Microsoft has released an update, KB5021751, which is designed to identify the number of customers running Office versions that are outdated or close to their end of support. This update is only installed on systems where Office 2013, Office 2010, or Office 2007 is present, and it will not install any files. Instead, it will run once to check if the Office installation is out of date or needs to be upgraded. The update collects diagnostic and performance data from registry entries and APIs, but it does not collect any licensing details, customer content, or data about non-Microsoft products. Microsoft has not yet revealed what it plans to do with the data it collects. People who do not want to install this update can opt out of receiving updates for other Microsoft products by going to Windows Update > Advanced Options. Office 2007 and Office 2010 have already reached their end of support, and Office 2013 will reach its extended support date in April 2023. After an Office version reaches the end of support, it no longer receives technical support, bug fixes, or security fixes for newly discovered vulnerabilities. Microsoft recommends that customers using outdated Office versions download and install a free trial of its Microsoft 365 productivity suite.
This Cyber News was published on www.bleepingcomputer.com. Publication date: Thu, 02 Feb 2023 20:05:03 +0000