Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) troubleshooters will be retired by Microsoft in future versions of Windows, with MSDT ultimately being removed in 2025.
Also referred to as legacy inbox troubleshooters, these Windows built-in tools can diagnose and fix issues affecting some Windows features automatically. The troubleshooters will be killed off with the launch of the next Windows 11 release. Some MSDT troubleshooters will be redirected to Microsoft's Get Help platform (starting later this year) after being retired while some will be removed.
"A remote code execution vulnerability exists when MSDT is called using the URL protocol from a calling application such as Word. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can run arbitrary code with the privileges of the calling application," Microsoft said when describing the Follina bug.
"The attacker can then install programs, view, change, or delete data, or create new accounts in the context allowed by the user's rights."
"If you're running Windows 11 version 22H2 and older, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, or any other earlier OS version, your device will not be affected by the MSDT Troubleshooter retirement," Microsoft added.
This announcement comes after Microsoft temporarily displayed a retirement message within MSDT's user interface in January 2023.