Microsoft Patch Tuesday March 2014: Surface family firmware and Windows updates

Surface RT and Surface Pro Patch Tuesday Firmware update

Today is Patch Tuesday once again and in the March release Microsoft is pushing five new security updates: two of them are marked as Critical, while the remaining three are marked as Important.

From the two critical updates one is to fix memory corruption vulnerabilities found in Internet Explorer for all versions including IE 11. The other critical update deals with a problem with Microsoft’s DirectShow, which could cause “specially crafted JPEG” image to execute malicious code remotely. These update affect Windows 8.1, 8, RT, 7, Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2003, 2008, and 2012.

The important updates addresses vulnerability in Silverlight, Windows Kernel Mode driver, and Microsoft Remote Protocol that could allow malicious people to incorrectly validate a lockout account.

Surface tablet firmware update for March 2014

Microsoft Surface tablets are yet again getting firmware updates as part of Patch Tuesday. Although, there is not a firmware update for the Surface RT, the rest of the tablets will be seeing a new update labeled “System Firmware Update – 3/11/2014”.

According to the Microsoft Surface update history page, March Patch Tuesday brings the following update for:

Surface 2

  • Surface 2 UEFI (v4.18.500) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • System Aggregator Firmware (v1.0.48500.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Platform Power Driver (v2.0.524.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update (v2.0.523.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.517.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.517.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Home Button Driver (v2.0.281.0) resolves behavior where Surface would sometimes not wake from sleep.
  • Surface System Software Device (v5.0.498.0) includes stability and experience improvements.

Surface Pro

Surface Pros running 8.0 updates:

  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update (v1.0.323.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.

Surface Pros running 8.1 updates:

  • Marvell AVASTAR 350N Wireless Network Controller (v14.69.24052.168) resolves wireless network connectivity issues.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Wireless Composite Device (v14.69.24052.168) improves Miracast support.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Bluetooth Radio Adapter (v14.69.24052.168) updated as part of a driver package that includes the Marvell Wireless Network Controller and Marvell Wireless Composite Device. There are no Bluetooth updates in this version of the driver.
  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v1.0.317.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update (v1.0.323.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.

Surface Pro 2

  • Surface Pro UEFI (v2.04.0450) improves experience when using BitLocker so that a Surface Cover can provide PIN input.
  • Surface Touch Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.262.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Type Cover 2 Firmware Update Device (v2.0.262.0) update improves multiple finger support on the touchpad.
  • Surface Power Cover Firmware Update Device (v2.0.268.0) provides support for Surface Power Cover.
  • Surface Cover Telemetry (v2.0.229.0) improves stability and experience for Surface Covers.
  • Marvell AVASTAR 350N Wireless Network Controller (v14.69.24052.168) resolves wireless network connectivity issues.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Wireless Composite Device (v14.69.24052.168) improves Miracast support.
  • Marvell AVASTAR Bluetooth Radio Adapter (v14.69.24052.168) updated as part of a driver package that includes the Marvell Wireless Network Controller and Marvell Wireless Composite Device. There are no Bluetooth updates in this version of the driver.
  • Intel(R) Display Audio (v6.16.00.3135) improves Miracast support.
  • Intel(R) HD Graphics Family (v10.18.10.3431) improves Miracast support and enables daisy chaining of monitors using DisplayPort 1.2.
  • Intel WiDi Audio Device (v4.5.44.0) improves Miracast support.

All the Surface tablets getting a firmware update on March are also getting cover update, new driver for the new Surface Power Covers that Microsoft will be releasing on March 19th. Surface owners will also notice Bluetooth and Marvell AVASTAR wireless network updates.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.