Security News
Microsoft warned that starting with this week's optional preview updates, temporary mitigation provided one year ago to address Windows Server printing issues on non-compliant devices will be removed, potentially breaking printing. As Redmond explained last year, a known issue might cause print and scan failures on multiple Windows Server versions after installing the July 2021 security updates on Windows domain controllers.
Microsoft has released the optional KB5014666 Preview cumulative update for Windows 10 20H2, Windows 10 21H1, and Windows 10 21H2. This update includes numerous bug fixes and new, unexpected printing features. The KB5014666 cumulative update preview is part of Microsoft's June 2022 monthly "C" update, allowing admins to test fixes in the July 2022 Patch Tuesday.
Microsoft has released the optional KB5007253 Preview cumulative update for Windows 10 2004, Windows 10 20H2, Windows 10 21H1, and Windows 10 21H2. Microsoft claims this update fixes network printing issues causing 0x000006e4, 0x0000007c, or 0x00000709 error codes to be displayed. The KB5007253 cumulative update preview is part of Microsoft's September 2021 monthly "C" update, allowing admins to test fixes coming as part of the December 2021 Patch Tuesday.
A Windows security update released in October caused widespread Windows 10 and Windows 11 issues where users experience 0x0000007c errors when adding or printing to network printers. Once again, these fixes caused a wide range of network printing problems, where Windows users started receiving 0x00000709 and 0x0000007c errors when attempting to print.
Microsoft says Windows customers are experiencing issues with network printing after installing the Windows 11 KB5006674 and Windows 10 KB5006670 updates issued with this month's Patch Tuesday, on October 12. Client: Windows 11, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 21H1; Windows 10, version 20H2; Windows 10, version 2004; Windows 10, version 1909; Windows 10, version 1809; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019; Windows 10, version 1607; Windows 8.1; Windows 7 SP1. Server: Windows Server 2022; Windows Server, version 20H2; Windows Server, version 2004; Windows Server, version 1909; Windows Server, version 1809; Windows Server 2008 SP2. As Redmond explains, this known issue affecting printing on both client and server Windows platforms is specific to printer servers which are more commonly found in enterprise environments.
Microsoft has released the optional KB5006738 Preview cumulative update for Windows 10 2004, Windows 10 20H2, and Windows 10 21H1. Microsoft says this update and a separate Windows Server preview update will fix all outstanding printing issues affecting users since they mitigated the PrintNightmare vulnerabilities. The KB5006738 cumulative update is part of Microsoft's September 2021 monthly "C" update, allowing Windows users to test upcoming fixes before they are released as part of the upcoming November 2021 Patch Tuesday.
Microsoft has fixed multiple known issues impacting printing on Windows 11 with the release of the optional KB5006746 cumulative update preview on Thursday. Windows 11 users can also manually download and deploy the cumulative update preview from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
Windows 10 users and administrators report widescale network printing issues after installing the KB5006670 cumulative update and other updates released this week. Since installing the KB5006670 update, users are reporting that they cannot print to network print servers, with some users receiving 0x00000709 or 'Element not found' errors when attempting to print.
Thingiverse, a site that hosts free-to-use 3D printer designs, has suffered a data breach - and at least 228,000 unlucky users' email addresses have been circulating on black-hat crime forums. News of the breach came from Have I Been Pwned, whose maintainer Troy Hunt uploaded the 228,000 breached email addresses to the site after being tipped off to their circulation on the forums.
Microsoft's Patch Tuesday update last week was meant to fix print vulnerabilities in Windows but also broke network printing for many, with some admins disabling security or removing the patch to get it working. Microsoft's fix was in two phases, first to add a registry setting to increase the authorization level for remote access to printers and second, to inform admins that "The release transitions into the enforcement phase on September 14, 2021. Enforcement phase enforces the changes to address CVE-2021-1678 by increasing the authorization level without having to set the registry value." That September date was "Patch Tuesday" last week - though some admins were already having issues with network printing caused by Microsoft's other mitigation efforts.