Microsoft released security updates and non-security updates on the Marc 2021 Patch Day for all supported versions of Windows and other company products.

This guide provides system administrators and home users with information on the released patches and related information. You find links to all major security updates released by Microsoft for Windows, links to direct downloads, information on known issues as reported by Microsoft, and other information.

Click here to open the February 2021 Update overview if you want to check it out as well.

The Microsoft Windows Security Updates: March 2021

Excel spreadsheet with list of security updates is now available. Click on the following link to download it to your system: Security Updates 2021-03-10-014118pm

Executive Summary

1. This is the last Patch Day for the legacy Microsoft Edge web browser. The browser won't be supported anymore after today, and Microsoft plans to replace it with the Chromium-based version of Edge starting in April 2021.
2. Microsoft released security updates for Exchange Server. You may want to read up on the release on MSRC and the Microsoft On The Issues blog.
3. Microsoft released security updates for all supported client and server versions of Windows. No client version of Windows is affected by a security issue with the highest severity rating of critical.
4. The list of other Microsoft products with security updates is long, it includes Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Visual Studio, Windows Installer, Windows Media, Windows DirectX, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Azure among other products.

Operating System Distribution

• Windows 7  (extended support only): 5 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 5 important
• Windows 8.1: 5 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 5 important
• Windows 10 version 1809: 5 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 5 important
• Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909: 7 vulnerabilities: 0 critical and 7 important
• Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2: 8 vulnerabilities, 0 critical and 8 important

Windows Server products

• Windows Server 2008 R2 (extended support only): 9 vulnerabilities: 1 critical and 8 important
  • CVE-2021-26897 -- Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
• Windows Server 2012 R2: 10 vulnerabilities: 1 critical and 9 important
  • CVE-2021-26897 -- Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
• Windows Server 2016: 9 vulnerabilities: 1 critical and 9 important.
  • CVE-2021-26897 -- Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
• Windows Server 2019: 9 vulnerabilities: 1 critical and 8 important.
  • CVE-2021-26897 -- Windows DNS Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Windows Security Updates

Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Monthly Rollup: KB5000841
• Security-only: KB5000851 

Updates and improvements:

• Patches an elevation of privilege issue of print jobs submitted to FILE ports described in CVE-2021-1640. Pending print jobs will remain in an error state, these need to be deleted manually according to Microsoft.
• Addresses an issue in "which a non-native device that is in the same realm does not receive a Kerberos Service ticket from Active Directory DCs".
• Security updates

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

• Monthly Rollup:  KB5000848 
• Security-only: KB5000822

Updates and improvements:

• Patches an elevation of privilege issue of print jobs submitted to FILE ports described in CVE-2021-1640. Pending print jobs will remain in an error state, these need to be deleted manually according to Microsoft.
• Security updates.

Windows 10 version 1909

• Support Page: KB5000808 

Updates and improvements:

• Patches an elevation of privilege issue of print jobs submitted to FILE ports described in CVE-2021-1640. Pending print jobs will remain in an error state, these need to be deleted manually according to Microsoft.
• Security updates.

Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2

• Support Page: KB5000802 

Updates and improvements:

• Patches an elevation of privilege issue of print jobs submitted to FILE ports described in CVE-2021-1640. Pending print jobs will remain in an error state, these need to be deleted manually according to Microsoft.
• Security updates.

Other security updates

2021-03 Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (KB5000800)

2021-03 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Embedded 8 Standard and Windows Server 2012 (KB5000840)

2021-03 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2008 (KB5000844)

2021-03 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Server 2008 (KB5000856)

2021-03 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Embedded 8 Standard and Windows Server 2012 (KB5000847)

2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607, and Windows Server 2016 (KB5000803)

2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1507 (KB5000807)

2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1803 (KB5000809)

2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 (KB5000812)

Known Issues

Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2

• Updates are reverted if the device is not supported by ESU; this is expected behavior.
• Certain operations on Cluster Shared Volumes may fail. Microsoft suggests to run operations from processes with admin privileges or to perform them from a node that does not have CSV ownership.

Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2

• The error "0x800f0982 - PSFX_E_MATCHING_COMPONENT_NOT_FOUND." may be displayed after installing KB4493509 on devices with "some Asian language packs. Microsoft suggests to uninstall and reinstall recently added language packs, install recent Windows Updates, and if that does not help, to reset the PC.

Windows 10 version 1909, 2004, 20H2

• System and user certificates may be lost during updates. Microsoft suggests to roll back the upgrade to the new version of Windows.

Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2

• Incorrect Furigana characters may be entered when using the Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editor. Microsoft is working on a resolution.

Security advisories and updates

ADV 990001 -- Latest Servicing Stack Updates

Non-security related updates

KB890830 -- Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

Microsoft Office Updates

You find Office update information here.

How to download and install the March 2021 security updates

Security updates are released via Windows Updates to the majority of Home systems. Enterprise and business customers have other options at their disposal, including using update management systems such as WSUS.

We recommend that backups are created before updates are installed, as updates may introduce issues on systems that range from usability issues to serious bugs that may damage data or make the system unbootable.

Windows administrators may check for updates manually using the following method:

1. Select Start, type Windows Update and load the Windows Update item that is displayed.
2. 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

• KB5000841 -- 2021-03 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7
• KB5000851 -- 2021-03 Security Only Quality Update for Windows 7

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

• KB5000848 -- 2021-03 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 8.1
• KB5000822 -- 2021-03 Security Only Quality Update for Windows 8.1

Windows 10 (version 1909)

• KB5000808  -- 2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1909

Windows 10 (version 2004)

• KB5000802 -- 2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004

Windows 10 (version 20H2)

• KB5000802-- 2021-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version  20H2

Additional resources

Summary

Article Name

Microsoft Windows Security Updates March 2021 overview

Description

Microsoft released security updates and non-security updates on the Marc 2021 Patch Day for all supported versions of Windows and other company products. 

Author

Martin Brinkmann

Publisher

Ghacks Technology News