Microsoft’s first security update of 2026, released on January 13, triggered significant technical failures that forced the company to issue rare “out-of-band” (OOB) emergency patches just days later. The most prominent issue affected Windows 11 version 23H2 systems with “Secure Launch” enabled, where PCs became unable to shut down or hibernate, instead performing a full system restart every time a user attempted to power off. Additionally, the update broke essential enterprise tools, causing widespread authentication failures within the Windows App, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Windows 365, effectively locking many users out of their cloud-based workstations.
To resolve these critical disruptions, Microsoft released emergency updates (notably KB5077797 for version 23H2 and KB5077744 for versions 24H2/25H2) on January 17. While these patches address the power and connectivity bugs, some users have reported secondary issues, such as crashes in Outlook Classic for those using POP accounts and temporary “black screen” delays during login. IT administrators are advised to prioritize these out-of-band updates to restore system stability, particularly in managed enterprise environments where remote access is vital.
