Don’t Delete This Empty Folder in Windows 11
Finding an unknown folder or file on your computer can be alarming, not least because malware may install temporary files without your knowledge that allow the infection to hide or spread. If you’re a Windows 11 user, the empty “inetpub” that recently appeared on your computer isn’t malicious—and in fact, it’s crucial to fixing a security vulnerability in your system.
The folder discovered last week by Windows Latest was created on users’ devices during the latest Windows 11 Patch Tuesday update . This is part of a security patch for an elevation of privilege vulnerability ( labeled CVE-2025-21204 ) in the Windows update stack that allows attackers to gain access to modify system files or folders, although Windows Latest reports that Microsoft has not specified how exactly the folder relates to the patch other than offering “enhanced security.”
If you find an inetpub folder on your device, do not delete it . If you already have one, don’t despair—you can restore it to make sure the vulnerability is fixed.
How to recover deleted “inetpub” folder in Windows 11
If you accidentally deleted the empty inetpub folder on your Windows 11 computer, you need to restore it for the security patch to take effect. While you can usually recover deleted files and folders from the Recycle Bin, File History, or Backup (or using recovery software), there is a special process for recovering the inetpub folder , described in Windows Latest :
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Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features .
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Click Turn Windows features on or off to open a dialog box.
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Check the box next to Internet Information Services and click OK .
This will recreate the deleted folder with the same security protection as the original one.