6 Zero-Days Patched + July Price Hikes Confirmed
February Patch Tuesday delivered 6 actively exploited zero-days — the highest single-month count in years. M365 price increases (5-8%) are locked in for July 1. CSP partners have until April 1 before the renewal grace period ends. Here's what IT admins need to know.
📋 TL;DR — What You Need to Know
- 🔴 Patch now: 6 actively exploited zero-days fixed — Word, Windows Shell, and MSHTML all affected
- 💰 Budget alert: M365 price increases (5-8%) confirmed for July 1 — lock in renewals now
- ⚠️ CSP deadline: April 1 ends the renewal grace period — Extended Service Term carries 3-23% premium
- 🤖 Copilot hits 15M seats — Microsoft quietly pushing Copilot app shim to macOS enterprise installs
- 📅 Teams changes: Places, Town Hall, and Webinar features moving to core licensing in April
🔴 February 2026 Patch Tuesday: 6 Zero-Days Exploited in the Wild
Microsoft patched 58 vulnerabilities including six actively exploited zero-days — a significant spike given only 41 zero-days were disclosed across all of 2025.
Priority CVEs
| CVE | Component | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-21510 | Windows Shell | SmartScreen bypass — executes files without user warning |
| CVE-2026-21513 | MSHTML/Trident | Security bypass via malicious HTML/.lnk files |
| CVE-2026-21514 | Microsoft Word | OLE mitigation bypass via malicious Office files |
| CVE-2026-21533 | Remote Desktop | Privilege escalation (exploited since Dec 24, 2025) |
🟠 M365 Pricing Changes — July 1, 2026
Microsoft confirmed commercial and government SKU increases:
- Business suites: 5-8% increase
- Government G3/G5: +$3-$3.90/user/month
- What's included: Bundled Copilot, Security Copilot, enhanced management
CSP Partners: April 1 ends the renewal grace period. The new Extended Service Term (EST) carries a 3-23% premium for late renewals.
🟠 Copilot macOS Deployment Push
Starting mid-February, the M365 enterprise suite installer for Mac includes a Copilot app shim (placeholder icon). The full app downloads when users click the shortcut.
Existing installations unaffected. Organizations can exclude during deployment.
🟠 Teams Licensing Consolidation — April 2026
Several premium features moving into Teams core licensing:
- Microsoft Places (desk booking, workspace management)
- Advanced Town Hall and Webinar capabilities
- Express voice enrollment
- Meet App → Events App transition
⚡ Quick Hits
- Copilot adoption: 15 million paid seats (↑160% YoY) — still only ~3.3% of M365 user base
- 35 new Copilot connectors now GA: Google Drive, GitHub, Asana, monday.com, Zendesk, and more — totaling 100+ integrations
- PowerPoint Agent Mode: Rolling out Feb-June 2026 — autonomous presentation creation from SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams content
- Teams Live Events: Retirement in progress — migrate to Town Hall
- Secure Boot: 2011 certificates expire June 2026 — replacement rollout has begun
✅ Admin Action Items
- 🔴 Critical: Deploy February Patch Tuesday updates immediately
- 🔴 Critical: Validate Word/Office macro/OLE policies — this week
- 🟠 High: Review M365 renewal agreements before April 1
- 🟠 High: Budget for July pricing changes in Q2 planning
- 🟡 Medium: Audit Copilot connector permissions before enabling new connectors
- 🟡 Medium: Plan Teams Live Events → Town Hall migration for Q2
📅 Key Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 11 | Patch Tuesday — zero-day fixes released |
| Apr 1, 2026 | CSP grace period ends (EST begins) |
| Jun 2026 | Secure Boot 2011 certificates expire |
| Jul 1, 2026 | M365 price increases effective |
🔥 The Bottom Line
Six zero-days in a single Patch Tuesday is a big deal. The Word vulnerability (CVE-2026-21514) is particularly concerning because it affects everyone with an Office license — and malicious documents are trivially easy to distribute.
On the business side, July is going to hurt. 5-8% price increases across the board, with CSP partners facing even steeper premiums if they miss the April 1 deadline. If you haven't locked in your renewals, now's the time.
Patch first. Budget second. Don't wait.
Questions about patching or pricing?
Fireside Cloud Solutions can help you prioritize your patching schedule, review your licensing agreements, and plan for the July price changes. We're here to help.
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