Security updates

Beckhoff is not responsible for any side effects negatively affecting the real-time capabilities of your TwinCAT control application possibly caused by updates. Beckhoff offers update images with qualified performance for Beckhoff hardware. The TwinCAT System Manager offers tools, which can be of assistance to verify real-time performance after an update. We recommend creating a security backup of the image before patching the system. Only administrators or IT experts should perform the backup and update procedure.

Because of the differences in making Windows updates with an Industrial PC and making them with a traditional office PC, this chapter describes the structure and handling of Windows security updates on Beckhoff Industrial PCs.

Structure of Windows updates

Among the operating system versions distributed by Beckhoff, only Windows 10 is provided with regular security updates by Microsoft (status February 2022). A Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise update state consists of a servicing stack update (tool collection for Windows update service), a cumulative update (includes each previous update) and a few additional updates. New updates are released on every second Tuesday each month. This day is called patch day.

Testing Windows updates

Microsoft patches its operating systems by Windows updates, which improve the quality and extend the lifetime of the software. Negative side effects on the functionality and real-time capability of TwinCAT are possible. Therefore, we are checking all updates for compatibility with TwinCAT before integrating them in our images.

Release of information

Regularly, Beckhoff patches its standard images with the newest Windows updates and raises the service and production images to the current security state (that is released by Microsoft). Additionally, customers would like to update their IPCs that are already in the field. Beckhoff communicates the latest update test results as follows:

If an update passes the test successfully it gets the status “Beckhoff approved”. Beckhoff informs its customers about the approved updates, for each operating system individually. As of February 2022, the cumulative update of one month (if available also the cumulative .NET framework update) and the current servicing stack update are included. Beckhoff does not publish a history of updates from previous months. Beckhoff always tests with the latest TwinCAT build but does not guarantee compatibility to older TwinCAT builds. Please contact Beckhoff to be informed regularly about successfully tested updates.

Installation of Windows updates

The installation of Windows updates requires a running Windows update service. This service is disabled in some Beckhoff standard images by default. After a successful update process you should disable automatic updates to prevent potential negative side effects of Windows security updates on the system.