A confusing October for Microsoft users. Windows 10 has finally reached its end-of-life with hundreds of millions stranded on the retiring OS. Meanwhile, those who have upgraded to Windows 11 have to brace for multiple fails. Now two emergency Windows updates have been released at exactly the same time — here’s what you do.
Microsoft’s mandatory October security update has been described as a “total disaster” for Windows 11 users, with initially localhost connection issues and a then a WinRE breakdown that stops mice and keyboards working, rendering PCs “unusable.”
Microsoft has released Windows 11 KB5070773 to address this issue. This should download and install automatically, and you shouldn’t pause or delay this. It’s important you don’t have a recovery mode time bomb lurking on your PC.
As Windows Latest explains, “after you install the update, version 25H2 bumps to Build 26200.6901, while version 24H2 gets 26100.6901.” The issue is a nightmare if it hits. “If the mouse and keyboard don’t work in WinRE, the recovery tools are basically useless… You can’t click or type. What are you going to do?”
The second emergency update is more serious in nature but affects materially fewer users. CISA, America’s cyber defense agency explains the update addresses “a critical remote code execution vulnerability impacting Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) in Windows Server (2012, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025), CVE-2025-59287.”
This is more serious because attacks are reportedly underway, but it’s a Windows Server issue that only affects organizations running WSUS to manage their ecosystems. If you don’t have WSUS enabled it doesn’t hit — a service IT teams use to roll out updates.
So, if you’re a Windows 11 user make sure you install the KB5070773 fix to protect yourself if there’s a recovery issue. This affects all Windows 11 users on 25H2 and 24H2. There are other October update issues for Windows 11 as well, but they’re rarer.
If you’re an IT admin, then you should already know about the WSUS flaw and the update now warning that has been issued. CISA has given federal agencies — and others by implication — until Nov. 14 to update. You should do it much sooner than that.
