February 2026 Patch Tuesday delivers security updates for 59 Microsoft vulnerabilities and stands out for one clear reason: multiple flaws are already being actively exploited in the wild. Alongside these zero-day issues, this month’s release also includes high-severity vulnerabilities across Windows core components, Office applications, developer tools, and critical Azure cloud services.
The combination of confirmed exploitation, several vulnerabilities rated as exploitation more likely, and two critical cloud CVEs with CVSS scores of 9.8 makes this a higher-risk Patch Tuesday than average. Organizations should move quickly to identify exposed systems, prioritize patches based on real-world risk, and reduce both endpoint and cloud attack surface before these vulnerabilities are more widely weaponized.
Microsoft Patch Breakdown
Microsoft’s February 2026 Patch Tuesday release spans a wide cross-section of products and services, reflecting both endpoint and cloud risk. The updates address vulnerabilities across Windows core components and drivers, including the Windows kernel, Win32K, Desktop Window Manager, networking services, and authentication mechanisms such as NTLM. Several of these components are deeply embedded in day-to-day system operations, which increases the potential blast radius if they remain unpatched.
End-user applications are also a major focus this month. Microsoft Office components, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, received multiple fixes, alongside updates for legacy Internet Explorer components and Windows Notepad. These vulnerabilities often rely on user interaction, such as opening a file or link, which makes them especially relevant in environments with large or distributed workforces.
Beyond endpoints, Microsoft addressed vulnerabilities in developer tooling and cloud services. Updates affect .NET, Visual Studio, GitHub Copilot, and multiple Azure services, including Azure SDK and Azure Front Door. The presence of critical cloud vulnerabilities in this release highlights the importance of extending patching and vulnerability management beyond traditional desktops and servers to include cloud-facing services that may be exposed to the internet.
Overall, February’s Patch Tuesday reflects a mix of exploited vulnerabilities, high-severity endpoint flaws, and critical cloud issues, requiring organizations to take a holistic view of risk across both on-premises and cloud environments.
Zero-Day and Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities
Microsoft confirmed multiple vulnerabilities in the February 2026 release are being actively exploited in the wild, significantly raising the urgency for patching. These zero-day flaws were weaponized before fixes were available, meaning affected systems may already be exposed even in well-maintained environments.
The actively exploited vulnerabilities impact a mix of Windows components, Office applications, and remote access technologies. Several enable privilege escalation or security feature bypass, allowing attackers to gain elevated access after an initial foothold, while others can be triggered through user interaction or remote connectivity scenarios. This combination makes them especially dangerous in enterprise environments where attackers often chain multiple weaknesses together.
The following CVEs are confirmed as actively exploited:
CVE-2026-21510, Windows Shell
CVE-2026-21513, Internet Explorer and MSHTML
CVE-2026-21514, Microsoft Office Word
CVE-2026-21519, Desktop Window Manager
CVE-2026-21525, Windows Remote Access Connection Manager
CVE-2026-21533, Windows Remote Desktop
Organizations should treat these vulnerabilities as top priority, regardless of their individual CVSS scores. Active exploitation indicates real-world attack activity, and delaying remediation increases the likelihood of compromise, especially on internet-facing systems or endpoints used by remote employees.
Critical Vulnerable
In addition to the actively exploited flaws, February 2026 includes two critical vulnerabilities with CVSS scores of 9.8 that affect Microsoft Azure cloud services. While these issues are not currently confirmed as exploited, their severity and potential exposure make them a high priority for organizations running affected workloads.
Both vulnerabilities impact widely used Azure services that often sit in front of applications or are embedded into development and deployment pipelines. A successful exploit could allow attackers to compromise cloud resources, disrupt services, or gain access to sensitive data without needing an initial foothold on an endpoint.
The critical vulnerabilities addressed this month include:
CVE-2026-21531, Azure SDK
CVE-2026-24300, Azure Front Door
Because cloud services are frequently internet-facing and shared across multiple applications, delays in remediation can have cascading effects. Teams should coordinate closely with cloud and DevOps stakeholders to assess exposure, apply available fixes, and validate that mitigations are in place as quickly as possible.
Exploitation Likely Vulnerabilities
Beyond the confirmed zero-days and critical cloud issues, Microsoft also flagged several vulnerabilities as more likely to be exploited in the February 2026 release. While these CVEs are not yet confirmed as actively exploited, Microsoft’s assessment indicates a higher probability of near-term weaponization based on vulnerability characteristics and observed threat activity.
This group includes vulnerabilities affecting core Windows components and commonly used applications, where reliable exploitation techniques are often developed quickly once details become public. In many cases, these flaws can be used for privilege escalation or to support lateral movement after an attacker gains an initial foothold.
Notable vulnerabilities in this category include:
CVE-2026-21231, Windows Kernel
CVE-2026-21238, Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock
CVE-2026-21241, Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock
CVE-2026-21253, Mailslot File System
CVE-2026-21511, Microsoft Office Outlook
Organizations should plan to remediate these vulnerabilities shortly after addressing actively exploited and critical issues. Treating exploitation-likely CVEs as medium-term priorities helps reduce the window of opportunity for attackers to adapt and scale new exploits as this month’s patch information becomes more widely available.
Patch Prioritization Guidance
February 2026’s Patch Tuesday requires a risk-based approach that goes beyond severity scores alone. With multiple vulnerabilities already exploited in the wild and additional flaws rated as exploitation more likely, organizations should prioritize patches based on real-world threat activity, exposure, and potential business impact.
Patch immediately (within 72 hours)
All vulnerabilities confirmed as actively exploited in the wild
Critical Azure vulnerabilities with CVSS scores of 9.8, particularly for internet-facing services
Patch within one to two weeks
Vulnerabilities tagged as exploitation more likely
High-severity vulnerabilities affecting Windows core components, Office applications, Hyper-V, and developer tools
Route patch cycle
Remaining vulnerabilities marked as exploitation less likely or unlikely
Lower-risk issues that can be aligned with standard maintenance windows and testing processes
Teams should also verify successful deployment across all affected systems and continue monitoring Microsoft guidance as exploit activity evolves following this release.
How Splashtop AEM Can Help
February 2026’s Patch Tuesday is a reminder that patching speed matters most when vulnerabilities are already being exploited. Splashtop AEM helps IT teams reduce the window of exposure by pairing CVE-level visibility with real-time patching and automation.
Get clarity fast on what’s actually at risk
See which endpoints are exposed to specific CVEs, including actively exploited and high-severity issues.
Prioritize remediation using clear signals like exploitation status, severity, and asset criticality.
Track patch progress centrally to confirm what is patched and what remains exposed.
Patch faster with less manual effort
Automate OS and third-party application patching across Windows and macOS.
Standardize rollout policies to reduce inconsistency across teams and locations.
Reduce time spent on status chasing, reporting, and follow-up remediation.
Strengthen patching alongside your existing tools
If you use Microsoft Intune, supplement it with faster patch execution and broader third-party coverage.
If you use an RMM, streamline patching with a lighter approach that is simpler to operate.
If you patch manually, replace spreadsheet workflows with automation, visibility, and control.
Splashtop AEM helps teams move quickly and confidently during high-pressure Patch Tuesday cycles, especially when zero-days and exploitation-likely vulnerabilities are part of the release.
Deploy Patches Fast with Splashtop AEM
February 2026’s Patch Tuesday is the kind of release where delays get expensive. Multiple vulnerabilities are already being exploited in the wild, and the remaining high-severity and critical issues give attackers plenty of options once details spread.
The smartest path is straightforward: patch the exploited CVEs first, follow immediately with the critical Azure items, then close out the exploitation-likely vulnerabilities before they become the next wave of incidents.
If you want a faster, more controlled way to get from “patches are available” to “systems are actually protected,” start a free trial of Splashtop AEM. You can quickly see which endpoints are exposed to specific CVEs, automate patch deployment across your environment, and track remediation progress in one place.
