Please help me understand Window Server Updates and Cumulative Updates

Hello  -Adam，

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

Windows Server Updates and Cumulative Updates

1. Types of Updates

• Quality Updates: These are regular updates that include security updates, bug fixes, and improvements.
• Cumulative Updates: These packages include all previous updates (both security and non-security) released for that operating system. Installing the latest cumulative update brings your system up to date with all previous fixes.

2. Cumulative Updates for Windows Server

Cumulative updates can be monthly, and they include all previous patches, meaning you only need to install the latest cumulative update to get all prior fixes. For example, a cumulative update in August will include all changes from previous months, so you don’t need to install individual updates released before it.

Understanding your Situation

CVE-2024-38193 Vulnerability

You are concerned about mitigating the CVE-2024-38193 vulnerability. You identified KB5041578 as the relevant patch for Windows Server 2019 to address this CVE.

Current OS Build

• You mentioned your server is running OS build 17763.6414.
• It's essential to understand build numbers; they help you determine the exact update level of your system.

Given your server’s current OS build is 17763.6414, you can cross-reference this with the latest cumulative update and its included patches to ensure CVE-2024-38193 is mitigated. If KB5041578 is included in a cumulative update that came after your current build, your system should already be protected.

If your current OS build is 17763.6414, and if this build number matches the build number mentioned in the documentation for KB5041578 (e.g., if KB5041578 was included in a cumulative update that resulted in build 17763.6414), you can confidently say that the update has been applied.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Haijian Shan

Thank you for your reply. It is helpful, however,. . . .

"you can cross-reference this with the latest cumulative update and its included patches"

Can you please point me to this? Apologies if I'm missing something obvious, but I can't seem to find something showing the previous updates/patches included in a particular update.

Also, . .

"If KB5041578 is included in a cumulative update that came after your current build"

Just to be clear, did you mean before my current build?

Is it basically fair to say since KB5041578 (released 8/13) came before my current build (17763.6414), its patches are undeniably included in my current build (somewhat illustrated in the 2nd screenshot above)?

Thanks, again, for your help!

-Adam

To cross-reference cumulative updates and the patches they include, you generally need to look at the official documentation provided by Microsoft. The Windows updates documentation typically includes detailed information on what patches and fixes are included in each cumulative update.

1. Windows Update History: This is usually the best place to look. You can search for your specific Windows version (e.g., Windows 10 version 1809) on the Windows 10 update history page.
2. Microsoft Update Catalog: Another useful resource is the Microsoft Update Catalog. Here, you can search for specific KB numbers or cumulative updates and find detailed information about what they include.

Since KB5041578 (released on 8/13) came before your current build (17763.6414), its patches are undeniably included in your current build. This is because cumulative updates incorporate all the changes from previous updates, ensuring that you have the latest patches and fixes.