Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr published a CyberAlert this Monday highlighting a critical flaw in many Windows systems. The alert calls for action quickly on a list of products and devices to prevent data theft…
The government system and website Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr published a Cyber Alert on Monday warning Windows users of a major security breach. Established in July 2021, AlerteCyber is a system launched when a threat or critical flaw is identified and qualified as such, jointly by the National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI) and Cybermalveillance .gouv.fr.
This new CyberAlert warns of a large security breach that recently affected computers equipped with Windows or Microsoft software licenses. The systems affected are as follows: any computer with a Windows 10, Windows 11 or Windows Server license (2008, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2025). The Office suite is also affected since Cybermalveillance has also identified the threat within Microsoft Office, Outlook, Access, Excel, OneNote and 365 software.
CyberAlert, accessible on the CyberMalveillance.gouv.fr websitementions “numerous critical security flaws” within the systems analyzed. These flaws, exploited by hackers, can “allow remote control of the equipment concerned”. Once their operations have been carried out, the hackers could proceed to “spying, stealing, or even destroying, confidential information”, such as your identity, your location or banking details.
“Some of these security vulnerabilities are believed to be actively exploited by cybercriminals against vulnerable systems. Microsoft has released updates that address these vulnerabilities and protect against their exploitation,” the organization further indicates.
To protect yourself against this potential threat, it is therefore strongly recommended to perform the latest updates offered by your machine. To do this, go to the “Start” menu of your computer and search for “Check for updates”. You will then find a small button of the same name.
Click this button to check if updates are available for your device. If so, install them to prevent possible exploitation of security vulnerabilities. The installation time will depend on your internet connection as well as the size of the update. Do not unplug or turn off your computer during this period. CyberAlerte advises to refer to the security bulletins from the publisher to get the fixes.
In general, it is recommended to regularly update your computing devices. These updates can sometimes add features, but they are mostly useful for fixing possible bugs and security vulnerabilities recently discovered by cybersecurity experts.