Applies ToAzure Stack HCI, version 21H2

Release Date:

11/14/2023

Version:

OS Build 20348.2113

UPDATED 11/14/2023

IMPORTANT Azure Stack HCI, version 21H2 is at end of service today, November 14, 2023.  After today, these devices will not receive monthly security and quality updates. These updates contain protections from the latest security threats. To continue receiving security and quality updates, we recommend that you update to the latest version of Windows.

For information about Windows update terminology, see the article about the types of Windows updates and the monthly quality update types. For an overview of Azure Stack HCI, version 21H2, see its update history page.      

Improvements 

This security update includes quality improvements. When you install this KB: 

  • This update supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in Syria. To learn more, see Interim guidance for Syria DST changes 2022.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects UI Automation and caching mode.

  • This update affects Windows Autopilot profiles. The process to download the Windows Autopilot policy is more resilient. This helps when a network connection might not be fully initialized. This update increases the retry attempts when you try to download the Windows Autopilot profile.

  • This update addresses an issue that causes your device to restart when you do not expect it. This occurs after you restore a system.

  • This update affects user mode printer drivers. They unload unexpectedly. This occurs when you print from multiple print queues to the same printer driver.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects Xenon or Argon containers. They do not start.

  • This update affects Windows Server: Azure Edition. It is easier to view attestation failure notifications.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects an Application Virtualization (App-V) environment. Copy operations within it stop working. This occurs after you install the April 2023 update.

  • This update addresses an issue that blocks external connections. This occurs when you set up a Kubernetes load balanced service and turn on session affinity.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects NCryptGetProperty(). Calling it with NCRYPT_KEY_TYPE_PROPERTY returns 0x1 instead of 0x20. This occurs when the key is a machine key.

  • This update includes quarterly changes to the Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file, DriverSiPolicy.p7b. It adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects Windows LAPS. Its PasswordExpirationProtectionEnabled policy fails to turn on the setting.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects the refsutil.exe inbox utility. Options, like salvage and leak, do not work well on Resilient File System (ReFS) volumes.

  • This update addresses an issue that might affect a large reparse point. You might get a stop error when you use NTFS to access it. This issue occurs after a canceled FSCTL Set operation changes the reparse tag.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects a machine that is used as a remote desktop session (RDS) host. An RDR_FILE_SYSTEM (0x27) stop error occurs. Because of this, everyone that uses RDS starts up from this machine.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects a COM+ component. It might stop responding. This occurs because of a deadlock during COM+ Just-in-Time (JIT) activation. However, this part of this update is off by default for this version of Windows. If you have this issue, you must contact Microsoft support to turn it on. 

For more information about security vulnerabilities, please refer to the Security Update Guide and the November 2023 Security Updates

To return to the Azure Stack HCI documentation site

Azure Stack HCI, version 21H2 servicing stack update - 20348.2084

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.

Known issues in this update

Microsoft is not currently aware of any issues with this update.

How to get this update

Before installing this update

Microsoft now combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for your operating system with the latest cumulative update (LCU). For general information about SSUs, see Servicing stack updates and Servicing Stack Updates (SSU): Frequently Asked Questions.

To install the LCU on your Azure Stack HCI cluster, see Update Azure Stack HCI clusters.

Install this update

Release Channel

Available

Next Step

Windows Update and Microsoft Update

Yes

None. This update will be downloaded and installed automatically from Windows Update.

Windows Update for Business

Yes

None. This update will be downloaded and installed automatically from Windows Update in accordance with configured policies.

Microsoft Update Catalog

Yes

To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

Yes

This update will automatically sync with WSUS if you configure Products and Classifications as follows:

Product: Azure Stack HCI

Classification: Security Updates

If you want to remove the LCU

To remove the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM/Remove-Package command line option with the LCU package name as the argument. You can find the package name by using this command: DISM /online /get-packages.

Running Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe) with the /uninstall switch on the combined package will not work because the combined package contains the SSU. You cannot remove the SSU from the system after installation.

File Information

For a list of the files that are provided in this update, download the file information for cumulative update 5032198.

For a list of the files that are provided in the servicing stack update, download the file information for the SSU - version 20348.2084

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