--- title: Microsoft Sneaks Nagging Windows 10 Ads into Critical Security Patch description: "Microsoft critical security patch: Microsoft really really wants your business to upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible. See evidence>>" image: https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/w10.png --- [![](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/2021/09/logo-white.svg)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/?hsLang=en-us) [![CONTACT AN EXPERT](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/341979/1d8885e9-1179-49b1-a5ec-9c75f5f670dd.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/341979/1d8885e9-1179-49b1-a5ec-9c75f5f670dd) - [For Home](https://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/) - [For Business](https://www.bitdefender.com/business/) - [Resources](https://www.bitdefender.com/business/resource-library.html) - [Webinars](https://www.bitdefender.com/business/webinars.html) # [BUSINESS INSIGHTS](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/?hsLang=en-us) [#SMB Security](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/smb-security) [#Enterprise Security](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/enterprise-security) By [**Graham Cluley**](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/author/graham-cluley) / Mar 11, 2016 # Microsoft Sneaks Nagging Windows 10 Ads into Critical Security Patch Share this [![Share on email](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/2021/07/blog/email-color.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email%20&body=Check%20out%20https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=email) [![Share on twitter](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/2021/07/blog/twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on linkedin](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/2021/07/blog/linkedin-color.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [![Share on facebook](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/2021/07/blog/facebook-color.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) Microsoft really really wants your business to upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible. In fact, they are so keen that your firm switches to Windows 10 that they’re sneaking adverts for the upgrade into security patches, and using some controversial tactics to encourage users into shaming their system administrators for not allowing the upgrade to happen. Don’t believe me?  Well, let’s look at the evidence. On Tuesday 8 March, Microsoft issued a number of security updates. Amongst them was a critical patch for Internet Explorer ([MS16-023](https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS16-023)) that dealt with several vulnerabilities, including a particularly dangerous one that could have allowed remote code execution if a user visited a booby-trapped webpage. Nothing controversial there, you might think.  However, what initially went unnoticed – until [*InfoWorld* spotted it](http://www.infoworld.com/article/3042155/microsoft-windows/windows-patch-kb-3139929-when-a-security-update-is-not-a-security-update.html) – was that the security update also installed “several nonsecurity-related fixes for Internet Explorer.” Look a little deeper and you [discover](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3146449) that one of those ‘fixes’ is to display an advert for Windows 10: “This update adds functionality to Internet Explorer 11 on some computers that lets users learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10.” ![microsoft-windows-10-ad](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/microsoft-windows-10-ad.jpeg) The precise circumstances which trigger the display of the advert are unclear, so it may not be seen by all users.  However, you can see why this behaviour would upset some users. I can also completely understand that Microsoft is keen for as many computers as possible to update to Windows 10, but it seems a little underhand to include such non-essential functionality in a *security* update. Especially when you consider that it isn’t possible to remove the aggressive ad without also uninstalling what sounds like a truly essential security patch. As *InfoWorld* says: “The only way to get rid of the new advertising inside Internet Explorer 11 is to remove the security patch entirely.” But there’s more. As *WindowsITPro* [reports](http://windowsitpro.com/patch-tuesday/sneaky-gwx-trying-upgrade-windows-10-again), Patch Tuesday’s raft of security fixes (and “nonsecurity-related fixes”) is seemingly taking things a step further by shaming system administrators in front of their staff for not switching to Windows 10. ![get-windows-10](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/get-windows-10.jpeg) “Your system administrator has blocked upgrades on this PC Check with your system administrator about upgrading this PC to Windows 10. Are you a system administrator? You can customize this app to get your organization upgraded to Windows 10. Find out how” You can see how sysadmins might feel annoyed or embarrassed (or both!) by Microsoft displaying such a nagging message in front of their users. Yes, Microsoft may have good reasons for encouraging businesses to make the switch to Windows 10, but abusing a security update in this way to deliver an advert is a dangerous precedent that could result in some being less willing to apply patches in future.    [![Business Insights | Virtualization and cloud security](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/341979/00b32c71-fd0d-461d-991d-c4e8e2d5619b.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/341979/00b32c71-fd0d-461d-991d-c4e8e2d5619b)     ### Explore More Topics - [Enterprise Security (765)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/enterprise-security) - [Threat Research (206)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/threat-research) - [SMB Security (193)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/smb-security) - [Cloud Security (174)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/cloud-security) - [Ransomware (172)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/ransomware) - [Privacy and Data Protection (139)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/privacy-and-data-protection) - [Cybersecurity Awareness (136)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/cybersecurity-awareness) - [Endpoint Protection & Management (136)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/endpoint-protection-management) - [Endpoint Detection and Response (127)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/endpoint-detection-and-response) - [Managed Detection and Response (121)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/managed-detection-and-response) - [Threat Intelligence (82)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/threat-intelligence) - [Virtualization & Data Center Security (82)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/virtualization-data-center-security) - [IT Compliance & Regulations (75)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/it-compliance-regulations) - [Bitdefender Threat Debrief (59)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/bitdefender-threat-debrief) - [Managed Service Providers (55)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/managed-service-providers) - [#Featured (52)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/featured) - [Advanced Persistent Threats (47)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/advanced-persistent-threats) - [Events (39)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/events) - [Independent Testing (24)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/independent-testing) - [Cybersecurity Advisory Services (10)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/cybersecurity-advisory-services) - [Podcast (5)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/podcast) - [AI (2)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/ai) - [top (2)](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/topic/top) See all topics ### Subscribe to Blog Updates ## Read more about this topic ### [Technical Advisory: CVE-2022-30190 Zero-day Vulnerability “Follina” in Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/technical-advisory-cve-2022-30190-zero-day-vulnerability-follina-in-microsoft-support-diagnostic-tool?hsLang=en-us) ### [Technical Advisory: Unauthorized RCE Vulnerability in MSMQ Service CVE-2023-21554 aka QueueJumper](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/technical-advisory-unauthorized-rce-vulnerability-in-msmq-service-cve-2023-21554-aka-queuejumper?hsLang=en-us) ### [CISA Urges Businesses to Patch Domain Controller Netlogon Flaw](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/cisa-urges-businesses-to-patch-domain-controller-netlogon-flaw?hsLang=en-us) ![bitdefender](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hs-fs/file-2685110570-png/Bitdefender-Mar2015-Theme/Images/avatar_img_footer.png) ![bitdefender](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hs-fs/file-2676149282-png/Bitdefender-Mar2015-Theme/Images/logo_white_footer.png) - [![https://twitter.com/Bitdefender\_Ent](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hs-fs/file-2658233851-png/Bitdefender-Mar2015-Theme/Images/ft_soc_tw.png?width=33&name=ft_soc_tw.png)](https://twitter.com/Bitdefender_Ent) - [![Linkedin-icon-300x300](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Bitdefender-Mar2015-Theme/Images/Linkedin-icon-300x300.png?width=33&name=Linkedin-icon-300x300.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitdefender-gravityzone-enterprise-security) - [![](https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hs-fs/file-2676149307-png/Bitdefender-Mar2015-Theme/Images/ft_soc_yt.png)](https://www.youtube.com/user/BitdefenderSecurity) - [Legal Terms](https://www.bitdefender.com/legal/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.bitdefender.com/site/view/legal-privacy-policy-for-bitdefender-websites.html) - [EULA](https://www.bitdefender.com/site/view/legal-eula.html) - [Contact Us](https://www.bitdefender.com/business/contact.html) Copyright © 1997-2023 Bitdefender All rights reserved. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Graham Cluley", "url" : "https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/author/graham-cluley" }, "datePublished" : "2016-03-11T15:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Microsoft Sneaks Nagging Windows 10 Ads into Critical Security Patch", "image" : [ "https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/w10.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/microsoft-critical-security-patch", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/hubfs/Bitdefender_Logo_Transparent-2.png" }, "name" : "Bitdefender" } } ```