Microsoft Releases KB5074105

On January 29, 2026, Microsoft has just dropped KB5074105, a preview non-security update for Windows 11 builds 26200.7705 (25H2) and 26100.7705 (24H2).

It’s all about smoothing out functionality, boosting performance, and locking in reliability. Cybersecurity folks, pay attention: this isn’t a CVE rush, but it quietly shores up spots attackers love to poke, like boot chains and update engines.

I’ve chased enough patch Tuesdays to know these previews often preview bigger defenses.

Think of it as Microsoft’s careful dance with rollouts. This one’s in “gradual rollout” mode, where features trickle out device by device to catch hiccups early before flipping to full “normal rollout” for everyone at GA.

Keeps things stable in messy enterprise setups. Keep tabs on the Windows release health dashboard, or hit the histories for 24H2 and 25H2. Quick reads: Windows monthly updates explained and standard terminology.

Critical Announcements: Secure Boot Cert Drama and Cleaner Update Labels

Let’s cut to the chase on the big alerts. Windows Secure Boot certificate expiration, this one’s a quiet killer for security.

Secure Boot checks every boot loader and driver signature to stop rootkits from sneaking in at the firmware level and expiring certs? They break the trust chain, potentially bricking boots or letting signed malware slip through, like those nasty UEFI bootkits we’ve seen in the wild.

The fix here rotates those certs seamlessly, no downtime fuss. I’ve seen orgs scramble over this before running msinfo32 afterward to confirm “Secure Boot State: On,” or using PowerShell with Confirm-SecureBootUEFI.

It’s a nod to real threats, where APTs chain firmware flaws for long-haul persistence.

Then there’s simplified Windows update titles. Microsoft ditched the verbose labels in Update UI and APIs. Sounds minor, but it streamlines WMI pulls like Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_QuickFixEngineering and WSUS reports.

No more regex headaches in your SIEM dashboards for compliance tracking. Scripts might need a quick tweak, but it’s forward-compatible.

Servicing Stack Update (SSU): KB5074104 – The Backbone You Can’t Ignore

Tucked inside is KB5074104 SSU at build 26100.7704, the workhorse that runs Windows updates.

Mess this up, and attackers hijack the process, stalling patches or slipping in bad ones via DLL tricks on wuauclt.exe.

What got beefed up:

Race condition patches: Sorts out threading glitches in update sequencing, dodging half-installed states ripe for exploits.
LCU integration: Ensures cumulative updates land reliably on top of SSUs, reducing rollback chaos.
Easier on-prem pushes: DISM or MDT can now be deployed standalone; see Microsoft’s SSU guide.

From my hunts through incident reports, I found that flaky SSUs enabled attacks such as PrintNightmare extensions for lateral movement.

Verify post-patch: dism /online /get-packages | findstr KB5074104: clean bill so far, no issues on Microsoft’s radar.

AI Components Overhaul: All at 1.2601.1268.0

Copilot+ PCs with their NPUs get a uniform bump to 1.2601.1268.0 across the board.

These on-device AI bits dodge cloud risks but draw the attention of hackers sniffing for model exploits or data spills.

Fixes crank up pipeline stability, starving crashes or memdumps from junk inputs. Forensics? More ETW logs in Event Viewer. Baseline at Copilot+ PC details. Attackers hate this harder to fuzz adversarial images now.

Change Log Highlights: Performance and Reliability Wins

Log gems with security undertones:

Copilot+ tweaks: Less CPU thrash means fewer side-channel timing leaks (Spectre vibes).
Core Windows fixes: Tames explorer.exe mem hogs, neutering DoS from bad shortcuts.
No known issues: Straightforward, no Bluetooth gremlins like last time.

Grab files: LCU KB5074105 info and SSU KB5074104 info. Always hash ’em for supply-chain safety.

Deployment: Technical How-To for Secure Rollout

Pre-install checks:

sfc /scannow and dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth.
SSUs auto-bundle with the LCU’s priority order enforced.

Install paths (offline/managed first):

Windows Update: Settings > Update & Security > Optional updates. Test bed.
Business Catalog: MSU grabs for staging.
WSUS/Server Update Services: Flip preview channel, approve.
PowerShell: Install-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID “KB5074105” -AcceptAll.

Removal (LCU only): Wusa.exe/uninstall skips combined packs. DISM it: DISM /online /Get-Packages | findstr KB5074105, then DISM /online /Remove-Package /PackageName:<name>.

SSU stays glued.

Pro move: Intune/SCCM phase it, Secure Boot-check everything VM snapshot ritual.

Cybersecurity Implications: Why This Matters Now

2026 threats? Firmware sneaks, and AI poisons are hot. This KB nails boot trust, update sabotage blocks, and AI fuzz resistance.

No CVEs, but it snaps LoLBin chains on wuauclt. OSINT: Watch Petnet24, Shadowserver for uptake. Patch 24H2/25H2 hard skipping amps Salt Typhoon risks. Roll smart; gradual gives breathing room. (Source)

Site: cybersecuritypath.com