Microsoft Corporation has announced security updates for September that affect a broad range of Microsoft products. Microsoft Corporation typically announces security updates on the second Tuesday of each month.

Updates for Pitt IT-Managed Servers

As part of this month’s update, Pitt IT-managed servers hosted at the University Data Center on the development patch schedule will receive Microsoft’s September patches tonight (Sept. 10) during the routine downtime window between 9 and 11 p.m.  Pitt IT-managed servers on the production patch schedule will receive Microsoft’s September patches on the standard patching schedule. 

Updates for Individual Machines

Pitt Information Technology recommends that users immediately identify and install the security updates necessary to remediate these vulnerabilities by using Microsoft's Windows Update feature on their computers as soon as possible within the following guidelines:

• Install patches addressing zero-day and known exploited vulnerabilities within 14 days of release.
• Critical/high and unknown/unspecified common patches within 30 days of release.
• Low/medium common patches within 90 days of release.

Specific information about the security updates is available on Microsoft’s Security TechCenter, notably the Base Score – or severity rating – for each vulnerability. More information on Base Score/severity ratings is available from sans.org.  Please note that some patches will require a system reboot to take effect.

All University devices should utilize Microsoft Defender for Endpoint/Server as the endpoint protection solution.  Additionally, Pitt IT recommends that students, faculty, and staff utilize an endpoint protection solution such as Microsoft Defender for personally owned devices.

Please submit a request to the Technology Help Desk or call +1-412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions about this announcement. These announcements are led by Pitt IT Security.