Update: Patches Available for Windows Print Spooler Vulnerability | Information Technology | University of Pittsburgh
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Update: Patches Available for Windows Print Spooler Vulnerability

Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 16:31

 

Microsoft has released out-of-band patches for most operating systems that address the previously announced Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Pitt Information Technology will provide an additional update when patches are available for Windows 10 version 1607, Server 2012 (non-R2), and Server 2016.

Please note the following related to both department and Pitt IT-managed servers and PCs:

Servers

Pitt IT-managed:

  • Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2012 R2 are the only server versions that will receive the patch to fix the vulnerability at this time.
  • Development servers are being patched today (Wednesday, July 7) between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • If there are no issues with Development servers, Production servers will be patched starting at 11 p.m. on Thursday, July 8, through 5 a.m. on Friday, July 9.
  • Pitt IT is not disabling the Print Spoolers on non-Pitt IT owned servers; department admins are responsible for this.

Department-managed:

  • Continue disabling the Print Spooler on Server 2012 (non-R2) and Server 2016 until Microsoft releases patches for them.
  • Pitt IT is not disabling the Print Spoolers on non-Pitt IT owned servers; department admins are responsible for this.
  • If you are in the process of disabling the Print Spooler on Server 2012 R2 and Server 2019, as directed in the IT Partners email last Friday, stop and apply the applicable patch instead.
  • Start with devices that currently host the print spooler service.

PCs

EDM-managed:

  • Patches were approved for the “Microsoft Updates – Test” group at 11:36 a.m. today (Wednesday, July 7). Please reboot after the update installation and test department-specific applications and printers as soon as possible.
  • If there are no major issues with the Test group, the patches will be approved for “Microsoft Updates – Reboot” and “Microsoft Updates – Reboot Suppressed” groups at 8 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday, July 8)
  • Departments with specific maintenance windows set up: Please add a window to apply these patches to those systems as soon as possible.
  • PCs in “Microsoft Updates – Reboot Suppressed” collections must be rebooted manually after patches are applied. Be sure to reboot those as soon as possible, as the patch is not effective until after the reboot.

Department-managed:

  • Be sure to patch all PCs as soon as possible.

Please test print services after a patch is applied and contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) with questions or to report any issues.