Microsoft Patches Security Flaw in Age of Empires II
Microsoft has addressed a significant security vulnerability in its classic video game Age of Empires II. The flaw could have allowed attackers to take control of a victim's computer via a malicious game invite.
Microsoft released a security patch in July 2026 to fix a vulnerability within the remastered version of its long-standing real-time strategy game, Age of Empires II. The flaw, identified as CVE-2026-50663, posed a risk where attackers could gain control of a player's computer by sending a specially crafted, malicious game invitation.
Security researchers demonstrated the exploit in a video, showing how joining an attacker's lobby and accepting a user-generated content (UCG) file could lead to remote code execution. This means an attacker could potentially run unauthorized commands on the victim's system.
The fix was included in Microsoft's regular Patch Tuesday release, which addressed a record number of vulnerabilities partly due to the company's enhanced use of AI in bug detection. Age of Empires II, originally released in 1999 and remastered in 2013, remains a popular title in its genre.
This patch aims to protect players from potential exploits, ensuring the continued integrity and security of the game environment for its player base.