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Microsoft Fixes 57 Vulnerabilities in Latest Patch Tuesday

What is Patch Tuesday?

Why Patch Tuesday Matters for Cybersecurity?

 How Patch Tuesday Works?

Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday is a monthly event where the tech giant releases security updates to address vulnerabilities in its software. These updates are critical for protecting systems from cyberattacks and ensuring the safety of user data. Patch Tuesday is a cornerstone of Microsoft’s cybersecurity strategy, helping users stay ahead of emerging threats.

Microsoft’s Latest Patch Tuesday: Key Highlights

 

 57 Security Flaws Addressed:

Breakdown of Vulnerability Severity:

Most Critical Vulnerabilities Fixed:

In March 2025, Microsoft released its Patch Tuesday update, addressing 57 security flaws, with additional third-party vulnerabilities bringing the total closer to 70. Among these, six actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities were patched, making this update particularly urgent for users and businesses.

Active Zero-Day Exploits: What You Need to Know

What Are Zero-Day Vulnerabilities?

 Details of the Zero-Days Patched

 Impact on Businesses and Users

How Microsoft Addressed These Threats

Zero-day vulnerabilities are security flaws that attackers exploit before developers can release a fix. In this Patch Tuesday, Microsoft addressed six such vulnerabilities:

CVE-2025-26633: A flaw in Microsoft Management Console that allows attackers to bypass protections by tricking users into opening malicious files or websites. Rated 7.8/10 in severity.

CVE-2025-24993: A memory bug in Windows enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code. Requires physical access to the system. Severity: 7.8/10.

CVE-2025-24991: A Windows flaw allowing attackers to access small portions of memory by tricking users into opening malicious disk image files. Severity: 5.5/10.

CVE-2025-24985: A math error in Windows’ file system that lets attackers run malicious code via harmful disk image files. Severity: 7.8/10.

CVE-2025-24984: A bug that accidentally writes sensitive information to log files, requiring physical access via a malicious USB drive. Severity: 4.6/10.

CVE-2025-24983: A timing vulnerability in Windows that grants full system control to attackers with physical access. Severity: 7.0/10.

Microsoft also addressed a seventh vulnerability, a remote code execution bug in Windows Access, which, while publicly disclosed, is not yet actively exploited.

Why These Updates Are Critical for Your Security?

 Risks of Unpatched Systems:

 How Attackers Exploit These Vulnerabilities:

Unpatched systems are a goldmine for cybercriminals. The zero-day vulnerabilities fixed in this update could allow attackers to:

Bypass security protections.

Execute malicious code remotely.

Gain full control of systems.

Access sensitive data.

Immediate patching is essential to prevent these exploits and protect your systems from potential breaches.

Additional Security Vulnerabilities Patched

Remote Desktop Client Flaws:

CVE-2025-26645: A Path Traversal Vulnerability:

One of the most concerning vulnerabilities patched this month is CVE-2025-26645, a path traversal flaw in the Remote Desktop Client. If a user connects to a compromised Remote Desktop Server, attackers can execute code on the user’s system without any interaction.

Microsoft also highlighted critical remote code execution vulnerabilities in:

Windows Subsystem for Linux

Windows DNS Server

Remote Desktop Service

Microsoft Office

Administrators are urged to prioritize patching these vulnerabilities to safeguard their networks.

Steps to Protect Your Systems


How to Apply the Latest Patches:

For Windows Users:
 
For Enterprise IT Teams:

Best Practices for Staying Secure:


To protect your systems:

Apply the March 2025 Patch Tuesday updates immediately.

Enable automatic updates to ensure you’re always protected.

Educate users about phishing and social engineering tactics to prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-26633.

Monitor systems for unusual activity, especially if physical access is a concern.

For enterprise IT teams, consider implementing a patch management policy to streamline updates across your organization.

What’s Next for Microsoft and Cybersecurity?


Future Trends in Patch Management:


How to Stay Ahead of Emerging Threats:

As cyber threats evolve, Microsoft continues to enhance its Patch Tuesday process to address vulnerabilities more efficiently. Staying ahead of threats requires:

Regularly updating systems.

Investing in advanced threat detection tools.

Educating employees about cybersecurity best practices.

Conclusion

Microsoft’s March 2025 Patch Tuesday is a critical update, addressing 57 security flaws, including six actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities. Immediate action is essential to protect your systems from potential attacks. By applying these patches and following best practices, you can safeguard your data and maintain a secure environment.

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On-Boarding Devices on Defender for Endpoint

Introduction to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations face a mounting challenge in safeguarding their sensitive data, devices, and systems from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) emerges as a comprehensive, enterprise-grade endpoint security solution designed to provide advanced threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities. By leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and behavioral analytics, MDE offers organizations a proactive and holistic approach to endpoint security.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integrates seamlessly with the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem, creating a unified security framework. This enables security teams to gain deep visibility into potential vulnerabilities and incidents across their IT environment while providing the tools and insights needed to act swiftly. MDE not only protects endpoints—including desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices—but also empowers organizations with tools to mitigate risks and reduce attack surfaces. Its cloud-powered architecture ensures scalability and reliability, making it an essential tool for modern enterprises seeking robust protection.

What sets Microsoft Defender for Endpoint apart is its ability to deliver proactive defense mechanisms through intelligent threat analytics and automated responses. It supports hybrid environments, offering the flexibility needed to protect assets regardless of whether they reside on premises, in the cloud, or in a combination of both. As a result, businesses of all sizes can benefit from their comprehensive security features, reducing the risk of breaches while enhancing operational resilience.

Features of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides an array of powerful features designed to deliver unparalleled endpoint protection. These features can be broadly categorized into prevention, detection, investigation, and response capabilities. Below is an overview of its key features:

 

Threat and Vulnerability Management:

 

  • Proactively identifies and mitigates vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.
  • Offers actionable insights through risk-based prioritization, enabling organizations to address the most critical vulnerabilities first.

  • Attack Surface Reduction

    • Reduces potential entry points for attackers by enforcing security policies such as application control, network protection, and exploit protection.
    • Includes hardware-level security integration with Windows devices, such as Secure Boot and Device Guard.

  • Next-Generation Protection

    • Provides real-time protection against known and unknown malware and fileless attacks through advanced AI and behavioral monitoring.
    • Leverages Microsoft’s extensive threat intelligence network to stay ahead of emerging threats.

  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

    • Continuously monitors endpoints for suspicious activities and provides in-depth alerts.
    • Offers detailed forensic data to aid in root cause analysis and threat containment.
    • Supports automated and manual response actions to isolate or remediate compromised endpoints.

  • Automated Investigation and Remediation

    • Uses AI to investigate alerts, identify the scope of threats, and recommend or implement remediation actions.
    • Reduces the burden on security teams by automating routine tasks while maintaining precision and reliability.

  • Threat Intelligence

    • Provides rich threat intelligence sourced from Microsoft’s vast network of global telemetry.
    • Helps security teams understand attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to bolster defenses.

Cross-Platform Support

  • Extends protection beyond Windows to macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android devices.
  •  Ensures consistent security posture across diverse environments

  • Integration with Microsoft Security Ecosystem

    • Works seamlessly with other Microsoft security solutions like Azure Sentinel, Microsoft 365 Defender, and Office 365 security features.
    • Facilitates centralized management and monitoring through the Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Center.

  • Advanced Hunting

    • Empowers security teams with custom query capabilities to investigate complex threats and anomalies.
    • Uses a rich set of data schemas, enabling deep searches into endpoint telemetry.

  • Compliance and Reporting

    • Offers robust reporting features to support compliance with industry regulations and standards.
    • Includes customizable dashboards and metrics to track security posture and trends over time.

  • Cloud-Delivered Architecture

    • Eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure, reducing operational complexity and enabling rapid deployment.
    • Ensures scalability and real-time updates to protect against emerging threats.

  • User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA)

    • Monitors user and device behavior to identify deviations indicative of potential insider threats or compromised accounts.
    • Combines machine learning with context-aware analytics for better accuracy.

By combining these features, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint delivers comprehensive protection against modern cyber threats. Its ability to integrate with existing workflows and provide actionable insights ensures that organizations can stay ahead of attackers while optimizing their security operations.

Onboarding:

Onboarding Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via Group Policy Objects (GPO) streamlines the deployment process for enterprises with Active Directory environments. Administrators can use GPO to configure and distribute onboarding packages across multiple devices, ensuring consistent and efficient activation of Defender for Endpoint. This approach simplifies management by leveraging existing policies and infrastructure, reducing the need for manual intervention on individual devices. With GPO, settings like diagnostic data collection and endpoint telemetry can be predefined, ensuring compliance with organizational security standards during deployment. 

Login to the defender portal:

https://Security.microsoft.com

Defender for Endpoint
Defender for Endpoint
Configuring Group Policy
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint onboarding process step-by-step

 Download the Onboarding Package from the defender portal as shown below.

Download the Onboarding Package from the defender portal as shown below.
Leveraging AI and ML for enterprise endpoint protection, Managing cross-platform endpoint security with Microsoft Defender, Deployment of Defender for Endpoint using domain controllers, Scalable cloud-powered endpoint protection for enterprises, Setting up attack surface reduction policies with Microsoft Defender, Unified endpoint security solutions for enterprise IT environments
Best practices for onboarding endpoints in hybrid environments
How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO

Open the GP configuration package file (WindowsDefenderATPOnboardingPackage.zip) that you downloaded from the service onboarding wizard. You can also get the package from the Microsoft Defender portal:

  • In the navigation pane, select Settings > Endpoints > Device management > Onboarding.
  • Select the operating system.
  • In the Deployment method field, select Group policy.
  • Click Download package and save the .zip file.
Advanced threat prevention with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Now Proceed to Domain Controller and Paste the Downloaded Package from the defender portal.

 

Extract the contents of the .zip file to a shared, read-only location that can be accessed by the device. You should have a folder called OptionalParamsPolicy and the file WindowsDefenderATPOnboardingScript.cmd.

Automating endpoint onboarding using Group Policy Objects
Defender for Endpoint

To create a new GPO, open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), right-click Group Policy Objects you want to configure and click New. Enter the name of the new GPO in the dialogue box that is displayed and click OK.

Defender for Endpoint
Unified endpoint security solutions for enterprise IT environments
Unified endpoint security solutions for enterprise IT environments
Leveraging AI and ML for enterprise endpoint protection

Open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), right-click the Group Policy Object (GPO) you want to configure and click Edit.

Microsoft Endpoint Security
Microsoft Endpoint Security,

In the Group Policy Management Editor, go to Computer configuration, then Preferences, and then Control panel settings.

Right-click Scheduled tasks, point to New, and then click Immediate Task (At least Windows 7)

Advanced Hunting

In the Task window that opens, go to the General tab. Under Security options click Change User or Group and type SYSTEM and then click Check Names then OK. NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM appears as the user account the task will run as.

Select Run whether user is logged on or not and check the Run with highest privileges check box.

In the Name field, type an appropriate name for the scheduled task (for example, Defender for Endpoint Deployment).

Advanced Hunting, Security Management
Advanced Hunting, Security Management

Go to the Actions tab and select New… Ensure that Start a program is selected in the Action field. Enter the UNC path, using the file server’s fully qualified domain name (FQDN), of the shared WindowsDefenderATPOnboardingScript.cmd file.

Defender for Endpoint
Endpoint Detection, How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO
Endpoint Detection, How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO
Endpoint Detection, How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO
Endpoint Detection, How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO
Endpoint Detection, How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO
Endpoint Detection, How to onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint via GPO

To link the GPO to an Organization Unit (OU), right-click and select Link an existing GPO. In the dialogue box that is displayed, select the Group Policy Object that you wish to link. Click OK.

Unified endpoint security solutions for enterprise IT environments
Unified endpoint security solutions for enterprise IT environments
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On the Endpoint PC you can Run gpupdate /Force to enforce the applied policy

Ready to Simplify Your Device Onboarding with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?

At ITCS, we specialize in streamlining the deployment and management of enterprise-grade security solutions like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Whether you’re onboarding devices, configuring Group Policy Objects, or need expert guidance to enhance your endpoint security strategy, we’ve got you covered.

Contact ITCS today to ensure your organization stays protected against evolving cyber threats with seamless and efficient solutions. Let’s secure your endpoints together!

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What is Quarantined Mail and How to Deal With It?

Have you ever received an email that was mysteriously labeled as “quarantined” by your email provider? If so, you’re not alone. Many people have encountered this perplexing situation and wondered what it means and why it happens. In this post, we will delve into the mystery of quarantined email and shed some light on this often misunderstood phenomenon.

Firstly, let’s define what a quarantined email is. A quarantined email is essentially an email that has been flagged by your email provider as potentially harmful or suspicious. This means that the email has been isolated or “quarantined” from your inbox and placed in a separate folder for further inspection. This is done to protect you from potential threats such as viruses, spam, or phishing attempts. 

Are you stuck with quarantined mail? If so, we’ve compiled a tutorial blog for your ease so follow the steps below to effectively resolve this issue. 

STEP #1:

STEP #1: To open the Microsoft 365 Defender portal, go to https://security.microsoft.com. Go to Review.
 STEP #2:
  • Go to Quarantine.
  • Select the email that you want to release.
STEP #1: Go to Quarantine. Select the email that you want to release.

Why Email Quarantines:

In Microsoft 365 organizations with mailboxes in Exchange Online or standalone Exchange Online Protection (EOP) organizations without Exchange Online mailboxes, quarantine is available to hold potentially dangerous or unwanted messages.

Whether a detected message is quarantined by default depends on the following factors:

In conclusion, the mystery of quarantined email is not so mysterious after all. It is a precautionary measure taken by email providers to protect users from potential threats. By understanding the reasons behind quarantined emails and following the necessary steps, we can ensure the safety and security of our email inboxes.
 

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