Install the Latest Windows 10 Patch to Block Two Serious Vulnerabilities
Downloading a Windows update can be risky these days , but Windows 10 Patch Tuesday this week seems more important than most. The update includes many important security fixes, including fixes for two actively exploited vulnerabilities in Windows Adobe Type Manager that affect all Windows 10 users.
The two vulnerabilities under review, designated CVE-2020-1020 and CVE-2020-0938, could allow hackers to remotely execute malicious code and even install malware embedded in document or web page font files. To be attacked, the user does not even need to open the infected document. A simple preview of the file in Windows Explorer is sufficient to launch any malicious code it detects. The threat is so serious that even the US government is telling people to launch this update .
CVE-2020-1020 and CVE-2020-0938 have been heavily used by hackers since at least March, but Microsoft was unable to resolve the issue until a fix was released this week. The patch also fixes 133 other security issues, 15 of which Microsoft has identified as potential threats. You can read the full patch notes here for full details of all fixes.
How to install the April 2020 Windows security update
The update should be available to everyone, and some will probably already have it installed if you have automatic updates turned on. But if you haven’t updated or don’t know how to do it, here’s how to install the patch:
- Open the Windows Start menu.
- Click the gear-shaped settings icon.
- Go to Update & Security> Windows Update to check for the hotfix. (You may see a yellow “!” Notice when opening the settings menu if an update is already pending).
- Click Download to install the patch.
- Wait for it to finish, then restart your computer when prompted.
Despite Microsoft’s repeated history of undercooked and broken Windows updates, these vulnerabilities are serious enough that you should update them immediately. At the time of writing this post, there are no bugs or unexpected compatibility issues, and hopefully it will be as more people install it. However, it never hurts to back up your system (or your critical files) before installing any decent sized Windows update. And in case something goes wrong, be sure to keep a hand our leaders to remove the latest Windows updates .