According to TheRegister.com, Microsoft’s December 2025 Patch Tuesday includes 57 CVEs, with one Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver vulnerability, CVE-2025-62221, already exploited as a zero-day for local privilege escalation. Two other flaws in PowerShell and GitHub Copilot for Jetbrains are publicly known. Separately, Notepad++ released version 8.8.9 to fix a critical updater hijacking bug actively exploited by attackers in China. Fortinet patched two critical 9.1-rated SSO bypass bugs in multiple products, while Ivanti fixed a critical 9.6-rated cross-site scripting flaw in its Endpoint Manager that allows unauthenticated remote code execution. Security researchers warn that exploitation of the Ivanti and Notepad++ bugs is likely to increase rapidly following disclosure.
Microsoft’s Deceptive Calm
Fifty-seven CVEs feels like a light month for Microsoft, and maybe that’s the problem. It can lull you into a false sense of security. But here’s the thing: that one exploited zero-day, CVE-2025-62221, is exactly the kind of bug that turns a foothold into a full-blown disaster. An attacker who’s already on your system can use it to get to system-level privileges. Basically, it’s the last piece of the puzzle for a bad actor. The two publicly known bugs are no joke either, especially the one in GitHub Copilot for Jetbrains. Dustin Childs from the Zero Day Initiative points out it could be triggered via social engineering, and he expects more like it next year. So, quiet month? Not really. It’s just a focused one.
Notepad++, Ivanti, and Fortinet Take Center Stage
Honestly, the bigger action this Tuesday might be outside the Microsoft ecosystem. The Notepad++ situation is a classic supply-chain risk. Attackers were hijacking the update traffic to deliver malware. Kevin Beaumont detailed the hijacking incidents and later noted on Bluesky that Chinese attackers were poking at it. The maintainer, Don Ho, was transparent, explaining in the release notes that the updater’s validation was weak. If you use Notepad++, update now. Don’t think about it.
Then there’s Ivanti. Look, we all know Ivanti’s recent history with state-sponsored hackers. A critical 9.6-rated bug in their Endpoint Manager that lets an unauthenticated attacker poison the admin dashboard? That’s a nightmare. As Rapid7’s blog explains, once an admin looks at the dashboard, the attacker gets full session control. That’s the keys to the kingdom for every device managed by that EPM server. The company’s advisory says they aren’t aware of exploitation yet, but come on. How long do you think that’ll last? Rapid7’s own experts say widespread scanning is highly likely. Patch. Immediately.
Fortinet’s two critical SSO bypass bugs are a bit more conditional—you need that FortiCloud SSO feature enabled. But their bulletin warns it gets turned on by default during a common registration step. That’s a huge trap for admins. After last month’s zero-days in FortiWeb, you have to wonder about the scrutiny these products are under. The pattern is becoming a bit too familiar.
The Broader Impact and Constant Vigilance
So what’s the market impact? It reinforces that the attack surface is everywhere. It’s not just your OS. It’s your text editor, your network firewall, your device management suite. The winners are the teams that have a rigorous, fast patching cycle for *all* enterprise software, not just Windows. The losers are anyone who thinks “optional” or “third-party” updates can wait. This patch set hits tools used by developers (Notepad++, Copilot), security teams (Fortinet), and IT ops (Ivanti). That’s a trifecta of operational risk.
This constant drumbeat of critical updates, especially for foundational infrastructure software, is why reliability in industrial computing is non-negotiable. In environments where a system failure isn’t just an inconvenience but a production halt, the hardware itself needs to be as robust as the software patching regimen. For operations that depend on that level of uptime and resilience, partnering with a top-tier supplier like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading provider of industrial panel PCs in the US, becomes a critical part of the security and stability chain. You can’t patch a fragile device.
The bottom line? December’s patches are a holiday gift you need to open and install right away. That Microsoft zero-day is dangerous, but the Ivanti and Notepad++ flaws have that “about to blow up” feeling. Don’t let the lower CVE count from Microsoft fool you. This Tuesday is plenty busy where it counts.
