Windows 10 has faced and pulled through several security vulnerabilities in the past and continue to do so still today. Security is an important aspect while you are using the internet. If it is compromised, you may lose confidential data of your company, your When these types of security vulnerabilities appear, Microsoft developers look into the matter, the moment the vulnerability is detected or reported. The company immediately pushes new updates, Builds and bug fixes to the devices. But it is always a good idea to be have a defensive system ready to combat the cyberattacks with the help of an added layer of security. This extra layer of security is provided by Virtual Private Networks or VPNs where your data and important information is secured inside a virtual tunnel.
A VPN routes your connection via its dedicated server hiding your real IP, which implies, you are not visible to the sites you are visiting. They can only identify your VPN server.
Before purchasing a VPN subscription, it is important that you gain enough knowledge about the type of services offered by VPN. VPNbase is a team of experts, that have compiled a list of the best VPNs for Windows where you can get all the necessary information for your VPN needs.
Have a look at the top 10 Windows 10 Security Vulnerabilities.
Windows 10 WiFi Sense Contact Sharing
This cannot be tagged as a vulnerability, but it is a feature that Microsoft incorporated without thinking of the negative consequences. Windows 10 shares WiFi credentials for all services linked to your Microsoft account, such as Outlook, Skype, Facebook Contacts, etc. The motto behind this feature was to provide a seamless internet and hotspot service to your contacts when they come to your device’s vicinity. This was a flaw indeed as it lacks consent. Nevertheless, there was a way to get rid of the issue by changing the WiFi network name/SSID to include the terms “_nomap_optout,” or changing the privacy settings of Windows 10 by disabling Wi-Fi Sense sharing.
Windows 10 Mount Manager Vulnerability (CVE-2015-1769, MS15-085)
Windows 10 Mount Manager vulnerability was responsible for violating the privilege by insertion of a USB device into the target computer. By this process, attackers used to install malicious binary codes and execute them very easily. Microsoft immediately released a patch soon after and solved the problem.
Microsoft Edge Vulnerabilities (MS15-091)
Microsoft has not been very efficient when it comes to providing tightly packed security in its web browser. While Internet Explorer was a poor choice for security lovers, so was Edge for Windows at the beginning. It came along with several remote-code execution vulnerabilities, security feature bypass exploits, etc. All these made an easy path for attackers to get access to the internal system.
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (CVE-2015-0057)
Win32k Elevation of Privilege vulnerability incorporated a bug in the Graphic User Interface component, that is, scrollbar element, which led to privilege escalation. It gave the attackers, complete control of a Windows device. Microsoft released a patch soon after.
Microsoft Graphics Component Vulnerabilities (MS15-080)
If you are not aware of the security vulnerabilities of operating systems, then you will be taken aback to know that font and graphics management errors can also expose the security of your computer. The same happened with Windows 10 as well. With the Microsoft Graphics Component Vulnerabilities, attackers could get access to internal system with the aid of remote code execution. This exposure was possible if a user visited an untrusted web site with embedded fonts.
Internet Explorer Vulnerabilities (MS15-079)
As remarked before, Microsoft Internet Explorer browser had been a poor secret keeper. Every now and then a set of vulnerabilities appeared along with updates. One serious bug helped hackers to gain administrative rights on the computer. Microsoft had worked on these vulnerabilities as well.
Microsoft Font Driver Vulnerability (MS15-078)
Windows Adobe Type Manager included bugs in the specially-crafted OpenType fonts. This resulted in remote code execution vulnerability.
Microsoft Windows Journal Vulnerability (MS15-098)
Windows Journal Vulnerability was another infamous vulnerability that made way for remote code execution when the user opened a specially-crafted Journal file. Microsoft’s security bulletin page contains complete information about all these vulnerabilities.
Re-Direct to SMB Vulnerability (CVE-2015-5143)
The Re-Direct to SMB vulnerability leaves in indelible impression on Windows 10 by penetrating to the core Windows API library. This security bug made users to get redirected to malicious SMB-based servers . By this process, their credentials got compromised. The issue can be resolved by blocking TCP ports 139 and 445 to disable SMB.
.NET Framework Escalation of Privilege Vulnerability (MS15-092)
Sometimes, serious security vulnerabilities occur from Custom-crafted .NET applications only when a user runs the application by mistake or without knowing.
It is always a swell idea to educate yourself about the different security vulnerabilities of the operating system you use regularly. Always keep an eye on the Microsoft Security Bulletin Page