Microsoft Confirms $1.50 Windows Security Update Fee Starts July 1

As the tech world continues to navigate the complexities of security updates, Microsoft has confirmed that a new subscription-based service will be available to users of Windows Server 2025 starting July 1. The service, which offers no-reboot security "hotpatch" updates, comes with a price tag: $1.50 per CPU core per month.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of hotpatching, it's a method of applying security patches to an operating system without requiring a reboot. This can significantly reduce downtime and improve overall system availability. Microsoft has touted hotpatching as a game-changer in the security update process, citing benefits such as higher availability, faster deployment times, and easier patch orchestration.

"Hotpatching brings a number of important benefits to the security update process," said Janine Patrick, Windows Server product marketing manager, and Artem Pronichkin, a senior program manager at Microsoft. "Not least that there will be higher availability with fewer reboots required, and that’s no bad thing in anyone’s book."

Updates will be faster to deploy as they will arrive in much smaller packages that install quickly, and Microsoft pointed out that the optional Azure Update Manager makes patch orchestration easier. Finally, and most importantly, hotpatching reduces the "window of vulnerability" – the period between a vulnerability becoming known and getting patched – so leaving it open to exploit by attackers.

But what about those who don't want or need this service? Microsoft has stated that the feature will be available in preview mode since 2024, but now it's coming out of preview mode on July 1. To use the no-reboot security updates feature, you'll need to be using "Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter, and your server must be connected to Azure Arc." However, if you're a Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition user, you won't have to pay a subscription fee – hotpatching will continue without charge.

So, who has to pay the $1.50 per core Windows update subscription fee? Anyone using "Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter" and connected to Azure Arc will need to subscribe to the Hotpatch service. This means that administrators will have an additional monthly expense to consider.

Only time will tell if this new service is a blessing or a curse for Windows Server users. As with any subscription-based model, it's essential to weigh the benefits against the costs and decide whether the convenience of no-reboot security updates is worth the extra expense.

The service is entirely optional, and Microsoft has emphasized that restarts will still be necessary about four times a year for baseline updates. However, hotpatching can save significant time and ease the inconvenience of traditional Patch Tuesday updates. Ultimately, it's up to each administrator to decide whether this service is right for their organization.