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Reduce the number of paths attackers can reach, use only mitigations that fit your Exchange build and topology, and prepare to install the applicable Security Update (SU) as soon as you can do so safely. These steps can lower immediate exposure, but they do not replace the SU: Microsoft says the Exchange Emergency Mitigation service is not a substitute for Exchange SUs.
Microsoft’s guidance is to keep supported on-premises environments ready for emergency security updates. The right update depends on your installed Exchange version and Cumulative Update (CU), so establish those details before selecting a package or changing security settings.
1. Establish what is running and reachable
Start with an inventory. Record each Exchange server’s version, CU and SU level, role, and support status. Map the services and endpoints published to the Internet, along with reverse proxies, load balancers, hybrid publishing, and applications or services that depend on Exchange.
Run Microsoft’s Exchange Server Health Checker against the servers. Microsoft recommends it to identify missing CUs and SUs and surface manual actions that may be needed. Use the results to decide which update path applies to each server; CUs, SUs, and Hotfix Updates (HUs) have different purposes and support eligibility.
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- Identify which servers are Internet-accessible and which inbound paths are required for business services.
- Record TLS configuration and whether traffic passes through a load balancer or proxy.
- Note hybrid configuration and any client, application, or public-folder dependencies that could be affected by security changes.
- Check Microsoft’s current Exchange build and lifecycle information before choosing an update. Release and support status change over time.
2. Reduce unnecessary Internet exposure
Review each published Exchange endpoint and restrict inbound access that is not required for your organization’s mail flow or client access. Make changes in a way that preserves required services, and validate them against the actual publishing path rather than assuming all Exchange servers have the same exposure.
Consider Edge Transport as an architectural option
An Edge Transport server can handle Internet mail flow in a perimeter network, helping reduce the need to expose internal Exchange servers directly to Internet mail threats. It is an architectural choice, not a quick universal mitigation or a replacement for patching. Introducing it requires environment-specific planning for mail flow, redundancy, and hybrid or other dependencies.
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3. Check applicable temporary mitigations
Microsoft’s Exchange Emergency Mitigation (EM) service can apply temporary mitigations for certain known threats. Check whether the service is installed and connected to the Office Config Service, then verify that the relevant mitigation is reported as applied on the server and applies to its installed build. A mitigation may affect Exchange features, so understand its scope and rollback steps before relying on it.
For supported Exchange 2016 and Exchange 2019 installations, Microsoft says the EM service is included with the September 2021 CU or later. When configured and supported, it checks for available mitigations every hour. These are service-operation details, not evidence that a mitigation eliminates risk or protects every version and topology.
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4. Treat Extended Protection as a compatibility-sensitive control
Extended Protection can mitigate authentication relay and man-in-the-middle attacks, but enabling it requires checking prerequisites across the Exchange build, TLS settings, clients, and network path. Microsoft’s guidance calls out load-balancer and hybrid considerations, including Hybrid Agent configurations, and does not support SSL offloading for this control.
Use Microsoft’s provided script and Health Checker to validate prerequisites before making the change. Do not enable Extended Protection blindly during an incident: incompatible TLS or publishing configurations can disrupt connectivity.
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5. Prepare and install the applicable SU
Once you have identified the supported update for each server, plan the installation and its recovery and validation steps. Microsoft advises keeping servers on the latest CU or the latest-minus-one CU, and installing the latest SU before bringing a server online. Confirm current build and support guidance before acting, because those details can change.
- Confirm the update path. Match the server’s installed Exchange version and CU to Microsoft’s current update guidance and the applicable SU. Do not treat a CU, SU, or HU as interchangeable.
- Plan the sequence. Microsoft’s recommended workflow is to update front-end servers first. Schedule the work around service dependencies and the restarts required before and after installation.
- Install and restart. Follow the supported installation instructions for that update and server. Complete the planned restart before installation and restart again afterward.
- Verify the result. Rerun Exchange Server Health Checker after the SU and review its findings for additional actions. Confirm the expected build or update is installed and validate the Exchange services and mail flow your environment depends on.
How the exposure-reduction options differ
| Option | What it can do | Key limit or trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Restrict unnecessary inbound access | Reduce reachable Exchange paths while retaining required services. | Rules must reflect the organization’s actual endpoints and dependencies; an overbroad restriction can interrupt service. |
| Edge Transport in a perimeter network | Handle Internet mail flow at the perimeter and reduce the need to expose internal Exchange servers directly. | Requires architectural and operational planning for mail flow, redundancy, and environment-specific dependencies; it is not a patch. |
| Exchange Emergency Mitigation service | Apply temporary mitigations for certain known threats when the service and mitigation are applicable. | Does not replace an SU; verify connectivity, applied state, build relevance, feature impact, and rollback steps. |
| Extended Protection | Mitigate authentication relay and man-in-the-middle attacks. | Requires compatible builds and configurations; SSL offloading is unsupported, and TLS, load-balancer, client, and hybrid details matter. |
| Security Update | Correct the applicable vulnerability through Microsoft’s supported update path. | Requires version- and CU-aware selection, planned restarts, and post-installation verification; temporary mitigations are not a substitute. |
Use a staged response, not a substitute for patching
In the immediate term, establish the affected builds and exposure, limit unnecessary reachability, and verify any applicable temporary mitigation. In parallel, prepare the supported SU installation, including front-end-first sequencing, restarts, and post-update Health Checker review. The specific package, support eligibility, and mitigation instructions depend on the server’s current build and the applicable Microsoft guidance.
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