Microsoft Issues Patches for 90 Flaws, Including 10 Critical Zero

CVE-2023-36025 is a security feature bypass in Windows SmartScreen in which a specially crafted file — exploited in the wild using Internet Shortcut (.url) files — evades the Mark-of-the-Web warning SmartScreen normally displays for content downloaded from the internet. The flaw is network-reachable and requires no authentication, but user interaction is required: it triggers when a user clicks the crafted file delivered via phishing email, chat, or a web download. By bypassing the SmartScreen prompt, the attacker removes a key user-facing defense that would otherwise flag or warn about the file, which facilitated delivery of malware in the observed DarkGate and Mispadu campaigns. Any unpatched Windows 10 (1507, 1607, 1809, 21H2, 22H2), Windows 11 (21H2, 22H2, 23H2), or Windows Server 2008/2012/2016/2019 system is affected, which at the time of disclosure effectively meant the entire supported Windows installed base. It is confirmed exploited in the wild: CISA added it to the KEV catalog on 2023-11-14, EPSS scores 30-day exploitation probability at 88.1% (100th percentile), though no public PoC is known.

Do: Apply Microsoft's November 2023 cumulative Windows security updates (the release containing the fix) on all affected Windows 10/11 and Windows Server systems; no configuration-based workaround is widely documented, so patching is the primary mitigation. Until patched, treat unexpected Internet Shortcut (.url) files arriving via email or chat with extra suspicion, since they can execute without the usual SmartScreen warning, and hunt for DarkGate/Mispadu indicators. Given the KEV listing and 88.1% EPSS, prioritize this fix in the current patch cycle; ransomware-associated use is reported as unknown.

Summary: As of July 8, 2025 Microsoft has completed mitigations to address this vulnerability. See KB5042562: Guidance for blocking rollback of virtualization-based security related updates and the Recommended Actions section of this CVE for guidance on how to protect your systems from this vulnerability. An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows based systems supporting Virtualization Based Security (VBS), including a subset of Azure Virtual Machine SKUS. This vulnerability enables an attacker with administrator privileges to replace current versions of Windows system files with outdated versions. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker could reintroduce previously mitigated vulnerabilities, circumvent some features of VBS, and exfiltrate data protected by VBS. Update: July 10, 2025 Microsoft has addressed this vulnerability for Windows 10 1507, Windows 10, version 1607, Windows 10, version 1809, and Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2018. This ensures that mitigations are available to protect all supported versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11 from this vulnerability. See the available mitigations and deployment guidelines described in KB5042562: Guidance for blocking rollback of virtualization-based security related updates. Update: August 13, 2024 Microsoft has released the August 2024 security updates that include an opt-in revocation policy mitigation to address this vulnerability. Customers running affected versions of Windows are encouraged to review KB5042562: Guidance for blocking rollback of virtualization-based security related updates to assess if this opt-in policy meets the needs of their environment before implementing this mitigation. There are risks associated with this mitigation that should be understood prior to applying it to your systems. Detailed information about these risks is also available in KB5042562. Details: A security researcher informed Microsoft of an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, and higher based systems including Azure Virtual Machines (VM) that support VBS. For more information on Windows versions and VM SKUs supporting VBS, reference: Virtualization-based Security (VBS) | Microsoft Learn. The vulnerability enables an attacker with administrator privileges on the target system to replace current Windows system files with outdated versions. Successful... See more at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-21302

CVE-2024-21412 is a security feature bypass (CWE-693) in how Microsoft Windows handles Internet Shortcut files: a crafted shortcut can make Windows skip the security warning prompt that normally appears before untrusted internet content is opened or downloaded. Triggering it requires user interaction — an attacker must deliver a malicious shortcut file, typically via email or a malicious website, and convince the user to open it, which is reflected in the CVSS vector's UI:R component. An attacker who succeeds gains a bypass of those prompts, making it easier to retrieve and execute malicious remote content with fewer warnings; the DarkGate malware operators used exactly this technique in zero-day campaigns to distribute their loader. Anyone running the affected Windows 10 (1809, 21H2, 22H2), Windows 11 (21H2, 22H2, 23H2), Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022 (including 23H2) builds was exposed. The flaw was patched in Microsoft's February 2024 Patch Tuesday release (2024-02-13), the same day CISA added it to the KEV catalog, and it is under active exploitation with known ransomware association and a 95.4% EPSS score.

Do: Apply the February 2024 Windows cumulative security update (released 2024-02-13) or any later monthly cumulative update to every affected Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2022 build, and verify patch levels through your endpoint inventory. Because exploitation requires user interaction, as an interim control flag or block .url/Internet Shortcut attachments at email gateways and remind users not to open shortcuts from untrusted sources. Prioritize internet-facing and shared endpoints given the KEV listing and known ransomware use.

Microsoft Outlook Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

The Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (afd.sys) contains a use-after-free flaw (CWE-416) that allows a local attacker to escalate privileges. An attacker who can already execute code on a Windows host — typically after gaining initial access via phishing, malware, or chaining with another vulnerability — triggers the bug to gain SYSTEM-level privileges, giving them near-full control of the machine. Any Windows host running an affected build is exposed to the flaw, though it requires local code execution and is not remotely exploitable on its own. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added the CVE to the KEV catalog on 2024-08-13 and Microsoft shipped fixes in its August 2024 security updates, while the ransomware association is currently listed as unknown. EPSS is elevated at 28.5% (98th percentile), indicating a high likelihood of continued exploitation over the next 30 days.

Do: Apply Microsoft's August 2024 Windows cumulative security updates (released 2024-08-13) across all Windows clients and servers, prioritizing multi-user hosts such as RDS/VDI servers and jump boxes where local code execution by low-privileged users is more likely. After patching, verify installed build numbers and hunt for signs of local privilege escalation, per CISA's KEV required action to apply vendor mitigations or discontinue use. Keep the host within your KEV remediation SLA, as listing in the catalog signals active exploitation.

Microsoft Outlook Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2024-38189 is an improper input validation (CWE-20) remote code execution flaw in Microsoft Project. Triggering it requires user interaction: an attacker supplies a maliciously crafted Project file, and when a user opens it, the parsing flaw allows attacker-controlled input to execute code. Successful exploitation yields code execution in the context of the user who opened the file, with high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability on that endpoint. Per the CPE data, affected deployments include Project 2016 and the Project client shipped with Office 2019, Office LTSC, and Microsoft 365 Apps. The flaw was one of six zero-days Microsoft patched in its August 2024 Patch Tuesday release and was confirmed to be exploited in the wild, earning a CISA KEV listing on 2024-08-13; EPSS assigns an 8.2% 30-day exploitation probability (95th percentile), and no public PoC is known.

Do: Apply Microsoft's August 2024 Patch Tuesday security updates for Microsoft Project/Office (covering Project 2016 and the Project client in Office 2019, Office LTSC, and Microsoft 365 Apps) immediately, per the CISA KEV required action; as an interim measure, caution users against opening Project files from untrusted sources until patched. After updating, verify that the installed Project/Office build reflects the August 2024 security updates.

Windows Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Microsoft Office Spoofing Vulnerability

Summary Microsoft was notified that an elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows Update, potentially enabling an attacker with basic user privileges to reintroduce previously mitigated vulnerabilities or circumvent some features of Virtualization Based Security (VBS). However, an attacker attempting to exploit this vulnerability requires additional interaction by a privileged user to be successful. Microsoft has developed a security update to mitigate this threat which was made available October 08, 2024 and is provided in the Security Updates table of this CVE for customers to download. Note: Depending on your version of Windows, additional steps may be required to update Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to be protected from this vulnerability. Please refer to the FAQ section for more information. Guidance for customers who cannot immediately implement the update is provided in the Recommended Actions section of this CVE to help reduce the risks associated with this vulnerability and to protect their systems. If there are any further updates regarding mitigations for this vulnerability, this CVE will be updated and customers will be notified. We highly encourage customers to subscribe to Security Update Guide notifications to receive an alert if an update occurs. Details A security researcher informed Microsoft of an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Update potentially enabling an attacker with basic user privileges to reintroduce previously mitigated vulnerabilities or circumvent some features of VBS. For exploitation to succeed, an attacker must trick or convince an Administrator or a user with delegated permissions into performing a system restore which inadvertently triggers the vulnerability. Microsoft has developed a security update to mitigate this threat which was made available October 08, 2024 and is provided in the Security Updates table of this CVE for customers to download. Note: Depending on your version of Windows, additional steps may be required to update Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to be protected from this vulnerability. Please refer to the FAQ section for more information. Guidance for customers who cannot immediately implement the update is provided in the Recommended Actions section of this CVE to help reduce the risks associated with this vulnerability and to protect their systems. If there are any further... See more at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38202

A Denial of Service in CLFS.sys in Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2022 allows a malicious authenticated low-privilege user to cause a Blue Screen of Death via a forced call to the KeBugCheckEx function.