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Remember the empty folder in Windows 11 (version 24H2) that Microsoft advised against deleting under any circumstances? Well, third-party security researchers have a slightly different opinion on this matter.
In case you forgot what the problem was, here it is in short: April update added inetpub folder, which plays an important role in the system’s operation. If you remove it, as many users have done, you may experience serious problems. Namely, security patches will not work, and in the worst case — Windows updates will stop installing altogether.
This is because inetpub is part of the fix for the CVE-2025-21204 vulnerability. Microsoft created it automatically as a side effect of the patch, which fixes a problem where a hacker could create a special shortcut (symbolic link) that directs the system to a specific location in files. The problem was fixed in the April update, but with it came another vulnerability — even more serious.
Security researcher Kevin Beaumont has shown that the inetpub folder can be used to block Windows updates altogether. You don’t need to have administrative rights. Just open the command prompt (Windows+R → cmd) and run the command:
This creates a symbolic link between inetpub and notepad.exe. After that, Windows will no longer be able to install updates. That is, the system will think that something went wrong and roll back the patches every time. In other words, Microsoft fixed the CVE-2025-21204 problem and created another one.
Microsoft has not yet commented on the new finding, although the security researcher has already contacted the MSRC (Microsoft Security Response Center). It is possible that the company will release a separate patch to close the problem.
Microsoft has previously warned that the inetpub folder should not be deleted — even if it seems unnecessary. But if you do delete this folder, Microsoft recommends manually adding it back. The easiest way is to turn on the «Internet Information Services» feature in Windows Settings. After that, inetpub will reappear.
This is not the first strange case with Windows updates: some updates disrupt Bluetooth and webcam operations, other — delete the Copilot chatbot or change the printer language. But today’s story is about a bug that seems to have been created by the developers themselves, trying to fix the previous one.
Source: Neowin