As committed by Microsoft, the Windows 10 19H1 version 1903 will hit the update server anytime this May 2019. But prior to the quality feature upgrade for its flagship operating system, the software giant has unleashed routine patches that will boost performance and fix identified bugs, and the correction will address as well the stability of the upcoming OS bump.
Notably packed with the latest Patch Tuesday deployment are crucial fixes for the Windows zero-day exploit and the intended mitigation for possible MDS attacks. The zero-day patch was designed to correct the handling of Windows Error Reporting (WER) files in order to plug the holes that Microsoft engineers have identified.
On the other hand, the MDS mitigations are meant to patch the vulnerabilities seen on CPU hardware design flaws, which according to Microsoft will likely affect specific Intel processing chips that have been released since 2010 and 2011. This cluster of Intel CPUs is said to include built-in exploits that give a window for possible MDS attacks.
With the patch now seeding out, however, users have an extra layer of protection and it applies to all supported Windows version, ZDNet reported. The latest patch implementation will see the correction of 79 security flaws, the report added.
While Microsoft is at it, the company also provided a Cumulative Update for Windows 10 version 1903 that first will arrive for those in the Slow and Release Preview Ring of the Windows Insider program. Labeled as KB4497936, the upgrade will bring the Insider participants to Build 18362.113 following installation.
The issued changelog discusses the things to expect below:
- Provides protection against a new subclass of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities, known as Microarchitectural Data Sampling, for 64-Bit (x64) versions of Windows (CVE-2018-11091, CVE-2018-12126, CVE-2018-12127, CVE-2018-12130). Use the registry settings as described in the Windows Client and Windows Server articles. (These registry settings are enabled by default for Windows Client OS editions and Windows Server OS editions).
- Addresses an issue that decreases Internet Explorer's performance when you use roaming profiles or you don't use the Microsoft Compatibility List.
- Addresses an issue that may cause the text, layout, or cell size to become narrower or wider than expected in Microsoft Excel when using the MS UI Gothic or MS PGothic fonts.
This new round of patches is believed to be the last, barring the detection of serious glitches at the 11th hour, should pave the way for Microsoft to finally open the gates and let out the new Windows 10 feature upgrade that is codenamed 19H1.
Originally, Windows 10 version 1903 was set to touch down last month but Microsoft opted for a pushback to ensure that the actual seeding will be free of issues. So it's safe to assume now that the Windows 10 May 2019 Update should be out in the open anytime from today.
