Major security risk prompts Windows update (8, Server 2003, XP)

Yesterday, we told you about a new round of security patches heading out to Windows XP. This is unprecedented, not only because Microsoft had long ago discontinued XP extended support, but also because Microsoft already pushed out security updates to XP last month. Windows XP isn't the only legacy operating system getting this new round of vital updates, as Windows 8 and Windows Server 2003 are getting them as well.

So, why is Microsoft pushing these out the door? It largely seems to be in response to last month's "WannaCry" ransomware. The fast-spreading attack left a lot of users on legacy Windows operating systems crippled, prompting Microsoft to patch the vulnerabilities despite the fact that these OSes are supposed to be unsupported.

It would appear that May's security updates don't leave Microsoft entirely at ease, though. In a new post to Microsoft's Windows blog, Adrienne Hall explains that new vulnerabilities have been discovered and they require Microsoft's attention. Though nothing seems to have come from these vulnerabilities yet, government organizations could exploit them, just like they did with the WannaCry ransomware.

However, while Microsoft is once again patching these older operating systems, you shouldn't get used to this kind of special attention. Microsoft stresses that this won't be a common occurrence, and urges people using outdated Windows operating systems to upgrade to a newer one like Windows 10 or Windows 8.1. It's important to note that all Windows users are getting these security updates, including those who are on currently-supported Windows software.

Therefore, the vulnerabilities Microsoft is looking to patch don't just affect old, now unsupported OSes. Hopefully these new security updates patch out whatever risk there was for good, but as is the case with these unsupported operating systems, that security may not last for long. We'll see if Microsoft is driven to push out any additional security updates next month, so stay tuned.

SOURCE: Microsoft