Security News > 2021 > September > Microsoft Releases Patch for Actively Exploited Windows Zero-Day Vulnerability

Microsoft Releases Patch for Actively Exploited Windows Zero-Day Vulnerability
2021-09-14 22:00

A day after Apple and Google rolled out urgent security updates, Microsoft has pushed software fixes as part of its monthly Patch Tuesday release cycle to plug 66 security holes affecting Windows and other components such as Azure, Office, BitLocker, and Visual Studio, including an actively exploited zero-day in its MSHTML Platform that came to light last week.

Of the 66 flaws, three are rated Critical, 62 are rated Important, and one is rated Moderate in severity.

The most important of the updates concerns a patch for CVE-2021-40444, an actively exploited remote code execution vulnerability in MSHTML that leverages malware-laced Microsoft Office documents, with EXPMON researchers noting "The exploit uses logical flaws so the exploitation is perfectly reliable."

Also addressed is a publicly disclosed, but not actively exploited, zero-day flaw in Windows DNS. Designated as CVE-2021-36968, the elevation of privilege vulnerability is rated 7.8 in severity.

Other flaws of note resolved by Microsoft involve a number of remote code execution bugs in Open Management Infrastructure, Windows WLAN AutoConfig Service, Office, Visual Studio, and Word as well as a memory corruption flaw in Windows Scripting Engine.

What's more, the Windows maker has rectified three privilege escalation flaws newly uncovered in its Print Spooler service, while CVE-2021-36975 and CVE-2021-38639, both of which relate to an elevation of privilege vulnerabilities in Win32k, are listed as 'exploitation more likely,' making it imperative that users move quickly to apply the security updates.


News URL

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Related Vulnerability

DATE CVE VULNERABILITY TITLE RISK
2021-09-15 CVE-2021-40444 Path Traversal vulnerability in Microsoft products
<p>Microsoft is investigating reports of a remote code execution vulnerability in MSHTML that affects Microsoft Windows.
network
low complexity
microsoft CWE-22
8.8
2021-09-15 CVE-2021-38639 Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in Microsoft products
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
local
low complexity
microsoft CWE-269
7.8
2021-09-15 CVE-2021-36975 Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in Microsoft products
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
local
low complexity
microsoft CWE-269
7.8
2021-09-15 CVE-2021-36968 Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008
Windows DNS Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
local
low complexity
microsoft CWE-269
7.8

Related vendor

VENDOR LAST 12M #/PRODUCTS LOW MEDIUM HIGH CRITICAL TOTAL VULNS
Microsoft 701 838 4677 4339 3722 13576