Microsoft issues critical Windows 10 alert! Your PC is at risk if you don’t act now

Windows users need to make sure their PCs are fully updated with the latest software to avoid becoming a victim of cyber crime. Microsoft has just pushed out a major security upgrade to its popular operating systems which fix a total of 74 issues with some so serious they have been given a “critical” rating by the Redmond firm. That’s one of the highest alerts and means Microsoft is concerned that some of the bugs could soon be exploited by hackers.

If that wasn’t enough to have you reaching for the download button then there’s more bad news as one of the issues fixed in this latest release has been handed a zero-day rating.

If you weren’t already aware, Zero-day warnings are every gadget owner’s worst nightmare. That’s because it’s possible – and highly likely – the issue is known to hackers and is being actively exploited right now. That’s why Microsoft has rushed to release the patch so quickly in a bid to protect PCs from future attacks.

This bug, which targets a weakness in a component of Windows security, is thought to affect PCs running Window 7 through to Windows 10. It’s unclear if Windows 11 users are also affected but it’s worth checking the security updates even if you are running this latest software from Microsoft.

Explaining more abut the bug, Microsoft said: “An unauthenticated attacker could call a method on the LSARPC interface and coerce the domain controller to authenticate to the attacker using NTLM. This security update detects anonymous connection attempts in LSARPC and disallows it.”

This urgent release is part of Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday security updates and it’s advised that anyone with a Windows PC makes sure they are running the very latest version of their software.

HERE’S HOW TO UPDATE:

In Windows 10, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. To manage your options and see available updates, select Check for Windows updates. Or select the Start button, and then go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

In Windows 11, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. To manage your options and see available updates, select Check for Windows updates. Or select Start > Settings > Windows Update.

This latest update comes as Microsoft has recently issued advice on how to keep PCs protected from hackers.

The guidance was released to coincide with last week’s World Password Day event which aims to highlight the dangers of having poor online security.

The company is now urging its billions of users to make some simple changes to their accounts including going completely password free.

You can read Microsoft’s full advice here.