Who defends the Windows Defender?
This week we have learned of a serious bug with Windows Defender which could effectively hand over control to an attacker simply by receiving a carefully crafted email – without you even opening it. The researchers with Google Project Zero responsible for finding the bug, Travis Ormandy and Natalie Silvanovich, tweeted that this was “the worst Windows remote code exec in recent memory.” We would highly recommend if you are using Windows Defender to update the protection engine as soon as possible.You may remember last year we published an article called, “Hard Shell – Soft Center.” This article typified the common strategy of protecting company networks at the physical perimeter level only and having a reduced security presence once inside the network.
We have since learned that our concerns on this type of strategy have been realized, having learned that network security is falling behind as it is unable to dynamically change to meet the ever-increasing threats to company property.Our clients must include a multi-factor protection strategy which includes both protection at the perimeter supported by a routine patching process.
This is what we like to call a software perimeter, and requires you to follow some simple steps to protect your environment from the inside. Should you need some free advice to get started, click here.
Microsoft Updates
The May security release consists of security updates for the following software;
- Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office Services and Web Apps
- NET Framework
- Adobe Flash Player
We have chosen a few updates to prioritize this month, this recommendation has been made using evidence from industry experts (including our own) and anticipated business impact.
| KB Info | Product | Platform | Severity | Impact |
| 4019473 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019473 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019472 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019472 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019474 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019474 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4016871 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4016871 | Microsoft Edge | Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019473 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019215 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019215 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019473 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019472 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019472 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019264 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019474 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019264 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows Server 2012 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows RT 8.1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows Server 2016 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4020821 | Adobe Flash Player | Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4018466 | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019474 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019215 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows RT 8.1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4016871 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4016871 | Internet Explorer 11 | Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution |
| 4019264 | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019215 | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019473 | Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4018466 | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4018466 | Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019215 | Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019215 | Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019264 | Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019214 | Windows Server 2012 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4018466 | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019473 | Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019472 | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019472 | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019264 | Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019474 | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019214 | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019264 | Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019264 | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019215 | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019474 | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019215 | Windows RT 8.1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019472 | Windows Server 2016 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4019472 | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4016871 | Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4016871 | Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Microsoft Forefront Security for SharePoint Service Pack 3 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | ||
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 Version 1511 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows RT 8.1 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows Server 2016 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Defender | Windows 10 Version 1703 for 32-bit Systems | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| 4018466 | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Critical | Remote Code Execution | |
| Windows Intune Endpoint Protection | Critical | Remote Code Execution | ||
| Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 | Critical | Remote Code Execution | ||
| Microsoft Security Essentials |
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