Microsoft quietly updated Defender for Windows 11/10/Server install images

This month, Microsoft has quietly published multiple updates. These include KB5001716 which is meant to force update Windows PCs, as well as WinRE update KB5041979 and Setup update KB5041178 for Windows 11 24H2.

Alongside these, about a week or so ago, Microsoft also released a new Defender update for Windows installation images that applies to Windows Imaging Format (WIM) and VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) formats. Windows 11, 10, and Servers are supported in this new update including Server 2016 which is reaching the end of servicing status next year and as such, the company released a detailed uninstallation and decommissioning guide.

This update package is necessary as a Windows installation image may contain old, outdated anti-malware definitions and software binaries. Aside from better security, these updates can also provide improved performance benefits in some cases.

Microsoft is delivering the latest security definitions for Windows images via security intelligence update version 1.413.494.0. The Defender package version is 1.413.494.0. In the support document describing the new update, Microsoft explains:

The first hours of a newly installed Windows deployment can leave the system vulnerable because of a Microsoft Defender protection gap. This is because the OS installation images may contain outdated antimalware software binaries.

 

[..] Devices using either the Windows built-in antivirus or another security solution can benefit from these updates.

 

[..] This article describes antimalware update package for Microsoft Defender in the OS installation images (WIM and VHD files). This feature supports the following OS installation images:

 

• Windows 11
• Windows 10 (Enterprise, Pro, and Home editions)
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2016

 

Version information

 

• Defender package version: 1.413.494.0

 

This package updates the anti-malware client, anti-malware engine, and signature versions in the OS installation images to following versions:

 

• Platform version: 4.18.24060.7
• Engine version: 1.1.24060.1
• Security intelligence version: 1.413.494.0

From Microsoft's security bulletin, we learn that the security intelligence update version 1.413.494.0 was released last month. It adds threat detections for various trojans, adware, and backdoor exploits, among others. For those wondering, the latest intelligence update is version 1.417.71.0 at the time of writing.

Source

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