Confusing Windows Update

[candygarden]

remember when you were the admin of your own device?

[cossakrose]

*Innit pub?* Wait is Microsoft a British company???

[marcoav]

Microsoft always giving us reasons to wonder what is wrong with them...

[honking]

from what i've heard, there was a security vulnerability where a program could escalate its privileges (from basic user all the way to SYSTEM) if the inetpub folder is missing. that's why microsoft added it to every computer and gave it SYSTEM privileges. (source: eric parker on youtube)

[THATCANADIANDUDE]

So the security fix makes some sense.

Windows controls file access first by saving who created the folder. If a Windows Update creates the folder, it is restricted and can only be accessed by administrators or system accounts that (usually) cannot be used by hackers. It secures systems that may not have IIS installed, because malware could create the inetpub folder and turn on IIS. This blocks this route of hackers utilizing the PC as a hijacked webserver.

[KevinDurantFitnessOfficial]

Empty folders being a security patch keeping you big as hell

[xavarius_felk]

Theres a vulnerability in windows where missing inetpub folder can escalate privileges up to system, this just prevents it

[amondhawes-khalifa]

Microsoft: "Do not delete the folder!"

Everyone: *_Immediately and furiously deletes the folder_*

[Preske]

And this "security fix" HAD to be put in c: drive? It couldn't be placed in system 32 or any other commonly used place where it wouldn't look out of place?

[Netherdog]

yk what's crazyis that i was forced to update then shut down instead of shutdown, and to my knowledge i got it after shutting down and updating

[gameguy]

Its a protective measure. The security fix is to make the folder so someone malicious can't. Its a folder used for hosting web servers and if that's used incorrectly it can be very bad, so Microsoft default creates the folder with admin permissions so a bad actor cannot step in

[TheZeroMonkey]

The same update also bricked my Windows Hello, so thanks Microsoft

[Ikuu-san]

When i watch this, i immediately check and want to delete it.... only one second later you say not to delete it lmao

[i_Daniel]

Wait, this update is actually security vulnerability fix, it's called "CVE-2025-21204" and what it does is prevents a hacker program from getting SYSTEM privileges

[Enzander]

Microsoft messing up windows for the 1000th time:

[joshuacheung]

"Security fix", aka adding a security loophole

[bingbongmcgee]

Glad there are some folks here disspelling the mysterious fearmongering of the Short... I was about to delete the folder until I read further, thanks for saving me from a potential vulnerability ☺

[IrishBudHound]

Raising eybushes keeping you BIG AS HELL

[iampiMC]

I could be dumb but what if it’s so hackers can’t create the same folder with automated files, if so this could actually make sense and stop some issues.

[matthewbaker]

Its actually a genius simple fix for a major security vulnerability that would allow remote users access to your files. In a nut shell iis would be enabled through a flaw and if the folder didnt exist it would allow root access to all your files. But because the folder is pressent if the security vulnerability is exploited now they only get access the existing folder with no permissions to see its contents.