Windows: why we do not fix a few bugs directly

Microsoft has released a draft document outlining which security vulnerabilities in Windows or other products will be updated immediately and which may be left for later.

The document outlines the criteria used by the Microsoft Troubleshooting Center to decide whether a reported vulnerability will be fixed immediately, usually in a security update for next Patch Tuesday, or released with another month's updates.

Microsoft reports in a post on her blog that the document aims to provide researchers with "more clarity on security features, limits and fixes in Windows, and service commitments."

The criteria mentioned by the company for the assessment of the severity of the vulnerabilities can be summarized in two main questions:

1. Does the vulnerability break the promise of a security threshold or security feature that Microsoft is committed to defending? and
2. Does the severity of the vulnerability meet the company's line of service?

If the answer to both of the above questions is "yes", the error will be fixed in the next security update, but if the answer to both questions is "no", the vulnerability will be recorded for a subsequent update or a later version of the affected product , feature or service.

The promptness of the service used by the company seems to be determined by Microsoft's severity rating system, to help developers understand the risk of any vulnerabilities. So we have vulnerabilities that are critical, important, moderate, low and not at all.

"If a vulnerability is deemed critical or significant and concerns a security threshold or security feature that we have an obligation to service, then it will be addressed through a security update," the document said.

Microsoft lists below the eight types of security limits for which it has a service commitment. For example the company distinguishes vulnerabilities between kernel operation and user functions.

The security features that the company is committed to serving immediately are: BitLocker and Secure Boot, Windows Defender System Guard, Windows Defender Application Control, Windows Hello, Windows Resource Access Control, encryption platform, Host Guardian Service, and authentication protocols.

All registered security limits and security features supported by the company are included in the program Bug Bounty of Microsoft.

However, Microsoft service commitments do not apply to certain defense features, such as Control Flow Guard, Code Integrity Guard, and Arbitrary Code Guard. Other features excluded from service commitments include ransomware protection, and Microsoft antivirus, Windows Defender.

You can read the document for more information (PDF).

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