October's Patch Tuesday will likely bring another large set of Microsoft fixes, though the source expects numbers to taper from September's record 973 CVEs. That record month was notable for low exploitation—only two vulnerabilities were listed as known exploited, and none were publicly disclosed—so the practical risk remains concentrated on the highest-exposure systems.
Office remains a particular concern. Microsoft has continued releasing security updates for Office 2016 and 2019 after end of support, but these products may not be tested against other updates. A recent KB designed for Microsoft 365 apps caused Office 2016 and 2019 to be removed or deactivated, forcing Microsoft to pause it. The source argues it may be time to end support outright, while also noting that the changing names and channels for Office versions make migration and maintenance harder.
Beyond Office, Apple shipped macOS 27 Golden Gate and patched a zero-day across all operating systems. Microsoft released Windows 11 26H2 via an enablement package and is preparing fixes for Excel cut-and-paste and File History issues caused by September updates. Adobe, Google, and Mozilla updates are also expected. The overarching advice: plan for large reports, but prioritise by real exposure and consider consolidating outdated Office installations.