An update has been released by Microsoft to address a security vulnerability in Windows 10 and 11 that allowed malicious actors to retrieve modified screenshot sections.
The vulnerability, called “acrolips,” according to The Verge, has the potential to expose sensitive information by enabling threat actors to retrieve edited parts of screenshots. Microsoft stated that both the Snip & Sketch application on Windows 10 and the Snipping Tool on Windows 11 are affected by this issue.
The vulnerability affects only those screenshots that have gone through a specific set of steps, including taking a screenshot, saving it, editing it, saving it again in the original file, and reopening and editing it in the same Snipping Tool.
The flaw does not impact screenshots that were updated before being saved or those that were copied and pasted from sources such as emails or documents. The security vulnerability was recently discovered, and Microsoft has provided the latest updates for the affected applications through the Microsoft Store.
It allows hackers to not only recover modified sections of screenshots but also undo the changes made to the image, exposing personal information that the user had intended to delete. Users can obtain the latest updates by visiting the Microsoft Store and selecting “Library” and “Get updates.”
In other news, Microsoft had previously announced a Windows 11 update with new features, such as an AI-powered Bing search function on the taskbar and the Phone Link app, which makes it easier for iPhone users to connect to their Windows 11 PC.