ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The August Patch Tuesday update for Windows fixes 107 security flaws.
- Among all the security flaws, 13 are ranked as critical.
- Also adds the new Black Screen of Death and Quick Machine Recovery.
Microsoft’s August Patch Tuesday update adds a couple of cool new features. But the main reason you’ll want to install it is to squash a large array of security bugs.
Patches 107 flaws, including 13 critical
Released this past Tuesday, the latest Windows update patches 107 different security flaws in total, with 13 of them marked as critical. As usual, the monthly update is aimed at all current versions of Windows, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.
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Across the board, the patches fix security flaws in core Windows features such as File Explorer, Remote Desktop, and Hyper-V, as well as bugs in Microsoft Office, Edge, and Teams. Among the 13 critical vulnerabilities, nine concern remote code execution, in which an attacker could remotely run malicious code on a targeted PC.
One is a zero-day vulnerability
Out of the 107 bugs patched in August, only one is a zero-day vulnerability.
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Designated as CVE-2025-53779, this one points to a flaw in the Windows Kerberos authentication system, which is used to verify the identity of users in an Active Directory Domain. Based on Microsoft’s description, someone who exploited this bug could gain domain administrator privileges. However, the hacker would need elevated access to certain attributes of the dMSA (Delegated Managed Service Account), a special account that manages user credentials.
Major new features
Beyond the security flaws, there are a couple of major new features in the August update.
The infamous Blue Screen of Death has turned into the equally infamous Black Screen of Death. Beyond a new paint job, the screen has ditched the smiley face and QR code but displays an error code at the bottom along with the name of the driver or other file that triggered the crash.
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Also included is the new Quick Machine Recovery, an option that attempts to automatically repair your PC in the event of a boot problem. When a critical boot-up glitch occurs, your PC will enter WinRE mode, connect to your network, and then send diagnostic data to Microsoft. Based on that data, a specific fix for the issue is sent to your PC via Windows Update. If the fix is successful, your PC should then be able to boot up without further trouble.
The new Black Screen of Death and Quick Machine Recovery rolled out last month in an optional release preview. But the monthly Patch Tuesday updates are designed to automatically install on your PC.
How to check for the update
To check for this latest update, head to Settings and select Windows Update. The update should appear on its own. If not, click the button to check for updates and allow the latest one to download and install.
Source: Robotics - zdnet.com
