It’s that time of the month again. This day, which usually falls on the second Tuesday of each month, is unofficially called “Patch Tuesday” or “Update Tuesday” by tech fans and savvy Windows PC users alike.
This time around, Microsoft fixed a total of 62 security flaws including a serious zero-day flaw on a popular program that can allow a hacker to take over a computer. Yikes!
Also, if you’re still using an older version of Windows, you may want to update too as soon as you can.
Read on and I’ll tell you why Microsoft’s October 2017 updates are so critical.
Zero-day Word flaw
The most critical patch is a fix for a zero-day flaw in Microsoft Office Word. This is already publicly known and is already being used for attacks so it’s important that you apply it immediately.
The flaw is a remote code execution vulnerability, meaning it can allow an attacker to take over a machine remotely. It affects Microsoft Word 2007 and later plus Word Automation Services and Microsoft Office Web Apps Server.
Other critical patches for October 2017
A total of 62 security fixes were issued in October’s batch of Microsoft updates. Aside from the Word zero-day bug, two other publicly known flaws are also addressed.
First is the denial of service issue in the Windows Subsystem for Linux and a cross-site scripting flaw in Microsoft Office Sharepoint.
Here’s a list of the 62 security fixes issued by Microsoft this month:
| Affected service | CVE ID | CVE Title |
|---|---|---|
| Device Guard | CVE-2017-8715 | Windows Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability |
| Device Guard | CVE-2017-11823 | Microsoft Windows Security Feature Bypass |
| Internet Explorer | CVE-2017-11790 | Internet Explorer Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Internet Explorer | CVE-2017-11810 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Internet Explorer | CVE-2017-11822 | Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Internet Explorer | CVE-2017-11813 | Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Edge | CVE-2017-8726 | Microsoft Edge Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Edge | CVE-2017-11794 | Microsoft Edge Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Graphics Component | CVE-2017-11816 | Windows GDI Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Graphics Component | CVE-2017-11763 | Microsoft Graphics Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Graphics Component | CVE-2017-11762 | Microsoft Graphics Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Graphics Component | CVE-2017-11824 | Windows Graphics Component Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Graphics Component | CVE-2017-8693 | Microsoft Graphics Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Microsoft JET Database Engine | CVE-2017-8718 | Microsoft JET Database Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft JET Database Engine | CVE-2017-8717 | Microsoft JET Database Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11776 | Microsoft Outlook Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11775 | Microsoft Office SharePoint XSS Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11774 | Microsoft Outlook Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11777 | Microsoft Office SharePoint XSS Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11826 | Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11825 | Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | ADV170017 | Office Defense in Depth Update |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11786 | Skype for Business Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Office | CVE-2017-11820 | Microsoft Office SharePoint XSS Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11798 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11799 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11809 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11796 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11797 | Scripting Engine Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11806 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11800 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11808 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11807 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11805 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11804 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11811 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11801 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11802 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11812 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11821 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11793 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Scripting Engine | CVE-2017-11792 | Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Windows | CVE-2017-11818 | Windows Storage Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Windows | ADV170016 | Windows Server 2008 Defense in Depth |
| Microsoft Windows | CVE-2017-11783 | Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Windows | CVE-2017-11769 | TRIE Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Windows DNS | CVE-2017-11779 | Windows DNSAPI Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Windows Search Component | CVE-2017-11772 | Microsoft Search Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Microsoft Windows Search Component | CVE-2017-11771 | Windows Search Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel | CVE-2017-11784 | Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel | CVE-2017-11817 | Windows Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel | CVE-2017-11814 | Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel | CVE-2017-11765 | Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel | CVE-2017-11785 | Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers | CVE-2017-8694 | Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
| Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers | CVE-2017-8689 | Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
| Windows NTLM | ADV170014 | Optional Windows NTLM SSO authentication changes |
| Windows Shell | CVE-2017-8727 | Windows Shell Memory Corruption Vulnerability |
| Windows Shell | CVE-2017-11819 | Windows Shell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Windows SMB Server | CVE-2017-11815 | Windows SMB Information Disclosure Vulnerability |
| Windows SMB Server | CVE-2017-11782 | Windows SMB Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
| Windows SMB Server | CVE-2017-11781 | Windows SMB Denial of Service Vulnerability |
| Windows SMB Server | CVE-2017-11780 | Windows SMB Remote Code Execution Vulnerability |
| Windows Subsystem for Linux | CVE-2017-8703 | Windows Subsystem for Linux Denial of Service Vulnerability |
| Windows TPM | ADV170012 | Vulnerability in TPM could allow Security Feature Bypass |
| Windows Update | CVE-2017-11829 | Windows Update Delivery Optimization Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability |
Did you notice anything missing? Adobe usually releases its patches on the same day as Microsoft but interestingly enough, there are no Adobe Flash security updates this month.
Cumulative updates
Ahead of the Patch Tuesday security patches, Microsoft also issued a new cumulative update for computers running the Windows 10 Creators update yesterday.
Cumulative updates include all the previously released fixes in one big patch. This ensures that your Windows 10 computer has all current and past updates and security fixes installed.
This is the reason why you need to update your system regularly. If you constantly miss the monthly patches, your system’s cumulative update will be large and it will take longer to install.
End of support for Windows 10 version 1511
This month is also significant since Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 version 1511, the one released way back in November 2015. If you still have this version (or earlier) please update to the latest version of Windows 10 because Microsoft will no longer provide security and feature updates for it.
To check for your Windows 10 version, search for winver on your taskbar then press Enter. This will open an About Windows tab displaying your Windows 10 version.
How to update Windows
Most Windows machines are set to download and install updates automatically by default. If you haven’t changed your automatic update settings then you should be fine.
But if you want to check, here’s how:
On Windows 10, click Start (Windows logo), choose “Settings,” select “Update & Security,” then on the “Windows Update” section, click on “Advanced Options.” (Note: the “Windows Update” section is also handy for showing you updates that are currently being downloaded or applied.) Under “Advanced Options,” just make sure the drop down box is set to “Automatic.”
If you have an older Vista or Windows 7 system, check out our tips on how to set up and check Windows Updates.
Windows 10 priority updates puts users at risk
Did you know that there’s a lag on the deployment of security patches between Windows 10 and older Windows versions like 7 and 8.1? This delay is actually putting millions of users at risk. Click here and I’ll explain why.
