Articles about Windows 11 security

Microsoft has announced that it is moving away from Jscript in Windows 11 24H2 to make scripting more secure, and boost Windows 11 security overall.

The change sees the company enabling JScript9Legacy by default in the latest version of Windows 11. Despite stressing the important security implications of the change, Microsoft is not changing from Jscript to JScript9Legacy in operating system edition prior to Windows 11 24H2.

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As part of its Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), Trend Micro is holding its first Pwn2Own event in Berlin. The three day event sees security researchers testing and breaching the security of various systems, including Windows 11 and Linux.

With big money on offer, there is a great incentive for researchers to unearth vulnerabilities and show how they can be exploited. And this is precisely what happened with Widows 11; the operating system was pwned multiple times on the first day of the event, and there will be many more attempts made before it is over.

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Microsoft is vocal about the importance of ensuring that Windows users have all of the latest security updates installed, and rightly so. Now the company has warned that using certain installation media to install Windows 11 24H2 could result in not being able to receive any further security updates.

The root cause of the problem has not been revealed as Microsoft is still investigating, but the issue can occur when using media such as CDs or USB drives to install the latest version of Windows 11. While the cause is not known, and there is no specific fix, there is a workaround.

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Following the launch of Windows 11 24H2, this week marks the release of the final updates for various other versions of Windows. This means that anyone who has yet to upgrade from Windows 11 22H2 will not receive any more security updates.

There are numerous editions of Windows 11 affected by the end-of-service, specifically Windows 11 Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations and SE. The same is true for Windows 11 21H2 Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise, none of which will receive further updates. So, what does this mean for users?

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Windows 11 Moment 5 is now available to everyone. Microsoft has released the KB5036893 update as part of its monthly update schedule, bringing the new Moment 5 features to all users, not just Windows Insiders.

As well as updating Snap Layouts and Copilot, KB5036893 also includes changes to widgets and injects AI features into Photos and Clipchamp. There are also fixes for a huge number of security issues.

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Microsoft has released its first batch of cumulative security updates of 2024, including the KB5034123 update for Windows 11. While the security fixes are a good reason for installing this particular update, there are plenty of other enticements too.

The KB5034123 update addresses various non-security issues including Wi-Fi connectivity problems and a bug that caused Windows to shut down. The update also ushers in new lock screen options thanks to the addition of a "richer weather experience" complete with dynamic, interactive weather updates.

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It is the time of the month when Microsoft publishes its Patch Tuesday updates, and as part of this, the company has just released two significant security updates for Windows 11 -- KB5019961 and KB5019980.

Available for Windows 11 21H2 and 22H2 respectively, the KB5019961 and KB5019980 updates not only address key security issues, but also add new features and options, as well as fixing non-security related bugs.

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Microsoft has released its first update to Windows 11 22H2 / Windows 11 2022 Update in the form of KB5018427. This is a cumulative security update that includes the improvements from the previously released KB5017389 update, as well as additional "security issues".

While the update addresses quite a large number of problems with Windows 11 22H2, it does not fix the known issues with provisioning packages or slow file copying.

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It is not very often we are told to disable security features -- usually, we're enabling options, or leaving things well alone. But now Microsoft has issued some advice about improving game performance in Windows 11, and it involves turning off security features of the operating system.

The somewhat surprising advice comes in a support document entitled Options to Optimize Gaming Performance in Windows 11. Microsoft does point out, however, that this is meant to be done only when gaming, and that security should be re-enabled afterwards.

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It is that time of the month again -- the time when Microsoft releases patches for Windows. This time around we have the KB5017328 update for Windows 11 which, among other things, fixes a problem introduced by another update for Windows.

Some people who installed the recent KB5016691 update experienced login issues, and this is addressed by this Patch Tuesday’s KB5017328 update release. Importantly, this particular release is also a security update. Microsoft has also provided Windows 11 tips to accompany this update.

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Microsoft has introduced a change to Windows 11 that makes it much harder to use brute force attacks to crack passwords. Starting with the latest Insider builds, there is a new account lockout policy in place by default.

The policy means that should an incorrect password be entered 10 times, the account will be locked for 10 minutes. While this does not make brute forcing impossible, by any means, it makes it much harder and more time consuming, boosting security in an important area.

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Microsoft has released a series of new updates for Windows as part of this month's Patch Tuesday, including the KB5014697 update for Windows 11.

The KB5014697 update takes Windows 11 up to build 22000.739, and it includes numerous bug and security fixes. Additionally, it brings Windows spotlight on the desktop to anyone who has not yet received it through previous updates.

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At its Windows Powers the Future of Hybrid Work event earlier this week, Microsoft revealed various new features that are coming to Windows 11. As well as additions such as tabs in File Explorer and folders in the Start menu, the company revealed a lot of upcoming security features.

One of the security highlights is Smart App Control, which works like an enhanced version of the SmartScreen filter already found in Windows. It will help to block malicious apps, but there is a serious downside that will put off a lot of people.

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Microsoft has released the first cumulative patch of 2022 for Windows 11 in the form of the KB5009566 update.

The patch is a mandatory cumulative update that addresses security problems thanks to the inclusion of January 2022 Patch Tuesday fixes. These address no fewer than six zero-day vulnerabilities, and a total of 97 security issues in all. The KB5009566 update also address a long-standing issue with Windows 11 and takes the operating system up to build 22000.434.

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Patch Tuesday has rolled round again, and Microsoft has released a cumulative update for Windows 11.

The KB5007215 update addresses security issues that have been found in the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system, and also fixes other problems. Among the issues patched are a screen rendering problem affecting various apps. Microsoft has also released a video including some Windows 11 tips.

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