOS = Denial of Service \| SPF = Spoofing \| TMP = Tampering

Resources for deploying updates to remote devices:

Part 1: Helping businesses rapidly set up to work securely from personal PCs and mobiles
Part 2: Helping IT send and provision business PCs at home to work securely during COVID-19
Part 3: Manage work devices at home during Covid-19 using Configuration Manager
Part 4: Managing remote machines with cloud management gateway (CMG)
Part 5: Managing Patch Tuesday with Configuration Manager in a remote work world

See also:
Mastering Configuration Manager Bandwidth limitations for VPN connected Clients

Vulnerability details for the current month:

Below are summaries for some of the security vulnerabilities in this release:

Attack Vector	This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. The Base Score increases the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable component.
Attack Complexity	This metric describes the conditions beyond the attacker’s control that must exist in order to exploit the vulnerability. Such conditions may require the collection of more information about the target or computational exceptions. The assessment of this metric excludes any requirements for user interaction in order to exploit the vulnerability. If a specific configuration is required for an attack to succeed, the Base metrics should be scored assuming the vulnerable component is in that configuration.
Privileges Required	This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess before successfully exploiting the vulnerability.
User Interaction	This metric captures the requirement for a user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise the vulnerable component. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.

CVE-2021-1727	Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Impact	Elevation of Privilege
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	Yes
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Base Score	7.8
Attack Vector	Local
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	Low
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	All supported versions of Windows
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1727

CVE-2021-1732	Windows Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Impact	Elevation of Privilege
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	Yes
Exploitability	Exploitation detected
CVSS Base Score	7.8
Attack Vector	Local
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	Low
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	Windows 10 v20H2, Windows 10 v2004, Windows 10 v1909, Windows 10 v1809, Windows 10 v1803, Windows Server v20H2, Windows Server v2004, Windows Server v1909, and Windows Server 2019
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1732

CVE-2021-24074	Windows TCP/IP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Base Score	9.8
Attack Vector	Network
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	All supported versions of Windows
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24074

CVE-2021-24094	Windows TCP/IP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Base Score	9.8
Attack Vector	Network
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	All supported versions of Windows
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24094

CVE-2021- 24077	Windows Fax Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Base Score	9.8
Attack Vector	Network
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	All supported versions of Windows
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24077

CVE-2021-24078	Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Base Score	9.8
Attack Vector	Network
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	Windows Server v20H2, Windows Server v2004, Windows Server v1909, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24078

CVE-2021-24088	Windows Local Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Critical
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Base Score	8.8
Attack Vector	Network
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	Low
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	All supported versions of Windows
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24088

CVE-2021-24098	Windows Console Driver Denial of Service Vulnerability
Impact	Denial of Service
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	Yes
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Base Score	5.5
Attack Vector	Local
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	Required
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	None
Integrity	None
Availability	High
Affected Software	Windows 10 v20H2, Windows 10 v2004, Windows 10 v1909, Windows 10 v1809, Windows 10 v1803, Windows Server v20H2, Windows Server v2004, Windows Server v1909, and Windows Server 2019
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24098

CVE-2021-24066	Microsoft SharePoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation more likely
CVSS Base Score	8.8
Attack Vector	Network
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	Low
User Interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019, Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013 Service Pack 1, and Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 Service Pack 2
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24066

CVE-2021-24067	Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Impact	Remote Code Execution
Severity	Important
Publicly Disclosed?	No
Known Exploits?	No
Exploitability	Exploitation less likely
CVSS Base Score	7.8
Attack Vector	Local
Attack Complexity	Low
Privileges Required	None
User Interaction	Required
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	High
Integrity	High
Availability	High
Affected Software	Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, Office Online Server, Office 2019, Office 2019 for Mac, and Office Web Apps Server 2013
More Information	https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24067

February 2021 Microsoft Office security updates

Microsoft Office security updates are delivered through the Microsoft Update platform and via the Download Center.

Patched Office security vulnerabilities – (Source: Bleeping Computer)

This month’s Office security updates address bugs exposing Windows systems running vulnerable Click to Run and Microsoft Installer (.msi) based editions of Microsoft Office products to remote code execution (RCE), information disclosure, and spoofing attacks.

Microsoft rated the six RCE bugs patched in February 2021 as Important severity issues given that they could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the currently logged-in user.

Following successful exploitation, attackers could install malicious programs, view, change, and delete data, as well as make their own admin accounts on exploited Windows devices.

Tag	CVE ID	CVE Title	Severity
Microsoft Office Excel	CVE-2021-24067	Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office Excel	CVE-2021-24068	Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office Excel	CVE-2021-24069	Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office Excel	CVE-2021-24070	Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office SharePoint	CVE-2021-24071	Microsoft SharePoint Information Disclosure Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office SharePoint	CVE-2021-1726	Microsoft SharePoint Spoofing Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office SharePoint	CVE-2021-24066	Microsoft SharePoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability	Important
Microsoft Office SharePoint	CVE-2021-24072	Microsoft SharePoint Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability	Important

Further information about each of them is available within the knowledge base articles linked below.

Microsoft Office 2016:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
Excel 2016	Description of the security update for Excel 2016: February 9, 2021 (KB4493196)
Office 2016	February 2, 2021, update for Office 2016 (KB4493189)
Outlook 2016	February 2, 2021, update for Outlook 2016 (KB4493190)
PowerPoint 2016	February 2, 2021, update for PowerPoint 2016 (KB4493164)

Microsoft Office 2013:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
Excel 2013	Description of the security update for Excel 2013: February 9, 2021 (KB4493211)
Office 2013	February 2, 2021, update for Office 2013 (KB4486684)
PowerPoint 2013	February 2, 2021, update for PowerPoint 2013 (KB4493169)

Microsoft Office 2010:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
Excel 2010	Description of the security update for Excel 2010: February 9, 2021 (KB4493222)
Office 2010	February 2, 2021, update for Office 2010 (KB4493180)
PowerPoint 2010	February 2, 2021, update for PowerPoint 2010 (KB4493179)

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
Office Online Server	Description of the security update for Office Online Server: February 9, 2021 (KB4493192)
SharePoint Server 2019	Description of the security update for SharePoint Server 2019: February 9, 2021 (KB4493194)
SharePoint Server 2019 Language Pack	February 9, 2021, update for SharePoint Server 2019 Language Pack (KB4493193)

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016	Description of the security update for SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016: February 9, 2021 (KB4493195)

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
Office Web Apps Server 2013	Description of the security update for Office Web Apps Server 2013: February 9, 2021 (KB4493204)
Project Server 2013	February 9, 2021, cumulative update for Project Server 2013 (KB4493207)
SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013	February 9, 2021, cumulative update for SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 (KB4493209)
SharePoint Foundation 2013	Description of the security update for SharePoint Foundation 2013: February 9, 2021 (KB4493210)
SharePoint Foundation 2013	February 9, 2021, cumulative update for SharePoint Foundation 2013 (KB4493205)

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010:

Product	Knowledge Base article title and number
Project Server 2010	February 9, 2021, update for Project Server 2010 (KB4475537)
Project Server 2010	February 9, 2021, cumulative update for Project Server 2010 (KB4493217)
SharePoint Foundation 2010	Description of the security update for SharePoint Foundation 2010: February 9, 2021 (KB4493223)
SharePoint Server 2010	February 9, 2021, cumulative update for SharePoint Server 2010 (KB4493220)
SharePoint Server 2010	February 9, 2021, update for SharePoint Server 2010 (KB4493212)
SharePoint Server 2010 Office Web Apps	February 9, 2021, update for SharePoint Server 2010 Office Web Apps (KB4493219)

Windows 7 Support is Ending – Upgrade to Windows 10 ASAP

Posted on August 11, 2019 by harjit

Windows 7 start screen displayed on a laptop at a desk

Starting January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, software updates and technical support for computers running Windows 7. Start upgrading the Windows 7 computers in your organizations or in your homes to Windows 10 ASAP.

This website, Windows 7 End of Life provides a nice countdown along with a calculator to determine how many computers you will need to upgrade per month, per week, or per day given the number of Windows 7 computers you have left to upgrade.

Nash Pherson, the creator of the Win 7 End of Life website also provides a nice PowerShell script to find all the Windows 7 computer objects remaining in your Active Directory. Great resource, Thanks Nash!

This is the Windows Lifecycle Fact Sheet for every Windows product available, which provides information for support timelines and more.

How To Disable Blur on Windows 10 Sign-In Screen

Posted on August 11, 2019 by harjit

Starting with Windows 10 “19H1” or build 18237, you have likely encountered a blurred background on the login screen. Some users like this feature and some don’t. If you’d like to change the blurred effect to a clear image, then you can do it in two ways:
1. Group Policy or Local Policy
2. Registry setting

Change using Group Policy or Local Policy:

Launch the Group Policy Editor > gpedit.msc

In Group Policy Editor, go to: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon

Enable the policy option: Show clear logon background

Restart the computer for good measure

Change using Registry setting:

Launch the Registry editor (make sure you backup the registry prior to making any changes) > regedit.exe

Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value: DisableAcrylicBackgroundOnLogon

Set the Value data to 1 to disable the blur effect on the login screen

Restart the computer

Now, you should have a clear login screen background.

Microsoft Insider Programs

Posted on August 5, 2019 by harjit

Microsoft provides several Insider programs which you can participate to get a preview of the latest features and updates, as well as provide feedback to Microsoft for bugs, issues, and request features.

In case you are trying to figure out what Insider programs are available and how you can sign up to participate, see below for the individual programs.

Source: https://insider.microsoft.com/en-us

Windows PXE Boot Issues – KB4493467 (April 9, 2019)

Posted on April 13, 2019 by harjit

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue with PXE boot affecting Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 systems caused by a Security-Only update (KB4493467) released on April 9, 2019.

The Issue:

After installing this update, there may be issues using the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) to start a device from a Windows Deployment Services (WDS) server configured to use Variable Window Extension. This may cause the connection to the WDS server to terminate prematurely while downloading the image. This issue does not affect clients or devices that are not using Variable Window Extension.

The Workaround:

To mitigate the issue, disable the Variable Window Extension on WDS server using one of the following options:

Option 1:
Open an Administrator Command prompt and type the following:

Wdsutil /Set-TransportServer /EnableTftpVariableWindowExtension:No

Option 2:
Use the Windows Deployment Services UI.

Open Windows Deployment Services from Windows Administrative Tools.
Expand Servers and right-click a WDS server.
Open its properties and clear the Enable Variable Window Extension box on the TFTP tab.

Option 3:
Set the following registry value to 0:

“HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WDSServer\Providers\WDSTFTP\EnableVariableWindowExtension”.

Restart the WDSServer service after disabling the Variable Window Extension.

Microsoft is working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.

Windows 10 Automatically Uninstalls Problematic Software Updates

Posted on March 12, 2019 by harjit

Patch Management is an important role of a Sysadmin in the Enterprise, because securing endpoints with security updates to keep systems secure and functional, receive fixes that resolve issues, and patch security holes is highly important. However, with the frequency of security updates which are released these days, patch management tasks feels like a full-time job!

For the most part, monthly patches are straight forward, however in recent months, they have been problematic where they have caused system crashes, blue screens, application functionality issues, and introduced other bugs. Some faulty patches are quickly reversed or rectified by Microsoft, while others go unfixed for a longer duration causing further duress and downtime in many organizations. This has been a major pain point for Sysadmins in the field.

Well, we may have some reprieve from these buggy patches. Microsoft has announced that it will start uninstalling problematic patches automatically from Windows 10 systems when it detects a startup issue due to incompatibility or issues stemming from a recently installed patch. The following notification will be presented:
“We removed some recently installed updates to recover your device from a startup failure.”

According to this KB4492307 posted by Microsoft, the problematic patch will not be reinstalled for 30 days to allow Microsoft and it’s partners to investigate and fix the issues. This process seems like a good proactive approach by Microsoft to get a handle of buggy patches, however more information is needed in terms of how this will work with detection, deployments, and compliance of these patches using ConfigMgr and WSUS as mechanisms for patch management in the enterprise. Time will tell, we hope!

Enable Windows 10 Administrator Account

Posted on March 11, 2019 by harjit

This post is not to emphasize or promote the use of the local administrator account or provide such level of access to your users. IT Professionals and security experts will tell you that providing local administrator account privileges for end users is risky as it can introduce lots of issues such as ransomware attacks, malware infections, risk of compromised systems, and Pass-the-Hash attacks to name a few.

The local administrator account on a Windows 10 system is disabled by default. If you need to enable it for troubleshooting purposes or for some management tasks, you can do so in 3 ways.

Option 1: Computer Management

Click Start > search for Computer Management
Expand Local Users and Groups
Expand Users
Right-click on Administrator account
Uncheck Account is disabled box > click Apply and OK

Right-click Administrator account
Click on Set Password

Click on Proceed

Enter new password as desired
Confirm password > click OK

Option 2: Command Prompt

Click on Start > search for Command Prompt
Right-click and Run as Administrator
Type the following command and press enter:

net user “Administrator” /active:yes

Option 3: PowerShell

Click on Start > search for PowerShell
Right-click and Run as Administrator
Type the following command and press enter:

Get-LocalUser -Name “Administrator” | Enable-LocalUser

To disable the local Administrator account:

Get-LocalUser -Name “Administrator” | Disable-LocalUser

PowerShell – Random Password Generator

Posted on March 9, 2019 by harjit

Generate random passwords using PowerShell.

Found this method from https://www.scriptjunkie.us/2013/09/secure-random-password-generation/ and modified by Sean Martin (myITforum.com PowerShell usergroup).

# Generate Random Password

$randombytes = new-object byte[] 15
(new-object System.Security.Cryptography.RNGCryptoServiceProvider).GetBytes($randombytes)
$pass = [System.Convert]::ToBase64String($randombytes)
$password = "##" + $pass + "!!"

Write-Host ""
Write-Host "Your password is: " -ForeGroundColor Cyan -NoNewLine
Write-Host "$Password" -ForeGroundColor Yellow
Write-Host ""
Write-Host ""
Write-Host "Press enter to exit script..." -ForeGroundColor Cyan

$Pause = Read-Host
Exit

# Generate Random Password

$randombytes = new-object byte[] 15

(new-object System.Security.Cryptography.RNGCryptoServiceProvider).GetBytes($randombytes)

$pass = [System.Convert]::ToBase64String($randombytes)

$password = "##" + $pass + "!!"

Write-Host ""

Write-Host "Your password is: " -ForeGroundColor Cyan -NoNewLine

Write-Host "$Password" -ForeGroundColor Yellow

Write-Host ""

Write-Host "Press enter to exit script..." -ForeGroundColor Cyan

$Pause = Read-Host

Exit

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT 8456) Released

Posted on January 25, 2019 by harjit

The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) has been released and the most current build (8456) which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center. This update requires the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 10 version 1809 (10.1.17763.1) which is available for download on the Microsoft Hardware Dev Center.

The official MDT release note are available here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/mdt/release-notes

Some of the significant changes in this update include:

Supported configuration updates
- Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1809
- Windows 10, version 1809
- Configuration Manager, version 1810
Major changes
- Nested task sequence support for LTI scenario
- Modern language pack support^{Note 1}
- Support for Configuration Manager version 1810^{Note 2}
- IsVM evaluates to False on Parallels VMs
- IsVM = False when VMware VM is configured with EFI boot firmware
- Gather doesn’t recognize All-in-One chassis type
- MDT doesn’t automatically install BitLocker on Windows Server 2016
- BDEDisablePreProvisioning typo in ZTIGather.xml

Check out Johan Arwidmark’s “A Geeks Guide for upgrading to MDT 8456” blog post for steps to upgrade MDT as a standalone and in ConfigMgr.

The following post provides some information on How to get help with MDT, in case you need it.

Harjit Dhaliwal

Microsoft MVP, IT Professional, Technology Evangelist, Social Media Influencer, Photographer

Tag Archives: Windows

March 2021 – Microsoft Patch Tuesday and Other Patches

Microsoft Exchange ProxyLogon attacks

February 2021 – Microsoft Patch Tuesday and Other Patches

Intel microcode updates for Windows:

Patched Office security vulnerabilities – (Source: Bleeping Computer)

Microsoft Office 2016:

Microsoft Office 2013:

Microsoft Office 2010:

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019:

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016:

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013:

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010:

Windows 7 Support is Ending – Upgrade to Windows 10 ASAP

How To Disable Blur on Windows 10 Sign-In Screen

Microsoft Insider Programs

Windows PXE Boot Issues – KB4493467 (April 9, 2019)

Windows 10 Automatically Uninstalls Problematic Software Updates

Enable Windows 10 Administrator Account

Option 1: Computer Management

Option 2: Command Prompt

Option 3: PowerShell

PowerShell – Random Password Generator

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT 8456) Released