Patch tracker / KB5120249
KB5120249: Windows Server 2022 Security Update (August 2026)
KB5120249 is a High security update for Windows Server 2022, released 2026-08-11. It closes 161 CVEs with a maximum CVSS of 8.8. At least one of them is actively exploited (CISA KEV), so this is a deploy-first update. The most likely of them to be attacked is CVE-2026-42976, which FIRST.org rates at 54% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Update summary
Fixes 161 CVEs. At least one is actively exploited (CISA KEV). Most severe CVSS 8.8 (High). EPSS exploit probability up to 6.2%. Among the top half of tracked Microsoft updates by EPSS exploit probability.
Microsoft documents 1 known issue with this update.
- Devices with an unrecommended BitLocker Group Policy configuration might be required to enter their BitLocker recovery key
Senserva AI Opinion and rich prompt for KB5120249
Copy this prompt into Claude, ChatGPT, or Copilot. The facts are included, sourced from this page.
Full tracking and change history for KB5120249
- Released
- 2026-08-11
- Last changed
- 2026-08-24
- Changes tracked
- 6
Senserva began recording day-to-day change history on 2026-07-07, and refreshes it several times a day. Release dates are historical where Microsoft publishes them; revision history is tracked from that date forward, so it does not include changes made before then.
The strongest signal is the steady upward drift in coverage for KB5120249. On 2026-08-12 the count moved from 159 to 160 fixed CVEs, then on 2026-08-20 it rose again from 160 to 161. This gradual, one-step-at-a-time expansion suggests ongoing patch maintenance, so review the latest state today and apply the current update.
- 2026-08-12 CVEs fixed 159 to 160
- 2026-08-20 CVEs fixed 160 to 161
Recorded by Senserva on the dates shown, from the MSRC release feed. This is what moved and when, which neither the vendor advisory nor NVD publishes.
Check if KB5120249 is installed
Elevated PowerShell. No output means it is not installed.
Known issues, from Microsoft
Quoted from Microsoft's support article for KB5120249 (checked 2026-08-26). Verify against the article before acting.
Devices with an unrecommended BitLocker Group Policy configuration might be required to enter their BitLocker recovery key
Symptoms
Some devices with an unrecommended BitLocker Group Policy configuration might be required to enter their BitLocker recovery key on the first restart after installing this update.
This issue only affects a limited number of systems in which ALL the following conditions are true. These conditions are unlikely to be found on personal devices not managed by IT departments.
BitLocker is enabled on the OS drive.
The Group Policy " Configure TPM platform validation profile for native UEFI firmware configurations " is configured, and PCR7 is included in the validation profile (or the equivalent registry key is set manually).
System Information ( msinfo32.exe ) reports Secure Boot State PCR7 Binding as " Not Possible ".
The Windows UEFI CA 2023 certificate is present in the device’s Secure Boot Signature Database (DB), making the device eligible for the 2023‑signed Windows Boot Manager to be made the default.
The device is not already running the 2023-signed Windows Boot Manager.
In this scenario, the BitLocker recovery key only needs to be entered once -- subsequent restarts will not trigger a BitLocker recovery screen, as long as the group policy configuration remains unchanged. For help finding your BitLocker recovery key, see the article, Find your ...
CVEs fixed by this update
Sorted exploited-first, then by CVSS. Every CVE links to its Senserva page with the full risk facts, references, and a ready-to-paste AI prompt.
What the press says about this update
Trusted-source coverage of the CVEs this update fixes, pulled live from their own feeds.
Scope and sources
- Affected products
- Also released in August 2026
KB5002882
39 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5002883
40 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5002891
40 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5120228
215 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5120229
195 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5120233
215 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5120238
183 CVEs · Critical · exploitedKB5120240
171 CVEs · Critical · exploitedThe full month, summarized: Microsoft Patch Tuesday.
- Authoritative references
See this and every Microsoft update ranked by real-world risk on the Microsoft Patch Tracker.