Typically, Windows 11 receives monthly cumulative updates automatically at the beginning of each month. However, as I’m writing this on May 26th, nearing the end of the month, an icon indicating an automatic update installation just appeared in my taskbar.
This made me wonder if I had missed the regular monthly update. So, I decided to investigate what this particular update was.
Upon opening Windows Update, it showed an update for “Windows Security Platform – KB5007651 (Version 10.0.27840.1000).” A quick search for KB5007651 brought up blog posts from two to three years ago. This immediately raised a red flag: why would an update from so long ago be installing now? I dug a bit deeper into the KB5007651 update.
What is KB5007651 Update – Security Platform?
First and foremost, the KB5007651 update is related to Windows security. While the monthly automatic updates usually include security patches, I wondered if a separate security update like this was particularly significant. Looking closer, I found that unlike the security patches included in the regular monthly updates, KB5007651 is an update for the security platform itself. Think of it simply as an update for Windows Defender.
Now, regarding why I found two to three-year-old posts in my search results: it seems that the first distribution of the KB5007651 update occurred in March 2023. Those initial blog posts were likely published around that time.
So, is the KB5007651 update I installed today the same one? No, it’s not. The KB5007651 update released in March 2023 had a version number of 1.0.2302.21002, whereas the one I just installed is Version 10.0.27840.1000. Looking at its release history, it appears to have been deployed at least seven times since March 2023.
Reviewing the content included in previous KB5007651 updates, I mostly found information about issues caused by the updates rather than details on their content. I couldn’t find any specific information about what the KB5007651 update Version 10.0.27840.1000, which began rolling out on May 22nd, actually contains.
My Concerns About the KB5007651 Update
Given the problems reported after previous KB5007651 update deployments, I’m a bit concerned about the Version 10.0.27840.1000 that was installed today. While it’s an automatic installation, and I can’t really stop it, it seems like a necessary update as it pertains to the security platform.
This update appears to be important because it relates to Defender’s functionalities, such as anti-malware, real-time protection, and system integrity checks, which are visible in the Windows Security section. I’m not sure why I’m only seeing this significant KB5007651 update now, despite it having been deployed multiple times.
Note: The KB5007651 update (Version 10.0.27840.1000) can be downloaded here if needed.
Interestingly, just yesterday, I finally addressed the exclamation mark I’d been ignoring in the Windows Security section of my taskbar. I made two recommended settings changes and cleared the notification. It seems that might have had an impact, leading to the installation of this security platform update, KB5007651, now.