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Attention! Your Windows device may be at high-risk of cyberattacks
Centre has issued high-severity alert for Microsoft users over critical flaws

Attention! Your Windows device may be at high-risk of cyberattacks

May 25, 2025
05:29 pm

What's the story

The Indian government has recently issued a high-severity cybersecurity warning for users of Microsoft products, specifically those using Windows on their laptops and desktops. The alert points to several vulnerabilities that could let attackers access systems, steal data, or cause crashes. However, the issue isn't restricted to Windows-powered machines alone; it also impacts other laptops and desktops running Office, Azure, and other Microsoft apps and services.

Software

Affected Microsoft software

The vulnerabilities flagged by the government affect a broad spectrum of Microsoft software. They include: Microsoft Windows, Office, Azure, Developer Tools, Dynamics, Apps, System Center, and Extended Security Updates (ESU) for legacy products. The advisory warns that these flaws could let attackers execute remote code, obtain elevated privileges, access sensitive information, bypass security restrictions, conduct spoofing attacks, and cause denial-of-service (DoS) conditions.

Risk

Potential risks and severity rating

The government has given these vulnerabilities a high severity rating, citing risks like data leaks, ransomware attacks, and major disruptions to system stability. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has urged all affected users to apply the latest security patches issued by Microsoft. System administrators and IT teams are also advised to verify patch deployment and monitor logs for anomalies.

Precautions

Recommendations for users and administrators

Users are also advised to avoid clicking suspicious links and keep up-to-date antivirus solutions. These security issues typically stem from flaws in code, insecure configurations, or insufficient validation in core components of the software. In this case, key Microsoft services are affected, which is why users must take swift preventive action to avoid potential exploitation.