Windows 10: DCOM security hardening changes

Hi,Looking at the recently adjusted Microsoft KB article https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5004442-manage-changes-for-windows-dcom-server-security-feature-bypass-cve-2021-26414-f1400b52-c141-43d2-941e-37ed901c769c DCOM client-side patch on November 8, 2022, it appears that Microsoft has now introduced a client-side patch as well. Does that mean no changes are needed at the application code to accommodate the DCOM hardening changes? Will the legacy application work fine without any modification to the code to increase the DCOM security?

:)

 

Windows Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) Hardening changes

Read more:

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...ge-center#2817
• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...e-37ed901c769c

 

Application of settings described in KB5004442 DCOM hardening

Hello,

The updates described in KB5004442 which will be coming in June of 2022 will "force" a hardened DCOM setting for clients. Will these changes be released in the cumulative security update for the month of June or will it be a separate update? If the June update is skipped, will the changes be applied in future cumulative updates? If a user were to skip the June 2022 update which applies the hardening settings in KB5004442, would the settings be applied in any future cumulative update?

 

Application of March 14, 2023 settings described in KB5004442 DCOM hardening

Hello,

Based on the KB5004442 article (KB5004442—Manage changes for Windows DCOM Server Security Feature Bypass (CVE-2021-26414) - Microsoft Support) and the described Timeline, starting from March 14, 2023 the DCOM hardening changes cannot be disabled anymore:

[table][tr][td]March 14, 2023[/td][td]Hardening changes enabled by default with no ability to disable them. By this point, you must resolve any compatibility issues with the hardening changes and applications in your environment.[/td][/tr][/table]

Is this "Hardening changes enabled by default with no ability to disable them" behavior change automatically applied on March 14 with no way to avoid it? Or is this behavior change only enforced when installing the March 2023 (or later) Cumulative Update?

Thank you in advance for your support

Best regards,

Gianni