After mysteriously holding off on critical security updates last month, Microsoft has finally rolled out new Windows updates to address critical flaws. The Redmond company has patched up dozens of vulnerabilities, including the “critical”-rated flaw tied up to a Windows SMB bug.

For those unaware of the exploit, this breach could allow remote control from hackers even if unauthenticated. Much of this was tackled in an advisory by Carnegie Mellon University’s public vulnerability database last month. Lauren Gaffie discovered the flaw and released the exploit code but Microsoft has patched everything up.

Other than that, there were also eight other critical issues that included two cumulative updates for Internet Explorer and the Edge Browser, ZDNet reported. For those who want to patch these problems up, the Windows update should patch the vulnerabilities.

Curiously, Microsoft has not yet explained the reason for the delayed release of the patch though the build system was seen as one reason. In what could be an effort to make up for the inconvenience, there were some additions to the recently released patch. This included a small notice where users can gain early access to the next big Windows update. The second surprise seemed targeted for IT professionals – the “Windows-as-a-service” release cycle.

Speaking of security, the Windows Creators Update will reportedly include a Windows Defender ATP. This means improved protection from memory and kernel attacks which will keep close watch of unwarranted intrusions.

Especially for devices exposed to the Internet, the Windows Defender ATP can help identify the targets of attackers. With the historical detection capability, it can go back as far as six months to skim through previous attacks that may have gone unnoticed. This means that moving forward, Windows device users can protect certain files from being accessed and pin down the unwanted intruder/s. For those who want to try it out, they can register for a beta access via the Microsoft Security blog.