October 8, 2024—KB5044281 (OS Build 20348.2762)

For information about Windows update terminology, see the article about the types of Windows updates and the monthly quality update types. For an overview of Windows Server 2022, see its update history page.

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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.

Windows Server 2022 servicing stack update (KB5044414) - 20348.2750

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.

Known issues in this update

Symptom	Workaround
Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) service fails to start, preventing SSH connections. The service fails with no detailed logging, and manual intervention is required to run the sshd.exe process. This issue is affecting both enterprise, IOT, and education customers, with a limited number of devices impacted. Microsoft is investigating whether consumer customers using Home or Pro editions of Windows are affected.	Customers can temporarily resolve the issue by updating permissions (ACLs) on the affected directories. Follow these steps: Open PowerShell as an Administrator. Update the permissions for C:\ProgramData\ssh and C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs to allow full control for SYSTEM and the Administrators group, while allowing read access for Authenticated Users. You can restrict read access to specific users or groups by modifying the permissions string if needed. Use the following commands to update the permissions: $directoryPath = "C:\ProgramData\ssh" $acl = Get-Acl -Path $directoryPath $sddlString = "O:BAD:PAI(A;OICI;FA;;;SY)(A;OICI;FA;;;BA)(A;OICI;0x1200a9;;;AU)" $securityDescriptor = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RawSecurityDescriptor $sddlString $acl.SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm($securityDescriptor.GetSddlForm("All")) Set-Acl -Path $directoryPath -AclObject $acl Repeat the above steps for C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs. Microsoft is actively investigating the issue and will provide a resolution in an upcoming Windows update. Further communications will be provided when a resolution or additional workarounds are available.

Symptom

Workaround

Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) service fails to start, preventing SSH connections. The service fails with no detailed logging, and manual intervention is required to run the sshd.exe process.

This issue is affecting both enterprise, IOT, and education customers, with a limited number of devices impacted. Microsoft is investigating whether consumer customers using Home or Pro editions of Windows are affected.

Customers can temporarily resolve the issue by updating permissions (ACLs) on the affected directories. Follow these steps:

Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
Update the permissions for C:\ProgramData\ssh and C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs to allow full control for SYSTEM and the Administrators group, while allowing read access for Authenticated Users. You can restrict read access to specific users or groups by modifying the permissions string if needed.

Use the following commands to update the permissions:

$directoryPath = "C:\ProgramData\ssh" $acl = Get-Acl -Path $directoryPath $sddlString = "O:BAD:PAI(A;OICI;FA;;;SY)(A;OICI;FA;;;BA)(A;OICI;0x1200a9;;;AU)" $securityDescriptor = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RawSecurityDescriptor $sddlString $acl.SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm($securityDescriptor.GetSddlForm("All")) Set-Acl -Path $directoryPath -AclObject $acl
Repeat the above steps for C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs.

Microsoft is actively investigating the issue and will provide a resolution in an upcoming Windows update. Further communications will be provided when a resolution or additional workarounds are available.

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.

Windows Update Business Catalog Server Update Services

Available	Next Step
Yes	None. This update will be downloaded and installed automatically from Windows Update and Microsoft Update.

Available	Next Step
Yes	None. This update will be downloaded and installed automatically from Windows Update for Business in accordance with configured policies.

Available	Next Step
Yes	To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Available

Next Step

Yes

This update will automatically sync with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) if you configure Products and Classifications as follows:

Product: Microsoft Server operating system-21H2

Classification: Security Updates

If you want to remove the LCU

To remove the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM/Remove-Package command line option with the LCU package name as the argument. You can find the package name by using this command: DISM /online /get-packages.

Running Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe) with the /uninstall switch on the combined package will not work because the combined package contains the SSU. You cannot remove the SSU from the system after installation.

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.

October 8, 2024—KB5044281 (OS Build 20348.2762)

Improvements

Windows Server 2022 servicing stack update (KB5044414) - 20348.2750

Known issues in this update

How to get this update

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