Microsoft Offers New Windows Cipher Suite for Testing, Official Rollout Later This Year

Microsoft has plans to release an update to its cryptographic cipher suite prioritization later this year. But, instead of delivering it full on now through WSUS, it has made the update available through the Microsoft Download Center first to allow customers the chance to test in their environments and prepare for the unavoidable changes.

The update will be for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 and will most likely just be included in Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10.

The company has not given a definite date for when the update will roll out officially, only that it will come sometime in Q4 of 2015. Testing is important. Specifically, the update adds support for Perfect Forward Security (PFS) which will have an impact on how many applications, including IE, IIS, SQL Server, and Exchange Server negotiate SSL/TLS connections. Microsoft warns that, while the new cipher suites will make Windows more secure, it could have a considerable impact on resource consumption which is why the company is offering as a download first instead of rolling out it directly.

You can find the update download links here: Update to default cipher suite priority order: May 12, 2015

And, read through the security advisory here: Microsoft Security Advisory 3042058