Microsoft says its patch for PrintNightmare works, despite claims of workarounds
Microsoft claims that workarounds of its patch for the PrintNightmare vulnerability rely on changing default registry settings to create an insecure configuration.
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What you need to know
Microsoft recentlyreleased an emergency Windows patchto address a vulnerability known as PrintNightmare. The issue was serious enough to warrant a patch on several versions of Windows, including Windows 7, which isout of support. The patch was supposed to address security vulnerabilities, but reports claim there are workarounds.
When exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to “install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights,” according to Microsoft.
In response to claims of the patch being ineffective, Microsoft investigated the workarounds. According to the company, the patch works as designed and is only ineffective when default registry settings have been changed:
Our investigation has shown that the OOB security update is working as designed and is effective against the known printer spooling exploits and other public reports collectively being referred to as PrintNightmare. All reports we have investigated have relied on the changing of default registry setting related to Point and Print to an insecure configuration.
Microsoft recommends that people take the following steps:
Microsoft has asupport documentthat goes into the technical specifics of the issue. We also have a guide onhow to mitigate the PrintNightmare vulnerability on Windows 10. We update our guide on the issue as more information comes in.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
