Today is the first patch day of the year 2021. Microsoft released security updates and non-security updates for the company’s Windows operating system and other company products such as Microsoft Office.
In this guide, you will get a full overview of everything that is important in regards to the released updates. We provide you with an executive summary, links to support pages, download links, the list of known issues, the vulnerability distribution of each operating system version that is supported, and more.
Check out the December 2020 Patch overview in case you missed it.
Microsoft Windows Security Updates January 2021
You can download the following Excel spreadsheet to your system; it contains a list of released security updates for Microsoft’s Windows platform. Click on the following link to download it to your system: Security Updates 2021-01-12-083940pm
Executive Summary
- Microsoft released security updates for all supported client and server Windows products.
- No critically rated vulnerabilities for client and server versions of Windows.
- Security updates are also available for Microsoft Office, Microsoft Edge, Azure, Visual Studio, Windows Codecs Library, SQL Server, Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, .NET Core, .NET Repository, and ASP .NET
Operating System Distribution
- Windows 7 (extended support only): 5 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 5 important
- Windows 8.1: 7 vulnerabilities: 0 rated critical and 7 rated important
- Windows 10 version 1809: 13 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 13 important
- Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909: 13 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 13 important
- Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2: 13 vulnerabilities, 0 critical, 13 important
Windows Server products
- Windows Server 2008 R2 (extended support only):5 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 5 important
- Windows Server 2012 R2: 8 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 8 important.
- Windows Server 2016: 8 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 8 important.
- Windows Server 2019: 8 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 8 important.
Other Microsoft Products
- Internet Explorer 11: nothing listed
- Microsoft Edge (classic): 1 vulnerabilities: 1 critical
- CVE-2021-1705 — Microsoft Edge (HTML-based) Memory Corruption Vulnerability
- Microsoft Edge (Chromium)
- see here (latest security patches from the Chromium project)
Windows Security Updates
Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2
Updates and improvements:
- Fixes a security bypass in Printer Remote Procedure Call. See Managing deployment of Printer RPC binding changes for CVE-2021-1678 for additional information. (monthly-rollup only)
- Fixes a security vulnerability issue in HTTPS-based intranet servers. HTTPS-based intranet servers cannot use a user proxy to detect updates by default after installing the update. The behavior needs to be configured if desired. See “Scan changes and certificates add security for Windows devices using WSUS for updates” for details. (monthly-rollup only)
- Security updates.
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
Updates and improvements:
- Fixes a security bypass in Printer Remote Procedure Call. See Managing deployment of Printer RPC binding changes for CVE-2021-1678 for additional information. (monthly-rollup only)
- Fixes a security vulnerability issue in HTTPS-based intranet servers. HTTPS-based intranet servers cannot use a user proxy to detect updates by default after installing the update. The behavior needs to be configured if desired. See “Scan changes and certificates add security for Windows devices using WSUS for updates” for details. (monthly-rollup only)
- Security updates.
Windows 10 version 1809
- Support Page: KB4598230
Updates and improvements:
- Same security bypass and security vulnerability issue fix as in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
- Fixed an issue that could send print jobs to the wrong print queue.
- Fixed an issue with chkdsk /f potentially damaging the file system.
- Security updates.
Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909
- Support Page: KB4598229
Updates and improvements:
- Same security bypass and security vulnerability issue fix as in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
- Fixed an issue with chkdsk /f potentially damaging the file system.
- Security updates.
Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2
- Support Page: KB4598242
Updates and improvements:
- Same security bypass and security vulnerability issue fix as in Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
- Security updates.
Other security updates
Client
KB4598231 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1507
KB4598243 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 Version 1607
KB4599208 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703
KB4598245 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1803
Server
KB4598287 — 2021-01 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Server 2008
KB4598288 — 2021-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2008
KB4598297 — 2021-01 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Embedded 8 Standard and Windows Server 2012
Known Issues
Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2
- Certain operations such as rename may fail on Cluster Shared Volumes. A long standing issue. Microsoft suggests to run operations from a process with elevated privileges, or from a node that does not have CSV ownership.
- Updates may fail if the system does not support ESU.
Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2
- Certain operations such as rename may fail on Cluster Shared Volumes. A long standing issue. Microsoft suggests to run operations from a process with elevated privileges, or from a node that does not have CSV ownership.
Windows 10 version 1809
- Long-standing issue with Asian language packs and the error “0x800f0982 – PSFX_E_MATCHING_COMPONENT_NOT_FOUND”. Microsoft suggests to remove and reinstall the language packs and install the latest updates. If that does not help, a restore is Microsoft’s second suggestion.
Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909
- System and certificates may be lost when updating from Windows 10 version 1809 or later to a newer version of Windows 10. Microsoft suggests to go back to the previous version of Windows if the issue is experienced already.
Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2
- System and certificates may be lost when updating from Windows 10 version 1809 or later to a newer version of Windows 10. Microsoft suggests to go back to the previous version of Windows if the issue is experienced already.
- Using the Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editor may result in the wrong Furigana character being returned.
Security advisories and updates
ADV 990001 — Latest Servicing Stack Updates
Non-security related updates
KB4586875 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809
KB4586876 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows Server, version 20H2, Windows 10 Version 20H2, Windows Server, version 2004, and Windows 10 Version 2004
KB4586877 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809
KB4586878 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows Server, version 1909 and Windows 10 Version 1909
KB4597247 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 Version 1607
KB4597249 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows 10 Version 1803 and Windows Server 2016
KB4598499 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809
KB890830 — Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
KB4597238 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2 for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
KB4597239 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2 for Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008
KB4597252 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Embedded 8 Standard and Windows Server 2012
KB4597253 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
KB4597254 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2
KB4598500 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows Embedded Standard 7, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2
KB4598501 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows Embedded 8 Standard and Windows Server 2012
KB4598502 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
KB4598503 — 2021-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 4.5.2, 4.6 for Windows Server 2008
Microsoft Office Updates
You find Office update information here.
How to download and install the January 2021 security updates
Client versions of Windows will download and install security updates automatically by default. Systems may be configured otherwise, and administrators may run manual checks for updates to download the updates. The updates are provided via update management services such as WSUS as well.
Note: we recommend that systems are backed up before any update is installed on them. Windows does come with restore functionality, but it is not 100% reliable at times and it is better to have a safeguard in place in case something goes wrong during the updating.
To run a manual update check, do the following:
- Select Start, type Windows Update and load the Windows Update item that is displayed.
- Select check for updates to run a manual check for updates.
Direct update downloads
Below are resource pages with direct download links, if you prefer to download the updates to install them manually.
Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2
- KB4598279 — 2021-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7
- KB4598289 — 2021-01 Security Only Quality Update for Windows 7
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
- KB4598285 — 2021-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 8.1
- KB4598275 — 2021-01 Security Only Quality Update for Windows 8.1
Windows 10 (version 1809)
- KB4598230 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1809
Windows 10 (version 1903)
- KB4598229 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1903
Windows 10 (version 1909)
- KB4598229 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1909
Windows 10 (version 2004)
- KB4598242 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004
Windows 10 (version 20H2)
- KB4598242 — 2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 20H2
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