October 8, 2024—KB5044281 (OS Build 20348.2762)

Improvements

This security update includes quality improvements. Below is a summary of the key issues that this update addresses when you install this KB. If there are new features, it lists them as well. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting. 

• [Software Defined Networking (SDN)] New! The SDN API now performs better for large-scale deployments. Watch for load balancer connectivity issues after you install this update. If you have any, move the SDNAPI microservice to another node. An SDN admin can move the service. To do that, use the Move-ServiceFabricPrimaryReplica PowerShell cmdlet.

• [MSIX applications] Fixed: When you install them from an HTTPS URI, they fail to open. This issue occurs when the download of the app is not complete. This damages the package.

• [Task Manager] Fixed: It stops responding when you select the “Performance” tab.

• [Direct Composition batched presentations] Fixed: A brief flash of triangles or boxes show on the screen. This issue affects browsers, like Microsoft Edge, and other apps.

• [Input Method Editor (IME)] Fixed: When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.

• [AppLocker] Fixed: The rule collection enforcement mode is not overwritten when rules merge with a collection that has no rules. This occurs when the enforcement mode is set to “Not Configured.”

• ​​​​​​​[Remote Desktop (known issue)] Fixed: Windows Servers might disrupt Remote Desktop connections across your company. This issue might occur if you use a legacy protocol in the Remote Desktop Gateway. An example protocol is Remote Procedure Call over HTTP. If the issue occurs, it is sporadic, like every 30 minutes. At that point, you lose sessions that you are signed in to. Then you must reconnect to the server. IT admins can track this as an end to the TSGateway service. It stops responding, with the exception code 0xc0000005.

• [Containers (known issue)] Fixed: Container networking on Kubernetes might not work as you expect. Containers fail to reach external networks or communicate between pods. It might affect you when you use Calico to set up container networking on development or production instances. If affected, containers will not connect to the internet. The host’s firewall also blocks network traffic. When you ping external addresses, like ‘microsoft.com,’ you might get a general failure error message.

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

For more information about security vulnerabilities, please refer to the Security Update Guide and the October 2024 Security Updates.

Known issues in this update

How to get this update

Before you install this update

​​​​​​​Microsoft now combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for your operating system with the latest cumulative update (LCU). For general information about SSUs, see Servicing stack updates and Servicing Stack Updates (SSU): Frequently Asked Questions.

Prerequisite for offline OS image servicing:

​​​​​​​Make sure that your image includes KB5030216 (09/12/2023) or a later LCU. If not, install it on your offline media before you install the latest update. This LCU updates the SSU version to 20348.1960. That is the minimum SSU version you must have to prevent error 0x800f0823 (CBS_E_NEW_SERVICING_STACK_REQUIRED).

Install this update

To install this update, use one of the following Windows and Microsoft release channels.

File Information

For a list of the files that are provided in this update, download the file information for cumulative update 5044281. 

For a list of the files that are provided in the servicing stack update, download the file information for the SSU (KB5044414) - version 20348.2750.