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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Teams will soon support custom emojis and reactions, a highly requested feature that will enhance user expression in chats. * New slash commands in the compose box enable users to perform various tasks quickly, such as adding code blocks, controlling presence indicators, and muting chats. * Microsoft Loop has added support for code blocks and Adaptive Card-based Loop components.

Microsoft detailed today several new features coming to Microsoft Teams and Loop to help users collaborate more effectively with colleagues. The company is adding support for custom emojis and reactions in public preview to Microsoft Teams chats next month.

Custom emojis and reactionsIn Microsoft Teams, custom emoji support is one of the top-requested features that rival collaboration platforms like Slack and Discord had for many years. This new capability will allow employees to better express themselves while collaborating in Microsoft Teams chats. Microsoft says that it will be up to the IT admins to give permission to users to create, delete, and disable custom emojis in Microsoft Teams.

Slash commands in the compose boxMicrosoft Teams has added support for slash (/) commands to the message compose box for both chats and channel conversations. It will allow users to add a code block or a loop component to their message, control their presence indicator, mute a chat, navigate to settings, and perform other frequent tasks. This feature is supported in the Microsoft Teams desktop, web, and mobile clients.

Unfurling permalinksWhen a developer shares a code snippet using a permalink in a Microsoft Teams chat, it automatically expands to display a detailed preview from Microsoft Azure DevOps. This feature allows the recipient to view the code directly in the source application.

Unfurling permalinks (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft Loop-supported Code BlocksMicrosoft has started rolling out support for code blocks for its Loop app. This new feature allows users to insert code into a Loop component and convert a native Code Block to a Loop component. Users can share the Loop component in Microsoft Outlook as well as Microsoft Teams chats and channels.

Mermaid integration into Loop Code BlocksAdditionally, Microsoft has added new Mermaid integration to Loop Code Blocks. This new feature allows developers to collaborate with team members on technical discussions and documentation directly from a Loop page. Mermaid is a JavaScript-based diagramming and charting tool that lets users create complex diagrams and visualizations with a text-based syntax.

Adaptive Card-based Loop componentsLast but not least, Microsoft now lets users insert Adaptive Card-based Loop components from Confluence Cloud, Trello, Jira, Mural, Lucid Software, and Priority Matrix in Microsoft Teams chats and channels. The company plans to roll out this feature to Outlook users in the coming months.

In case you missed it, Microsoft announced today that Teams Premium is getting new AI-powered features and enhanced data protection features next month. We invite you to checkout our separate post for more details.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has announced AI-powered features and enhanced data protection for Microsoft Teams Premium customers. * Microsoft is also adding new admin controls to prevent content sharing in externally hosted meetings. * Microsoft has announced updates for custom app experiences in Teams, including sharing SharePoint files, PowerPoint Live support, and Live reactions.

Microsoft unveiled several updates for its Microsoft 365 suite of services at the annual Build developer conference. The company announced today several new AI-powered features and additional data protection capabilities for Microsoft Teams Premium customers.

Microsoft Teams will add intelligent recap support for meetings with only transcription enabled. It will allow meeting participants to access AI-generated tasks, meeting notes, and name mentions. Microsoft plans to make this new feature generally available in Teams Premium and Copilot for Microsoft 365 in June 2024.

Microsoft Teams Premium is getting a new feature that will enable organizers to control who can record and transcribe when scheduling meetings. Organizers will be able to select from two meeting options: organizers and co-organizers or organizers, co-organizers and presenters. This capability will be available for all Microsoft Teams Premium customers in June 2024.

Microsoft has introduced new admin controls that prevent attendees from sharing content in externally hosted meetings. This feature provides an additional layer of protection against potential data exfiltration from external participants.

Updates for custom app experiences connected to Microsoft TeamsIn addition to the new Premium capabilities, Microsoft announced new features for custom apps and website experiences connected to Microsoft Teams. It’s now possible to share SharePoint files in Teams chats with users joining from a custom app or web experience. Microsoft has introduced PowerPoint Live support to give both presenters and the audience an inclusive and engaging experience for Teams meetings.

With Live reactions, participants will be able to react with emojis on content (such as a desktop, window, PowerPoint deck, or whiteboard) shared in Teams meetings. Microsoft has also added noise suppression support to minimize disruptions during video calls and Teams meetings.

Lastly, the Call Diagnostics Center allows administrators to detect call quality and reliability issues, including poor internet connectivity and software compatibility issues. Other capabilities include support for real-time transcription via Azure AI Speech, closed captions, and picture-in-picture for iOS and Android.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft is expanding its Copilot AI assistant beyond personal use to support entire teams, departments, or companies. * Microsoft is enhancing Copilot Studio to allow developers to create custom copilots for automating business processes. * Microsoft says that all extensibility features for Copilot are being consolidated into Copilot extensions.

Microsoft continues to improve Copilot for Microsoft 365 which became generally available for commercial customers in November 2023. The company is getting ready to introduce new Team Copilot to help teams enhance collaboration and streamline project management.

“Team Copilot expands Copilot beyond a personal assistant to act on behalf of a team, a department, or
an entire company. And of course, you’re always in control – assigning tasks or responsibilities to Copilot
so the whole team can be more productive, collaborative, and creative, together,” explained Jared Spataro – CVP, AI at Work, Microsoft.

With this release, Team Copilot will be available for customers in Microsoft Teams, Loop, Planner, and other Microsoft 365 apps. The Copilot AI assistant will serve as a meeting facilitator by automatically managing the agenda and taking notes in Teams meetings.

Additionally, Copilot for Microsoft 365 will work as a group moderator in Microsoft Teams chats. Users will be able to use natural language commands to ask questions and summarize important information to catch up on lengthy conversations. In Microsoft Planner, the AI assistant will automatically create and assign tasks, track deadlines, as well as alerts team members when their input or action is required on a task.

Microsoft plans to release the new Team Copilot capabilities in public preview in the coming months. It will require a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license, which costs $30 per user per month for those businesses with 300 or fewer employees.

Agents: custom copilots Microsoft has introduced new features in Copilot Studio that will allow developers to create custom copilots that act as agents to automate common business processes (such as the end-to-end order fulfillment process). These new capabilities also enable users to reason over actions and user inputs, learn based on user feedback, use memory and knowledge for context, as well as record exception requests and ask for help. The new features, which are currently available in Early Access Program, will become generally available in the coming months.

Additionally, Microsoft now lets organizations create custom copilots in SharePoint. This feature enables employees to ask questions and find information in files and documents stored on SharePoint sites. This new capability is currently available for commercial customers enrolled in Early Access Program, and will be available in public preview by the end of this year.

Copilot Studio – Agent capabilities – Teaching (Image Credits: Microsoft)Copilot extensionsMicrosoft also announced today that it’s consolidating all extensibility concepts of Copilot for Microsoft 365 (such as plugins and connectors) into Copilot extensions. With Copilot extensions, users can tailor the productivity assistant’s actions and integrate it with various business systems. Microsoft says that developers can use Copilot Studio and Teams Toolkit for Visual Studio Code to build Copilot extensions.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 currently supports extensions in preview from Jira, Priority Matrix and Mural, and other popular apps. Enterprise administrators can control and manage access to Copilot extensions through the Microsoft 365 admin center. Microsoft is also adding support for connectors in Copilot Studio to help developers quickly create Copilot extensions.

Copilot Studio – Copilot connectors (Image Credits: Microsoft)Later this year, Microsoft plans to launch the Copilot Trust Platform in public preview for organizations. It should help to enhance the security, ethical standards, and efficiency of Microsoft Copilot for enterprise customers.

In related news, Microsoft has also announced new data protection capabilities for Microsoft Teams Premium customers at Build 2024. The company also detailed several new features for Microsoft Teams and Loop, and you can find more details in our separate post.

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Key Takeaways:* Fluid Framework 2.0 enables developers to easily add real-time collaboration features to new and existing applications. * The new Fluid Framework 2.0 supports Microsoft SharePoint Embedded, allowing developers to store collaboration data within Microsoft 365 tenants. * Microsoft expects to make Fluid Framework 2.0 generally available this summer.

Microsoft has announced a public preview of the new Fluid Framework 2.0 today at its Build 2024 conference. The latest update to the company’s open-source platform is designed to let developers quickly build real-time collaborative apps.

Microsoft’s Fluid Framework debuted back in 2019. It enables developers to build low-latency applications that support real-time collaboration across Office apps. Fluid Framework is designed to change the way people collaborate and update content in Office 365. The framework powers Microsoft Loop, Whiteboard, Microsoft Teams Live Share, and other Microsoft and third-party apps.

Fluid Framework 2.0 offers a schematized data model called a SharedTree Distributed Data Structure (DDS) to add collaboration capabilities to new and existing applications. This new model provides an intuitive programming interface for working with different data types, including arrays, objects, and maps.

“The SharedTree data model is defined by a schema, which enables developers to use Fluid data structures like other TypeScript/JavaScript data structures. This means developers can continue to follow the same programming paradigms for developing local-first apps, while getting the benefits of real-time collaboration through Fluid Framework,” Microsoft explained.

Fluid Framework (Image Credits: Microsoft)Fluid Framework 2.0 supports SharePoint EmbeddedIn addition to Azure Fluid Relay, Fluid Framework 2.0 introduces support for Microsoft SharePoint Embedded. It’s a cloud-based file and document management system that supports collaboration on content stored within a Microsoft 365 tenant. Microsoft highlighted that the new SharePoint Embedded support lets enterprise developers store collaboration data within the users’ Microsoft 365 tenant to comply with security and compliance requirements.

Overall, Fluid Framework 2.0 helps organizations to build collaborative, scalable, and cross-platform applications that enhance productivity and foster seamless teamwork. Microsoft expects to make it generally available this Summer. If you’re interested, you can learn more about how to get started with Fluid Framework 2.0 on the official website.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Edge for Business will add new screenshot prevention capabilities to protect against data leaks. * A new Edge management service will help IT admins track outdated browser instances to patch zero-day vulnerabilities. * Microsoft Edge will soon offer real-time video translation for popular websites like YouTube and LinkedIn.

At its Build conference this morning, Microsoft unveiled new security features coming to its Edge for Business experience that launched in August 2023. These new capabilities are designed to protect organizations against data leaks and security vulnerabilities.

Microsoft Edge for Business is a new dedicated work experience that allows users to better separate their better separate private browsing activities from work-related tasks. The feature is enabled by default for all commercial customers that use the Microsoft Entra ID service for signing into the browser. Microsoft Edge for Business offers AI-powered features, enterprise-grade security, productivity, and manageability capabilities.

Microsoft Edge for Business (Image Credits: Microsoft)Screenshot PreventionFirst off, Microsoft Edge for Business is getting new screenshot prevention capabilities to prevent data exfiltration in the browser. This security feature will block users from taking screenshots on select web pages that are labeled as protected or sensitive.

Microsoft says that IT admins will be able to configure screenshot prevention policies across Microsoft 365, Microsoft Intune Mobile Application Management, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, and Microsoft Purview. The screenshot prevention feature will become generally available in the coming months.

Stay up to dateWith the Edge management service, IT admins will be able to track outdated managed browser instances. This capability should help organizations to patch zero-day security vulnerabilities that could lead to sophisticated cyberattacks. The service will let administrators perform mitigation activities like enabling enhanced security mode, automatic browser updates, and forcing a browser restart to install updates. Microsoft plans to roll out this feature in preview in the next few weeks.

Real-time video translation coming to Microsoft EdgeLastly, Microsoft announced today that new real-time video translation capabilities are coming soon to its Edge browser. This AI-powered feature will automatically translate video content across YouTube, LinkedIn, Coursera, Reuters, Bloomberg, CNBC News, and other popular websites.

At launch, Microsoft Edge will support video translations from English to Hindi, German, Italian, Spanish, and Russian as well as from Spanish to English. Microsoft also plans to add support for more languages and video platforms, though there is no ETA yet.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft announced the public preview of the Cobalt 100 Arm-based virtual machines. * The new Azure ND MI300X VM series is now generally available and is optimized for AI and high-performance computing workloads. * Microsoft introduced the Azure Compute Fleet in public preview, designed to streamline the provisioning and management of compute resources across various VM types and availability zones.

Microsoft announced this morning the public preview of the Cobalt 100 Arm-based virtual machine (VM). The company has also announced the general availability of the new Azure ND MI300X v5 VM series.

Microsoft first unveiled its Arm-powered chip Cobalt 100 chip for general-purpose and cloud-native workloads in November last year. The Azure Cobalt CPU is a 128-core processor that’s built on an Arm Neoverse CSS design. Microsoft has already tested its Cobalt 100 chip on workloads like Microsoft Teams and SQL server. The company claims that the Cobalt CPU has performed 40 percent better than Azure’s existing Arm-based chips.

The new Cobalt 100-based VMs should offer efficiency and performance improvements for workloads such as web apps, microservices, and open-source databases. Microsoft claims that users can expect up to 40 percent better performance compared to the previous generation of Arm-based VMs.

ND MI300X virtual machines now generally availableMicrosoft has also announced the general availability of the ND MI300X VM series. The company highlighted that these new VMs are optimized for demanding AI and high-performance computing workloads. For instance, users can build large models from scratch, run inference on pre-trained models, and fine-tune models for specific domains.

“It features an AMD Instinct MI300X AI accelerator, providing each VM with 1.5 TB of high bandwidth memory and 5.2 TB/s of memory bandwidth. These VMs are also connected by NVIDIA Quantum-2 CX7 InfiniBand, offering 3.2 TB/s of scale-out bandwidth per VM, which allows scaling up to thousands of VMs and tens of thousands of GPUs,” Microsoft explained.

Azure Compute Fleet launches in previewMicrosoft has launched a new Azure Compute Fleet in public preview for commercial customers. This new service is designed to make it easier for administrators to provision and manage compute resources in the cloud, across different VM types, availability zones, and pricing models. It helps customers to meet their requirements for scale, performance, and cost-effectiveness.

“Azure Compute Fleet will automatically find an optimal mix of VMs based on customer requirements while matching them to the available compute capacity and prioritizing speed of deployment, cost of operation or a balance of both,” Microsoft added.

Azure Compute Fleet lets administrators use a single API call to deploy and manage up to 10,000 virtual machines concurrently. This capability should be useful for enterprise customers with high computational demands or those requiring extensive parallel processing. The Azure Compute Fleet service also optimizes the use of Spot VMs, which leads to potential cost savings for organizations.

Lastly, Azure Compute Fleet provides users with flexible and automated ways to manage their virtual machine groups. It should help customers adapt to changing conditions like pricing, capacity availability, and Spot VM evictions. Azure Compute Fleet offers automation and simplification of the deployment, management, and cost optimization of large VM fleets.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft is expanding the preview of Microsoft Copilot for Azure to all customers. * Microsoft Copilot for Azure leverages natural language commands to help administrators troubleshoot issues, optimize IT environments, and streamline management tasks. * Copilot for Azure now supports additional features, including new skills for Azure Kubernetes Service and natural language to SQL conversion for Azure SQL databases.

Microsoft is broadening access to Copilot for Azure preview to all customers, promising enhanced cloud management capabilities. This expansion comes with a host of new features designed to streamline operations, optimize IT environments, and bolster security.

Microsoft Copilot for Azure enables customers to ask questions, write commands, and design and configure services. It leverages data from across Azure services to help administrators troubleshoot problems. Additionally, it provides recommendations for optimizing IT environments, particularly in terms of spending.

“We created Microsoft Copilot in Azure to act as an AI companion, helping your teams manage operations seamlessly across both cloud and edge environments. By using natural language, you can ask Copilot questions and receive personalized recommendations related to Azure services. Simply ask, “Why is my app slow?” or “How do I fix this error?” and Copilot will navigate a customer through potential causes and fixes,” explained Omar Khan, GM of Azure Infrastructure Marketing.

Microsoft Copilot for Azure (Image Credits: Microsoft)With this release, Microsoft will let administrators provide access to Copilot for Azure to all end users or select users or groups within a tenant. This capability should help IT admins to comply with the operational standards and security policies of their organization.

Microsoft has also announced new features and improvements for Copilot for Azure. The company has added several new skills for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) to Copilot for Azure. These new skills should help customers streamline common management tasks like configuring AKS backups, constructing kubectl commands, and locating YAML files.

Microsoft Copilot for Azure SQL streamlines database managementMicrosoft Copilot for Azure has added natural language to SQL conversion support for Azure SQL database-driven applications. The new Copilot experience converts natural language inquiries into T-SQL commands to help IT admins manage databases, track performance and mitigate issues. The Copilot AI assistant lets administrators use natural language commands to diagnose and resolve app issues.

Last but not least, Microsoft Copilot for Azure has introduced Defender for Cloud prompting capabilities to enhance risk exploration, remediation, and code fixes. Moreover, Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management (EASM) now leverages the Copilot AI assistant to identify security risks in order to protect customers against sophisticated cyberattacks.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has announced new Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips. * The new PCs include advanced AI features like Recall, Live Captions with translation, and advanced Windows Studio Effects. * Microsoft plans to start shipping its first Copilot+ PCs in June 2024.

Microsoft has just unveiled its new Copilot+ PCs, a new category of devices powered by Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips optimized for AI workloads. The company also announced several new AI-powered experiences set to debut with these Copilot+ PCs this summer.

“Copilot+ PCs are the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built,” said Yusuf Mehdi – Executive Vice President for Consumer Chief Marketing Officer. “With powerful new silicon capable of an incredible 40+ TOPS (trillion operations per second), all–day battery life and access to the most advanced AI models, Copilot+ PCs will enable you to do things you can’t on any other PC.”

Microsoft highlighted several new AI-powered features that will be available on the new Copilot+ PCs:

RecallThe new AI-powered Recall feature lets users scroll through their timeline to quickly find apps, documents, messages, web pages, images, and videos they previously accessed on the Copilot+ PCs. It also offers contextual suggestions based on what’s currently displayed on their screen.

Recall offers enhanced privacy controls to let users choose which information the feature can capture on the device. Moreover, IT admins can prevent the Recall from capturing any snapshots with Microsoft Intune. Microsoft also plans to introduce new policies that will let administrators filter specific apps and websites.

Recall (Image Credits: Microsoft)Live CaptionsMicrosoft also announced several enhancements to Live Captions on Copilot+ PCs. This feature can translate over 40 different languages into English from video calls, recordings, and streamed content. The real-time translation occurs directly on the device, without needing to connect to the cloud.

New Windows Studio EffectsMicrosoft announced new features for Windows Studio Effects to enhance the meeting experience on Copilot+ PCs. Windows Studio Effects already lets users reframe videos, blur backgrounds, adjust gaze, and more. With this release, users can now virtually improve lighting conditions and apply creative filters to their webcam video feed. These new features will be accessible in Quick Settings.

Windows Studio Effects (Image Credits: Microsoft)Updates for Copilot and CocreatorMicrosoft also detailed new AI-powered features coming to Copilot and Cocreator in Paint by Designer. The company highlighted that users will be able to generate images and text directly on Copilot+ devices. Additionally, the cocreator tool will collaborate with users in real time on drawing projects and provide artistic suggestions.

Microsoft plans to begin shipping the first Copilot+ PCs this summer. The company will launch the consumer versions of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop Pro 6 with Qualcomm’s X Series processors.

Microsoft also said that all popular OEMs (like Lenovo, Dell, Asus, HP, Samsung, and Acer) are expected to debut Copilot+ PCs next month. However, keep in mind that most of the new AI experiences will be available to customers later this year.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft will enforce MFA for all Azure customers in July 2024. * The rollout will begin with the Azure portal and extend to CLI, PowerShell, and Terraform, but won’t affect apps, websites, or services hosted on Azure. * Administrators can tailor MFA requirements using Entra ID Conditional Access policies, and monitor MFA adoption and status with dedicated reports and tools.

Microsoft is stepping up its security game for Azure customers by mandating multi-factor authentication (MFA) starting in July 2024. This move aims to bolster account protection by requiring users to verify their identity through multiple methods, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security feature that requires users to provide two or more verification methods to gain access to a system, application, or account. It adds an extra layer of security to make it difficult for attackers to compromise accounts and steal sensitive data. Multi-factor authentication helps to prevent unauthorized access due to credential stuffing, phishing, brute force, and password reuse attacks.

Starting in July, Microsoft will gradually introduce a new security setting that requires multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users signing into the Azure portal. After this rollout is complete, the company will implement a similar enforcement policy for CLI, PowerShell, and Terraform. Microsoft plans to provide additional information about specific rollout dates through official emails and notifications.

“Students, guest users and other end-users will only be affected if they are signing into Azure portal, CLI, PowerShell or Terraform to administer Azure resources. This enforcement policy does not extend to apps, websites or services hosted on Azure. The authentication policy for those will still be controlled by the app, website or service owners,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft Entra multi-factor authentication (Image Credits: Microsoft)Which MFA methods does Microsoft Entra ID support?Microsoft Entra ID supports various multi-factor authentication methods, including the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello for Business, SMS, voice calls, and hardware tokens. Admins can use Entra ID Conditional Access policies to customize when MFA is needed. These policies can be based on various signals, such as the user’s location, device, role, or current risk level.

Microsoft recommends that administrators enable MFA within their tenants using the MFA wizard for Microsoft Entra. They can track which users have registered for multi-factor authentication with the authentication methods registration report. Additionally, IT admins can use a PowerShell script to generate a report showing the MFA status for all end users.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s upcoming Build developer conference starting next week, as well as the various Windows on ARM announcements from Microsoft and other PC manufacturers that are expected on Monday.

The use of React Native in Windows 11. Research shows how Microsoft is using React Native, a web technology created by Facebook, to build some of the new features in Windows 11, such as the recommended section in the Start menu. Microsoft controls the desktop version of React Native and is using it everywhere.

The challenges of modern app development on Windows. Paul and Brad discuss how Microsoft has failed to provide a consistent and easy framework for app development on Windows, and how they have to resort to different technologies such as WinUI, XAML Islands, and WPF. They speculate that Microsoft might move on from WinUI 3 and that WPF might make a comeback.

The trend of web-based technologies for cross-platform development. Paul and Brad compare the situation of Microsoft with that of Google, which is also using web-based technologies, such as Flutter and Dart, to create apps that run on multiple platforms. They suggest that web technologies are becoming the common way to get to the web, regardless of the language or framework used.

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Key Takeaways:* Cybercriminals are abusing Microsoft’s Quick Assist app to perform social engineering attacks, tricking users into granting remote access to their computers. * The financially motivated threat actor, Storm-1811, has been using this method to spread Black Basta ransomware since April 2024. * Microsoft advises administrators to uninstall or block Quick Assist if not in use and implement privilege access management solutions.

Microsoft has warned customers about a new wave of social engineering attacks where cybercriminals exploit its Quick Assist app. The company acknowledged that a financially motivated threat actor (tracked as Storm-1811) has been deploying Black Basta ransomware since mid-April, posing a significant threat to users.

Quick Assist is a remote assistance tool that helps to connect two PCs over the Internet. It allows IT support teams to remotely view and control another user’s computer to diagnose and fix technical issues. The Quick Assist app is installed by default on Windows 11, and it encrypts the connection between the two computers to maintain data privacy.

In a new threat intelligence report, Microsoft revealed that hackers are leveraging social engineering campaigns to trick victims into granting access to their computers via Quick Assist. The attackers pose as IT support to bombard targets with spam emails and flood their inboxes with subscribed content. They then use voice phishing (vishing) to convince victims to address the spam issue.

“During the call, the threat actor persuades the user to grant them access to their device through Quick Assist. The target user only needs to press CTRL + Windows + Q and enter the security code provided by the threat actor,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team explained. “After the target enters the security code, they receive a dialog box asking for permission to allow screen sharing. Selecting Allow shares the user’s screen with the actor.”

Quick Assist prompt to enter security code (Image Credits: Microsoft)Additionally, Microsoft observed that Storm-1811 is deploying various malware to escalate privileges and maintain control over compromised devices. This includes remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools like ScreenConnect and NetSupport Manager, as well as malicious payloads such as Qakbot and Cobalt Strike.

How to mitigate Quick Assist attacksMicrosoft advises administrators to uninstall or block Quick Assist and other management tools if they are not in use within their organizations. They also recommend implementing privilege access management solutions to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Additionally, Microsoft urges organizations to enable cloud-delivered protection, tamper protection, and network protection as well as invest in advanced anti-phishing solutions. IT admins should also conduct employee training sessions to educate staff about tech support scams and social engineering attacks.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Teams users can now enjoy streamlined processes for creating and joining teams and channels. * The AI-powered Discover feed in Teams enhances content consumption by offering users a personalized hub to catch up on the most relevant channel updates. * Microsoft has introduced new admin controls to prevent users from finding private teams.

Microsoft has announced a slew of updates to streamline channel management in its Teams collaboration service. The company has reduced the number of steps that were previously required to create and join teams and channels in Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft mentioned that “create a team from scratch” is now the default experience in Microsoft Teams. Users will need to click “More create team options” to select a template from the template library. Microsoft has also introduced a new Create channel option in the menu for creating a new team.

Additionally, Microsoft Teams now allows users to find and join public and private teams. There are also new settings that let IT admins control whether users will be able to find a private team. Later this year, Microsoft Teams will enable users to choose to show only the channels that are relevant to them when joining a team.

Discover public and private teams (Image Credits: Microsoft)New Discover Feed enhances collaboration in Microsoft Teams channelsMicrosoft Teams has introduced a new AI-powered Discover feed that allows users to catch up on the most relevant content from channels. This new Discover feed helps to easily catch up on news as well as like/comment/share a post.

In Microsoft Teams, users can now share a link to the channel, a post, or a reply with their colleagues. Moreover, users can choose to hide the general channel of a team and mark all notifications as read with a single click in the activity feed.

Discover Feed (Image Credits: Microsoft)Archive channel is now generally availableFurthermore, Microsoft has released a new feature that lets channel owners and IT admins archive Teams channels. This capability should help to preserve channel content (such as messages, files, and tabs) when the collaboration in a project ends.

Archive channel (Image Credits: Microsoft)Later this year, Microsoft Teams is getting a new feature that will automatically hide inactive channels that haven’t been interacted with over the past 45 days. Additionally, it will be possible to rename the general channel in Microsoft Teams. Users will also be able to mute all notifications for a specific channel post and customize the sound of notifications.

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Key Takeaways:* VMware has made its Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisor products free for personal use. * VMware is also discontinuing its Workstation Player and Fusion Player solutions. * VMware has simplified its paid offerings to a single SKU called Desktop Hypervisor for commercial customers, priced at $120 per year.

VMware announced yesterday that its Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisor products are now free for personal use. Starting this week, VMware will offer two license models for its Pro apps: a Free Personal Use or a Paid Commercial Use subscription for organizations.

According to VMware, customers should notice consistent functionality across both free and paid subscription models. However, the free version will display the message “This product is licensed for personal use only” on the screens.

VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are virtualization products that enable customers to create and operate virtual machines (VMs) on their computers. These services let users run multiple VMs to facilitate testing, development, and other virtualization tasks. VMware Workstation Pro is available for PCs running Windows and Linux, while VMware Fusion Pro is tailored for macOS.

“VMware Desktop Hypervisor products Fusion and Workstation are used by millions of people every day to run virtual machines on their Windows, Linux, and Mac computers,” VMware explained. “They give users the ability to quickly and easily build ‘local virtual’ environments to install other operating systems, learn about technology, build and test software, complex systems, browsers, apps, games, and more.”

VMware Workstation (Image Credits: VMware)How to download Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro 13 for free Go to the Broadcom’s Support website. * Click Register to create a new basic Broadcom account if you don’t already have one. * Once logged in, navigate to the Support Portal and select the “VMware Cloud Foundation division” from the dropdown menu. * Click the “My Downloads” option on the left and then search for either Fusion or Workstation. * Select VMware Fusion or VMware Workstation Pro from the list and choose version 17.5.2 or 13.5.2. * Finally, click the download and install* option.

VMware deprecates Workstation Player and Fusion Player VMware has announced its plans to phase out its Workstation Player and Fusion Player solutions. These products will no longer be available for purchase, and customers are encouraged to transition to the Pro versions at no additional cost. VMware assures that all virtual machines (VMs) utilized in the VMware Player products are compatible with Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro.

Lastly, Broadcom has simplified its paid offering into a single product for VMware commercial customers. This new subscription, called VMware Desktop Hypervisor, is priced at $120 per year and provides access to VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro products. Commercial customers can purchase the new paid subscription through the new online store or an authorized Broadcom Advantage partner.

Overall, VMware’s decision to make Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro free for personal use marks a significant advancement in virtualization accessibility for IT professionals. This move not only promotes cost efficiency and flexibility but also facilitates skill development, collaboration, and career advancement within the IT community.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft’s May 2024 Patch Tuesday updates address 59 vulnerabilities, including two zero-day flaws already being exploited by attackers. * Microsoft has fixed a high-severity security feature bypass vulnerability in the Windows MSHTML platform and an elevation of privilege flaw in Windows DWM Core Library. * Microsoft has introduced minor changes to Widgets icons on the taskbar and enhancements to lock screen widgets on Windows 11.

Microsoft has released the May 2024 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10. This month, Microsoft fixed a total of 59 security vulnerabilities in Windows and other components, and there are two zero-day flaws that are already being exploited by attackers.

On the quality and experience updates front, Microsoft has released some changes to the Widgets icons on the taskbar and widgets cards on the lock screen on Windows 11. The latest update also fixes a known issue that was causing the Settings app to become unresponsive on Windows 11 PCs.

59 vulnerabilities fixed in the May 2024 Patch Tuesday updatesAs highlighted by the Zero Day Initiative, Microsoft’s May 2024 Patch Tuesday Updates include fixes for 59 vulnerabilities. Among these, only one is categorized as “Critical,” 57 are deemed “Important,” and one carries a “Moderate” severity rating.

• CVE-2024-30040: This is a high-severity security feature bypass vulnerability in the Windows MSHTML platform that received an 8.8 CVSS score. The flaw could allow attackers to deceive users into opening a harmful file and then bypass OLE mitigations in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Office to execute malicious code.
• CVE-2024-30051: This elevation of privilege flaw in Windows DWM Core Library received a 7.8 CVSS score. The security vulnerability could let local attackers gain system privileges on the target system and take complete ownership of the device.
• CVE-2024-30044: This is a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in SharePoint Server. It could let an unauthenticated hacker with site owner permissions inject and execute arbitrary code in the context of SharePoint Server.
• CVE-2024-30033: This is an important rated elevation of privileges vulnerability in the Windows Search Service. An attacker could exploit this bug to system-level privileges and perform unauthorized actions.
• CVE-2024-30018: This is another important-rated elevation of privileges vulnerability in the Windows Kernel with a 7.8 CVSS score. The security flaw enables hackers to bypass security protections and potentially take full control of the target system.

Here’s the complete list of resolved vulnerabilities in the May 2024 Patch Tuesday updates:

| Product | Impact | Max Severity | Article | Download | Details | | Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-4761 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037763 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037788 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037788 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2022, 23H2 Edition (Server Core installation) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037781 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037771 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 11 Version 23H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037771 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037768 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037768 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037768 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037771 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037771 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037768 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037768 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037768 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037770 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037770 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037782 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037848 | SecurityHotpatchUpdate | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2022 | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037782 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2022 | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037848 | SecurityHotpatchUpdate | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037765 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2019 | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037765 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037765 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037765 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems | Security Feature Bypass | Important | 5037765 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30040 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5037823 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30039 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5037823 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30039 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5037778 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30039 | | Windows Server 2012 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5037778 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30039 | | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037763 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30038 | | Windows Server 2016 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037763 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30038 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037763 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30038 | | PowerBI-client JS SDK | Information Disclosure | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-30054 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.8 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-32004 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.6 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-32004 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.4 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-32004 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.9 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-32004 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11 (includes 16.0 – 16.10) | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-32004 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9 (includes 15.0 – 15.8) | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-32004 | | Dynamics 365 Customer Insights | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-30048 | | .NET 7.0 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5038351 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30045 | | .NET 8.0 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5038352 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30045 | | Microsoft SharePoint Server Subscription Edition | Information Disclosure | Important | 5002599 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30043 | | Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5002596 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30043 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for 64-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for 32-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Office Online Server | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002503 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft Bing Search for iOS | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-30041 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5002598 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30043 | | Microsoft Excel 2016 (64-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002587 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft Excel 2016 (32-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002587 | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 64-bit Systems | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 32-bit Systems | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2024-30042 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037780 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037803 | Security Only | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037780 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037803 | Security Only | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037800 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037836 | Security Only | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037800 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037836 | Security Only | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037800 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037836 | Security Only | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037800 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2024-30049 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5037836 | Security Only | CVE-2024-30049 | | Microsoft Intune Mobile Application Management for Android | Tampering | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-30059 | | Azure Migrate | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2024-30053 |

Quality and experience updatesIf you’re running Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 22H2, Microsoft has introduced new larger widget icons on the taskbar. The company has also added more customization options and visuals to improve the lock screen widgets for sports, weather, and finance news. Windows 11 users will also start seeing ads for some Microsoft Store apps and frequently used apps in the Recommended section of the Start menu.

For Windows 10, this month’s Patch Tuesday Update brings the same minor changes to widgets cards on the lock screen. The KB5037768 patch brings a new personalized app search experience and reliability improvements for Windows Search. Microsoft has also added support for account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts in Settings.

Microsoft has also addressed an issue that was previously causing VPN connections to fail on Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices. The company has also fixed Bluetooth connection problems with some wireless earbuds.

Windows Update testing and best practicesOrganizations looking to deploy this month’s patches should conduct thorough testing before deploying them widely on production systems. That said, applying the patches widely shouldn’t be delayed longer than necessary as hackers start to work out how to weaponize newly reported vulnerabilities.

A best practice is to make sure you have backed up systems before applying updates. Every month, users experience issues with Windows updates that lead to systems not booting, application and hardware compatibility issues, or even data loss in extreme cases.

There are backup tools built into Windows and Windows Server that you can use to restore systems in the event a patch causes a problem. The backup features in Windows can be used to restore an entire system, or files and folders on a granular basis.

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Key Takeaways:* Windows 10 version 21H2 will reach end of support in June 2024. * Microsoft recommends users to upgrade to Windows 10 version 22H2 for continued security patching. * Microsoft will automatically install Windows 10 version 22H2 on non-managed business PCs in the coming weeks to facilitate the transition.

Microsoft is warning customers still using Windows 10 version 21H2 that it will soon reach end of support. The consumer editions of Windows 10 version 21H2 already reached end of servicing last year, and June 2024 will mark the end of support for enterprise and education customers for the operating system.

Microsoft plans to release the last security update for enterprise, education, and IoT enterprise editions of Windows 10 version 21H2 on June 11. After this date, the company will no longer provide security patches and bug fixes for affected Windows 10 devices. However, Microsoft will continue to support Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 until January 12, 2027.

Microsoft advises customers currently running Windows 10 version 21H2 to upgrade to version 22H2 to continue receiving security patches beyond June 2024. These security updates help to ensure protection against critical vulnerabilities on Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft will begin force-installing Windows 10 version 22H2 on non-managed business PCs in the next few weeks.

“To help keep you protected and productive, Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update for Windows 10 business devices not managed by IT departments when these are nearing end of servicing. Moving to Windows 10, version 22H2 keeps your device supported and receiving monthly updates that are critical to security and ecosystem health,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft urges upgrade to Windows 10 version 22H2Microsoft says that administrators will need to upgrade managed devices to Windows 10 version 22H2. Additionally, the company urges IT admins to consider migrating all eligible devices meeting the minimum hardware requirements to Windows 11.

Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 version 22H2 on October 14, 2025. The company will offer extended security updates for both businesses and enterprise customers for up to three years. The pricing starts at $61 for the first year and doubles to $122 and $244 in the second and third years, respectively.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Places, a new AI-powered application, facilitates seamless coordination of in-office schedules by leveraging data from Microsoft Teams and Outlook. * The new Places app offers various features to help employees efficiently manage their in-office time and connect with colleagues. * The upcoming integration with Microsoft Copilot promises further optimization by enabling automatic booking of shared desks and meeting rooms.

Microsoft has announced the public preview of a new application called Microsoft Places. This new AI-powered app leverages insights from Microsoft Teams and Outlook to help employees synchronize their in-office time.

Microsoft first unveiled the new Places app during its Ignite conference in October 2022. With Microsoft Places, users can specify their office hours and locations, and coordinate schedules with colleagues seamlessly. This feature works like the “set your work location” functionality available in Google Calendar.

“AI innovation is already improving how you work; improving where you work is the next opportunity, “ said Jared Spataro, CVP for AI at Work. With Microsoft Places, an app that reimagines flexible work, AI can make coordinating in-office time and connecting with coworkers even easier. In addition to fostering improved coordination and connection, Places optimizes the effectiveness and engagement of the workplace.”

Microsoft Places location plan (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft Places includes a location planning section that allows employees to set and monitor their own and their colleagues’ location schedules. Additionally, the team guidance feature lets managers designate priority days for in-office activities. All location information seamlessly syncs with Outlook calendars to help employees keep track of office events.

In Microsoft Teams group chats, users can easily view the location of their colleagues. Moreover, they can simply type “@nearby” to promptly inform coworkers of any updates or changes in meeting rooms. Microsoft notes that IT administrators have opt-in/opt-out controls to manage presence information, which specifically pertains to in-office locations.

Microsoft Places to get new Copilot integrationLater this year, Microsoft plans to integrate this new Places experience into Microsoft Copilot. This new feature will let users ask the AI assistant to automatically find and book shared desks and meeting rooms. This capability should help to reduce the administrative work in hybrid environments.

Copilot integration in Microsoft Places (Image Credits: Microsoft)It’s important to note that the new Places app will be available for commercial customers as a part of Microsoft Teams Premium. The subscription is priced at $10 per user per month, with a current promotional offer of $7 per month for new customers available until June 30, 2024.

The launch of Microsoft Places is a part of the company’s efforts aimed at helping organizations adapt to the new hybrid work era. The upcoming Copilot integration, slated for release in the second half of 2024, promises to enhance the app’s utility for businesses even further. Microsoft invites customers to enroll in the Microsoft Places Preview Program via this page.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has announced that System Center 2025, the next LTSC release, arrives in Fall 2024. * Key improvements focus on modernizing infrastructure, managing heterogeneous environments, and enhancing security. * Microsoft will add support for TLS 1.3 for data transmission security and securely storing passphrases in Azure Key Vault.

System Center 2025, the next release of Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) will be released in Fall 2024. Microsoft has announced that the latest versions of Center Operations Manager (SCOM), Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), Service Manager (SM), System Center Orchestrator (SCO), and Data Protection Manager (DPM) will be available later this year.

System Center is a suite of management tools that helps organizations to manage large-scale IT infrastructure. The service offers a comprehensive set of solutions to deploy, configure, manage, monitor, and automate datacenters, hybrid cloud infrastructures, and virtualized environments.

Microsoft highlights that System Center 2025 brings several improvements that should help organizations modernize infrastructure, manage heterogeneous infrastructure, and boost security. “By delivering System Center 2025 (VMM, DPM, SCOM, SM & SCO) together with Windows Server 2025, we are bringing you management support for the latest Windows Server version right from Day 0,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft plans to add managing and monitoring support for Azure Stack HCI 23H2 clusters with VMM & SCOM 2025. This release should also make it easier for administrators to convert VMware VMs to Windows Server via VMM. Microsoft plans to introduce support for the latest versions of Linux distros when System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2025 hits general availability.

Additionally, Data Protection Manager 2025 will enable IT admins to exclude specific disks from backups in Hyper-V environments. The service will also offer virtual TPM (vTPM) support for VMware and seamless integration with SharePoint Subscription Edition.

System Center 2025 to enhance storage & authentication mechanismsMicrosoft will introduce several security features to enhance the security and reliability of System Center products. The company has added support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.3 to ensure that the latest security standards protect all data transmission. Moreover, DPM 2025 lets administrators securely store passphrases in Azure Key Vault to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Last but not least, Microsoft has announced plans to discontinue support for the Azure Profiles feature in VMM and System Center Service Provider Foundation (SPF). The company mentioned that these built-in capabilities are already available in Arc-enabled VMM. Microsoft notes that administrators can sign up for a private preview of System Center 2025 on this page.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Teams has introduced enhanced Presenter window features for improved meeting interaction. * Meeting notifications are now prominently displayed at the center of the screen. * Users have enhanced control and flexibility with the ability to manage meeting options directly from the Presenter window.

Microsoft Teams meetings are about to get a lot more interactive with the latest enhancements to the Presenter window. Now, users can effortlessly keep track of up to four participants, active speakers, raised hands, and shared content previews.

In Microsoft Teams, the extended Presenter window enables users to view meeting notifications at the center of the screen. This feature makes it easier for presenters to monitor the participants’ activity during Teams meetings.

“These enhancements help you stay aware of what’s happening in your meeting and make it easier to engage with other attendees while you’re screensharing. You can also manage actions in your meeting such as lowering raised hands and muting participants,” Microsoft explained.

Expanded Presenter window (Image Credits: Microsoft)How the new Presenter window works in Microsoft Teams Join a Microsoft Teams meeting and click Share > Screen or Window. * Microsoft Teams users will notice that the new Presenter window now shows up to 4 participants. This new Presenter window can be moved around on the screen as well as minimized or resized. * Users can click the arrow* button to expand the self-video title at the bottom of the Presenter window. * The self-video tile also allows users to change the presenter layout during the screen sharing session.

Microsoft is currently rolling out the new Presenter window experience to Targeted release customers and users enrolled in the Teams public preview program. It’s up to the IT admins to give access to select end users or the entire organization through the Microsoft 365 admin center.

As of this writing, this feature supports the new Teams client for Windows and macOS. The new Presenter window is expected to become generally available for all commercial customers in mid-June.

Last month, Microsoft announced the general availability of the new Planner experience in Teams. This new Planner app combines task management and planning tools, including Microsoft Planner, To Do, and the Project web app.

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When it comes to cloud services and security technology, IT and systems administrators should seriously consider having SSO implemented for greater convenience and security.

What is single sign-on (SSO)?SSO is an authentication method that allows users to securely access multiple SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) applications, websites, and other digital resources with a single set of login credentials. As opposed to remembering and entering separate usernames and passwords for each service, SSO enables users to authenticate themselves once and then be granted access to all authorized systems and applications. Microsoft SSO, in particular, has become a pivotal centerpiece in its evolutionary, security- and AI-led approach across its entire ecosystem.

At its core, SSO establishes a trusted relationship between a user and one or more service providers (SPs). The user is responsible for providing the credentials, the service then creates an authentication token that validates the user as verified. This token is stored either in a browser or within the SSO vendor’s servers. The SSO vendor then passes the user’s token details to any apps on the server and the user is granted access without the need to enter their details again.

SSO plays a crucial role in securely managing access and authentication across geographically distributed teams and infrastructure. It allows organizations to manage user identities and access permissions from a centralized platform, simplifying the switching between various tools and services without the need to re-authenticate, fostering more efficient and streamlined workflows. Additionally, organizations can use SSO to validate users’ attempts to access and interact with mission-critical systems and enhance their DevOps operations, with CI/CD pipelines and cloud applications proving inherently more agile with this authentication method embedded.

How does single sign-on work?Firstly, however, it’s important to establish how SSO works in a business context. An SSO configuration setup can be viewed as a go-between that confirms whether a user’s login information matches their identity on a separately managed database. Most SSO services don’t manage databases themselves but can access them quickly to validate a login request.

Single sign-on powered by Microsoft Entra ID (Image Credit: Microsoft.com)The SSO process typically follows these steps:

1. A user attempts to access a secure application or resource.
2. The application redirects the user to the identity provider’s login page.
3. The user provides their username and password to the application.
4. The application establishes a secure session through identity verification.
5. The resource generates an authentication token and returns it to the user’s browser.
6. The user’s browser automatically includes the authentication token when accessing the original application or other connected services.
7. The service provider validates the token and grants the user secure access to the requested resource(s).

Authentication tokens have specific communication standards to adhere to when confirming a request’s validity. The main token standard is known as Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), but there are several common SSO configurations that organizations – of all sizes – can implement.

Types of SSO configurationsSAML-based SSOSAML is an XML standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between users and service providers. SAML-based SSO involves communication between the user, the identity provider (IdP) that oversees a user directory or database, and the service provider.

Kerberos-based SSOKerberos is a network authentication protocol that authenticates secure service requests between trusted hosts across non-secure networks. In a Kerberos-based SSO setup, a user initially provides their credentials before a ticket-granting ticket (TGT) is issued, which obtains service tickets for other wanted resources without the need for re-entering information.

Smart Card-based SSOSmart card-based SSO utilizes a physical smart card or security token as the primary or initial authentication factor. Once the data from the card is used, the user does not have to re-enter their credentials, with the SSO vendor storing certificates or passwords after first entry.

Social SSOSome organizations allow users to validate their access requests if they log in using their social media account credentials. This can provide a convenient login experience but it also introduces potential security risks that users should consider carefully, given that it creates a single point of failure easily exploitable by attackers.

Enterprise SSOEnterprise single sign-on (eSSO) services usually comprise password managers with server and client components that align users and target applications with securely stored user-generated credentials.

Benefits of SSOThe enterprise SSO market is projected to reach an $11 billion valuation by 2036, expanding at a 14% CAGR from this year onwards. Given the current cyber threat landscape, it’s clear that enterprises are taking SSO seriously, and with good reason. Implementing a robust SSO solution can provide organizations with several advantages.

1. Improved user experience: By removing the need for multiple login prompts and the need to remember separate passwords, SSO improves overall productivity and efficiency for users.
2. Enhanced security: SSO can help IT teams strengthen security by enforcing stronger and specific password policies, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and the centralized management of user identities and access permissions.
3. Reduced IT support costs: With the help of SSO, administrators spend less time implementing repeated password resets and can take advantage of a single place from which to initiate re-entry for internal applications. As such, business productivity improves and IT teams can dedicate more resources to higher-value work.
4. Aiding in compliance: Many SSO solutions provide high-quality logging and reporting capabilities, which can help organizations meet regulations with greater oversight and less ambiguity.
5. Scalability and flexibility: Third-party SSO platforms ‌can be seamlessly integrated with a wide range of on-premise and cloud-based applications, making them adaptable to the evolving needs of modern organizations.

Are there any security risks of SSO?While SSO offers several benefits, it’s important to be aware of potential security risks. If malicious actors gain access to a user’s credentials, resources connected through SSO can be potentially compromised through a single point of failure. Organizations must maintain strict controls and processes to reduce both password fatigue and an overreliance on service provider availability. To mitigate these risks, organizations should implement stringent identity and access management (IAM) practices, regular audits and 24/7 incident response.

Microsoft Entra ID SSO implementation Microsoft Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service. The Microsoft Entra SSO is an incumbent feature within the Entra platform and is the primary SSO solution that permits users to use one set of credentials to access multiple Microsoft applications.

Single sign-on in action in for a Microsoft work or school account (Image Credit: Microsoft Learning)The service offers extensive support for app integrations, passwordless and multi-factor authentication and a notable conditional access functionality which allows administrators to set specific conditions that grant users access to certain applications based on location, device, and other data. This is an agile and proactive workaround for users who have lost access to or forgotten logins, while giving administrators flexibility to ensure infrastructure stability and minimize risk.

Microsoft Entra also supports all OAuth 2.0 flows, which are connected to OpenID Connect (OIDC), a proven and reliable authorization layer.

Microsoft Entra ID additionally allows users to create an application identity that can connect to other resources using Entra authentication, with it recently permitting enterprise customers to convert external accounts to internal accounts with ease. Administrators can connect many Azure resources, for example, by supporting managed user identities with the help of Entra ID, including but not limited to Azure Virtual Machines, Azure SQL, Azure IoT Hub, and Azure Communication Services, to name just a few.

As such, administrators can create a robust, comprehensive security and regulatory compliance framework for their infrastructure and processes.

It’s clear that SSO is a powerful authentication solution that simplifies user access and identity management across an organization’s Microsoft infrastructure. Using SSO is a definitive way to enhance security and productivity across your estate, and by understanding the various configurations and benefits it can provide, as well as the potential security risks, IT administrators can implement the right enterprise-grade SSO solution that aligns with their unique business needs.

Enterprises have access to a user-friendly and established SSO tool within incumbent Microsoft setups, known as Entra ID, which can be leveraged to further streamline user authentication and access management across a range of cloud-based and on-premises applications. As organizations continue to scale with the help of DevOps, the role of SSO in securely managing user identities and access becomes increasingly vital.

As security becomes more of a hot topic among IT professionals, staying informed about SSO developments will help you make more informed choices about how best to implement a well-designed and reliable SSO solution.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss the persisting feature gap between the new Outlook for Windows and the classic app, Microsoft having a bad week PR-wise, and the new iPad lineup Apple revealed earlier this week.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Entra ID Protection has introduced streamlined deployment of risk policies and robust defense mechanisms against sophisticated security threats. * The new Identity Protection risk analysis workbook allows IT admins to comprehensively analyze the impact of activating risk-based Conditional Access Policies. * Microsoft Entra ID Protection offers improved prevention, investigation, and remediation capabilities, including on-premises password reset.

Microsoft has announced some important updates for its Entra ID Protection service. The new feature offers administrators streamlined deployment of risk policies, comprehensive impact analysis, and robust defense mechanisms against sophisticated security threats.

Last year, Microsoft announced its plans to enable Entra ID Conditional Access policies by default for select Microsoft 365 tenants. The company is gradually rolling out these Microsoft-managed policies, which are aimed at encouraging organizations to switch to using multifactor authentication.

Microsoft has just released a new Identity Protection risk analysis workbook to help administrators understand the implications of these changes on their environments. This workbook lets IT admins analyze the impact of activating risk-based Conditional Access Policies, which could potentially block user sign-ins, mandate multifactor authentication, or facilitate secure password changes.

To access the new workbook, users will need to sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a Reports Reader. Navigate to Identity > Monitoring & health > Workbooks, and then choose the “Impact analysis of risk-based access policies workbook” option available under Identity Protection.

Microsoft Entra ID Protection dashboard is now generally availableMicrosoft has announced the general availability of a new Entra ID Protection dashboard that launched in public preview in July 2023. It provides key metrics, graphics, and recommended actions to help administrators understand the security posture of their organization. IT admins can now simply click on the “attack counts” option within the Attacks Graphic to access the Risk Detections report for more in-depth analysis. This report includes a newly added “Attack type” column detailing primary attack types.

Entra ID Protection dashboard (Image Credits: Microsoft)Improved Prevention, Investigation, and remediation capabilitiesMicrosoft has released a new feature that lets administrators enable on-premises password reset for resetting user risk within Identity Protection settings. This capability is generally available for commercial customers with Entra P1 and P2 subscriptions.

Microsoft Entra has added new User Risk Investigation skills within the standalone Copilot for Security experience, including User Details, Group Details, Sign-in Logs, Audit Logs, and Diagnostic Logs. These skills enable customers to gain insights into security incidents, while also addressing sign-in concerns and identity-related risks.

User Risk Investigation Copilot in public preview (Image Credits: Microsoft)Lastly, Microsoft Entra ID Protection has recently added new threat prevention and remediation capabilities to protect organizations against token theft, anomalous graph usage, attacker-in-the-middle (AitM) attacks, and other security threats. The service can now automatically adjust a user’s risk level if they are engaging in an unusually high volume of calls to MS Graph and AAD Graph. Microsoft also highlighted a real-time Anomalous Token Detection feature that leverages risk-based Conditional Access for sign-ins to disrupt token replay attacks.

Microsoft’s recent research study shows that its Entra ID service detects 11 token replay detections per 100,000 active users and 18,000 multifactor authentication (MFA) fatigue attacks per month. These new Entra ID Protection features should enable organizations to proactively manage security risks and protect their data and infrastructure more effectively.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Sentinel’s SOC optimization offers tailored recommendations to identify gaps in data utilization and detect diverse cyberattacks, enhancing organizational security. * This new feature aims to assist security teams in effectively managing risks without compromising operational efficiency. * IT admins can discover this SOC optimization feature in the new unified security operations platform and the Azure portal.

Microsoft announced yesterday a public preview of SOC optimization for Microsoft Sentinel customers. The feature provides actionable tailored recommendations, allowing organizations to pinpoint data utilization gaps and thwart various cyber threats.

Microsoft emphasized the importance of security teams optimizing both processes and outcomes. They should consistently adjust their security controls to adapt to evolving threat landscapes and business priorities. The new SOC optimization recommendations feature is designed to help security teams close coverage gaps against security threats without having to spend time on manual analysis and research.

“SOC optimizations are high-fidelity and actionable recommendations to help you identify areas where you can reduce costs, without affecting SOC needs or coverage, or where you can add security controls and data where its found to be missing. SOC optimizations are tailored to your environment and based on your current coverage and threat landscape,” Microsoft explained.

Currently, the SOC optimizations feature provides two types of recommendations: data value optimizations and threat-based optimizations. The data value optimizations feature allows security teams to gain deep insights into their data usage patterns. It provides actionable suggestions to maximize security value from ingested data or propose improvements to the data plan.

Additionally, SOC optimizations include threat-based recommendations for adding security controls to thwart a range of attacks, including Business Email Compromise and Human Operated Ransomware. Moreover, IT admins can click a link at the top of the page to check out all SOC optimization scenarios. From there, it’s also possible to get a quick look at an approximate score for each of those attacks.

Threat based recommendations – Azure portal (Image Credits: Microsoft)SOC optimizations empowers automation with an APIMicrosoft notes that organizations can also get access to SOC optimizations through the Azure REST API. For instance, the API can be used to get information about a specific recommendation or all existing ones. It also provides automation capabilities and seamless integration with existing processes and systems.

Microsoft notes that the new SOC optimization feature is currently available in the Azure portal and the unified security operations platform. Keep in mind that administrators must integrate Microsoft Sentinel with Microsoft Defender XDR to utilize SOC optimization within the Microsoft Defender Portal.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Teams will soon add slash commands support into the compose message box. * The integration of slash commands aims to enhance efficiency and simplify task completion within Microsoft Teams. * This feature will be available across all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, and the web.

Microsoft Teams is set to introduce support for slash commands directly within the compose message box. The company has announced on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center that this new feature will start rolling out to Teams users across Windows, macOS, and the web later this month.

In Microsoft Teams, slash commands are handy shortcuts designed to boost productivity. The feature helps users quickly initiate calls, access files, and navigate teams and channels. This capability is designed to streamline workflow and enhance efficiency, making tasks easier to accomplish.

Currently, the Microsoft Teams desktop client offers slash command support within the command box. Users will soon be able to type slash in Teams compose box and select a command in order to complete their tasks.

How to use slash commands in the Microsoft Teams compose boxOnce rolled out, Microsoft Teams users will simply need to enter a forward slash in the compose box to access a list of supported slash commands. Here are some common tasks that can be performed with slash commands:

• /code: This command lets users add a code block to their message.
• /loop: This command can be used to add a loop component to a message.
• /away: This command allows users to set their presence indicator to away.
• /setting: This command helps users navigate to settings.
• /mute: This command can be used to mute a chat.

Slash commands in the Teams compose message box (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft expects to roll out the new slash commands in the Teams compose box to targeted release customers later this month. This feature is expected to become generally available for all commercial customers worldwide in late June.

In related news, Microsoft has recently announced its plans to drop support for Classic Teams on July 1, 2024. Microsoft Teams users will begin seeing messages that the app is no longer supported. Microsoft will block users from accessing Classic Teams on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and macOS Sierra (10.12) in October 2024.

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Key Takeaways:* Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) is set to launch in Q3 2025, marking a shift towards subscription-based licensing for on-premises deployments. * Organizations will need subscription licenses for future Exchange Server releases to access updates, security patches, and technical support. * Microsoft plans to discontinue support for legacy perpetual server and Client Access Licenses (CALs) with Exchange Server SE.

Microsoft has revealed that Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) will debut in the third quarter of 2025. This upcoming on-premises release will require organizations to get subscription licenses for accessing product updates, security patches, and technical support.

According to Microsoft, Exchange Server SE will be “code equivalent” to Exchange Server 2019 CU15, but it would bring some minor changes. First of all, Microsoft plans to update the license agreement to reflect the new SKU. Additionally, the system name will be rebranded from Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 to Microsoft Exchange Server Subscription Edition. Microsoft will also update the build and version numbers.

Microsoft mentioned that Exchange Server SE will support two types of upgrades from previous versions. Customers will be able to perform an in-place upgrade from Exchange Server 2019 CU15. Microsoft says that this upgrade process would be identical to installing a cumulative update.

Exchange Server SE will also support legacy updates, which will require customers to build a new infrastructure and then migrate namespaces and mailboxes to the new infrastructure. Microsoft notes that customers still running Exchange Server 2016 will be required to perform a legacy upgrade to Exchange Server 2019 to prepare for the upcoming release.

Exchange Server SE CU1 to arrive in October 2025Going forward, Microsoft plans to release two cumulative updates annually for Exchange Server SE. The company expects to release the first CU for commercial customers in October 2025. It will include support for Kerberos for server-to-server communication instead of NTLMv2.

Additionally, Microsoft is phasing out Remote PowerShell (RPS) in favor of REST-based Admin APIs for Exchange Server. Furthermore, Exchange Server SE will discontinue support for Outlook Anywhere and co-existence with earlier versions.

“The RTM release of Exchange Server SE will not require any changes to Active Directory when upgrading from Exchange Server 2019. There are no Active Directory schema changes beyond those in Exchange Server 2019, and we will continue to support the Windows Server 2012 R2 forest functional level,” the Exchange team explained.

Exchange Server Subscription Edition LicensingMicrosoft has yet to reveal pricing details for Exchange Server SE. However, the company noted that customers will be able to download Exchange Server SE through the Microsoft 365 admin center. Just like the SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, it would require users to have either subscription licenses or licenses with active Software Assurance for both server and user licenses. Exchange Server SE doesn’t support legacy perpetual server and Client Access Licenses (CALs) used by Exchange 2019 or older versions.

Microsoft plans to release the final cumulative update (CU15) for Exchange Server 2019 customers in the second half of 2024. The upcoming update is expected to bring several new features and improvements, including Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.5 and certificate management in the Exchange admin center (EAC).

It’s highly recommended that IT admins should get in touch with a Microsoft licensing specialist. It should help to understand how the new subscription-based licensing model will impact their organization.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has announced that support for Copilot with Graph-grounded chat is now available in Outlook. * Copilot in Word now offers advanced capabilities such as refining specific document sections and summarizing selected text. * Copilot for Microsoft Excel introduces the ability to generate multiple formula columns simultaneously with a single prompt.

Microsoft has published a recap of all the new features and improvements added to Copilot for Microsoft 365 during the month of April 2024. The company highlighted several notable improvements tailored to enhance productivity and efficiency across desktop, mobile, and web platforms.

Later this month, Microsoft will add support for Graph-grounded Copilot chat to classic Outlook, the new Outlook for Windows client, and the Outlook web app. The AI assistant will allow users to find enterprise data (such as chats, meetings, emails, and documents) that are stored in the Microsoft cloud. Users will be able to ask questions and receive responses by clicking the Copilot icon at the top of the Outlook window.

Microsoft will also let Copilot for Microsoft 365 customers to ground Copilot chat in the local files stored on their computers. Users will also be able to easily share file links from OneDrive and SharePoint with Copilot for better conversations.

Copilot chat box in OutlookCopilot in WordMicrosoft has also announced several improvements for Copilot in Word. The Copilot AI assistant can use Graph-grounded data to answer questions, fine-tune specific sections of a document, and summarize selected text only. It’s also possible to use Draft with Copilot to reference files that are marked with sensitivity labels to create a new document draft. Later this month, users will also be able to copy/paste a link to a support file as a reference into Draft with Copilot.

Copilot in ExcelAdditionally, Copilot in Excel can now use a single prompt to generate multiple formula columns simultaneously. For instance, Microsoft Excel users can use a single prompt to extract both the first name and last name.

Microsoft Copilot mobile appMicrosoft says that commercial customers with eligible licenses can use a work account to sign in to the Copilot web app. Microsoft Copilot offers commercial data protection capabilities at no additional cost. IT admins can use Microsoft Intune to manage the Copilot mobile app within their tenants.

Notebook in Copilot Microsoft has also introduced a Notebook feature that allows users to create longer prompts that can be refined and fine-tuned over time. Users can access the Notebook feature at the top of the Copilot web app and Copilot in Bing.

Copilot chat box with a Notebook iconCopilot for Microsoft now supports new languagesMoreover, Copilot for Microsoft 365 has introduced support for 16 additional languages. Microsoft’s App Assure compatibility program has added support for Copilot for Microsoft 365 customers who use the monthly Microsoft 365 Apps channel. The company has also launched Restricted SharePoint Search in public preview, and it’s expected to be generally available in the next few weeks.

Lastly, Microsoft says that IT admins can manage Copilot availability and features in the Teams admin center. They can configure this setting to be on by default either just during the meeting or during and after the meeting.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft’s new Purview AI Hub provides IT administrators with valuable insights into the usage of AI applications within their organization. * Microsoft has added AI compliance assessments and security posture management features to let organizations better safeguard their AI applications. * Microsoft’s unified security operations platform offers administrators valuable recommendations and suggestions to enhance the investigation and response process.

Microsoft has unveiled a host of new capabilities for its Microsoft Purview and Defender for Cloud solutions. The new features help IT administrators in efficiently managing, protecting, and governing AI applications within enterprise environments.

First off, Microsoft has launched a new Purview AI Hub in public preview. This new service enables IT admins to gain insight into how AI applications are being used within their organization. This capability helps to detect and mitigate data security and data compliance risks within their organization. Customers can access the new AI Hub through the Microsoft Purview portal or the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.

Microsoft Purview has also introduced new AI compliance assessments to help organizations govern AI usage to comply with regulatory policies. The four new Compliance Manager assessment templates are currently available in public preview for commercial customers.

Microsoft Defender for Cloud updatesMicrosoft has rolled out new AI security posture management capabilities for Defender for Cloud customers. This release enables customers to identify new AI attack surfaces, strengthen AI security posture, and protect AI apps against security threats. Microsoft says that AI security posture management capabilities are supported across different platforms, including Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Machine Learning, and Amazon Bedrock.

Microsoft has added new threat protection capabilities for AI workloads in Microsoft Defender for Cloud. This new feature offers integration with Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft threat intelligence, and Azure AI Content Safety prompt shields to deliver real time contextual and actionable security alerts.

Microsoft Security (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft’s unified security operations platform launches in previewMicrosoft has also announced the public preview of its new unified security operations platform experience. This new service provides recommendations and suggestions to help administrators speed up the investigation and response process.

Additionally, Microsoft has released a couple of new features for its Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR solutions, including automation rules, custom detections, and global search. Microsoft Defender XDR is getting new expanded attack disruption capabilities to protect customers against malicious OAuth apps.

Microsoft notes that native operational technology (OT) protection capabilities are now available for Microsoft Defender XDR customers. This new feature allows IT admins to detect and mitigate OT and industrial control system vulnerabilities.

Microsoft Copilot for Security now supports third-party pluginsLast but not least, Microsoft Copilot for Security is getting new integrations with various services, including Azure Firewall, Azure Web Application Firewall, and Microsoft Purview. Copilot for Security has also added support for various third-party plugins, including CIRCL.lu, Crowdsec, CyberArk, and Darktrace. Microsoft plans to add support for more plugins in the next few months.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft is prioritizing security to protect its infrastructure and customers from cyber threats, expanding its Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to reinforce defenses. * Microsoft’s security approach encompasses six key pillars, including measures like multifactor authentication, network isolation, and enhanced threat detection, aiming to address vulnerabilities across its systems and processes. * Microsoft is instituting measures to hold senior leadership accountable for security goals.

Microsoft has announced plans to make security its top priority to better protect its infrastructure and customers against sophisticated cyberattacks. The company has recently detailed in a blog post that it’s expanding the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to ensure robust protection measures.

Last year, Microsoft announced its Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to boost the built-in security of its products and services. It’s aimed at tackling software and vulnerability issues exploited by cybercriminals in recent high-profile security breaches.

As part of the SFI, Microsoft outlined several plans and changes to its security practices, with some already put into action. The company explained that this expanded SFI approach will be driven by three security principles: Secure by design, Secure by default, and Secure operations.

“Microsoft plays a central role in the world’s digital ecosystem, and this comes with a critical responsibility to earn and maintain trust,” said Charlie Bell, Executive Vice President for Microsoft Security. “We’re expanding the scope of SFI, integrating the recent recommendations from the CSRB as well as our learnings from Midnight Blizzard to ensure that our cybersecurity approach remains robust and adaptive to the evolving threat landscape.”

Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft evolves its Secure Future Initiative approachMicrosoft detailed the following six actionable security pillars to address vulnerabilities in its systems and development processes:

• Protect identities and secrets: Microsoft plans to use phishing-resistant multifactor authentication methods to protect 100 percent of user accounts, applications, and identity tokens against unauthorized access.
• Isolate production systems: Microsoft will also implement strict controls aimed at isolating and safeguarding production environments in order to reduce the likelihood of security breaches.
• Enhance network security: Microsoft will utilize isolation and micro-segmentation techniques to enhance the protection of production networks. This strategy will add an extra layer of security for both customer and Microsoft resources.
• Secure engineering systems: Microsoft plans to strengthen the governance of software supply chains and engineering infrastructures via Zero Trust and least-privilege access policies.
• Accelerate response and remediation: Microsoft will adopt the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) and Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) industry standards to mitigate critical security vulnerabilities.
• Enhanced detection and monitoring: Microsoft will use advanced threat detection and monitoring capabilities to quickly detect and respond to potential security incidents. The company also intends to retain all system security logs for at minimum two years, while customers will have access to six months of relevant logs.

Microsoft highlighted that it has already enabled automatic multifactor authentication by default in Microsoft Entra ID tenants. The company has also expanded its security logging and removed 730,000 insecure apps deployed across production and corporate tenants.

Lastly, Microsoft noted that the pay of its senior leadership will be directly tied to reaching the internal security plans and milestones. The company will also hold monthly and weekly meetings with engineering teams and senior leaders to review progress and ensure alignment with security objectives.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Entra External ID will become generally available on May 15. * This new service provides customers with the ability to create secure sign-in interfaces for customer-facing web apps and pages. * Microsoft offers free access to Entra External ID features for commercial customers until July 1, 2024.

Microsoft Entra External ID, the new customer identity access management solution (CIAM) that the company announced last year, is set to officially launch on May 15. This new service allows organizations to create sign-in interfaces for customer-facing Web apps and pages.

Microsoft mentioned that it could be challenging for IT admins to manage external identities (such as customers, partners, and business clients) as well as their access protocols. The new Entra External ID capabilities enable employees to collaborate with business partners and guests seamlessly. This feature facilitates secure access for external identities to corporate apps and resources through either invitation or self-service sign-up.

“With External ID, you can consolidate all identity management under the security and reliability of Microsoft Entra. Microsoft Entra provides a unified and consistent experience for managing all identity types, simplifying identity management while reducing costs and complexity,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft Entra External ID (Image Credits: Microsoft)Secure collaborationMicrosoft highlights that cross-tenant access settings let administrators manage external collaborators’ access to corporate resources. The ID Governance for External ID feature facilitates automatic review and revocation of access after periods of inactivity or project completion. This capability helps IT admins to ensure that only authorized external users have access to sensitive internal resources and data.

Moreover, Microsoft Entra External ID allows customers to natively integrate secure authentication capabilities into the sign-in experience of their web and mobile apps. They can use authentication options and verifiable credentials to streamline the sign-up/sign-in process for end users.

Microsoft Entra External ID pricingMicrosoft notes that commercial customers can enjoy free access to all Entra External ID capabilities until July 1, 2024. The company is offering access to these features for the 50,000 monthly active users (MAU) at no additional cost, with additional active users priced at $0.03 per MAU.

Furthermore, organizations can take advantage of the discounted price of $0.01625 per MAU until May 2025. If you are interested, you can learn more about External ID pricing on this FAQs page.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has added Copilot to the new Planner app in Teams to streamline project planning, management, and tracking. * The Copilot feature is rolling out gradually to commercial customers with Project Plan 3 or Project Plan 5 subscriptions. * Microsoft has announced the general availability of the new Planner experience in Teams.

Microsoft has started rolling out the Copilot AI assistant to the new Planner app in Teams. The new Copilot integration allows team members to plan, manage, and track projects directly within the Teams desktop and web apps.

Microsoft highlights that Copilot in Planner enables team members to use natural language commands to generate a plan, including goals, tasks and subtasks, and buckets. Users can also ask the digital assistant to create comprehensive plans for their upcoming projects.

With Copilot in Planner, customers can effectively manage their plans. The Copilot AI assistant can provide suggestions about tasks based on new goals. It can also help users add new goals to their plan and automatically generate tasks aimed at accomplishing those goals. The Copilot feature also lets users ask questions about the progress, priorities, and workload to stay informed on complex plans.

“With the power of generative AI, Copilot in Planner streamlines the planning, management, and execution of your work, keeping you informed as you achieve your goals. Copilot in Planner helps teams transform the way they work and collaborate on projects together,” Microsoft explained.

Copilot in new Planner (Image Credits: Microsoft)The new Copilot in Planner experience is rolling out gradually in public preview to commercial customers over the next few weeks. The new Copilot feature is available for organizations with a Project Plan 3 ($30 per month per user) or Project Plan 5 ($55 per month per user) subscription.

Microsoft is offering a free 30-day trial of Copilot in Planner for customers who don’t have a premium Project license. Users will need to click the “diamond” icon within the app to test the Copilot in the new Planner capabilities. Microsoft plans to reveal the final price of this feature when it becomes generally available for everyone.

New Microsoft Planner app in Teams is now generally availableMicrosoft has also announced the general availability of the new Planner experience in Teams that launched in preview earlier this year. This new Planner app includes several features and enhancements based on user feedback. It offers project timeline tracking and monitoring capabilities via a Gantt chart. Moreover, the task history feature provides detailed insights about a specific task. The new Planner app also allows users to break down complex tasks into smaller action items.

Microsoft plans to add a couple of top-requested features to the new Planner app in the coming weeks. These include an improved My Day and My Tasks experience and the ability to upgrade a basic plan to a premium plan.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Teams has added support for multi-turn conversations with Copilot, live translated captions for webinars, and custom profile pictures. * Microsoft Teams meetings are getting features like multi-account support, the ability to hide the general channel, and context-based file attach suggestions. * Microsoft Teams Phones now support AI voice isolation, call history sharing, and a busy on busy end user setting.

Microsoft has published a recap of all the new capabilities added to Teams during the month of April 2024. The company has enhanced the chat and meeting experience with multi-turn conversations with Copilot, live translated captions for webinars, custom profile pictures, and more.

Chat and collaboration featuresFor starters, Microsoft detailed a couple of enhancements to the chat and collaboration experience in Microsoft Teams. The Copilot AI assistant in Teams chats and channels has added support for multi-turn conversations. The feature allows users to ask follow-up questions to a Copilot response such as “Explain the second point in the summary.” Microsoft Teams has introduced multi-account support for government customers.

Microsoft Teams allows users to hide general channels in order to reduce clutter in the channel list. Moreover, users can set a custom profile picture for Teams group chats, making it easier to find a specific chat. Microsoft Teams now offers context-based file attach suggestions from OneDrive and SharePoint.

Multi-turn conversation with Copilot in chats and channels (Image Credits: Microsoft)Enhancements to Teams meetingsMicrosoft Teams has added a new feature that allows users to manage calendar notifications for upcoming meetings from their activity feed. The Teams admin center allows IT admins to control how people in their organization use the Copilot AI assistant for meetings and events.

Additionally, Microsoft Teams town halls now support live translated captions in up to six different languages. Microsoft says that organizers with a Teams Premium license can choose up to 10 languages. Microsoft Teams town halls indicate new notifications for questions or replies with a red dot beside the Q&A icon.

Calendar notifications in Microsoft Teams (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft Teams Phones and other updatesMicrosoft Teams Phone customers can leverage AI-powered voice isolation capability to suppress background noise. Furthermore, Microsoft has added new incoming call setting options for Teams Phone mobile users. Users can also manage call forwarding settings through the home screen of the device. Other capabilities include shared call history for call delegation, busy on busy end user setting, as well as call on behalf of the call queue.

Voice isolation (Image Credits: Microsoft)Last month, Microsoft announced a couple of new Teams-certified devices. These include the Yealink UH35 headset, the Bang & Olufsen Cisco 950 MS earbuds, and the Dell WL7024 headset.

Last but not least, Microsoft has introduced a new setting that lets administrators limit presenter role permissions within their organization. This feature can be used to prevent presenters from performing certain actions such as controlling attendees’ mics and cameras, removing participants, lowering hands, and changing the roles of other participants.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has added new device management capabilities to Intune this month. * The updated app supersedence feature lets IT admins easily keep Win32 applications up to date. * The new remote diagnostics feature aims to simplify the process of obtaining diagnostics from Microsoft 365 apps running on Android and iOS devices.

Microsoft released several new device management capabilities for its Intune solution in April 2024. The company highlighted several improvements, including streamlined app updates for better security and productivity and simplified troubleshooting for Microsoft 365 apps.

Microsoft has introduced updated app supersedence to help administrators keep Win32 applications up to date. The supersedence feature lets IT admins update and replace existing Win32 apps with new versions of the same app or a different Win32 app. They can now add an app to Intune and create a supersedence relationship with an existing app. This capability eliminates the need to monitor app updates and manually update applications.

The new remote diagnostics feature is designed to simplify the process of getting diagnostics from Microsoft 365 apps running on Android and iOS devices. IT admins can configure this feature by navigating to the Intune admin center >> Tenant administration >> Device diagnostics and setting the ”Diagnostics for Microsoft 365 applications…” option to enabled.

Remote diagnostics (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft Intune adds Windows update distribution reportThe new Windows update distribution report in Intune provides a summarized report on what quality updates are running on which devices. It consists of three separate organizational reports that offer insights into devices and their associated Windows update versions. To access this feature, IT admins will need to navigate to Reports > Windows Updates > Reports tab > Windows Update Distribution Report.

“The report provides a drill down for each quality update that aggregates devices based on windows 10/11 feature version and the update statuses,” Microsoft explained. “The report includes Intune managed and co-managed devices, and is based on the OS version updated at every device check-in. The report can slice the data based on device scope tags.”

Windows update distribution report (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft plans to make some improvements to the Windows update distribution report in the coming months. The company will add new select all and deselect all options in the Scope tags dropdown menu. Microsoft will also introduce additional filters in the managed by managed by and last check-in columns.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has introduced an Offline mode for the OneDrive web app, enhancing accessibility and productivity for work and school accounts. * Users can now access, manage, and modify files via web browsers even without an internet connection. * The new Offline mode brings significant performance improvements, offering users a smoother and faster experience.

Last year, Microsoft unveiled its plans to introduce a new Offline mode for the OneDrive web app. Now, the company has announced the rollout of new Offline capabilities for work and school accounts.

With this new Offline mode, OneDrive lets users access their files via a web browser when offline and then automatically sync back any changes once the Internet connection is restored. Moreover, the feature allows users to navigate to different sections such as Home, My files, Shared, Favorites, People, and Meeting. Users can also rename, sort, move, copy, and delete files without Internet access.

Additionally, the new Offline mode allows users to perform certain actions that previously required using File Explorer on Windows and Finder on macOS. For instance, it’s possible to mark files available offline as well as conserve local storage space simply by marking them as “online only.”

Microsoft claims that the new Offline mode also brings performance improvements for users with internet connectivity. Users should notice 3x faster loading times when viewing files in the OneDrive web app and the OneDrive experience in Teams or Outlook.

“By accessing your content from your local cache instead of fetching it from a cloud server, data retrieval speeds are significantly improved,” the OneDrive team explained. “The result? A smooth OneDrive experience that’s insulated against slow or intermittent connections. Furthermore, this enhancement has the added advantage of bypassing cloud service-related throttling issues.”

Offline mode in OneDriveHow to enable the Offline mode in OneDrive?Microsoft has announced that the rollout of the new Offline mode will occur gradually for all users with work and school accounts, but it is currently unavailable for consumers. Users should be running the latest version of the OneDrive Sync app on their PCs. The Offline mode supports Chromium-based browsers in Windows and macOS, and users can enable or disable this feature through a per-device setting.

Currently, the new offline capabilities in the OneDrive web app come with limitations. This feature is operational only when the user’s repository contains fewer than 250,000 files. Moreover, the Offline mode does not support shortcuts to shared folders in OneDrive. Keep in mind that users won’t be able to access certain capabilities, including Copilot, search, file version history, managing access, and file deletion. “

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has launched the Trusted Signing solution, offering a fully managed end-to-end signing service aimed at simplifying app development and distribution processes. * The solution supports both public and private trust signing scenarios and incorporates modern security features like Smart App Control and SmartScreen. * Developers and ISVs can take advantage of a free trial of the Trusted Signing solution until June 2024.

Microsoft has recently announced the public preview of its new Trusted Signing solution. This fully managed end-to-end signing service is designed to streamline processes, allowing developers to effortlessly build and distribute apps.

“The service supports both public and private trust signing scenarios and includes a timestamping service. With Trusted Signing, users enjoy a productive, performant, and delightful experience on Windows with modern security protection features enabled such as Smart App Control and SmartScreen,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft highlights that the new solution offers an intuitive experience in Azure to simplify the signing process. Moreover, it helps to manage the full certificate lifecycle and key storage that is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliant. The service also offers support for different profile types such as Public Trust, Private Trust, and Test.

Creating a Trusted Signing Account (Image Credits: Microsoft)Additionally, the new trusted signing solution integrates with popular developer toolsets like SignTool.exe, GitHub, and Visual Studio. For Private Trust, it provides PowerShell cmdlets for IT admins to sign Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies. Microsoft plans to offer potential integrations with IT endpoint management solutions in the future.

Trusted Signing PricingMicrosoft will provide two SKUs (basic and premium) for the new trusted signing solution, and you can view the pricing details in the screenshot below:

Trusted Signing Basic and Premium SKUsMicrosoft notes that developers and ISVs will need to navigate to the Azure portal to try out the trusted signing solution. The company says that Azure customers will be able to access the new trusted signing solution for free until June 2024. We invite you to check out this quick-start guide to learn more about the onboarding process.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft is introducing a new meeting response option called “Follow” for the new Outlook for Windows and the Outlook web app. * The “Follow” response enables users to stay informed about meeting events even if they can’t attend, fostering greater engagement and collaboration. * This feature aims to cater to individuals with busy schedules and conflicting meetings.

Microsoft Outlook is about to add a new meeting response option (RSVP) to the new Outlook for Windows and the Outlook web app. The new “Follow” option for meeting responses will provide users with a way to stay engaged even when they can’t attend.

The new follow feature will inform organizers that the user won’t attend the meeting but still wants to remain informed and access post-meeting information. The Follow response will also remind the organizer to record the meeting and take collaborative notes.

The attendees will be able to access the meeting chat, recordings, and transcripts. Moreover, the attendees’ calendars will show the time as free, enabling them to manage their schedules more effectively.

“Follow is a new meeting response (RSVP) option that goes beyond the traditional Accept, Tentative and Decline choices geared towards individuals with high meeting loads and conflicting meetings each day. Follow is the ideal RSVP option for meetings you can’t attend but still want to stay engaged and receive info about. Other attendees will be able to see if you are following a meeting,” Microsoft explained.

Meeting invitation email with new Follow option (Image Credits: Microsoft)Microsoft Outlook’s ‘Follow’ feature to hit GA in JulyMicrosoft says that attendees will be able to respond with the “Follow” option only when a meeting has two or more participants and the organizer has requested responses. Moreover, the meeting response will appear as “Tentative” in the classic version of Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and the Outlook mobile apps. The organizer will also see a notification that the invitee is following the meeting.

Microsoft says that the new meeting response option will begin rolling out to targeted release customers in May. The feature is expected to become generally available for commercial customers in July 2024. At launch, this capability won’t be available for Outlook for Mac or the Outlook mobile apps.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s FY24 Q3 earnings beating all expectations as the company’s huge bet on Copilot and generative AI continues to pay off.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has introduced multi-tenant organization (MTO) capabilities for Entra ID customers to enhance cross-tenant collaboration in Microsoft Teams and Viva Engage. * MTO allows up to five Entra ID tenants to share resources and collaborate, which is beneficial for organizations with multiple Microsoft 365 tenants. * Participation in multi-tenant organizations requires Entra ID Premium P1 licenses for users.

Microsoft has announced the general availability of the new multi-tenant organization (MTO) capabilities for Entra ID customers. The new feature is designed to enhance the cross-tenant collaboration experience in Microsoft Teams and Viva Engage.

A multi-tenant organization is a group of up to five Entra ID tenants that are linked together by cross-tenant access policies to let users collaborate and share resources. This solution could be useful for organizations that span multiple Microsoft 365 tenants and need to share information.

Microsoft first announced released of the new Entra ID multi-tenant organization feature in public preview in mid-2023. It allows users to share applications and engage across tenants with Microsoft Teams and Viva Engage.

“As your organization evolves, you may need to integrate multiple tenants to facilitate collaboration,” said Joseph Dadzie, Partner Director of Product Management. “With disparate identity management systems, it can be costly and complex for admins to manage multiple tenants while ensuring users across tenants have access to resources to collaborate.”

Multi-tenant organization capabilitiesWhy should you use multi-tenant organization capabilities?Microsoft has highlighted several key benefits of a multi-tenant organization. In the new Microsoft Teams desktop client, employees can use chat, call, and meeting experiences to collaborate with users in another tenant. The new app also allows users to receive real-time notifications from all tenants across the multi-tenant organization.

Additionally, multi-tenant organizations allow IT administrators to centrally manage permissions and policies to prevent unauthorized access to data. Multi-tenant organizations facilitate enhanced compliance for organizations by simplifying the management of user access to data.

Getting started with Entra ID multi-tenant organizationsTo get started with multi-tenant organizations, IT admins will first need to create their multi-tenant organization via Microsoft 365 admin center, PowerShell, or Microsoft Graph API. The second step involves adding users to each other’s tenants as an external member for collaboration. Lastly, IT admins should ensure to meet specific requirements for Microsoft Teams or Viva Engage

Microsoft notes that users participating in multi-tenant organizations will require Entra ID Premium P1 licenses. It’s important to note that each employee within a multi-tenant organization needs only one license, and each tenant must possess at least one Microsoft Entra ID P1 subscription. You can learn more about multi-tenant organization capabilities in our previous article.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft is shrinking the size of update packages for Windows 10 version 22H2. * This change promises faster downloads, minimized network traffic, and better performance on Windows 10 PCs. * Users will find that recent Windows 10 Cumulative Updates (CUs) have shrunk by 22%, making updating less burdensome and more manageable.

Microsoft has announced its plans to significantly reduce the size of its updates for Windows 10 version 22H2. The company has introduced an improved cumulative update (CU) technology that promises expedited downloads, reduced network congestion, and optimized performance, particularly benefiting users on slower connections.

In 2021, Microsoft detailed its efforts to cut down the size of Windows 11 update by around 40 percent. Specifically, Microsoft no longer includes the reverse-differential bits in Windows 11 cumulative updates. The company found a way to generate these bits only in cases where they are needed. Microsoft also changed the internal structure of the cumulative update to deliver smaller CUs to Windows 11 devices.

Now, Microsoft is bringing the same compression technology to reduce the size of monthly cumulative updates on Windows 10 devices. “Starting April 23, 2024, the LCU will no longer have the reverse differentials. The client will generate the reverse update data. This change will help to reduce the LCU package size by about 20%. This change also offers a few advantages,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft highlighted notable reductions in the size of its latest cumulative update (LCU) Windows packages. For example, the KB5036892 and KB5036979 updates, released earlier this month, are sized at 830 MB and 650 MB, respectively. This improved cumulative update (CU) technology has resulted in a reduction of approximately 22 percent in the Windows 10 update size.

Windows 10 updates (Image Credits: Petri/Rabia Noureen)What are the benefits of smaller Windows 10 updates?Microsoft noted that distributing large Windows updates consumes significant bandwidth, particularly for customers with limited access to high-speed broadband connections. The new cumulative update enhancements aim to assist both organizations and consumers in conserving bandwidth and reducing network traffic. It should also make it easier for customers to remain up-to-date and secure.

It’s important to note that Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says that organizations that want to keep using the operating system will need to pay to access Windows 10 extended security updates. The Windows 10 ESU program will offer critical or important security patches for a maximum of three years.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has announced the retirement of the classic Teams desktop app, with end of support scheduled for July 1, 2024. * Microsoft says access to classic Teams will be blocked on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Mac OS Sierra in October. * Microsoft recommends IT admins to transition users to the new Teams to receive new features and improvements.

Microsoft will soon officially retire the classic version of Microsoft Teams. The company has announced on the Microsoft 365 admin center that the classic Teams desktop app will reach end of support in July this year.

Starting July 1, 2024, Microsoft will begin informing its commercial customers through periodic in-app dialog messages that classic Teams is no longer supported. The classic Microsoft Teams desktop client will stop getting any new features and improvements. Microsoft says the informational messages will urge users to switch to the new Teams desktop client.

When will classic Teams reach end of availability?Microsoft plans to block customers from accessing classic Teams on October 23, 2024. This change will impact Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Mac OS Sierra (10.12). However, the app will continue to work for users with configuration issues on Windows 10, macOS versions Big Sur(11) or lower until July 1, 2025. After that date, the new Teams web app will be available on supported browsers as an alternative.

“This gives admins more time to address any issues encountered during this process. We do ask that users update their OS and address any other issues to continue using the Teams client after this time, as new features are only being added to the new Teams client,” Microsoft explained.

Non-dismissible in-app dialogs (Image Credits: Microsoft)Why should you switch to the new Microsoft Teams app?Microsoft announced the general availability of its new Teams desktop client in October 2023. The new app is based on the React framework and Edge WebView 2 rather than the resource-intensive Electron framework. Microsoft says that the new Teams is now two times faster and consumes 50 percent less memory compared to the previous app.

The new version of Microsoft Teams offers various features such as 7×7 video, contextual search in chat, call queues, and breakout rooms. It also supports custom line-of-business apps, third-party apps, Copilot for Microsoft 365, and multi-tenant organization capabilities.

Microsoft recommends administrators to transition their end users to the new Teams app as soon as possible. The company advises them to mitigate issues (such as IT policy/firewall blocking app installation and missing WebView2) within their organizations. You can find the prerequisites for new Teams on this support page.

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Key Takeaways:* Real-time co-authoring capabilities allow Dropbox customers to collaboratively edit Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents. * Dropbox also announced enhanced security features, including end-to-end encryption and advanced data protection tools. * IT admins can now manage team membership and invites from a central dashboard.

Dropbox and Microsoft are teaming up to more closely integrate the cloud storage service into Microsoft 365. The company has announced today several new features aimed at improving organization and collaboration for Microsoft 365 customers.

Microsoft Teams already allows users to search, preview, upload, and share files and other content stored in Dropbox. The latest update now lets customers use Dropbox’s plugin extension for Copilot for Microsoft 365 to answer questions and summarize documents. Dropbox is also getting real-time co-authoring support for Office files, allowing team members to collaboratively edit Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents. This top-requested feature is available in beta for all desktop, mobile, and web users.

Additionally, Dropbox has introduced a new integration called Dropbox Replay for OneDrive. Dropbox Replay is a tool that helps to streamline the process of video reviews and approvals. This new feature enables users to bring media files from OneDrive directly into Dropbox Replay for efficient reviews and approvals. Users can sign up for the Co-Authoring beta and access the Dropbox Replay for OneDrive integration on this page.

Real-Time Co-Authoring beta (Image Credits: Microsoft)Security featuresDropbox has also announced several advanced data protection capabilities for commercial customers. The company has added end-to-end encryption support to provide an additional layer of security for confidential content stored in team folders. Moreover, it’s now possible to configure a unique encryption key managed by FIPS 140-2 Level 3 key management services. This feature should make it easier for users to protect and manage all team Dropbox files.

Dropbox adds new management toolsLast but not least, Dropbox has introduced new tools that should make it easier for administrators to access important information. A central dashboard allows IT admins to keep track of license usage and pending invites. The company has introduced an updated Trust Center to monitor security, reliability, privacy, and compliance issues. It also helps administrators to complete internal reviews, audits, and risk assessments.

Dropbox says that the new security capabilities are available for all Dropbox Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise customers worldwide. If you’re interested, you can learn more about these updates on Dropbox’s official website.

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Key Takeaways: * A new monitoring dashboard within Configuration Manager enhances administrators’ ability to detect and address software update issues efficiently. * Microsoft has announced the discontinuation of support for Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 operating system site system roles. * Microsoft also released improvements to BitLocker key escrow verification to prevent data loss.

Microsoft has announced the release of the update 2403 for Configuration Manager (Current Branch). Among its notable features are the rebranding of Azure Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID, a new monitoring dashboard for detecting software update issues, streamlined search capabilities, and more.

Microsoft Configuration Manager is a software management suite that lets organizations manage large numbers of computers running macOS, Windows, Linux, and mobile operating systems. The service offers various tools to streamline software deployment, compliance monitoring, patch management, and remote administration.

Microsoft has rebranded Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to Microsoft Entra ID within Configuration Manager. Additionally, a new dashboard in the monitoring workspace facilitates easier detection of software update issues. The Configuration Manager console now includes a search box to enhance search efficiency and consolidate access to important information. This feature saves time and effort previously spent navigating through various nodes or sections.

Software update health dashboard (Image Credits: Microsoft)Folder support for scriptsThe latest Configuration Manager update allows administrators to use folders to organize and manage scripts. This feature is available for both full administrators and operations administrators. Additionally, Microsoft has deprecated HTTP-only communication, advising customers to opt for HTTPS or Enhanced HTTP for client communication instead. The latest version of Configuration Manager no longer supports Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 operating system site system roles.

Software & OS updatesMicrosoft has added a new SoftwareUpdateO365Language parameter to the PowerShell Save-CMSoftwareUpdate cmdlet. This feature streamlines the process by removing the requirement to manually check for specific languages in the Software Update Point (SUP) Properties. Furthermore, Windows 11 ARM 64 devices are getting support for Configuration Manager operating system deployment. This capability currently supports importing and customizing Arm 64 boot images, Media creation TS, Wipe and load TS, CMPivot, and WDS PXE for Arm 64.

Support for ARM 64 Operating System Deployment (Image Credits: Microsoft)Cloud-attached managementMicrosoft has also deprecated the option to upgrade to Configuration Manager 2403 for customers running cloud management gateway V1 (CMG) as a cloud service (classic). Administrators will need to manually convert CMG deployed with the classic cloud service to a virtual machine scale set deployment before starting the upgrade process.

Updates to BitLockerLastly, the latest release brings a couple of improvements to BitLocker. This feature ensures that key escrow is verified correctly and helps to prevent any message drops. It checks if the key is successfully stored in the database before adding the key protector. Moreover, Bitlocker now prevents a situation where data could be lost if there are any failures to escrow. It happens when BitLocker protects volumes using keys that are never backed up to the database.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft Intune Remote Help now offers full control support for macOS devices. * The new feature allows IT help desk agents to gain complete control over Mac systems to reduce time to mitigation. * This capability streamlines troubleshooting processes, allowing help desks to tackle problems quickly and efficiently.

Microsoft Intune Remote Help has introduced full control support for macOS devices. The new feature allows IT help desk agents to quickly address issues by gaining full control over any Mac device.

Microsoft Intune Remote Help is a cloud-based solution that provides secure help desk connections. It uses role-based access controls to let support agents remotely troubleshoot issues on employees’ computers. Remote Help can be used to improve efficiency, mitigate security risks, and support workers. It’s available as an add-on to all Microsoft 365 plans that include Intune.

Microsoft emphasizes that this release is part of its broader initiative to provide cross-platform support, allowing administrators to manage any device using Microsoft Intune. The Remote Help app for macOS now offers both view-only and full control capabilities. This new feature enables support staff to remotely control the mouse and keyboard on Mac devices.

“With this new functionality, IT help desks can now not only view Mac devices, but also take full control of them, streamlining troubleshooting and reducing time to mitigation. Whether it’s configuring settings, troubleshooting software glitches, or assisting information workers, help desks can tackle problems quickly and efficiently,” the Microsoft Intune team explained.

The Intune admin console (Image Credits: Microsoft)How Remote Help works with macOS devicesWhen an employee reports an issue, the help desk agent identifies the relevant device and initiates a Remote Help session through the Intune Admin Center. The agent can then opt to begin either a new screen-sharing session or a full control session on a macOS device. The Remote Help app lets employees view information about the help desk agent, including their name, photo, job title, and domain verification via Entra ID.

Lastly, the Remote Help app prompts the employee to either allow or deny the Remote Help session. The help desk agent also receives warnings about devices that are not compliant with the organization’s security policies.

Overall, the addition of full control support for macOS devices in Microsoft Intune Remote Help should enhance the troubleshooting experience for IT help desk agents. This update streamlines processes and enhances security measures, facilitating quicker issue resolution and better support for employees within organizations.

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Key Takeaways:* Russian hackers are exploiting a Windows print spooler flaw to gain elevated privileges and steal credentials in compromised enterprise networks. * The hacker uses a custom tool named GooseEgg to target organizations, indicating a sophisticated and deliberate approach to cyber infiltration. * Microsoft advises applying patches and implementing to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks.

Microsoft has warned customers about the exploitation of a Windows print spooler vulnerability by Russian hackers, enabling them to elevate privileges and pilfer credentials within compromised enterprise networks. The Russian hacking group is using a custom tool known as GooseEgg to target a range of organizations.

What is Windows Print Spooler vulnerability?Microsoft patched the print spooler elevation of privilege vulnerability (CVE-2022-38028) in October 2022. The security flaw, which carries a CVSS rating of 7.8, allows attackers to attackers to remotely execute code with system-level privilege on vulnerable machines. The Windows print spooler service manages the printing process in Windows environments.

On Monday, Microsoft disclosed that Forest Blizzard (aka Fancy Bear) has been exploiting the CVE-2022-38028 vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service since at least June 2020. The hacking group has been linked by the US and UK governments to the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).

Microsoft found that the Russian-backed threat actor exploited the security flaw to gain unauthorized access to a target Windows device. The attackers use a simple batch script to deploy the GooseEgg executable and establish persistence on the compromised system.

“While a simple launcher application, GooseEgg is capable of spawning other applications specified at the command line with elevated permissions, allowing threat actors to support any follow-on objectives such as remote code execution, installing a backdoor, and moving laterally through compromised networks,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team explained.

GooseEgg binary adding driver stores to an actor-controlled directory (Image Credits: Microsoft)According to Microsoft, Forest Blizzard is using GooseEgg to launch attacks on organizations based in Ukraine, Western Europe, and North America. These targets span across various sectors including government, non-government, education, and transportation.

How to protect Windows devices against Forest Blizzard cyberattacks?Microsoft’s advisory suggests that administrators should ensure that the fix for CVE-2022-38028 and CVE-2021-34527 has been deployed on Windows devices. Additionally, the company recommends disabling the print spooler service on domain controllers. A domain controller is a server computer that authenticates and validates user access on a network, and it doesn’t require printing capabilities.

Microsoft Defender for Identity offers a built-in security assessment that helps system admins detect the availability of Print Spooler services on domain controllers. You can find the full list of threat-hunting queries and indicators of compromise on Microsoft’s official blog post.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft discourages the use of iPerf3 on Windows devices due to compatibility issues and performance concerns. * Microsoft warns that older versions of iPerf3 may limit network benchmarking capabilities on Windows machines. * Microsoft recommends alternative tools like ntttcp and ctsTraffic for network performance testing.

Microsoft has issued an advisory against using the iPerf3 tool on Windows devices, citing compatibility and performance concerns. The company highlights issues with iPerf3’s reliance on Cygwin emulation layer and potential discrepancies in network testing.

iPerf is a popular tool that is used for measuring network bandwidth and performance across different platforms. It’s maintained by Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) and enables users to assess their network’s capabilities and ensure optimal performance.

Why you shouldn’t use iPerf3 on Windows?Microsoft has outlined three main reasons why it discourages the use of iPerf3 on Windows PCs. First of all, ESnet officially supports CentOS 7 Linux, FreeBSD 11, and macOS 10.12, and does not extend its support to running iPerf3 on Windows. The company recommends customers to use iPerf2 for monitoring network performance on Windows devices.

Secondly, Microsoft notes that iPerf3 does not make native API calls on Windows machines. The tool uses Cygwin as an emulation layer to work on Windows, and it causes significant performance issues. Microsoft also mentioned that some advanced iPerf3 features for network testing are either not supported or may trigger unexpected issues on Windows PCs.

“The iPerf3 calls are sent to Cygwin, which translates them to Windows APIs calls. Only then does the Windows network stack come into play. The iPerf3 on Windows maintainers do an excellent job of making it all work together, but, ultimately, there are potential issues with this approach,” Microsoft explained.

Last but not least, Microsoft warned that some Windows customers are probably using an older version of the iPerf3 tool. The company released iPerf3 version 3.1.3 for Windows back in June 2016. It’s important to note that this release uses Cygwin as an emulation layer and contains a bug that limits the socket buffer to 1MB. This could potentially lead to performance issues and inaccuracies in testing.

What are the recommended network benchmarking tools?Microsoft recommends that customers should use its network benchmarking solutions such as ntttcp (Windows NT Test TCP) and ctsTraffic. The ntttcp tool allows users to assess and measure the performance of TCP/IP networks on Windows. It simulates various network traffic scenarios to evaluate network throughput, latency, and other metrics.

Meanwhile, ctsTraffic is used to analyze network performance as well as measure throughput, latency, and packet loss. The tool helps to evaluate the behavior of networking devices under different load conditions.

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Key Takeaways:* Microsoft has announced a public preview of the Purview Audit Search Graph API. * The new API provides organizations with a more efficient and reliable way to search and retrieve audit logs. * The Purview Audit Search Graph API is expected to hit general availability in June 2024.

Microsoft has launched its new Purview Audit Search Graph API in public preview for commercial customers. This new API allows IT administrators to programmatically search and retrieve audit logs, improving how organizations track and secure their data usage.

Microsoft Purview Audit is a feature that lets IT administrators monitor and track data usage and access within their organizations. It offers various capabilities like generating audit reports, logging data access events, and monitoring activities across data sources and platforms.

“The Microsoft Audit Search Graph API is designed to provide a more efficient and reliable way to search audit logs, making it easier for customers and partners to monitor and investigate security incidents. With this new feature, users can expect faster search times, more complete search results, and a more robust and reliable search experience,” Microsoft explained.

The new Microsoft Purview Audit Search Graph API offers various search, reliability, and performance improvements over the existing Search-UnifiedAuditLog PowerShell cmdlet. For starters, the API provides an asynchronous Audit search experience with automation capabilities for both apps and end users. It’s also designed to offer enhanced search completeness and reduce timeouts.

Microsoft Purview Audit Search Graph API introduces enhanced granular permissionsMicrosoft has introduced new granular permissions that let security admins scope access to Audit logs. This capability supports several Audit workloads, including OneDrive, Microsoft Entra, Intune, and Exchange. Moreover, Security admins can now use 10 parameters to programmatically filter Audit logs.

New granular permissions (Image Credits: Microsoft)The Microsoft Purview Audit Search Graph API is expected to become generally available for commercial customers in June 2024. Microsoft recommends existing customers to switch from the Search-UnifiedAuditLog cmdlet to leverage the benefits of the Audit Search Graph API.

Overall, the new Audit Search Graph API underscores Microsoft’s commitment to enhance security measures and streamline administrative tasks. This feature should enable organizations to effectively monitor and protect their enterprise environments. We invite you to check out this support page to learn more about how to use the new Audit Search Graph API.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of PowerShell Crescendo 1.1.0 for all its customers. This latest iteration brings several improvements, such as a brand-new cmdlet, enhanced error handling capabilities, a new method to bypass output handling, and support for argument value transformations, among other exciting features. “Crescendo is a development accelerator enabling you to rapidly...

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Microsoft has partnered with Motorola to launch an enhanced Windows 365 App experience for Android devices. The new built-in feature is designed to enable seamless connectivity between Lenovo ThinkPhone and Windows 365 Cloud PCs. Microsoft launched the Windows 365 app in public preview in March this year. It allows users to directly access their Cloud...

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Microsoft has unveiled its strategy to replace the classic Outlook desktop application, but the transition won’t be a swift one. In a recent announcement, the company confirmed that this monumental shift will be a gradual process, stretching over at least a couple of years for its commercial customers. Last week, Microsoft published a new YouTube...

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Microsoft 365 Defender, Identity Protection, and Microsoft Sentinel generate an avalanche of security incidents that require attention. In this article, I will give you an overview of what tools are at your disposal, what incidents are useful, and how to make Microsoft Sentinel reduce alerts. Security incidents in a single pane of glass Today’s security...

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Microsoft released the September 2023 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10 yesterday. The monthly updates were quite easy to miss yesterday as Apple’s iPhone 15 event pretty much dominated the news cycle, but there’s actually quite a lot to discuss this month. This month, Microsoft fixed a total of 65 vulnerabilities in...

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In a notable shift for developers, Microsoft has revealed its plan to retire the Outlook REST API v2.0 in 2024. This decision stems from feedback received from customers and partners. The Outlook REST API is undergoing this transition to make way for a smoother and more secure future with Microsoft Graph. The Outlook REST API...

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Microsoft has launched a new Bing Chat Enterprise service plan that gives organizations more control over who can access the service. The new offering allows IT admins to test the service with a small group of testers prior to broader deployment. Microsoft started rolling out the new Bing Chat Enterprise service in preview back in...

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Key takeaways: * W3LL, a sophisticated cyber threat group, has successfully targeted more than 8,000 Microsoft 365 corporate accounts across the US, Europe, and Australia. * W3LL’s tactics include bypassing multifactor authentication (MFA) and employing convincing Microsoft Outlook animations to deceive victims into opening malicious attachments. * To defend against such threats, organizations are urged to implement FIDO 2.0 authentication solutions, enforce strict access policies, and bolster email protection tools.

Security researchers have discovered a new threat actor that has been using a highly advanced phishing kit to bypass multifactor authentication (MFA) safeguards. The cyber threat group has successfully compromised over 8,000 Microsoft 365 corporate accounts across the US, Europe, and Australia.

According to a report released by Group-IB, the hackers had built a highly sophisticated phishing kit (W3LL Panel) with multifactor authentication (MFA) bypass capabilities. The security researchers believe that the custom tools were used to breach over 56,000 Microsoft 365 accounts between October 2022 and July 2023.

Group-IB found that the cyber threat group targeted several industries, including IT, healthcare, legal services, manufacturing, consulting, and financial services. The researchers estimate that the W3LL crew had generated more than $500,000 during the last 10 months.

The attacker first gained access to a mailing list of potential victims and used the W3LL custom email validator tool to scan the list. Then, the hackers used additional custom tools (such as link stagers and phishing kits) to create a phishing lure.

“Once the victim has downloaded and accessed an attachment, a new blank browser window opens with a genuine-looking MS Outlook animation designed to make the victim think that the action is legitimate,” Group-IB explained. “What the phishing attachment actually does is load a W3LL Panel phishing page in the newly opened window.”

Group-IB suggests a layered defense approach to block W3LL phishing attacksThe phishing toolkit uses Adversary-in-the-Middle (AitM) attacks to steal session cookies and Microsoft 365 credentials. Finally, the attacker could abuse the unauthorized access for malicious activities such as malware distribution, impersonation, and data theft.

Group-IB recommends that organizations should take a layered approach to minimize the risk of cyberattacks. Enterprise customers should implement FIDO 2.0 authentication solutions and enforce strict conditional access policies. It’s also advised to configure additional email protection tools and review security policies.

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Key takeaways: * Microsoft’s new Conditional Access overview dashboard lets IT Pros get a comprehensive view of their Conditional Access posture. * It helps administrators track unprotected sign-ins, non-compliant/unmanaged devices, and malicious sign-in alerts. * The Conditional Access templates make it easier for IT admins to deploy policies aligned with Microsoft recommendations.

In today’s constantly evolving digital landscape, finding the perfect harmony between strong security measures and seamless access for a hybrid workforce can prove to be quite a daunting task. To simplify this challenge, Microsoft has introduced a new Conditional Access overview dashboard, designed to assist Entra ID customers in effortlessly navigating this intricate terrain.

The Conditional Access overview is a built-in dashboard that allows organizations to gain detailed insights about their Conditional Access posture. It’s the default landing page that lets administrators create new policies with Conditional Access templates. The Conditional Access overview dashboard helps to track unprotected sign-ins, non-compliant/unmanaged devices, and malicious sign-in alerts.

“As an administrator, it provides a concise summary of your policies, identifies any gaps in your policy coverage, and provides valuable insights based on sign-in activity within your tenant. This feature enables you to swiftly pinpoint areas where you can enhance the enforcement of Zero Trust principles, ultimately bolstering your defense mechanisms,” Microsoft explained.

Conditional Access templates are designed to make it easier for IT admins to deploy new policies aligned with Microsoft recommendations. The templates help to ensure that the policies provide maximum protection for corporate assets as well as promote optimal and secure access for hybrid teams.

Microsoft says that customers can select from 16 predefined Conditional Access templates that are organized into different categories. These include zero trust, secure foundation, emerging threats, protect administrators, and remote work.

Getting started with Conditional Access templatesTo get started with templates, head over to the Microsoft Entra admin center and select Protection > Conditional Access, and use the templates to create new policies. Then, click the “Show more” option to view all policy templates in each category.

Microsoft introduced a new continuous access evaluation (CAE) setting in public preview for Entra ID Conditional Access. It enables IT admins to strictly enforce location policies for network access in their organizations. The feature lets CAE-enabled applications (such as Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Microsoft Graph) to quickly invalidate tokens that violate IP-based location policies.

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Azure Backup can be used to back up not only an organization’s critical cloud workloads but also all types of on-premises resources, even if they are running on Azure Stack HCI or Azure Stack Hub.

Before explaining how Azure Backup can be set up and used for disaster recovery (DR), I want to get a common backup misconception out of the way: Backup is not the same as disaster recovery.

Backup vs. disaster recoveryIn the case of Azure, Azure Backup keeps your data and workloads safe and recoverable by backing them up to the Azure cloud. For example, if a user deletes a file from an Azure File Share, you can restore that file; or if a virtual machine (VM) is no longer responsive or bootable, you can restore it from a backup.

In addition to Azure Backup, there is Azure Site Recovery, which serves as a cloud disaster recovery solution. It allows you to replicate workloads running on physical servers or VMs, both inside and outside of Azure, from a primary site to a secondary location. In the event of an outage at your primary site, you can fail over to the secondary location, access all applications and workloads from the secondary site, and subsequently fail back to the primary site once it is operational again.

Resilience in hybrid environmentsTo achieve comprehensive resiliency in a hybrid environment, it is vital to ensure the high availability of all your resources in addition to implementing backups and disaster recovery.

But in this article, our focus will be Azure Backup. We will begin by discussing the types of resources that can be backed up and restored using Azure Backup, and this list is currently quite extensive, as illustrated below:

• On-premises files, folders, system state, VMs (Hyper-V and VMware), and other on-premises workloads
• Azure VMs (Windows and Linux)
• SQL Server in Azure VMs
• SAP HANA databases in Azure VMs
• Azure File Shares
• Azure Database for PostgreSQL servers (preview)
• Azure Managed Disks (preview)
• Azure blobs (preview)

It is important to note that backup capabilities may vary depending on the type of workload, including the availability of different features. Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that some resource types are still in the preview phase at the time of writing.

Backing up a virtual machine using Azure Backup (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Once you get started with Azure Backup on the Azure portal, the wizard will guide you through choosing the workloads to back up and their location.

Azure Backup in action (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)How to use Azure BackupTo begin backing up your workloads with Azure Backup, you will need an Azure subscription to create a Recovery Services vault. This vault serves as an online storage entity that enables you to back up workloads to or from Azure, following the Azure Resource Manager model.

Storage and replicationWhen creating a Recovery Services Vault using tools such as Azure Resource Manager (ARM), Azure Bicep, Terraform, or Azure PowerShell, it is crucial to select the appropriate backup storage. This choice will impact your Azure Backup pricing, in addition to the type of workload that is being backed up, which we will discuss in detail later on.

You have the option to choose between locally redundant storage (LRS), zone redundant storage (ZRS), geo-redundant storage (GRS), or read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) as the replication type for your backup storage.

Note: When you enable Cross Region Restore, your backup GRS storage will automatically be upgraded to RA-GRS storage. Enabling this option will let you restore your backup data in a secondary paired region, but it will also affect your Azure Backup pricing.

Figure 3

Azure Backup configuration (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)When it comes to backing up business-critical or production resources, it is advisable to set the replication type to GRS (or ZRS). For non-production resources, the replication type can be set to LRS to reduce costs. If both types of resources coexist within the same subscription or if resources from different regions exist in the same subscription, it is better to deploy two separate Recovery Services vaults.

Deploying two separate Recovery Services vaults (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Naming and tagging conventionFurthermore, like your other Azure resources, it is essential to establish a solid naming and tagging convention for your Recovery Services vault(s), as described in your Azure Governance plan. After all, this enables you to locate specific recovery vaults more efficiently during various management tasks, including cost optimization or when restoring resources.

You can build up an example naming convention for your Recovery Services vaults in the following manner:

rsv---<landing zone type(optional)>-<rsv type>-<location>-<##>

You can also refer to the example screenshot below, which showcases both the naming convention and a set of tags that can be utilized in conjunction with Azure Backup.

You need a solid naming and tagging convention for your Recovery Services vaults (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)A very useful example of a tag to use in combination with Azure Backup, alongside commonly used tags like Environment, Criticality, and CostCenter, is a tag that describes the backup policy. This way, it is quite easy to determine if a resource is backed up and to see what backup policy is being used.

Here is an example:

BackupSchedule: pol-vm-1100-pm-2ir-3th-sun-27d-4w-12m-5y; BackupSchedule: pol-fs-0900-pm-2nd-sat-27d-4w-12m-3y

You can add a tag that describes the backup policy (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Here is another example:

Adding a tag that describes your backup policy (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)As well as using a robust naming convention and tagging structure, it is also essential to adhere to other Azure Governance best practices, like granting backup administrators the least privilege access to perform their backup-related tasks by assigning them to specific Azure AD groups with an explicit role-based access control (RBAC) role.

Also, to apply the necessary security and monitoring settings, like configuring the soft delete retention period, you need to set your vault as immutable or configure diagnostic settings.

Configuring soft delete settings (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)You can also set vault immutability to ensure recovery points cannot be deleted before the set expiry period.

Enabling vault immutability (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Diagnostic settings can be used to configure streaming export of logs and metrics.

Configuring diagnostic settings (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)There are several different options for storing logs and metrics:

The different options for storing logs and metrics (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Backup policiesOnce you have set up and configured your required Recovery Services vault(s), you can proceed to add the necessary backup policies, which should be created based on resource type and criticality.

While there are default policies available, as shown in the screenshot below, it is advisable to create your own based on your specific Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO).

You need to add backup policies based on resource type and criticality (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Before creating a backup policy, it is crucial to ask yourself a few questions: What retention settings (daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly) are necessary? How many instant recovery snapshots do we require? Do I need the capability to back up multiple times a day? And so on.

Next to that, also keep in mind that there are various settings available depending on the resource type you are backing up, such as the choice to foresee differential backups when backing up SQL Server in an Azure VM. Or the option to select between a standard backup policy or an enhanced policy when backing up Azure VMs.

Your backup policy can include full backups or differential backups (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)If you opt for an enhanced policy, you can choose between once daily, multiple backups a day, and other advanced configurations.

The Enhanced policy sub type offers more options (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Furthermore, I recommend you assign a name to your policy that describes its backup settings, such as the number of instant recovery points and the retention ranges utilized. As previously mentioned, you can also use this backup policy name as a tag to be able to better govern and foresee backup-related automation tasks for specific resources within your environment.

Some examples of backup policies are:

Azure File Share: pol-fs-1100-pm-3th-sun-27d-54w-12m-5y; SQL Server in Azure VM: pol-sql-0100-am-3th-sun-d27d-f54w-f12m-f3y (d = differential backup, f = full backup)

Azure Backup policies examples (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Again, using descriptive backup policy names will help you manage Azure Backup.

It’s recommended to use descriptive policy names (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Here is another backup policy with a descriptive name.

Another example of a descriptive backup policy name (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Restoring data using Azure BackupBackup is important, but what matters most is having the capability to restore data whenever it becomes necessary. Therefore, setting expectations for data restoration and describing your requirements within a backup and disaster recovery plan is crucial.

When using Azure Backup, you have various options for restoring workloads or data, depending on the type of data source type you have backed up. For instance, when you have backed up an Azure VM, you can choose to restore the VM, which gives you the possibility to either create a new VM, restore disks, or replace the disk(s) of the existing VM. You also have the option to restore specific files.

You have multiple options when restoring an Azure VM (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)You also get to choose the restore type, group, and location when recovering a virtual machine as a new instance.

Choosing the restore type, resource group, and staging location for your VM (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)If you want to replace an existing VM from backup, you can choose the staging location.

Replacing an existing VM for backup (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)You also have the option to recover individual files.

Recovering individual files (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)If your backup data source is an Azure File Share, you have the choice to restore the entire share to either its original location or an alternate location. Moreover, similar to an Azure VM, you also have the option for file recovery.

You can restore an entire share of opt for file recovery (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)When choosing the restore location, you can choose between the original location or an alternate one.

Choosing the restore location (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)The Azure Backup Center provides a centralized and unified way of managing your backup operations across multiple subscriptions and regions. It offers a consolidated view of all your Azure backups and complete backup infrastructure, making it easier to monitor, govern, and manage backups at scale.

To navigate and start using Backup Center, simply search for “Backup center” in the Azure portal global search bar, and under services, select Backup Center to open the dashboard.

Accessing the Azure Backup Center (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)On the Overview blade, you will find a comprehensive summary of all backup jobs and instances, which can be filtered using various tiles.

You can filter backup jobs and instances (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)The Backup Center also provides various options to help you with monitoring, reporting, implementing policies, and ensuring compliance within your Azure Backup environment. As an Azure Backup administrator, backup reports and backup compliance, for example, provide valuable insights into the overall status of your resource backups and compliance.

Accessing Backup reports in the Azure Backup Center (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Below, you can see an example of a Backup compliance report.

A Backup compliance report (Image credit: Petri/Wim Matthyssen)Azure Backup offers reliable and scalable data protectionAs you have hopefully seen and read, Azure Backup can really help you safeguard your organization’s vital assets by providing you with reliable and scalable data protection for your hybrid or cloud environment.

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Key takeaways:* BullWall Server Intrusion Protection offers a robust solution to the pressing issue of unauthorized access during Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions. * The integration of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the BullWall Ransomware Containment system not only blocks unauthorized access but also provides an effective means of containing and neutralizing ransomware attacks at their inception. * BullWall Server Intrusion Protection represents a proactive and practical solution for organizations seeking to enhance their server security.

Bullwall announced the launch of its new Server Intrusion Protection solution this week. In an age where remote access is integral to business operations and security concerns loom large, this solution aims to prevent unauthorized access during Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions due to compromised credentials.

BullWall is a cybersecurity solution provider that allows organizations to block ransomware attacks targeting corporate data and critical IT infrastructure. The company offers specialized solutions to protect servers against unauthorized intrusion in enterprise environments.

According to BullWall, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) has historically been a common attack vector for ransomware and other cyberattacks. It lets threat actors deploy ransomware on vulnerable machines that could lead to data encryption and exfiltration.

How BullWall Server Intrusion Protection works?BullWall Server Intrusion Protection leverages the BullWall Ransomware Containment service to contain ransomware on the systems. It provides a multi-factor authentication challenge (such as a traditional MFA or a token grid). The service blocks the intrusion and prevents unauthorized access in case the MFA challenge fails. It initiates the BullWall Response Protocol that triggers an alert, blocks the breached admin/user accounts, and then isolates the device.

“One of the biggest stumbling blocks to obtaining cyber insurance is the requirement for MFA on servers in addition to endpoints, for every login attempt. BullWall Server Intrusion Protection provides a game-changing MFA solution for server access that doesn’t require a second device. We’re thrilled to offer a solution that increases security, reduces user friction and stops today’s most common attack vector,” said Morten Gammelgard, BullWall Co-Founder and EVP of EMEA.

Overall, BullWall Server Intrusion Protection represents a timely and practical response to the ever-growing threat landscape. It should allow organizations to bolster their defenses and take proactive steps toward a more resilient and secure digital future. If you’re interested, you can learn more about the BullWall Server Intrusion Protection solution on the official website.

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft is taking a proactive stance in defending commercial customers against copyright infringement lawsuits related to its AI-powered Copilot services. * Microsoft is offering protection and financial support for those who utilize the tool to generate content. * The Copilot Copyright Commitment covers Microsoft 365 Copilot, Bing Chat Enterprise, Windows Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Security Copilot, and other products.

Microsoft has announced that it will defend customers of its AI-powered Copilot services from the daunting specter of copyright infringement lawsuits. This initiative, part of the company’s unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction, seeks to alleviate the concerns that have long loomed over the utilization of the Copilot tool for content generation.

The Microsoft Copilot Copyright Commitment promises to protect organizations and pay related fines or settlements. This policy applies to commercial customers who have used the built-in content filters and safety measures as well as the paid versions of the products.

“If a third party sues a commercial customer for copyright infringement for using Microsoft’s Copilots or the output they generate, we will defend the customer and pay the amount of any adverse judgments or settlements that result from the lawsuit, as long as the customer used the guardrails and content filters we have built into our products,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith and Chief Legal Officer Hossein Nowbar.

Microsoft also pledged to address the concerns of authors whose content is used to train machine learning models. “We believe the world needs AI to advance the spread of knowledge and help solve major societal challenges. Yet it is critical for authors to retain control of their rights under copyright law and earn a healthy return on their creations,” Smith and Nowbar explained.

Microsoft’s Copilot Copyright Commitment only covers paid toolsThe Copilot Copyright Commitment covers several paid tools available for commercial customers. These include Microsoft 365 Copilot, Bing Chat Enterprise, Windows Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Security Copilot, Viva Sales Copilot, Dynamics 365 Copilot, Power BI Copilot, and Power Platform Copilot. However, Microsoft will not protect consumers who generate copyright-infringing content with Bing Chat and the free version of GitHub Copilot.

It’s important to note that Microsoft, OpenAI, and GitHub faced a class-action lawsuit back in November 2022. The complaint accused the companies of scraping licensed code to build and train the Copilot coding assistant available for GitHub customers.

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Key takeaways:

• Microsoft’s Ignite 2023 conference will be held in Seattle on November 14-17, and you can already register for the in-person or free online event.
• The theme of the conference will be “AI transformation”, continuing what’s been a very important theme for Microsoft this year.
• Ignite 2023 will be preceded by a special Microsoft event on September 21 and a OneDrive-themed event on October 3.

Microsoft has now opened registrations for its Ignite 2023 conference, which will be held in Seattle on November 14-17. This year, the theme of the conference for IT pros is “AI transformation,” so you can expect Microsoft to continue its streak of AI announcements that started with GitHub Copilot two years ago.

While the full session catalog for Ignite 2023 isn’t available yet, Microsoft already announced that there will be over 140 sessions this year. The list of featured speakers includes CEO Satya Nadella, EVP of Experiences and Devices Rajesh Jha, EVP of the Cloud + AI Group Scott Guthrie, and Microsoft 365 Collaborative Apps and Platforms lead Jeff Teper.

If you want to attend the event in person in Seattle, Microsoft is offering a $1,525 early-bid pricing ($300 off) until October 11. Everyone else can already register for the free online sessions on November 15-16, which is when the live in-person keynotes are scheduled.

Start booking your flights or get your desk setup ready because #MSIgnite registration is OPEN!

Tune in for an overview from @RicksterCDN and @Karuana and learn how we've evolved the event to a next-level experience. Register today: https://t.co/WNntQYGaRq pic.twitter.com/bdS8sA23oG

— Microsoft Ignite (@MS_Ignite) September 6, 2023

Microsoft has been making huge investments in AI this year, with the Microsoft 365 Copilot launching earlier this year via an early access program. The productivity assistant will be priced at $30 per user per month for all enterprise customers with Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard, and Business Premium subscriptions, and Microsoft likely still has some work to do to convince organizations that it will be worth it.

Microsoft also announced at its Build conference earlier this year that its Microsoft 365 will soon get support for third-party plugins. The company with working with OpenAI to make ChatGPT plugins compatible with its own Copilot experiences across Microsoft 365, Bing, and Windows, and we may well hear more about these efforts at Ignite.

Ignite 2023 will follow other Microsoft events this fallIn addition to Ignite, Microsoft has already announced a special event in New York on September 21. The company hasn’t shared any details about it yet, but we’re likely to see new Surface devices and some Windows news as well. Windows 11 version 23H2 is right around the corner, and this update will bring the new AI-powered Windows Copilot to the desktop.

On October 3, Microsoft will also hold a digital event that will focus on OneDrive. The company is planning to showcase the next generation of file management across Microsoft 365 and give “a sneak peek at our AI plans which include new search, sharing, and information queries across all your files in OneDrive,” the company said in the announcement.

While Microsoft’s September 21 will be behind closed doors, the OneDrive event on October 3 will be streamed live on Microsoft Teams. Jeff Teper, one of the featured speakers at Ignite 3 will also be present along with the OneDrive team.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Google’s upcoming antitrust battle in the US, as well as the EU designating Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft as the six “gatekeepers” following the adoption of the Digital Markets Act.

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft is discontinuing support for third-party printer drivers via Windows Update, shifting towards Printer Support Apps distributed through the Microsoft Store. * The transition will be implemented gradually over the next few years, with existing drivers still available through the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) until 2026. * Microsoft will continue to provide security updates for the existing printer driver platform on all supported Windows versions.

Microsoft is set to bid farewell to third-party printer drivers offered via Windows Update. This change, scheduled for a staggered rollout, will let printer manufacturers harness the UWP development framework to create Printer Support Apps available through the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft explained that the upcoming change will eliminate the need for printer manufacturers to distribute their drivers through Windows Update. They will be able to use the UWP development framework to build Printer Support Apps and distribute them via the Microsoft Store. It should bring performance and reliability improvements for Windows users. Microsoft also notes that printer manufacturers will no longer need to build separate solutions for different versions of Windows.

“With the release of Windows 10 21H2, Windows offers inbox support for Mopria compliant printer devices over network and USB interfaces via the Microsoft IPP Class Driver. This removes the need for print device manufacturers to provide their own installers, drivers, utilities, and so on.  Device experience customization is now available via the Print Support Apps that are distributed and automatically installed via the Windows Store,” the company wrote.

Microsoft understands that the end of support for legacy v3 and v4 printer drivers would impact many Windows customers. The company plans to roll out the change in a staggered manner in the next few years.

Microsoft has no plans to remove existing features supported by legacy printer driversIt’s important to note that printer manufacturers will still be able to use the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) to ship existing drivers through Windows Update. However, this capability will no longer be available for new printer drivers starting in 2026. This means that customers will need to use an alternate method to download and install printer drivers on their Windows PCs.

Microsoft will continue to support existing features supported by v3 and v4 printer drivers on Windows 11 and 10 devices. The company also plans to release security updates to the legacy printer driver platform on all supported versions of Windows.

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Ransomware protection is one the most important topics for IT Pros and C-Level technology executives. Learn how immutable backups and immutable storage help to protect your organization against data corruption and loss, malware, viruses, and ransomware – and how to implement them.  This post is sponsored by Object First Veeam 2023 Ransomware trends report – most ransomware targets backups In May...

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Microsoft recently disclosed a cyber-espionage campaign that allowed Chinese hackers to steal a signing key and breach sensitive US government email accounts. The company launched an investigation into the security incident, which led to the publication of detailed findings in a report released on Wednesday. In July, Microsoft detailed that a Chinese hacking group (tracked...

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It was a busy August and I took the long weekend off, so I’m a few days late to cover everything that’s new with Microsoft’s Power Platform in August 2023. Either way, let’s get started with the most interesting Power Platform updates that came in August, say goodbye to the summer, and here is hoping...

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Key takeaways:* MSI has rolled out new BIOS updates, specifically aimed at resolving BSOD unsupported processor errors for Windows users with Intel 700 and 600 Series motherboards. * The issue was traced to a firmware setting in Intel’s Hybrid Architecture, impacting 13th Gen Core i9 processors. * The BIOS updates are not yet available to all users, but MSI plans to gradually expand them to more motherboard models this week.

Microsoft recently acknowledged a technical hiccup causing Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) unsupported processor errors on Windows 11 and 10. To combat this issue, MSI has collaborated with Intel to release BIOS updates specifically aimed at their Intel 700 and 600 Series motherboards.

In a recent blog post, MSI explained that it has worked with Intel to determine the root cause for the BSOD errors. The companies found that the issue specifically impacts Intel’s 13th Gen Core i9 processors running on Intel 700 and 600 series motherboards. It was caused by a firmware setting in the Intel Hybrid Architecture that got triggered following the installation of the latest Windows 11 and Windows 10 updates.

MSI to issue BIOS updates for more motherboard models in late SeptemberMSI has released BIOS updates to fix the BSOD issue affecting several Intel 600 and 700 Series motherboards. These include MEG Z790 ACE, MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI, MPG Z790 EDGE WIFI, MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI, PRO Z790-A WIFI, PRO Z790-P WIFI, PRO Z790-P, PRO Z690-A WIFI, and PRO Z690-A.

“The new BIOS coming will include an update on the Intel CPU uCode which will prevent any more messages regarding the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” issues. This upcoming update will correspond to both 13th-generation and newer ones,” MSI explained.

It’s important to note that the new BIOS updates are not available for all Windows 11 and 10 users just yet. MSI plans to roll out the updates for more 600 and 700 Series motherboard models later this week. Moreover, the BIOS updates are expected to be available for all affected motherboards by the end of this month.

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft’s “Explicit proxy mode” for Azure Firewall offers direct proxy configuration within sending applications, simplifying traffic routing. * Single-click upgrade/downgrade support for Azure Firewall Premium subscriptions streamlines subscription management, enabling IT administrators to focus on critical tasks with minimal service disruption. * Azure Firewall services are now available in Poland Central, extending their global reach to 52 regions worldwide.

Microsoft has introduced a new Explicit proxy mode for Azure Firewall that allows direct proxy configuration within sending applications. The latest update also brings a seamless single-click upgrade/downgrade experience for Azure Firewall subscriptions.

“With this mode enabled, you have the option to configure a proxy setting directly on the sending application, such as a web browser, with Azure Firewall acting as the designated proxy. This configuration allows traffic from the sending application to be directed to the private IP address of the firewall, facilitating direct egress from the firewall without the need for a UDR,” Microsoft explained.

The new Explicit proxy mode is available in addition to the default mode, and it currently supports HTTP/S traffic. It’s possible to use a proxy auto-config (PAC) file or manually configure the IP address on the application or browser.

Azure Firewall adds new single-click upgrade/downgrade experience Microsoft has announced the general availability of single-click upgrade/downgrade support in Azure Firewall. The feature enables customers to upgrade or downgrade their Azure Firewall Premium subscriptions with a single click. This should make it easier for IT admins to focus on important tasks and minimize service downtime.

The auto-learn SNAT (Source Network Address Translation) routes feature is now available in public preview for Azure Firewall customers. Azure Firewall SNAT is a built-in capability that routes outbound traffic to the Internet. It leverages Azure Route Service integration to auto-learn private and registered ranges and then use the routes for SNAT.

Lastly, Microsoft has announced the general availability of Azure Firewall Basic, Standard, Premium, and Azure Firewall Manager in Poland Central. The Azure Firewall service is now available for customers in 52 regions worldwide.

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Multi-tenant organizations in Microsoft 365 have just hit public preview in August of 2023. In this article, I will give you an overview of the Microsoft 365 multi-tenant organization scenario and the related capabilities in Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID). I will also detail the various scenarios Microsoft offers for multi-tenant organizations and if they work for your specific company needs.

What is a multi-tenant organization in Microsoft 365?A tenant is an instance of Azure Active Directory in which information about a single organization resides. That includes organizational objects such as users, groups, and devices, as well as application registrations for Microsoft 365 and third-party applications.

A tenant also contains access and compliance policies for resources including applications registered in the directory. The primary functions served by a tenant include identity authentication as well as resource access management.

At its core, multi-tenancy refers to the practice of hosting multiple, independent instances of a software application or service on a single physical or virtual infrastructure. These can occur due to mergers and acquisitions, and various subsidiaries being independent.

In the context of Microsoft 365, a multi-tenant organization encompasses a scenario where a single instance of the Microsoft 365 platform serves multiple distinct and separate entities, often referred to as tenants. Each tenant represents an individual organization with its own users, resources, data, settings, and admins, all coexisting within the same Microsoft 365 environment.

Basics of a multi-tenant organization (Image credit: Microsoft)Key aspects of multi-tenant organizations in Microsoft 365A multi-tenant organization allows seamless cross-tenant collaboration and effortless cross-tenant synchronization. It also allows coworkers to easily send an invitation to guest users for a boost in productivity.

It’s important to understand how multi-tenant organizations differ from Microsoft Teams shared channels, and I’ll have more on that down below. But let’s start with the key aspects of multi-tenant organizations in Microsoft 365:

Tenant isolationOne of the foundational principles of multi-tenancy is tenant isolation. Each organization’s data, user accounts, settings, and configurations are logically isolated from those of other tenants, ensuring data privacy, security, and compliance. Cross-tenant access settings are granular and secure to make sure different tenants don’t inadvertently have access to external identities.

Shared infrastructureMulti-tenant environments share the underlying infrastructure such as servers, storage, and networking resources. This efficient resource sharing enables economies of scale and reduces the operational overhead for both Microsoft and the tenants.

Global scalabilityThe Microsoft 365 multi-tenant architecture allows organizations of various sizes and locations to leverage the platform’s global scalability. From small businesses to large enterprises, multi-tenancy caters to diverse user bases.

Single code baseDespite serving multiple tenants, Microsoft 365 maintains a single code base for its applications and services. This ensures that updates, features, and security enhancements are delivered to all tenants in a consistent manner.

What are the main benefits of Microsoft 365 multi-tenant organizations?There are a good number of benefits to using multi-tenant organizations in your Microsoft 365 environment. Let me touch on a few here.

Cost efficiencyMulti-tenant environments enable organizations to share infrastructure costs, providing cost savings compared to maintaining individual on-premises solutions or two or more completely separate Microsoft 365/Entra ID tenants.

ScalabilityMicrosoft 365’s multi-tenant architecture allows organizations to scale their usage up or down as needed, accommodating growth without significant infrastructure adjustments.

Enhanced collaborationMulti-tenant organizations foster collaboration and communication among users within the same tenant, streamlining teamwork and information sharing. In the increasing world of hybrid work and efficiency, especially when working remotely, seamless collaboration has quickly become an expectation for your users, especially frontline workers.

Unified managementAdministrators can manage multiple tenants from a single console, simplifying administrative tasks and reducing complexity.

Quick deployment/setupSetting up a new tenant within the Microsoft 365 environment is streamlined, allowing organizations to onboard new users and resources efficiently.

Challenges related to multi-tenant organizationsWhile the benefits are significant, multi-tenant organizations also present certain challenges and considerations every IT Pro needs to take into consideration. Let me explain the most prevalent.

The first one is related to data security and privacy. This is really something that you need to take into consideration as sensitive information from different organizations will coexist within the same environment.

Additionally, multi-tenant environments may have limitations on customizations, as changes to the underlying infrastructure can affect all tenants. Lastly, resource-sharing benefits might lead to performance variations based on the activities of other tenants.

Comparing multi-tenant organizations with Teams shared channelsMulti-tenant organizations in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams shared channels are two distinct concepts within the Microsoft ecosystem, each serving unique purposes and addressing different collaboration needs.

Here are the key differences between Teams shared channels and multi-tenant organizations:

• Use case: Multi-tenant organizations are suited for businesses, institutions, or entities seeking comprehensive cloud-based productivity solutions. Shared channels are designed for organizations that need to collaborate with external partners, clients, or vendors within a single Teams channel.
• Scope: Multi-tenancy applies to the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem, encompassing various services and applications, while shared channels specifically focus on collaboration within Microsoft Teams.
• Audience: Multi-tenancy caters to organizations as a whole, serving their overall IT and productivity needs, whereas shared channels target specific collaboration scenarios involving teams from different organizations.
• Data sharing: Multi-tenancy involves sharing infrastructure and resources, while shared channels enable the sharing of communication and collaboration spaces.

Microsoft Teams Shared Channels (Image credit: Microsoft)Overall, multi-tenancy addresses the overarching IT infrastructure and productivity needs of multiple organizations within a shared ecosystem, while shared channels facilitate external collaboration by enabling teams from different organizations to work together within a unified Teams channel. The choice between these two concepts depends on an organization’s specific collaboration requirements and its broader adoption of Microsoft 365 services.

Hybrid approaches and third-party optionsOrganizations seeking more granular control, customization, or specialization may consider third-party alternatives or hybrid approaches:

• Private cloud solutions: Some businesses opt for private cloud solutions, where they maintain dedicated resources for their exclusive use. This approach offers more control over infrastructure but might lack the scalability of a true multi-tenant environment.
• Hybrid environments: Hybrid solutions combine on-premises resources with cloud services, allowing organizations to retain some data and applications locally while leveraging the cloud for specific tasks.
• Industry-specific solutions: Certain industries with strict regulatory requirements may choose industry-specific cloud providers that offer specialized services tailored to their needs.

ConclusionIn the ever-evolving landscape of modern business, multi-tenant organizations in Microsoft 365 have emerged as a pivotal paradigm, enabling organizations to harness the power of cloud-based collaboration, communication, and productivity. By facilitating efficient resource sharing, scalability, and cost savings, multi-tenant environments have become the bedrock of today’s digital workplaces.

While considerations regarding data security, customization, and resource impact are pertinent, organizations have the flexibility to explore alternatives, including private cloud solutions and hybrid approaches, based on their unique needs and requirements. As technology continues to shape the future of work, multi-tenant organizations stand as a testament to the evolution of cloud computing and its role in propelling organizations toward greater efficiency, collaboration, and success.

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft is phasing out TLS 1.0 and 1.1 protocols, enhancing security on future Windows operating systems, with the changes beginning in Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds in September 2023. * While this change won’t affect Windows 11 Home users, enterprise customers need to prepare, as some applications like SQL Server 2016 and SQL Server 2012 may be impacted. * Microsoft’s move to disable older TLS protocols represents a proactive step toward bolstering cybersecurity, as these outdated encryption protocols are susceptible to vulnerabilities.

Microsoft is set to bids farewell to outdated Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.0 and 1.1 protocols in Windows. The company plans to drop support for the encryption protocols starting with Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds in September.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol that ensures secure data transmission over a computer network. It encrypts data for confidentiality, ensures data integrity to detect tempering, and provides authentication to confirm server identity. TLS relies on digital certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities, and it’s widely used to secure web traffic, VPN connections, email communication, and more.

“This change applies only to future new Windows operating systems, both client and server editions. Windows versions that have already been released will not be affected by this change. Windows 11 Insider Preview builds starting in September 2023 will have TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1 disabled by default. There is an option to re-enable TLS 1.0 or TLS 1.1 for users who need to maintain compatibility,” Microsoft explained.

Which Windows apps would be affected by TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 disablement? Microsoft confirmed that this change won’t impact Windows 11 Home users, and it would only impact enterprise customers. Microsoft has published a list of apps that could be broken by disabling support for TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 on Windows. The list includes SQL Server 2016, SQL Server 2012, Safari version 5.1.7, and much more.

Microsoft recommends enterprise admins to run tests and check if all their applications behave as intended. These applications will be automatically disabled and will be tagged using Event 36871 in the Windows Event Log. Microsoft will let IT admins re-enable older versions through Windows Registry, though it’s not recommended.

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In the fast-paced world of digital collaboration, Microsoft continues to raise the bar with its latest enhancements to Microsoft Teams in August 2023. The major highlights include an updated compact chat view, dynamic meeting backgrounds, new admin controls, as well as updates for Microsoft Teams Rooms and devices. Chat & collaboration features First off, Microsoft...

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The excessive use of digital devices in enterprises and their exposure to various networks have increased the probability of cyber-attacks. Enterprise-owned devices contain confidential data that hackers can easily access if devices are not controlled efficiently, and that can cause damage to the values and reputation of the organizations. Thus, data security is now of...

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft has announced a series of updates for Entra ID cross-tenant access settings. * IT administrators will now have greater control over cross-tenant collaboration with the ability to configure custom roles. * A new storage model enables IT admins to seamlessly configure policies for as many partners as needed.

Microsoft is improving the collaboration experience with updates to Entra ID cross-tenant access settings. These enhancements include support for custom roles in cross-tenant access settings, protected actions, the removal of partner limits, and more.

Microsoft announced the commercial release of Entra ID cross-tenant collaboration settings in preview last year. The feature is designed to make it easier for organizations to share access with trusted organizations. The new settings allow organizations to control how users collaborate with other Microsoft 365 tenants. There are also inbound and outbound settings to control access on an application, group, or tenant-wide basis.

With this release, Microsoft has released a new feature that lets organizations configure custom roles for IT admins managing cross-tenant access settings. Moreover, it’s possible for IT Pros to use Conditional Access policies to protect management actions. For instance, a policy requires admins to perform Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) before making any changes to the default settings for B2B collaboration.

“Today, you need to use either a Global or Security admin to fully manage cross-tenant access settings. Now you can use custom roles to create roles that meet the requirements you have. We’ve seen customers create a full cross-tenant access administrator, a partner administrator, and even a cross-tenant access reader. This allows you to delegate only the rights needed to perform these management actions without granting too many permissions,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft removes limits on the number of partners in cross-tenant access settingsMicrosoft has also removed a previous limit on the number of partners added in cross-tenant access settings. The company has introduced a new storage model that lets IT admins configure policies for as many partners as required. Microsoft plans to gradually move all commercial customers to this new model in the coming months. IT admins will see an entry in the audit logs informing them about the updated cross-tenant access settings.

Last but not least, Microsoft has introduced a change to ensure that B2B invitations respect cross-tenant access settings. The new capability will check the cross-tenant access settings and allow/block list at the time of invitation. It should help IT admins to prevent unapproved users from sending invitations to their organizations.

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Roaming profiles are a Windows feature that allows user profiles to be used across multiple workstations within a network. A user profile contains personalized application settings, desktop configurations, application preferences, and other user-specific data. In this article, I will show you how to deploy roaming user profiles in your Windows environment so that users have the same experience when logging into any computer in your domain.

Understanding how roaming profiles workWith roaming profiles, users can enjoy a consistent experience regardless of the computer they’re using. Their settings and data follow them from one machine to another when they log in with their username.

Their profile data is typically saved on a central file share on the corporate network. This is especially useful in environments where users regularly switch between different computers or locations.

Although there are a good number of efficiency benefits and productivity-related boosts when using roaming profiles, the feature has not been the most reliable feature in Windows since its inception several decades ago. I have almost always experienced reliability issues with roaming profiles when providing consulting and troubleshooting value to customers over the years.

Let’s learn more about how roaming profiles work:

1. Profile creation: When a user logs into a computer for the first time, Windows creates a user profile on that computer. This profile includes personal settings, documents, and other user-specific data.
2. Roaming profile setup: In a network environment with Active Directory, administrators and IT Pros can configure roaming profiles. This involves designating a network location, often on a server, to store user profiles instead of keeping them only on the local computer. The profile path is saved with a variable in the user’s profile folder attribute in Active Directory, making administration simple.
3. Profile synchronization: When a user logs into a different computer within the same network, their roaming profile is downloaded from the designated network location. This process ensures that their personalized settings and data are available on the new machine.
4. Synchronization at logoff: As the user logs off, any changes made to the roaming profile are synchronized back to the network location. This ensures that the latest changes are preserved and ready for use on other computers. If a user makes an edit to a file on their desktop or adjusts their computer configuration, those changes will get sent back to their home folder on the network file server.

Simple diagram showing some roaming profile concepts – Image Credit: MicrosoftCan roaming profiles be problematic?While roaming profiles can offer some benefits to IT Pros and users, there are some challenges and considerations to keep in mind:

1. Profile size: Roaming profiles can become large due to accumulated settings and user data. This might impact login and logout times, as well as consume network bandwidth during synchronization.
2. Network performance: Frequent synchronization of large profiles can affect network performance, particularly in environments with limited bandwidth. The user experience can be painful, at best, especially with many large roaming profiles.
3. Profile conflicts: If a user logs into multiple computers simultaneously and makes conflicting changes, resolving these conflicts during synchronization can be complex.
4. Application compatibility: Some applications may not work seamlessly with roaming profiles, leading to unexpected behaviors or conflicts.

Software and hardware requirements for roaming profilesSetting up roaming profiles in Windows 10 or Windows 11 requires specific software and hardware configurations, including a check of Windows versions to ensure smooth profile synchronization across a network. Let me go through a high-level breakdown of the software and hardware requirements for roaming profiles, covering the network environment, server requirements, and client requirements:

Network environmentRoaming profiles are typically managed through Active Directory, a directory service provided by Microsoft. Active Directory stores user account information, manages network resources, and facilitates authentication and access control. You can use various features in Active Directory such as the Group Policy Management Console to create a new Group Policy Object (GPO) to handle the management of roaming profiles for all your users!

Regarding network Connectivity, a stable and reliable network connection is crucial for seamless synchronization between user computers and the server where the profiles are stored.

Server requirementsTo host roaming profiles, you need a file server that has sufficient storage space to accommodate the profiles of all users who will be using roaming profiles. A simple SMB share will suit your needs here nicely.

It is typically prudent to project your space needs ahead of time so that you can proactively account for your users’ growth and data storage needs. Any supported version of Windows Server will certainly suffice for these needs.

Client requirements Operating System Version: The Windows client computers and the server should be running Windows operating systems that support roaming profiles. This includes the latest supported versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022. * User Privileges: Users should have the necessary permissions to access, modify, and create files within their roaming profiles on the server. Adequate permissions need to be configured to ensure the security and integrity of user data. You can customize permissions with this feature to stay compliant within your organization. * Active Directory Account: This should go without saying, but for completeness, each user must have an Active Directory account, which provides a unique identity within the network. This account allows the user to log into different computers and access their roaming profile. * Domain Membership:* Client computers need to be part of the same Active Directory domain as the server hosting the roaming profiles. This domain membership is essential for authentication and communication.

Roaming profiles and Folder Redirection: What are the benefits?To optimize the use of roaming profiles, administrators often implement Folder Redirection. This feature involves redirecting specific user folders, such as Documents, Desktop, and AppData, from the local profile to network locations. This reduces the size of the roaming profile, improves login/logout times, and enhances data protection.

Profile size reductionOne of the primary advantages of using Folder Redirection is the reduction of the size of roaming profiles. Again, roaming profiles can become large due to content like documents, downloads, and media files.

When Folder Redirection is enabled, when these folders are redirected to network locations, only essential data required for the user’s session is included in the profile. This reduces the size of the roaming profile significantly. You’ll also see reduced network bandwidth usage as only essential data is synchronized.

Faster logins and logoutsFolder Redirection contributes to faster login and logout times for users. By excluding bulky folders like Documents and Desktop from the roaming profile, the amount of data that needs to be synchronized between the user’s computer and the network is minimized. As a result, users experience quicker logins and logouts, allowing them to quickly switch between computers and improving their overall productivity.

Data protectionFolder Redirection enhances data protection by ensuring that user data is stored on network locations rather than on local machines. This is, in my mind, absolutely paramount.

I can not tell you how many client sites I visited over the past 25 years that included at least one computer with vital data stored on the C: drive, in a dirty warehouse, with poor or no circulation. Those are ticking time bombs!

Everypiece of important data should be stored on the network, period. No exceptions. Using Folder Redirection to validate that all files on the Desktop, Documents, etc. folders are stored (and backed up each night, right?) in a safe location will ensure that user data remains secure even if the local machine encounters hardware issues. Easier data recovery and restoration in case of hardware failures.

Options to manage roaming user profilesManaging roaming user profiles involves handling profile synchronization, data integrity, and user-specific settings effectively. Windows provides several options to manage roaming user profiles, each offering different features and capabilities. Here are some of the main options.

Group PolicyGroup Policy is a powerful tool for managing various aspects of Windows environments, including roaming user profiles. Through Group Policy settings, administrators can configure how roaming profiles are managed and synchronized.

Folder RedirectionAs previously discussed, Folder Redirection is an option that works in tandem with roaming profiles to optimize profile management. By redirecting specific user folders like Documents, Desktop, and AppData to network locations, you can reduce profile sizes and improve performance.

Offline FilesOffline Files is a feature that allows users to access network files even when they are disconnected from the network. This can be useful for users who work remotely or frequently switch between online and offline modes.

Roaming profiles alternativesThere are more viable, robust, and modern options available to IT Pros. Let’s go through them here. By the way, Roaming Profiles have been in Windows since Windows NT 3.1! We’re talking 1993, 30 years ago as I write this.

OneDrive (Known Folders)Recent versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11 include a new feature in the OneDrive sync client: Known Folders.

Using Known Folders in the OneDrive sync client to backup important files (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)This is often an even better option than using Folder Redirection. You don’t need to worry about your corporate network, file space, etc. With OneDrive (and Microsoft) handling all the details, every machine that a user logs into with OneDrive syncing will automatically back up every file, picture, and document in their designated key folders. This takes a LOT of burden off of your IT staff!

FSLogixFSLogix is a powerful technology that addresses many of the challenges associated with managing roaming user profiles in Windows environments. Roaming profiles, while beneficial, have issues, as I’ve discussed above. FSLogix offers solutions to these problems by providing dynamic profile management and application masking, ultimately enhancing user experience and simplifying profile management for administrators.

Through its ability to reduce logon times, optimize profile storage, and prevent conflicts, FSLogix plays a significant role in creating a smoother and more efficient computing environment for both end users and IT personnel.

Some details about FSLogix – Image Credit: MicrosoftUser Experience Virtualization (UE-V) – Windows 10 onlyUser Experience Virtualization (UE-V) is a technology developed by Microsoft to address the challenges and concerns associated with roaming profiles in Windows environments. UE-V provides a solution that alleviates the stated concerns of this post by virtualizing user settings and configurations, allowing for a consistent and personalized experience across different devices.

Here is how UE-V works:

• Configuration Settings Capture: UE-V captures the user’s configuration settings from applications, the operating system, and personalization options. These settings are stored in a settings package.
• Settings Package Creation: The captured settings are compiled into a settings package, which is stored in a central location, such as a network share.
• Roaming Settings Package: When a user logs in to a different device, the settings package is applied to the local machine. Only the necessary settings are synchronized, ensuring a fast login process.
• Synchronization: UE-V monitors changes to user settings in real time. Changes are synchronized to the settings package, ensuring that the user’s configuration remains up to date.

Roaming profiles reduce the learning curve when using multiple devicesUnderstanding how roaming profiles work in Windows is essential for creating a seamless user experience across different devices within a network. Roaming profiles allow users to access their personalized settings, files, and applications irrespective of the computer they use. This consistency enhances productivity and reduces the learning curve associated with transitioning between devices.

However, the challenges of profile size, synchronization speed, and conflicts have led to the development of various solutions, including third-party alternatives. These alternatives offer advanced features such as dynamic profile management, virtualization, and enhanced application masking.

While Windows provides native tools like Group Policy and Folder Redirection to manage roaming profiles, exploring third-party solutions can offer more tailored, efficient, and modern profile management approaches that address the limitations of traditional roaming profiles. It is recommended to first explore third-party tools that will undoubtedly offer more benefits with fewer headaches.

As usual, thank you for reading, and feel free to leave a comment or question!

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft is launching a public preview of its new Teams client for Mac this month, featuring improved performance and efficiency. * The new Microsoft Teams desktop app replaces the resource-intensive Electron framework with Microsoft’s WebView2 technology, resulting in a faster and less memory-intensive application. * The new Teams client will be available on Mac devices running macOS Big Sur (11) or higher.

Microsoft is gearing up to release the public preview of its new Teams client for macOS later this month. The revamped Microsoft Teams for Mac aims to enhance performance and efficiency, shedding the resource-intensive Electron framework in favor of Microsoft’s WebView2 technology.

Microsoft launched a significant revamp of its Teams app in public preview on Windows back in March 2023. The current Teams client is built on the Electron framework, which is notorious for resource utilization and poor performance. Since its launch, Microsoft has been continuously working on improvements for Teams to reduce RAM and CPU usage, especially on low-end or older hardware.

Fortunately, Microsoft has now ditched Electron and moved toward the WebView2 technology instead. The primary goal of the new Microsoft Teams desktop client was to make it faster and less resource-intensive. Microsoft boasts that the app is two times faster and uses 50 percent less memory compared to the previous version. It also supports new AI-powered features, multi-tenant collaboration, and seamless switching between different tenants and accounts.

“With multi-tenant organization (MTO), users in organizations that manage employees across multiple tenants will have the ability to search for coworkers in another tenant, have single chat thread with other users, receive real-time notifications, join meetings, and calls in another tenant, and multitask from their home tenant,” Microsoft explained on the Microsoft 365 admin center.

How to try the new Microsoft Teams for Mac clientOnce rolled out, macOS users will see a “Try the new Teams toggle” within the classic Microsoft Teams app (version 1.6.00.12303 or higher). It will be available in preview on Mac devices running macOS Big Sur (11) or higher. This change will be applicable to tenants where the UseNewTeamsClient is configured to Microsoft default.

The new Microsoft Teams for Mac will support all the features available in the Windows client except Green Screen, Cameo, and NDI. Microsoft Teams users will be able to switch back to the classic app at any time with the same toggle button.

Microsoft also plans to make its new Teams app the default client for all enterprise and business customers (Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, and Teams Essentials, etc.) next month. The company recommends IT administrators to prepare for this upcoming change in their organizations.

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft has announced the general availability of its new Group Policy analytics tool. * The tool can help IT admins understand their current GPO environment and detect any potential conflicts or issues. This information can be used to make informed decisions about how to migrate to Intune. * The total size of the imported XML file must be less than 4 MB.

Microsoft has released a new Group Policy analytics tool that lets organizations import, analyze, and migrate on-premises GPOs to Microsoft Intune. The new offering provides a detailed report for each GPO and includes a migration wizard that helps IT admins move supported settings to mobile device management (MDM) tools.

Specifically, the Group Policy analytics tool provides a detailed report for each GPO with information about the settings, usage, conflicts, as well as Intune equivalent policy. “Group Policy analytics helps you import your GPOs, analyze the settings through sharable reports, and migrate settings from your GPO to Intune. From here, the settings can be managed just like a standard Intune device configuration policy,” Microsoft explained.

The Group Policy analytics tool shows various settings supported by Microsoft Intune and other cloud-based MDM providers. It also allows administrators to remove Windows client dependencies on on-premises Active Directory and move to Microsoft Intune management instead.

Group Policy migration readiness reportWith the Group Policy analytics tool, IT admins can view a migration readiness report with details about Group Policy Objects (GPOs) that could have conflicts with Intune policies. The report also makes it easier to track missing policies that are similar to the GPO. It’s also possible to view GPOs that are ready for migration or deprecated.

Group Policy analytics tool offers Migration SupportThe Group Policy analytics tool provides a migration wizard that can help IT admins move the supported settings to MDM tools. It gives IT admins the ability to migrate settings from a single or multiple GPOs to a Settings catalog policy.

“Any settings that successfully migrate will be included in the new Settings catalog profile. For those that don’t migrate successfully (possibly due to a missing parent/child setting or an unexpected format), the process will report an error in the Notifications field on the Group Policy analytics page,” Microsoft added.

To get started with Group Policy analytics, IT admins will need to perform a couple of steps to export their GPO as an XML file. Then, administrators can view the details with the Group Policy Analytics feature in the Microsoft Intune Admin Center portal. However, keep in mind that the total size per import should be less than 4 MB in order to import multiple GPOs at one time.

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Key takeaways:* Microsoft has published a roundup of all the new capabilities added to Windows Autopatch in the past few weeks. * IT admins are getting finer control over Windows updates with the ability to pause and resume updates for specific Autopatch groups or rings. * Microsoft added a new registry conflict detection feature, allowing IT admins to identify and resolve potential update-blocking conflicts.

Microsoft has rolled out a series of Windows Autopatch enhancements designed to redefine how organizations approach updates and device management. The major highlights include a new Autopatch deployment guide, finely-tuned update controls, registry conflict detection, and support for self-serve device deregistration.

Microsoft has created a new deployment guide that helps IT admins to plan their migrations to Windows Autopatch. It explains some common objectives and suggests a recommended deployment plan. Moreover, the Windows Autopatch deployment guide details some migration considerations for Windows Update for Business (WUfB) and Microsoft Configuration Manager. The guide also provides suggested business case benefits and stakeholder communications.

New IT controls for pausing Windows updatesAdditionally, Microsoft has added a new feature that gives IT admins better control when pausing quality updates on Windows Autopatch-managed devices. It’s now possible to pause/resume updates for individual/multiple Autopatch groups or at the ring level. The feature lets IT admins view a list of all deployment rings that would be affected as a result of pausing Windows updates.

Registry conflict detectionMicrosoft has introduced a new capability that helps administrators to detect conflicts during the device registration process. The device readiness check now lets IT admins search for registry settings that could block devices from getting Windows updates or working with Windows Autopatch. They will be able to view details about these devices as well as remediation suggestions in the “Not ready” tab of the Windows Autopatch Devices blade.

Self-serve device deregistration from Windows AutopatchLastly, Microsoft has made it easier to remove a specific device from Windows Autopatch management. However, the feature will move the device to the “Not registered” tab in the Devices blade instead of completely removing it from the Azure AD group.

Last month, Microsoft announced a slew of updates to celebrate the first anniversary of its Windows Autopatch service. The company added the ability for IT admins to create discrete Autopatch groups and opt out of Microsoft 365 updates and Expedited updates. The service now supports automated deployment of recommended driver and firmware updates on Windows devices.

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On this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s upcoming special event on September 21, why AI could be a big part of it, and they also look back at an app that didn’t ship.

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After the European Commission started investigating Microsoft’s bundling of Teams with its Microsoft 365 and Office 365 commercial subscriptions last month, Microsoft is ready to address the concerns of EU regulators. This morning, the company announced that will start unbundling Teams from its Microsoft 365/Office 365 commercial suites in the EU and Switzerland on October...

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Microsoft has quietly discontinued its once-generous unlimited cloud storage option for the OneDrive for Business service. Indeed, all new commercial customers are now limited to OneDrive for Business (Plan 1), which offers 1 TB of storage for $5 per user per month. Up until now, Microsoft used to offer unlimited storage as a part of...

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Microsoft is getting ready to enhance the user experience for Mac devices with its upcoming Platform Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities. The new feature will offer a seamless and secure way for macOS users to access their Entra ID accounts across various applications and websites. Microsoft launched its Enterprise Single Sign-On (SSO) plug-in for Apple devices...

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In a leap towards fortifying data security, Microsoft has unveiled several enhancements for Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention. These latest updates boost protection, expand DLP capabilities across platforms, and facilitate seamless day-to-day tasks for administrators. First off, Microsoft has introduced optical character recognition (OCR) support in public preview in Microsoft Teams and Exchange Online. The...

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Endpoint security plays a vital role in safeguarding enterprise cybersecurity, particularly in the context of remote work scenarios. As the number of endpoints accessing corporate networks rises with the growth of remote work, the need for robust endpoint security becomes increasingly paramount, enabling a secure environment for users on the move. In this article, I...

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Microsoft has announced its plans to enable Extended Protection by default on Exchange Server later this year. Scheduled to roll out with the 2023 H2 Cumulative Update, the new security feature will help organizations to boost protection against credential theft and man-in-the-middle attacks. Windows Extended Protection is a security feature that is designed to secure...

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Microsoft has started rolling out a set of updates for its new Microsoft Teams desktop client, designed to take employee collaboration in multi-tenant environments up a notch. The focus is on refining chat, calling, meetings, search, and content-sharing experiences to address the needs of today’s diverse workplace dynamics. The new Microsoft Teams desktop app launched...

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For any modern enterprise that uses Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID) to manage user and service access to cloud resources, it’s hard to escape the term Zero Trust (ZT), which implies that your organization must have a layered approach to security. In this article, you’ll learn about five Microsoft Zero Trust tactics for...

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Microsoft continues to evolve its offerings with the latest August (2308) service release for Microsoft Intune. A notable highlight is the much-anticipated Remote Help for Android support, a cloud-based solution that promises to enhance the way technical issues are diagnosed and resolved. The Remote help service enables IT admins to remotely diagnose and resolve technical...

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Security researchers have exposed a new supply chain attack that targeted entities across Asia, with a particular focus on Hong Kong. An unidentified hacking group, named Carderbee, employed an ingenious tactic — exploiting legitimate software — to infect around 100 computers with the PlugX/Korplug backdoor. According to the Symantec Threat Hunter Team, the hackers hijacked...

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently made waves with the announcement of a new service called Dedicated Local Zones. This new on-premises cloud offering is a strategic response to the evolving needs of organizations in the public sector and other industries with stringent regulatory and compliance needs. AWS Dedicated Local Zones provide a cloud computing infrastructure...

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Key takeaways: Microsoft has announced the imminent launch of the self-service Teams Premium trial for commercial customers. Scheduled for a global rollout in September, the self-service trial feature will give users a hands-on experience with the AI-powered Microsoft Teams Premium capabilities. What is Microsoft Teams Premium? Microsoft launched the new Teams Premium add-on for commercial...

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Nvidia doubling its revenue in Q2 thanks to high demand for AI chips, and Microsoft not planning to cut prices for Xbox hardware.

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Key takeaways: Microsoft’s latest optional update for Windows 11 version 22H2, KB5029351, designed to bring improved features and experiences, has instead left some users staring at the familiar ‘Blue Screen of Death’ (BSOD) accompanied by an ‘UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR’ error message. The company acknowledged the issue on the Windows Health Dashboard yesterday. “Microsoft has received reports of...

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SQL Server’s T-SQL query language has a plethora of data retrieval options. That includes the ability to query a SQL database, as well as providing a sum function, a count aggregate function, and grouping columns. The SQL GROUP BY clause can make use of all of these capabilities. In this article, I’ll show you how...

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Key takeaways: Microsoft has announced API-driven provisioning support for Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). This new release allows businesses to seamlessly integrate their authoritative system of record with Azure AD provisioning, encompassing everything from HR and payroll apps to SQL tables and spreadsheets. The API-driven provisioning feature is designed to help organizations ensure...

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Key takeaways: Cameyo has a new app accessibility feature with this latest update: a seamless integration of its Virtual App Delivery (VAD) service with ChromeOS. The service empowers organizations to traverse platform boundaries, unleashing the potential to run Windows and Linux applications on ChromeOS devices. Cameyo is a technology company that provides application virtualization solutions...

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Microsoft is giving IT pros more control over the optional updates available on commercial devices running Windows 11 version 22H2. That also includes what Microsoft calls “Controlled Feature Rollouts” (CFRs), which some organizations may want to keep disabled by default to maintain some stability.  These CFRs are the new Windows 11 features that Microsoft releases...

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Key takeaways: RARLAB has released a crucial update aimed at addressing a high-severity security loophole within its popular WinRAR compression and archiving tool. This flaw enables threat actors to execute arbitrary code upon the launch of a RAR file, thus raising significant concerns about user data safety and system integrity. The WinRAR vulnerability, tracked as...

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Microsoft has started rolling out version 116 of its Edge browser on the Stable channel. The latest update includes a new Microsoft Edge for Business experience, which offers a dedicated work environment complete with company branding, native security measures, and automatic switching between personal and work-related browsing sessions. Microsoft Edge for Business is a dedicated...

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The PowerShell Get-MessageTrace command can help Office 365 admins track down the delivery and processing of email messages that may not be getting into their users’ mailboxes. In this article, I’ll show you how to use the Get-MessageTrace command to manage and analyze email message traces in Office 365. Using PowerShell Get-MessageTrace with Exchange Online...

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Parallels Desktop 19 for Mac is now available on macOS Mojave or newer, and it introduces more ways to manage Windows virtual machines (VMs) on Macs. Parallels Desktop for Mac is now an officially supported solution for running Windows 11 on Apple Silicon Macs (in addition to Windows 365 Cloud PCs), and this new annual...

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Key Takeaways: Microsoft has unveiled an ambitious new chapter in its partnership with none other than VMware. The company announced today a new solution that blends the Windows 365 service seamlessly into VMware Horizon Cloud. VMware Horizon Cloud is a managed Desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) that allows organizations to provide virtual desktops and applications to end users....

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Key Takeaways: Step aside old-school collaboration tools, Microsoft’s Loop app is getting ready for its debut to a broader range of Microsoft 365 users next month. Loop is set to change up the way people work with Microsoft 365, evolving the nature of work and emphasizing seamless, real-time collaboration. Microsoft Loop is a revamped version...

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Key Takeaways: US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned about a critical vulnerability present in Citrix ShareFile. CISA has mandated that all federal agencies undertake necessary measures to apply patches for the security flaw by September 6, 2023. Citrix ShareFile is a cloud-based file sharing and storage platform that enables organizations to securely...

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Key Takeaways: Microsoft has released a new update that enables IT admins to designate sponsors for Entra ID guest accounts. The feature launched in public preview in July, allowing organizations to appoint individuals or groups as sponsors for their guest accounts (via Office 365 for IT Pros). A sponsor is a “responsible individual” who tracks...

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Bing’s stagnating market share despite Microsoft investing over 10 billion dollars into OpenAI.

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Key Takeaways: Attention all IT Pros! Security researchers have unveiled three design flaws within the PowerShell Gallery, an online platform for distributing PowerShell code modules. These vulnerabilities have the potential to let malicious hackers upload harmful packages onto the repository, introducing risks such as typosquatting and supply chain attacks. Specifically, researchers at Aqua Nautilus first...

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Key Takeaways: Microsoft Defender for Identity has added a cutting-edge addition to its toolkit – a new sensor now deployable on Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) servers. The sensor augments the existing capabilities, significantly enhancing the detection mechanisms for identifying questionable certificates within enterprise environments. Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) is a Windows...

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Key takeaways: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has introduced device tagging support in public preview for mobile devices. This capability allows IT admins to tag iOS and Android devices during the onboarding process. Microsoft highlighted that tags enable administrators to label and classify devices in enterprise environments. The feature is designed to enhance searching and organization...

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Microsoft has released a new version of the August 2023 security updates for Exchange Server. The company pulled the updates from its Windows Update servers and enterprise update channels following reports about issues with the non-English installations of Exchange Server. Microsoft released the Patch Tuesday updates for on-premises Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 on August...

The post Microsoft Releases New Exchange Server Security Updates to Fix Localization Issues appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Security researchers have disclosed a new campaign that exploited a critical Citrix NetScaler vulnerability to infect thousands of devices. They found that hackers have abused the security flaw to target around 2,000 NetScaler instances in Europe. Last month, Citrix disclosed a zero-day vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-3519, which impacts NetScaler Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and...

The post Hackers Exploit Critical Citrix Flaw to Compromise 2,000 NetScaler Instances appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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If you’re following industry trends, there’s no doubt that generative AI is the hottest new technology of the past year. And with Microsoft, Google, and other major tech companies jumping on this generative AI bandwagon, this trend isn’t going to be abated anytime soon. In IT, a rapidly growing number of software vendors now have...

The post Is AI Going to Change Backup and Recovery Strategies? appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Loop, the company’s new online collaboration app that launched in public preview earlier this year now integrates with two popular Atlassian products, Jira and Trello. Microsoft Loop users can now add Jira and Trello boards to Loop pages and update them right from the app.  Jira, which is Atlassian’s flagship product, is a popular...

The post Microsoft Loop Now Lets Users Add Jira and Trello Boards appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) has introduced support for GitLab in its AWS CodePipeline service. This release allows developers to leverage their GitLab.com source repository to build, test, and deploy code changes with AWS CodePipeline. AWS CodePipeline is a fully managed continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) service. It’s designed to automate and streamline the process...

The post AWS CodePipeline Introduces Support for GitLab appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced some new monitoring and logging capabilities for Azure Firewall. The first new feature that the company highlighted today is a public preview of the new Resource Health section. Azure Resource Health enables IT admins to monitor the overall health of their Azure Firewall system. The feature makes it easier for administrators to...

The post Azure Firewall Adds New Resource Health and Latency Probe Metric Features appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released a new update that brings enhancements to its Universal Print service. The company announced that the secure release feature now supports QR codes on Android and iOS devices. Universal Print is a cloud-based service that allows IT admins to centralize print management within their organization. They can control which employees have access...

The post Universal Print Gets QR Code Scanning Support on Android and iOS appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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The Cyber Security Review Board (CSRB) has recently announced that it will investigate the recent compromise of Exchange Online used by the US government. The board also plans to conduct a review of the identity and authentication infrastructure used by cloud providers. Last month, Microsoft confirmed that China state-backed hackers (dubbed ‘Storm-0558’) breached the email...

The post US Government to Investigate Chinese Hack That Breached Exchange Online appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Azure Data Studio is a database management tool from Microsoft. It offers a modern and user-friendly UI for performing several database operations and building customizable dashboards. In this article, I’ll explain how Azure Data Studio works, how it differs from SQL Server Management Studio, and how you can download and install it on your PC....

The post What is Azure Data Studio? appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has introduced support for mixed licensing in its Microsoft Defender for Endpoint solution. The new capability allows IT admins to control how licenses are applied to client devices in enterprise environments. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a security solution that provides threat detection and response capabilities to protect endpoints (such as laptops, computers, and...

The post Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Now Supports Mixed Licensing Scenarios appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced that it’s bringing the Copilot AI assistant to apps used by frontline workers. The company has launched a public preview of Copilot integration in its Dynamics 365 Field Service application. Microsoft explained that the new Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service helps frontline workers (such as technicians and retail workers) save time...

The post Microsoft Integrates Copilot into Dynamics 365 Field Service App for Frontline Workers appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has officially supported running SQL Server in a container since SQL Server 2017. Today, most support is for SQL Server on Linux containers, and Microsoft only supports SQL Server 2022 on Linux containers for production workloads. In this article, I’ll show you how to configure SQL Server Docker containers on Linux. Why would you...

The post How to Install SQL Server Containers on Linux Using Docker appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last year, Microsoft introduced a new Remote Help solution for the Microsoft Intune Suite. The company announced yesterday that the Remote Help app is coming to Android devices this month. Remote Help is a cloud-based solution that allows helpdesk agents to remotely connect to the user’s device and troubleshoot issues. The service is available as...

The post Remote Help to Add Support for Android Devices This Month appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss the new ‘Downfall’ vulnerability affecting older Intel CPUs, Microsoft’s modernized File Explorer on Windows 11, and the company’s potential trick for selling more new PCs.

The post First Ring Daily: Selling the Chips appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Entra ID will soon start delivering multifactor authentication (MFA) text messages through WhatsApp. The company announced on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center yesterday that this update will begin rolling out to customers in select markets next month. As of today, the Microsoft Entra ID Multifactor Authentication feature uses text messages to send one-time passcodes...

The post Microsoft Entra ID to Start Delivering MFA Text Messages Through WhatsApp appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday several new capabilities coming to Microsoft Defender for Cloud. The latest updates are designed to help organizations proactively reduce risks and respond to security threats. Microsoft Defender Cloud Security Posture Management will extend its data-aware security posture, advanced agentless scanning, attack path analysis, and cloud security graph capabilities to Google Cloud Platform...

The post Microsoft Defender for Cloud Adds New Security Features to Block Threats appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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For IT administrators managing Office 365 and Exchange Server, having control over mailbox folder-level permissions is a crucial task. PowerShell, a powerful scripting language developed by Microsoft, offers a convenient and efficient way to control access to specific mailbox folders for users within an organization, including the calendar folder. In this article, I will detail...

The post How to Add, Change, and Remove Mailbox Folder Permissions With PowerShell in Office 365 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced that Conditional Access for protected actions support is now generally available for Entra ID (Azure AD) customers. The new security feature enables IT admins to use Conditional Access policies to protect critical administrative operations. In Microsoft Entra ID (previously known as Azure AD), the Protected Actions feature provides additional protection by assigning...

The post Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access Gets Protected Actions Support to Boost Security appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the public preview of its Windows 365 Switch service. The new offering allows users to switch between their Windows 365 Cloud PC and physical device on Windows 11. “Windows 365 Switch provides the ability to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop using the same familiar keyboard...

The post Windows 365 Switch Now Available in Public Preview appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released today the August 2023 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10. This month, Microsoft fixed 86 vulnerabilities in Windows, Office, and other components, and you can also expect the usual bug fixes and quality improvements. After the July Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 version 22H2 enabled the new “Moment...

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Microsoft has released the July 2023 update for its Windows 365 Enterprise service. The company announced that the new Move Cloud PC feature is now generally available for commercial customers. Microsoft first released the Move Cloud PC feature in public preview back in June. It enables administrators to move their Windows 365 Cloud PCs to...

The post Microsoft Releases New Windows 365 Features for Enterprise Customers appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last month, Microsoft launched its new Bing Chat Enterprise service in preview for commercial customers. The company has announced on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center that the Bing Chat Enterprise service plan will be available for Microsoft 365 subscribers next month. Bing Chat Enterprise is an AI-powered chatbot that offers business-focused data privacy and governance...

The post Bing Chat Enterprise Service Plan Coming to Microsoft 365 Subscriptions Next Month appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last year, Microsoft launched its new Syntex service that uses AI to organize large sets of data and unorganized content for searching. Now, the company has announced several new features and enhancements for Microsoft Syntex. Microsoft has reduced the cost of unstructured document processing from $0.10 to $0.05 per page. The company has also released...

The post Microsoft Syntex Gets New Features, Drops Price for Unstructured Document Processing appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft-owned GitHub has released a new code referencing tool for GitHub Copilot. The new feature will inform developers when AI-powered code suggestions are taken from public repositories. GitHub first unveiled the Copilot tool back in June 2021. The AI programming assistant allows developers to get code suggestions with natural language commands. Copilot has been trained...

The post GitHub Copilot Adds New Code Referencing Feature in Private Beta appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has fixed a critical vulnerability that could let hackers gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and cross-tenant applications managed by Azure AD. The fix comes shortly after security researchers criticized Microsoft for its “grossly irresponsible” cybersecurity practices. In a post on LinkedIn, Amit Yoran, the CEO of the security firm Tenable, called out Microsoft...

The post Microsoft Patches Critical Azure Flaw Following Criticism for ‘Irresponsible’ Security Practices appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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By default, Microsoft Outlook prevents users from sending emails with attachments larger than 20 MB. This means that users may receive an error message while attaching files that exceed the allowed limit. In this guide, I will detail different methods to increase the Outlook attachment size limit. How to increase the Outlook Attachment Size Limit...

The post How to Increase the Attachment Size Limit in Microsoft Outlook appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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This Week in IT now has its own YouTube Channel! If you have been watching This Week in IT since it started more than a year ago, you will probably realize that home was the Petri IT Knowledgebase YouTube channel. We recently decided that it would be nice to give the show its own identity...

The post Subscribe to ‘This Week in IT’ on YouTube appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned about two vulnerabilities in Ivanti’s Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM). The security flaws allowed threat actors to compromise 12 Norwegian government agencies. Ivanti’s Endpoint Manager Mobile is a solution that lets IT admins secure and manage mobile devices in enterprise environments. They can enforce policies, deploy applications,...

The post CISA Warns About New Ivanti EPMM Vulnerabilities appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is getting ready to introduce support for the Microsoft Azure Attestation (MAA) service on Windows 11. The company announced yesterday that the feature will begin rolling out to all commercial customers in mid-August. Currently, Windows 11 and Windows 10 use the Windows Device Health Attestation (DHA) service for client device attestation. The configuration service...

The post Windows 11 to Get Support for Microsoft Azure Attestation Service appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In Office 365 (Exchange Online) and Exchange Server environments, granting ‘Full Mailbox’ access to a user is a common administrative task, especially when dealing with shared mailboxes, delegation, or troubleshooting. In this article, we will explore step-by-step procedures for granting Full Mailbox access to users in both Office 365 and Exchange Server environments. I will...

The post How to Grant Full Mailbox Access to Users in Office 365 and Exchange Server appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft killing off the Cortana app on Windows 11, what the new Windows Copilot brings to the table, and more.

The post First Ring Daily: AI on the Desktop appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is making some minor changes to its cloud licensing policies for specific customers that run Microsoft Office on AWS. This move comes a week after the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation of Microsoft Teams bundling with Office 365/Microsoft 365 subscriptions. In 2019, Microsoft announced new licensing terms that made it more expensive to...

The post Microsoft Revises Cloud Licensing Policies to Let Customers Run Office on AWS appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has issued a security advisory about a new Russia-linked hacking group dubbed Midnight Blizzard. The threat actors used Microsoft Teams chat to launch social engineering campaigns (which started in late May) that affected dozens of organizations. According to the Microsoft threat intelligence team, the hackers (known as APT29) pretend to be technical support staff...

The post Russian Hackers Used Microsoft Teams to Target Government Agencies appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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With the exception of Windows 11 Moment 3 landing for everyone in July, it’s been a fairly quiet month. But Insiders did get access to Windows Copilot and the new Outlook for Windows client and Microsoft revealed more about Windows 11 version 23H2. Let’s get started! Windows 11 Moment 3 generally available with July Patch...

The post What’s New in Windows – July 2023 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is planning to sunset its Microsoft Managed Desktop service next year. The company has quietly updated its support document to indicate that the service will be deprecated on July 31, 2024. Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD) is a cloud-based device management service that includes Windows 10/11 Enterprise and Microsoft Office apps. It provides a simplified...

The post Microsoft Managed Desktop Service to Retire in July 2024 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday that it will soon deprecate Transport Layer Security (TLS) versions 1.0 and 1.1 on Windows 11. The company plans to drop support for the encryption protocols by default on the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds in September. TLS is a cryptographic protocol that’s designed to provide communication security over a computer...

The post Microsoft to Disable TLS 1.0 and 1.1 Support By Default on Windows 11 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Starting with SQL Server 2017, Microsoft has supported SQL Server on Linux, which has the same underlying database engine as the Windows version. In this article, I’ll show you how to install SQL Server on Linux, as well as Azure Data Studio. The most recent release of SQL Server is SQL Server 2022, which offers...

The post SQL Server Essentials: How to Install SQL Server 2022 and Azure Data Studio on Linux appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Summer is in full swing, and it is hot out there! Speaking of hot things, Microsoft just released last month the 2023 Release Plan Wave 2 for its Power Platform, which details updates coming between October 2023 and March 2024. Let’s take a look at what’s in the pipeline!   Power Apps: More upcoming AI-assisted features...

The post What’s New with Microsoft’s Power Platform in July 2023 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released updates to fix a bug that was previously impacting the Windows Server Update Services (also known as WSUS). The company detailed on the Windows Health Dashboard that the issue prevented the distribution of updates to client devices running Windows 11 version 22H2 as well as Windows Server 2022. Windows Server Update Services...

The post Microsoft Fixes WSUS Bug Preventing Updates Distribution on Windows 11 version 22H2 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Earlier this year, Microsoft released watermarking support in public preview for Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). The company detailed in a blog post yesterday that the security feature is now generally available for all commercial customers. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a cloud-based virtual desktop and application virtualization solution that runs in Microsoft Azure. The managed...

The post Azure Virtual Desktop Introduces Watermarking Support to Protect Sensitive Data appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday a new update for its Microsoft Entra ID Protection service. This release brings a new dashboard, advanced detection capabilities, integration with Microsoft 365 Defender, and more. The Microsoft Entra ID Protection service leverages machine learning to detect, investigate, and remediate identity-based sign-in risks and unusual activities. It uses risk-based adaptive access policies...

The post Microsoft Entra ID Protection Gets New Dashboard, Advanced Detections appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Clipchamp, the video editing app that Microsoft acquired back in 2021 will soon be available for Microsoft 365 commercial customers. The cloud-based video editor is adding support for work accounts, and it will also seamlessly integrate with OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and other Microsoft productivity apps.  Microsoft believes that Clipchamp can become a great resource for...

The post Microsoft’s Clipchamp Video Editor is Adding Support for Work Accounts appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) is planning to charge organizations for the use of public IPv4 addresses. Starting on February 1, 2024, AWS customers will need to pay $0.005 per IP address per hour for all public IPv4 addresses. According to AWS, the cost of purchasing a single IPv4 address increased by over 300 percent during...

The post AWS to Start Charging for Public IPv4 Addresses in February 2024 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released a public preview of a new continuous access evaluation (CAE) setting for the Entra ID Conditional Access service. The new feature enables IT admins to strictly enforce location policies for network access in enterprise environments. Continuous Access Evaluation is a mechanism that offers real-time evaluation of Conditional Access policies for certain apps....

The post Microsoft Entra ID Introduces Strict Location Enforcement To Block Stolen Token Access appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has started rolling out the July 2023 service release (2307) for Microsoft Intune. The latest update brings several new capabilities to enhance support for App management, Device configuration, security, and more. Microsoft has introduced a top-requested feature that lets standard users uninstall Win32 and Microsoft Store apps from within the Company Portal for Windows....

The post Microsoft Intune Gets Support for Uninstalling Apps in the Company Portal for Windows appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains one of the biggest players in the cloud computing industry. For most IT pros, AWS certifications have become a crucial stepping stone for career advancement. These certifications validate professionals’ expertise with AWS services and indicate their ability to design, deploy, and manage applications on...

The post AWS Certifications: A Complete Guide appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced that the malware scanning capability will become generally available on September 1. The new agentless SaaS solution will be available as an add-on for Microsoft Defender for Storage customers and will cost $0.15 (USD)/GB of data scanned. Microsoft Defender for Storage is a security solution that identifies unusual attempts to access or...

The post Microsoft Defender for Storage to Add Malware Scanning Support in September appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced a new strategic partnership with Samsung to enhance mobile security for business customers. The companies have unveiled a new mobile hardware-backed device attestation solution that works seamlessly on company-owned and personal Samsung Galaxy devices. Device attestation is a security process used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a device before allowing...

The post Microsoft and Samsung Unveil New Mobile Device Attestation Solution for Businesses appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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PowerShell is a powerful scripting language for many reasons. One such reason is its support for conditional logic, which can help you supercharge your PowerShell scripts to make them even more efficient and effective. In this article, I’m going to teach you how to use If, Else, and Elseif conditional logic and explain how this...

The post How to Use PowerShell If Statements to Add Conditional Logic to Your Scripts appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced some important changes coming to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The company detailed in a blog post that customers will now have to use a PowerShell script to import updates for Windows devices. Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a solution that allows IT admins to manage the distribution and installation of...

The post Microsoft Asks IT Admins to Import Updates into WSUS with PowerShell Script appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday that firmware security advisories are now available for the Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management service. The new feature enables organizations to continuously monitor firmware security advisories based on information from vendors’ websites and inventories as well as third-party websites. Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is a service that allows customers to discover critical vulnerabilities...

The post Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Gets Firmware Security Advisories appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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The European Commission (EC) has launched a formal probe into Microsoft’s bundling of the Teams app with Office 365 and Microsoft 365. The EU regulators plan to conduct an in-depth investigation into whether Microsoft violated the EU’s competition rules “as a matter of priority.” Microsoft’s rival Slack lodged a complaint with the European Commission back...

The post EU Starts Antitrust Probe into Microsoft Teams Bundling with Office 365 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s financial results for the last quarter of its fiscal year 2023, and they take a closer look at the company’s Windows and Surface businesses.

The post First Ring Daily: Microsoft Releases its FY23 Q4 Earnings appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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An Office 365 tenant to tenant migration can be a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. Whether due to mergers, acquisitions, or organizational restructuring, a tenant to tenant migration project involves transferring data, applications, and configurations while ensuring minimal user disruption. In this article, I will guide you through the essential steps to...

The post Planning for a Successful Office 365 Tenant to Tenant Migration Project appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of improved company branding functionality for enterprise customers. The new feature launched in preview last year, allowing organizations to customize the sign-in experiences of Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and Microsoft 365 apps. “With enhanced company branding, you’ll be able to create a custom look and feel for the...

The post Microsoft Entra ID Enhanced Sign-In Branding Now Generally Available appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Teams is getting a new Meet app that should make it easier for users to track and manage their meeting activities and content. The company announced on the Microsoft 365 admin center that new experience will exclusively become available for customers on the Microsoft Teams 2.0 preview client next month. The Meet app will...

The post Microsoft Teams 2.0 to Add New Meet App to Manage Meeting Activities and Content appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has launched a URL page for its Microsoft 365 Defender solution. The new page provides a unified hub that lets security teams investigate URLs and domains as well as take remediation actions. “Whether it’s pivoting to emails, user clicks, or devices associated with URLs and fully qualified domain names (FQDNs), the enhanced functionality of...

The post Microsoft 365 Defender Adds New URL Page to Block Phishing Attacks appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Tavis Ormandy, a Google Security researcher has discovered a new vulnerability affecting AMD’s Zen 2 processors. Dubbed Zenbleed, the security flaw could let attackers steal passwords, cryptographic keys, and other sensitive information from software running on vulnerable machines. In a recent blog post, Ormandy detailed that the Zenbleed vulnerability (CVE-2023-20593) was first reported to AMD...

The post New AMD ‘Zenbleed’ Flaw Lets Hackers Steal Passwords and Encryption Keys From Ryzen CPUs appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released a new firmware analysis feature for Microsoft Defender for IoT. The new capability conducts an automated analysis of a binary firmware image that runs on an IoT device to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities. With firmware analysis, IT admins can view a detailed listing of open-source packages found in the firmware...

The post Microsoft Defender for IoT Gets New Firmware Analysis Capabilities appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has recently disclosed a security breach that allowed Chinese hackers to access the email accounts of around two dozen organizations. Now, security researchers have found that the stolen security key provided access to far beyond Outlook and Exchange Online email accounts. According to Microsoft, the Chinese hacking group (dubbed Storm-0558) used forged authentication tokens...

The post Report: Stolen Microsoft Key Gave Chinese Hackers Widespread Access to Cloud Services appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last month, Microsoft unveiled its plans to replace Windows 11’s Mail and Calendar apps with the new web-based Outlook for Windows client in September 2024. The company later detailed that it’s re-evaluating the timeline and implementation of this change. In a recent update posted on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, Microsoft indicated that it would...

The post Microsoft to Force Migrate Mail and Calendar Apps to New Outlook for Windows Next Month appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft provides a comprehensive suite of tools for effectively administrating and managing various aspects of the Microsoft 365 platform. There’s not just one Office 365 portal, IT pros actually have access to various admin centers, each tailored to manage specific aspects of the platform. In this article, we will explore the key admin centers available...

The post Mastering Microsoft 365 Administration: A Guide to Microsoft’s Various Admin Centers appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced a public preview of Azure Boost for enterprise customers this week. The new offering is designed to offload virtualization processes onto dedicated hardware and software. The new Azure Boost service enables customers to access experimental SKUs. This release should make it easier to test integrations with their existing virtual machines (VMs) ahead...

The post Microsoft Azure Boost Launches to Offload Virtualization Processes appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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SQL Server Data Tools for Visual Studio 2022 (SSDT) is the modern replacement for Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS), which was introduced with SQL Server 2005. SQL Server Data Tools for Visual Studio 2022 is now delivered as a part of Visual Studio 2022, and it enables you to create and modify new projects for...

The post SQL Server Essentials: Downloading and Installing SQL Server Data Tools for Visual Studio appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft-owned GitHub has announced the limited public beta release of GitHub Copilot Chat for enterprise customers and organizations. This release brings a context-aware conversational coding assistant into Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code development environments. GitHub launched the chatbot as a part of the Copilot X initiative to extend its code completion tool to more...

The post GitHub Copilot Chat Now Available in Public Preview for Businesses appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Every system administrator dreams of building the perfect Rube Goldberg machine of IT automation to manage the employee IT lifecycle, end to end, including IT offboarding. A new hire joins the company, HR files a ticket, and BAM! In an instant, all of the birthright accounts, access, and permissions are granted in a glorious cascade...

The post The Dirty Truth About IT Offboarding Automation appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Splunk Inc. announced this week a new strategic partnership with Microsoft. The new deal will enable both companies to build Splunk’s enterprise security and observability solutions on Microsoft Azure. Splunk is a popular platform that enables customers to search, analyze, and visualize machine-generated data in real-time. It collects and processes data coming from a wide...

The post Splunk Announces New Partnership with Microsoft to Boost Digital Resilience appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft unveiled a couple of new additions to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem at its Inspire 2023 conference this week. The company plans to introduce Microsoft 365 Backup and Microsoft 365 Achieve solutions to help enterprise customers to protect and manage large volumes of data. Microsoft 365 Backup is a new service that will let organizations...

The post New Microsoft 365 Backup Solution to Launch in Preview for Exchange, SharePoint, and OneDrive appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday that it will provide organizations access to expanded cloud logging data at no additional cost to prevent potential cyberattacks. The announcement comes in response to criticism the company faced regarding the lack of security logs for select cloud licenses. Last week, Microsoft confirmed a series of attacks from a Chinese hacking group...

The post Microsoft Expands Free Access to Cloud Security Logs Following Exchange Hacks appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s pricing model for the Microsoft 365 Copilot, as well as how Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard will impact the company financially.

The post First Ring Daily: Microsoft’s AI Now Has a Price appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Sales Copilot at Inspire 2023 conference. The company is also bringing new AI-powered features to the Dynamics 365 customer insights platform to help organizations enhance customer engagement and sales. Microsoft Sales Copilot is an AI-based digital assistant designed for sales teams. The new service can generate content,...

The post Microsoft Launches Sales Copilot, Teases New Customer Insights Tools appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced that hotpatch support is now generally available for Windows Server Azure Edition VMs running the Desktop experience. This release enables organizations to patch and install updates to Windows Server virtual machines on Azure without rebooting. The Hotpatch feature accomplishes this goal by applying the patch in-memory code of running processes without restarting...

The post Microsoft Releases Hotpatch Support for Windows Server Virtual Machines with Desktops appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Encountering the “User profile service failed sign-in” error message can be frustrating and prevent you from accessing your logon user account on Windows. This error typically occurs due to issues with the user profile, and it can affect both local and domain accounts. In this article, I will provide a comprehensive troubleshooting guide to help...

The post Troubleshooting Guide: Fixing the “User Profile Service Failed The Sign-In” Error appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced at its Inspire conference yesterday that it’s expanding its AI partnership with Meta to accelerate innovation in that field. Microsoft will be Meta’s preferred partner to distribute Llama 2, the company’s next-gen and open-source large language model (LLM) designed for commercial use.  Over the past couple of months, the AI conversation has mostly...

The post Microsoft to Distribute Llama 2, Meta’s Open-Source Alternative to OpenAI LLM Models appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced this morning the pricing details of its Microsoft 365 Copilot tool alongside a new version of its Bing chatbot for enterprise users. The Microsoft 365 Copilot will be available as an add-on for $30 per user per month for all enterprise customers with Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard, and Business Premium subscriptions....

The post Microsoft Announces Bing Chat Enterprise and Microsoft 365 Copilot Pricing appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Nasuni has announced a new integration with Microsoft Sentinel. This release enables organizations to automatically detect security threats and initiate responses in enterprise environments. Nasuni’s file data platform offers a cloud-native solution to help organizations manage and store their data. The unified platform combines primary file storage, backup, disaster recovery, and file-sharing capabilities. Some key...

The post Nasuni Unveils New Features, Integration with Microsoft Sentinel to Protect File Data Against Security Threats appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced that the Edge Workspaces feature is now generally available for enterprise customers. The new collaboration experience launched in public preview back in April, and it lets users work together in a shared workspace within the web browser. Microsoft Edge Workspaces allow users to share a set of tabs and favorites with their...

The post Microsoft Edge Workspaces Now Generally Available for Enterprise Customers appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last week, Microsoft confirmed that Chinese hackers gained unauthorized access to email accounts of U.S. government agencies and other sensitive organizations. On Friday, the company detailed a blog post to explain the cause of the security breach that compromised Exchange Online email services. According to Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence team, the Storm-0558 hacking group abused three...

The post Microsoft Shares More Details About Chinese Cyberattack That Breached Exchange Email Accounts appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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When working with SQL Server databases, the SQL COALESCE expression is commonly used to detect null values and provide a fallback or default value when dealing with nullable columns or expressions in SQL queries. It’s like a syntactic shortcut for the CASE expression, and it’s typically used to make subsequent calculations easier. In this article,...

The post SQL Server Essentials: Using SQL COALESCE appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has added support for new system-based alerts in public preview for Windows 365 Enterprise customers. The new feature enables IT admins to keep track of Windows 365 Cloud PCs that are in a grace period. With this release, the Windows 365 IT admin alerts feature triggers an email when a Cloud PC enters the...

The post Microsoft Intune Lets IT Admins Configure Windows 365 Alerts for Cloud PCs in Grace Periods appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has introduced restricted management administrative units support in public preview for Microsoft Entra ID. The new role-based access control (RBAC) feature lets organizations allow only select IT admins, security teams, or devices to access specific resources. “Restricted management administrative units allow you to protect specific objects in your tenant from modification by anyone other...

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Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose is a fully managed service for efficiently streaming data from virtually any data source to your AWS applications. It provides near-real-time ingestion capabilities for building real-time data applications. In this article, we’ll detail how Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose works and the best use cases for it. What is Amazon Kinesis Data...

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Microsoft Edge for Business will soon become the default experience for all enterprise customers. Microsoft has announced its plans to release version 116 of its Edge browser with the new dedicated work experience next month. Microsoft Edge for Business launched in public preview back in May 2023. This release allows users to better separate their...

The post Microsoft Edge for Business to Be Enabled By Default Next Month appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has started discussing its plans regarding Windows 11 version 23H2, the next annual update for the OS to be released later this fall. On its Windows IT Pro blog yesterday, the company announced that Windows 11 version 23H2 will be released as an enablement package in the fourth quarter of 2023. “The upcoming Windows...

The post Windows 11 Version 23H2 to be Released as an Enablement Package in Q4 2023 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has announced that Device isolation and Antivirus scanning capabilities are now available in preview for macOS and Linux devices. The new response actions should help to protect organizations against security threats. The device isolation feature blocks the compromised device from connecting to the corporate network. Meanwhile, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint continues...

The post Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Adds Device Isolation and Antivirus Scanning Support on Linux and macOS appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has disclosed that Chinese hackers breached the email accounts of US government employees. The hacking group (tracked as Storm-0558) exploited a flaw in Microsoft’s cloud email service to gain unauthorized access to email systems. Microsoft found that the threat actors used forged authentication tokens to access affected user accounts through Outlook Web Access in...

The post Microsoft Says Chinese Hackers Compromised Exchange Email Accounts appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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GitHub announced this morning that it has added support for passkeys in public beta. The passkeys feature is a standardized new way that lets users seamlessly and securely access GitHub.com. A passkey is a sequence of characters that helps to ensure that only authorized users gain access to sensitive resources. The security feature is used...

The post GitHub Adds Support for Passkeys in Public Beta for Passwordless Authentication appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft Teams 3D avatars reaching general availability and Amazon allowing all developers to release their Android apps on its App Store on Windows 11.

The post First Ring Daily: Amazon Opens its App Store on Windows 11 to All Android Apps appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced that it will soon rebrand Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) as Entra ID. The name change will be a gradual process, and it’s expected to be rolled out to all Microsoft products and experiences in the second half of 2023. The Microsoft Entra product family first made its debut back in May...

The post Microsoft Rebrands Azure AD to Microsoft Entra ID appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Nested Microsoft 365 groups refer to the practice of creating a group within another group in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem using the dynamic functionality in Azure AD. For IT admins, this practice lets them organize groups in a hierarchical manner, enabling a more structured approach to managing access, permissions, and collaboration within an organization. Membership...

The post Nested Microsoft 365 Groups: What You Need To Know appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released a new update that enables IT admins to manage security configuration settings directly in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. The native security management capabilities are available in public preview on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Previously, IT administrators had to depend on external tools for handling endpoint security settings. This approach often resulted in...

The post Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Lets IT Admins Natively Manage Security Settings appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released today the July Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10. The KB5028185 patch for Windows 11 version 22H2 brings the new “Moment 3” features that Microsoft previously made available in the optional update released in the last week of June.  Microsoft’s patches for July 2023 also include fixes for 130...

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Microsoft is getting ready to end support for Windows 11 version 21H2. The company updated its support life cycle page to remind customers that the original version of the operating system will reach the end of servicing deadline on October 10, 2023. Microsoft detailed that the upcoming end of support affects the Home, Pro, Pro...

The post Microsoft to End Windows 11 version 21H2 Support on October 10 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced a slew of updates for its Microsoft Entra product family. The company detailed two new security offerings, Microsoft Entra Internet Access and Microsoft Entra Private Access, to protect organizations against cyberattacks. “In the last twelve months, we saw an average of more than 4,000 password attacks per second, an almost threefold increase...

The post Microsoft Entra Gets New Identity and Access Management Solutions appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft launched its Dev Box cloud-powered workstations in public preview back in August 2022. The company announced yesterday that it has decided to make the service generally available following successful testing in multiple organizations. Microsoft first teased Dev Box at its Build developer conference last year. The new offering provides secure access to pre-configured developer...

The post Microsoft Dev Box Goes Out of Preview appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a new end-to-end solution called Clickstream Analytics on AWS. The new service enables customers to collect, ingest, analyze, and visualize clickstream data within their web and mobile applications. Clickstream Analytics on AWS is built on standard AWS services. The company says that clickstream data plays a vital role in...

The post Clickstream Analytics on AWS Launches to Enhance Data Visualization in Mobile and Web Apps appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the release of the latest version of Visual Studio Code. The July 2023 Update (version 1.80) comes with a few enhancements, such as terminal image support, accessibility improvements, and more. Last month, Microsoft added terminal image support in public preview in Visual Studio Code. Now, the feature is enabled by default that...

The post Visual Studio Code 1.80 is Out with Terminal Image Support and More appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Cisco has recently warned customers about a new high-severity vulnerability that affects select data center switch models. The security flaw, which is tracked as CVE-2023-20185, could enable unauthenticated attackers to read or modify encrypted traffic. “This vulnerability is due to an issue with the implementation of the ciphers that are used by the CloudSec encryption...

The post Cisco Discloses New Flaw in Enterprise Switches That Lets Hackers Intercept Encrypted Traffic appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In the ever-evolving digital landscape, organizations are generating an increasing volume of emails and other electronic communications. Efficiently managing this growing influx of messages while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements has become a critical aspect of modern business operations. One effective solution offered by Microsoft’s Office 365 suite is the archive mailbox feature. In this...

The post How To Enable Archive Mailboxes In Office 365 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has detailed several updates to celebrate the first anniversary of Windows Autopatch. The new capabilities that are designed to help IT admins improve productivity and security will become generally available on July 25. Microsoft launched its Windows Autopatch back in July 2022. It’s a cloud-based service that allows customers to automate the patching of...

The post Microsoft Celebrates the First Anniversary of Windows Autopatch with the Latest Updates appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday the general availability of its Windows 365 Frontline service. The new offering launched in public preview in April, allowing organizations to offer Cloud PCs to frontline, shift, and part-time workers. With Windows 365 Frontline, customers can purchase a certain number of Cloud PC licenses that can be shared among different employees. The...

The post Microsoft’s Windows 365 Frontline is Now Generally Available appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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As Microsoft is still busy implementing AI-powered Copilot experiences across all of its cloud services, this month we’re going to take a look at some of the quieter features Microsoft added to its Power Platform to help makers be more efficient and secure when building apps. Delegation improvements for Power Apps Anybody who’s ever built...

The post What’s New With Microsoft’s Power Platform in June 2023 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Researchers have developed an exploit for a new critical vulnerability in the FortiGate firewall that affects around 336,000 Internet-exposed devices. The security advisory warned that IT admins have yet to install the patches released in June 2023. The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability (tracked as CVE-2023-27997) has a severity rating of 9.8 out of 10. It...

The post Critical FortiGate Vulnerability Affects 336,000 Vulnerable Firewalls appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In today’s dynamic business landscape, managing user access to resources is critical for organizations. Azure Active Directory (AAD), a comprehensive identity and access management solution from Microsoft, offers a powerful feature called dynamic groups. These dynamic user groups provide a flexible and automated approach to managing user access based on predefined rules and user attributes....

The post How to Use Microsoft 365 Dynamic Groups to Streamline Access Management appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is getting ready to make its new Teams 2.0 client available for all users. As of today, the new app is available via a toggle in public preview, but the same toggle will become generally available for customers in September. Microsoft launched the new Teams 2.0 client in public preview in March 2023. The...

The post Microsoft Teams 2.0 to Become Default Client on Windows in September appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has introduced support for app health recommendations in Microsoft Entra Workload Identities. The feature provides insights with actionable guidance to help organizations prevent outages and secure their Azure AD environments. Microsoft Entra Workload Identities launched back in November 2022. It’s an identity and access management (IAM) solution that enables IT admins to configure Conditional...

The post Microsoft Entra Workload Identities Service Adds Support for App Health Recommendations appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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The T-SQL LIKE operator is one of the most useful additions to the SQL SELECT statement. The latter retrieves a result set, and you can easily filter the results using equality operators and the WHERE clause to select certain specific conditions. But what about those times when you might want to select rows that are...

The post SQL Server Essentials: Using the SQL LIKE Operator appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has shared the latest round of updates made to its Teams collaboration platform in June 2023. The company released 45 new features to improve meetings, chats, Teams Rooms devices, and much more. Here’s a look at everything you need to know. Meeting and calling features Last month, Microsoft introduced a new Spatial audio feature...

The post Microsoft Teams Meetings Get New Spatial Audio Experience, Together Mode Improvements appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Teams Meeting Notes is a feature in the Teams and Outlook apps that allows you to take collaborative notes during meetings in Microsoft Teams. Meeting Notes are Loop components stored in the chat transcript for the meeting, so you can easily access them later or share them elsewhere. In this article, I will show...

The post How Microsoft Teams Meeting Notes Can Supercharge Your Meeting Efficiency appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced a new strategic partnership with New York-based financial risk assessment firm Moody’s. The company explained that the deal will enable Moody’s to bring generative AI capabilities to its enterprise solutions. Moody’s plans to use Azure OpenAI service to build new research and risk assessment products and services in order to improve data...

The post Microsoft, Moody’s Partner to Empower Financial Services with Generative AI Tools appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has acknowledged a new compatibility issue with Trellix’s endpoint security software and some Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices. The company detailed on the Windows Health dashboard that the bug prevents users from opening Microsoft Office and third-party apps. According to Microsoft, the problem is caused by the latest Patch Tuesday updates released on...

The post Microsoft Confirms New Windows Bug Affecting Some Endpoint Security Tools appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has started testing Windows Copilot, its new AI Assistant for Windows 11 with Windows Insiders yesterday. The first Windows Copilot preview is available for a subset of Insiders who will install the Dev Channel build 23493, and Microsoft plans to expand to other Insiders channels over time.  Windows Copilot was first announced during Microsoft’s...

The post Windows Copilot Preview is Now Available for Insiders appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Earlier this year, Microsoft unveiled its plans to ditch the Yammer brand in favor of Viva Engage. Now, the company has announced that the Yammer.com web experience has been renamed to Viva Engage. Yammer was initially launched as a startup at a TechCrunch startup event back in 2008. It was designed to help organizations create...

The post Microsoft Rebrands Yammer Web Experience to Viva Engage appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released new updates to improve Adoption Score, Usage Reports, and Experience insights in the Microsoft 365 admin center. The company announced yesterday that the Adoption Score feature is now generally available for all commercial customers. The Adoption Score feature uses metrics to help customers understand how Microsoft 365 software gets used in enterprise...

The post Microsoft Adoption Score Feature Now Generally Available for Commercial Customers appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced a new partnership with Zero Trust cybersecurity vendor Rubrik. The deal will allow enterprise customers to utilize natural language processing and generative AI to speed up security response times during cyber attacks. Rubrik is a cybersecurity company that focuses on enhancing data security and operational resilience for organizations. It offers a platform...

The post Microsoft Partners with Rubrik to Enhance Incident Response with Generative AI appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Windows 11 Moment 3 now being available as an optional update, and Windows Copilot still missing in action despite Microsoft promising a June preview release.

The post First Ring Daily: Windows 11 Moment 3 Approaches, Windows Copilot Still MIA appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Grafana has recently released new security updates to patch a critical vulnerability in its application. The flaw could enable threat actors to hijack Grafana accounts that use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for authentication. Grafana is a popular analytics and visualization service that enables IT admins to monitor and analyze time-series data. It provides access...

The post Grafana Patches Critical Azure AD Authentication Bypass Vulnerability appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Implementing identity and access management processes is an effective way to protect sensitive corporate data. It allows organizations to regulate user access and prevent instances of identity theft, data breaches, and unauthorized access to confidential corporate information. In this article, we’ll detail how organizations can significantly minimize their exposure by controlling access privileges with Microsoft...

The post Implementing Access Controls using Microsoft Intune appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft could be working to launch a consumer version of its Windows 365 Cloud PC service. According to a new report from Windows Central, the company unveiled its plans in an internal document released to the public as part of Microsoft’s legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission. Microsoft introduced its Windows 365 offering back...

The post Microsoft Reportedly Working on Windows 365 Cloud PC Offering for Consumers appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft made the Windows 11 ‘Moment 3’ update available with the optional June 2023 preview release yesterday. This update (KB5027303) was previously rolled out to Insiders on the Release Preview channel earlier this month, and the new features will roll out to the general Windows 11 version 22H2 audience with next month’s Patch Tuesday.  ...

The post June 2023 Preview Release Brings ‘Moment 3’ Features to Windows 11 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last month, Microsoft announced the launch of its Microsoft 365 Copilot Early Access Program. Now, the company has detailed a lengthy blog post to inform potential customers about how to prepare for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Microsoft 365 Copilot uses large language models to help users write/edit documents, organize data, and analyze information. Users can leverage...

The post Microsoft Details Onboarding Requirements for Microsoft 365 Copilot appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has started rolling out a new Notes tab to Microsoft Teams for Enterprise customers. Powered by OneNote, the Notes tab will be automatically added when a user creates new standard channels in Microsoft Teams. OneNote is a digital notetaking app that is available for Microsoft 365 customers. It lets users capture, organize and share...

The post Microsoft Teams Adds New Notetaking Experience to Channels appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Security researchers have recently discovered a new vulnerability in Microsoft Teams. The flaw could enable threat actors to deliver malware to Teams users through a federated chat. The vulnerability was originally discovered by security researchers Max Corbridge and Tom Ellson from the JUMPSEC Labs’ Red Team. The researchers found that the flaw exists in the...

The post Microsoft Teams External Access Vulnerability Lets Attackers Deliver Malware appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the release of the June 2023 service release (2306) for Microsoft Intune. The latest update brings Mobile Application Management (MAM) support for Microsoft Edge for Business on Windows. Mobile Application Management (MAM) is a feature that enables organizations to protect and manage mobile apps installed on tablets and smartphones. It helps IT...

The post Microsoft Intune Gets MAM for Edge on Windows Support appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has acknowledged a new issue that causes high CPU usage in Windows 11 versions 21H2 and 21H2. The File Explorer bug only impacts users who had installed the KB5026368 and KB5026372 updates released on May 9. Effective Access is a feature that determines permissions and privileges that a user or user group has to...

The post Microsoft Confirms New High CPU Usage Bug in Windows 11 File Explorer appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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These days, document theft and data siphoning are common for most ransomware gangs. Because digital theft is different from analog theft, digital security should be different from analog security. In this article, we’ll explore how Windows Hello for Business and seamless single sign-on (SSO) can help organizations to mitigate many identity-related risks. We’re holding on...

The post Mitigating Identity-Related Risks With Windows Hello for Business and Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has patched a new security vulnerability that was discovered in some applications leveraging Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). The authentication bypass flaw could allow threat actors to completely take over the victim’s account. The security vulnerability, dubbed nOAuth, was first discovered by the security researchers at Descope. It lets threat actors modify email attributes...

The post Microsoft Patches Critical ‘nOAuth’ Flaw in Azure AD Apps appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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If you have recently encountered issues accessing Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 apps, you’re not alone. Several IT admins detailed on Reddit and Microsoft support forums that the problem started affecting customers worldwide on June 19 (via Bleeping Computer). Specifically, IT admins received reports that some Outlook users are unable to access the...

The post Microsoft 365 Customers Locked Out of Outlook, Teams, and Other Apps appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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AWS Lambda is an event-driven, serverless compute service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It enables developers to run code in response to events without having to manage the computing resources and infrastructure needed to run these applications. In this article, I’ll explain how AWS Lambda works and detail the best use cases for this...

The post What is AWS Lambda? appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the release of the 0.2 preview version of the Dev Home app for Windows 11. The latest update brings several quality improvements and bug fixes to enhance the overall experience for developers. Microsoft launched the new Dev Home app for Windows 11 in preview at its annual Build developer conference. The new...

The post Dev Home Preview 0.2 Now Available With Several Improvements and Bug Fixes appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Google has officially filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), according to a report from The Information. The company claimed that Microsoft abused its dominant position in the enterprise software market to push more customers toward its cloud services. In a letter to the FTC, Google explained that Microsoft used...

The post Google Takes on Microsoft with New Antitrust Complaint Over Cloud Practices appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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As an IT pro, the process of exporting users’ mailboxes to PST is rather straightforward. However, importing PST email and calendar items into new mailboxes can be tricky. In this article, I will detail how to import PST files to Office 365 using either Outlook or the Microsoft Purview Compliance portal and Azure AzCopy. How...

The post How to Import PST Files to Office 365 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is working to fix a bug causing Outlook to become unresponsive on the startup screen for a while before launching normally. The company acknowledged the issue in a support document published on June 19. According to Microsoft, the Outlook desktop app syncs the entire offline data file (.ost) during the startup process. “Investigation of...

The post Microsoft to Fix Slow Startup or Freezing Issues in Outlook appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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ASUS has rolled out a new set of firmware updates to address critical vulnerabilities in its several router models. The company published a security advisory yesterday recommending customers to apply the security patches or restrict WAS access. Specifically, the latest firmware updates aim to fix two critical vulnerabilities with a 9.8 severity rating out of...

The post ASUS Routers Get New Firmware Updates to Patch Critical Vulnerabilities appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is getting ready to sunset its Bookings mobile apps next month. The apps will be retired on July 15, and users will no longer be able to access Microsoft Bookings through Android and iOS devices. Microsoft Bookings is an appointment scheduling and booking management service that launched in March 2017. The tool is primarily...

The post Microsoft Bookings Mobile Apps to Retire Next Month appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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An often-overlooked element of security is the Web Application Firewall (WAF), especially in cloud computing. In this article, I explain what a WAF does, the different kinds of WAF, and I discuss why you should deploy one or more WAFs in your architecture. What is a Web Application Firewall (WAF)? A Web Application Firewall, often...

The post The Ultimate Guide to Web Application Firewalls (WAF) appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released a new upgrade/downgrade experience for Azure Firewall. The feature allows customers to switch between the Azure Firewall Standard and Premium offers with a single click. Azure Firewall is a cloud-native security solution for Azure environments. It enables customers to protect their network resources and applications against unauthorized access and security threats. Azure...

The post Microsoft Azure Firewall Adds New Upgrade/Downgrade Experience appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s plan to replace the Windows 11 Mail and Calendar apps with the new web-based Outlook for Windows in September 2024.

The post First Ring Daily: New Outlook to Replace Mail and Calendar Apps in 2024 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced some changes coming to the security settings management capabilities in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint this month. The company plans to remove the Azure Active Directory (AD) join or Hybrid Azure AD join enrollment requirement for Windows devices. Last year, Microsoft released a new feature called Security Management for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint....

The post Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Eases Enrollment Requirements for Devices Managed via Intune appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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There are quite a few methods IT Pros can use to block malicious and harmful emails from flowing into their organizations. Similar to my previous post on adding a whitelist email address or domain to your Microsoft 365 settings, I’m going to detail different methods to block senders in Officer 365 and offer some commentary...

The post How To Block Senders in Office 365 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Earlier this month, Microsoft confirmed a major outage that affected Azure, Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 services. The company has now acknowledged that the disruption to its services was caused by a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. On June 5th, Microsoft tweeted about an outage that prevented thousands of users from accessing its...

The post Microsoft Confirms Recent Cloud Outages Caused By Storm-1359 DDoS Attacks appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is getting ready to replace the UWP Mail and Calendar apps with the new Outlook desktop client for Windows. The company announced in a message on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center that the web-based app will be shipped with all new Windows 11 devices starting in September 2024. Microsoft started testing its redesigned Outlook...

The post Microsoft’s New Outlook for Windows Client to Replace Mail and Calendar Apps in 2024 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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I recently spoke to Sean Deuby, who is Principal Technologist at Semperis and an Identity expert. Sean told me about the importance of protecting identities in the current landscape and how Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) is a critical component of the Zero Trust security model. The emergence of cloud computing and the shift...

The post The Role of Identity Threat and Detection Response in Zero Trust Security appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Teams is getting a new collaborative meeting notes feature to improve the meeting experience. This release enables participants to collaborate on notes with their colleagues during Teams meetings. In Microsoft Teams, the collaborative meeting notes feature allows users to take notes, create agendas, as well as generate action items. It eliminates the need to...

The post Microsoft Teams Gets New Collaborative Meeting Notes Experience appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced new AI-powered Copilot features for Microsoft Dynamics 365 enterprise resource management (ERP) solutions. The new Copilot capabilities are available in public preview for Dynamics 365 Project Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain Management. “Complex and rigid processes within ERP create more work for people, and repetitive manual data entry overwhelms departments. Dynamics 365...

The post Microsoft Adds New Copilot AI Capabilities to Dynamics 365 ERP appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Exchange Online Archiving allows you to alleviate issues your users run into when their mailboxes approach their allocated quota. As an IT admin, Exchange Online Archiving is a really powerful tool that should not be overlooked. In this article, I’ll examine why archiving is necessary and how to enable Exchange Online Archiving to help...

The post How to Get Started With Exchange Online Archiving appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft unveiled its plans to introduce Win32 app isolation support in Windows 11 at its Build 2023 conference. The company announced yesterday that the feature is now available in public preview for Windows 11 users. With this release, Windows 11 users can run Win32 apps in an isolated environment to protect other parts of the...

The post Microsoft Introduces Win32 App Isolation Support to Boost Security on Windows 11 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Intel announced this week a new branding structure that the company will start to use with its upcoming 14th gen Meteor Lake CPUs. The company will simplify the branding of its Core processors by dropping the “i” letter for processor tiering, and it’s also creating a new Ultra label for its most advanced processors.  Intel...

The post Intel Reveals New Core Branding For its Upcoming Meteor Lake CPUs appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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To improve the repairability and durability of its various Surface devices, Microsoft has started selling official Surface replacement parts on its Microsoft Store. The dozens of components currently available include batteries, SSDs, screens, keyboards, and more. Microsoft makes Surface devices for both consumers and professionals and in recent years, the company significantly improved their repairability...

The post Microsoft Now Sells  Replacement Parts for Surface Tablets, Laptops, and All-in-Ones appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of Azure Firewall structured...

The post Microsoft Releases Azure Firewall Structured Logs Feature to Troubleshoot Network Issues appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has officially dropped support for Windows 10 version 21H2....

The post Microsoft Drops Support for Windows 10 Version 21H2 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft’s SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is the primary tool...

The post SQL Server Essentials: Installing SQL Server Management Studio and Azure Data Studio appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has just released the June 2023 Patch Tuesday updates...

The post Microsoft Releases June 2023 Patch Tuesday Updates appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last week, Microsoft acknowledged an issue that triggered connectivity issues...

The post Microsoft Claims Azure Outage Caused By ‘Huge Spike’ in Network Traffic appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this episode, I sit down with Microsoft MVP, Darrell...

The post UnplugIT Episode 2 – In The Loop appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has introduced a new monthly security...

The post Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Adds New Monthly Security Summary Report appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Last year, Microsoft started testing a new multi-app kiosk mode...

The post IT Admins Can Now Set Up Multi-App Kiosk Mode on Windows 11 PCs appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft-owned GitHub has launched a new GitHub Enterprise Importer tool....

The post GitHub Enterprise Importer Tool Launches to Make Cloud Migrations Easier appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC584218 – Direct email notifications are sent to users who...

The post M365 Changelog: Upcoming changes to direct email notifications appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released two new capabilities for Microsoft Teams certified...

The post Microsoft Teams Certified Devices Let Users Join Meetings From the Pre-Join Screen appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has released a new threat-informed security posture recommendations feature...

The post Microsoft 365 Defender Now Supports Threat-Informed Security Posture Recommendations appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has modified the procedures for IT Pros and Exchange...

The post How To Export An Office 365 Mailbox To PST: A Complete Guide appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC546939 – Updated June 8, 2023: Microsoft has updated the...

The post M365 Changelog: (Updated) Microsoft Viva – Auto-Categorization Coming to Meeting Category Insights in Viva Insights appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC560731 – Updated June 8, 2023: Microsoft has updated the...

The post M365 Changelog: (Updated) Updating the Bookings app to the Virtual Appointments app appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC565271 – Updated June 8, 2023: Microsoft has updated the...

The post M365 Changelog: (Updated) System preferred MFA method is Generally Available appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC578279 – To assist in the implementation of security best...

The post M365 Changelog: Microsoft Purview – Data Lifecycle and Records Management – Scope the administration of retention and label policies appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC549348 – Updated June 8, 2023: Microsoft has updated the...

The post M365 Changelog: (Updated) Webinar Email feature updates -customize content and time to send reminders appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC574387 – Updated June 8, 2023: Microsoft has updated the...

The post M365 Changelog: (Updated) Microsoft Viva – Quick Access to Homesite on Viva Connections Mobile appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft is getting ready to deprecate the calendar board view...

The post Microsoft’s Outlook Web App to Retire Calendar Board View This Month appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has introduced a new site-based licensing model for its...

The post Microsoft Defender for IoT Switches to New Site-Based Licensing Model appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Google has released several new security features to improve the...

The post Google Password Manager to Add Support for Biometric Authentication for Desktop Users appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Exchange Online PowerShell is a command-line tool that allows you...

The post How to Connect to Exchange Online Using PowerShell appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC578237 – Starting the first week of July, the same...

The post M365 Changelog: New tenant configuration experiences within Viva Engage admin center appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC468492 – Updated June 8, 2023: Number matching is now...

The post M365 Changelog: (Updated) Authenticator number matching to be enabled for all Microsoft Authenticator users appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft unveiled its plans to retire the old Exchange Admin...

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Microsoft has announced the release of a preview version of...

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Microsoft announced yesterday that its Azure OpenAI Service is now...

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Google has opened pre-orders for Duet AI for Google Workspace...

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Microsoft announced this morning the general availability of Microsoft Entra...

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Last month, Google introduced passkey support for consumer Google accounts....

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Microsoft has released a new update for its Windows 365...

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SQL CROSS JOIN queries are used to generate a paired...

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Microsoft has announced today that Visio is now available as...

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Microsoft has announced a new integration that will let users sync their task lists between Loop components and Microsoft Planner and To Do. This release should make it easier for users to manage their tasks from Microsoft 365 applications.

Microsoft introduced Loop components at its Build developer conference back in 2019. Microsoft Loop components are based on the Fluid Framework to let users collaborate on notes, tables, or lists (tasks) in emails, chats, and documents. Task lists in Loop components allow users to create collaborative lists of tasks and assign them to people with @ mentions. It’s also possible to set due dates and track the status of tasks.

Currently, task lists in Loop components are available in Microsoft Teams and Outlook. Users can add them to their chat and email conversations via the “Loop Components” menu. The new integration will allow users to edit the tasks (such as the title, due date, or assignees) via Microsoft Planner. In Microsoft To Do, users will be able to view their tasks in the‘Assigned to me’ section.

“With this change, all tasks created in these lists will automatically sync and be visible in Planner, and assigned tasks will show up in To Do in the ‘Assigned to me’ smart list. These tasks will also be visible in all apps that show Planner and To Do tasks such as the Tasks app in Microsoft Teams,” the company explained on the Microsoft 365 Admin center.

Loop components task lists integration with Microsoft Planner and To Do to roll out this monthMicrosoft notes that this update will start rolling to the Microsoft Loop desktop, web, and mobile clients later this month. The feature will become generally available for all customers in mid-July.

In case you missed it, Microsoft launched a standalone Loop app in public preview in March 2023. The app has been available in beta since last year, and it lets teams collaborate in real-time with workspaces, pages, and other Loop components.

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Microsoft Outlook went down for almost 8 hours on Monday, along with Teams, OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online, and other Microsoft 365 services. Microsoft confirmed on Twitter this morning that the problem has popped up again.

In a Reddit thread, several Microsoft 365 users reported that the first outage started hitting organizations at around 10:00 ET on Monday. The reports on various social media platforms suggest users could not access emails or other Microsoft 365 services. Microsoft rolled back the problematic update that caused the technical problem and reported a service improvement.

However, Microsoft 365 services were hit again just after a couple of hours. Microsoft acknowledged the second outage in a tweet at around 16:15 ET and deployed a fix within three hours. Downdetector indicates that the first outage affected around 18,000 users at the peak of the problem. Meanwhile, the website reported more than 5,000 complaints from customers impacted by the second glitch at its peak.

Unfortunately, Microsoft 365 apps and services are facing issues again today. Microsoft first acknowledged the issue at 05:06 ET, though it looks like the problem started even before that. At the time of writing, it’s not clear how widespread the Microsoft 365 outage is or whether it’s affecting all Microsoft 365 services.

“We’re seeing a recurrence of the issue and a drop in service availability, so we’re applying mitigations to provide relief for the affected users, while we continue to investigate the root cause. We’ll be providing updates related to this event under MO572252 in the admin center,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft 365 customers have expressed their concern with the company’s handling of the downtime. “Already we lost our production yesterday and today also it started. When will you resolve this issue permanently. Everyones business affected by your incapability,” a Microsoft 365 subscriber wrote on Twitter.

Source: DowndetectorMajor Microsoft 365 outages continue to plague organizationsIt’s important to note that this is not the first time that users are experiencing issues while accessing Microsoft 365 apps and services. Microsoft suffered two global outages in January and February that prevented users from accessing emails and Microsoft Teams.

Back in April, Microsoft confirmed an issue that broke the search functionality across various Microsoft 365 services. These include Microsoft Teams, Outlook on the Web, Outlook desktop clients, SharePoint Online, and Exchange Online.

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Apple unveiled yesterday a new M2 Ultra chip that is coming to its desktop workstations, the Mac Studio and the Mac Pro. The latter was also the last Mac model that had yet to make the transition from Intel chips to Apple Silicon, and this is finally happening almost three years after the introduction of Apple’s first M1 chip in the fall of 2020.

Even though Apple’s PC market share dropped from 8.6% to 7.2% between Q1 2022 and Q2 20233 according to IDC, Apple’s M-series chips continue to deliver an unmatched level of performance per watt. And even though Apple isn’t going as hard on AI as its competitors these days, M-Series chips also come with a powerful neural engine for running complex AI workloads.

New Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra ChipsThe original Mac Studio that Apple launched last year was the most powerful Mac ever with its M1 Max and M1 Ultra chips. The base model is now being upgraded with the same M2 Max chip that first launched on the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros earlier this year.

The M2 Max offers 12 CPU cores, up to 38 GPU cores, and up to 96GB of unified memory with 400GB/s of memory bandwidth. Overall, Apple promises up to 50 percent faster performance compared to the previous Mac Studio model with M1 Max.

The Mac Studio can also be configured with Apple’s brand new M2 Ultra chip, which combines two M2 Max chips together to deliver even more performance. The M2 Ultra includes 24 CPU cores, up to 76 GPU cores, and up to 192 GB of unified memory with 800GB/s bandwidth. Apple says that the M2 Ultra Mac Studio is up to 3x faster than the previous model with an M1 Ultra chip.

The Mac Studio now comes with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips (image credit: Apple)With a total of six Thunderbolt 4 ports that support native DisplayPort output over USB-C, the M2 Max Mac Studio can connect to up to five displays at once, while the M2 Ultra model can support up to eight displays simultaneously. The Mac Studio with M2 M comes with an HDMI 2.1 port. The Mac Studio also comes with a 10 GB Ethernet port, and it supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The Mac Studio with an M2 Max chip starts at $1999, while the M2 Ultra model starts at $3999. Both models are available to pre-order and will start shipping next week.

The Mac Pro is the first Apple Silicon Mac to offer PCIe ExpansionApple Silicon finally comes to the Mac Pro as the new model now comes with the same M2 Ultra chip Apple offers on the high-end Mac Studio. Again, this chip offers 24 CPU cores, up to 76 GPU cores, and up to 192GB of unified memory with 800GB/s bandwidth. “This is far more memory than the most advanced workstation graphics cards,” Apple emphasized yesterday.

The Mac Pro is also the first Apple Silicon Mac to offer expansion capabilities with six open PCIe Gen 4 expansion slots. There are also eight Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and two 10Gb Ethernet ports.

The Mac Pro features six open PCle expansion slots (image credit: Apple)“From audio pros who need digital signal processing (DSP) cards, to video pros who need serial digital interface (SDI) I/O cards for connecting to professional cameras and monitors, to users who need additional networking and storage, Mac Pro lets professionals customize and expand their systems, pushing the limits of their most demanding workflows,” Apple said yesterday.

The M2 Mac Pro starts at $6999, and there’s also a rack-mounted version that starts at $7499. Yes, that remains very expensive, but this finally completes the Mac transition to Apple Silicon.

Apple Launches Bigger 15-inch MacBook AirUntil now, Apple enthusiasts looking for a MacBook with a bigger display had to opt for the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pros, which start at $1999. That finally changes with the new 15-inch MacBook Air Apple announced yesterday.

This new 15-inch MacBook uses the same M2 chip as the 13-inch model that launched last fall, and this chip includes an 8-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and up to 24GB of unified memory. Apple also promises up to 18 hours of battery life, the same as on the 13-inch MacBook Air.

The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display on the new 15” MacBook Air offers a 2880×1864 resolution and up to 500 nits of brightness. However, it doesn’t support the adaptive refresh rate technology that’s available on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.

Apple says its 15-inch MacBook Air is the thinnest 15-inch laptop (image credit: Apple)Apple says that its new 15-inch MacBook Air is the thinnest 15-inch laptop with a 0.45 inch (1.15 cm) height, and it also weighs just 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg). However, the port selection is quite limited with just two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, one MagSafe port for charging, and a headphone jack.

This new 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1299, and the 13-inch model has seen its price cut to $1099. The M1 model from 2020 also remains available at $999.

Overall, Apple’s Mac lineup in 2023 is pretty solid, and Apple Silicon Macs have become good Windows machines now that Microsoft recognizes Parallels Desktop for Mac as a supported scenario for running Windows 11. You can actually get better Windows performance with an Apple Silicon Mac than you would with a Windows on ARM workstation powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 chip.

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Microsoft has released a new zoom controls feature in preview for Microsoft Teams. This update allows participants to zoom in and out while viewing content on a shared screen in Teams meetings and calls.

Up until now, Microsoft Teams only allowed meeting attendees to use pinch to zoom gesture on trackpads or other shortcuts to view content such as Excel Spreadsheets or PowerPoint presentations. The new zoom controls should be a welcome addition for people with low vision or visual impairment.

“Users in a Teams call or meeting will now see new buttons to zoom in, zoom out and restore the original size of the incoming screen share. This will greatly enhance the experience of users viewing screen share,” the Office Insider team explained.

To try out zoom controls, IT admins will have to sign up for the Microsoft Teams public preview program. They will need to configure an update policy in the Microsoft Teams admin center. However, keep in mind that meeting participants will not be able to view zoom controls while using the watermarking feature during Teams meetings.

Microsoft Teams zoom controls available for desktop and web usersAs of this writing, the feature is only available in the Microsoft Teams app for Windows, macOS, and web app. It remains to be seen if Microsoft plans to add zoom controls to the Teams mobile clients.

In related news, Microsoft is getting ready to make the new Teams 2.0 client the default experience on Windows later this year. Last week, Microsoft Product Lead for Teams 2.0 Anupam Pattnaik confirmed in the first episode of Petri’s UnplugIT podcast that the app is also coming in preview to macOS, the web, and other platforms later this year.

Microsoft Teams 2.0 debuted in public preview on Windows back in March 2023. The app has been rebuilt from the ground up to improve performance and reduce power consumption on Windows devices.

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Microsoft plans to redirect all users with unsupported browsers to the light version of the Outlook web app. The company has now started notifying IT admins that this change will begin rolling out to customers in Fall 2023.

Microsoft Outlook Lite is a version of the regular Outlook web app with faster performance for low-end devices on any network. The app provides basic email features compared to the standard version of Outlook. The Outlook Lite app lacks support for tasks and notes, an offline mode, multiple Exchange email accounts, inbox rules, retention policies, and other capabilities.

With this change, web users will legacy browsers will be automatically redirected to the Outlook Lite app. Microsoft explained that this change aims to align the Outlook web app with the minimum browser support requirements of Microsoft 365 web apps.

“This initial communication is to notify customers that starting in Fall 2023 (September 2023), users using unsupported bowsers will be redirect to the light version of Outlook on the web. This will align with the experience with other Microsoft 365 web applications,” Microsoft explained in a message on the Microsoft 365 Admin center.

Microsoft to roll out Outlook web app browser restriction in September 2023Microsoft notes that this change will impact customers who use unsupported web browsers, including Brave and Opera. The company warned that it could potentially cause disruptions for both small businesses and organizations. Microsoft recommends IT admins to upgrade their fleet of devices to a supported browser (like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari).

Alternatively, users who can’t switch to a supported browser can use Outlook for Windows or the Outlook mobile app. They can also use an email program that provides support for the POP or IMAP protocols.

Microsoft plans to begin rolling out this restriction to all targeted release tenants in September of this year. The company expects to complete the deployment process worldwide in November 2023. Let us know in the comments below if you’re using unsupported browsers in your organizations.

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As an IT Pro, it is crucial to your organization to make sure that your users receive legitimate emails. Sometimes, Exchange Online Protection (EOP) can flag these emails as spam. Safely creating whitelists for specific domains/email addresses allows you to efficiently manage email flow in your organization and protect your users from malicious activity. In this guide, I will show you how to whitelist a domain in Office 365 using a mail flow rule, the Microsoft 365 Defender portal, and PowerShell.

Why you may need to whitelist a domain in Office 365? A typical scenario encountered by IT pros managing Exchange Online is to have users complain that important emails are “hiding” in their ‘Junk Email’ folder in Outlook. There are two main reasons why this can occur:

1. Users have configured Outlook’s Junk Mail Options feature and added the sender’s email address or entire domain to the Blocked Senders tab.
2. The Exchange Online Protection (EOP) feature that comes with the Exchange Online service has flagged the email as spam using Microsoft’s score-based algorithm. You can determine this by doing a Message Trace in the Exchange Admin Center. The log entry will show the final status as ‘FilteredAsSpam.’

The first reason is specifically tied to the Outlook desktop application. The important point is that the feature only works when Outlook is open.

I will be covering the second reason here in this post. Before the email ever gets to the user’s mailbox, the protection service acts on the email. It puts it directly in the ‘Junk Email’ folder, so the email is never delivered to the user’s Inbox folder. So, in terms of email flow, this occurs before the email enters Outlook.

In order to avoid these legitimate emails being delivered to ‘Junk Email’ folders, we can create a whitelist rule or change in the Microsoft 365 service. However, you must be careful to choose the best and most secure method. In some cases, configuration changes will open the door to spammers and malicious actors to exploit the settings you modify. I will go through the security aspect of each method below.

Should users create their own whitelists?Well, not really. The main reason I say that is because it’s not nearly as effective. As I said earlier, when users create whitelists, they’re setting up what’s called client-side rules. This means that the Outlook desktop application itself is processing the user’s Inbox only when it’s open and running. If there happens to be an issue with Outlook, this processing will not occur.

The advantage of using the methods in this post is that they create server-side rules. That means that they process before any emails enter a user’s mailbox, period. It’s simply safer that way. And, more efficient – it simply happens automatically behind the scenes.

How to whitelist a domain in Office 365 using a mail flow ruleArguably, the most secure method of allowing an email address or domain to bypass spam filtering is to create a Mail Flow Rule in Exchange Online. However, there are very important settings you need to understand.

• First, navigate to the Exchange Admin Center.
• On the left, expand Mail flow, then click on Rules.

The Exchange Admin Center is where we’ll create our mail flow rule (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Click the + Add a rule button and choose Bypass spam filtering*.

Setting up the rule conditions (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Write a brief description in the ‘Name‘ field. * For the ‘Apply this rule if‘ field, choose ‘The sender.’ Next to that, choose ‘domain is‘ from the dropdown menu. A new screen will open up. * In the ‘specify domain‘ field, enter the domain name and click Add, then click Save*.

Adding our email domain name (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Next, click the + button to add another condition. Choose ‘The message headers…‘, then ‘includes any of these words’, and type in ‘dmarc=pass‘. The rest should be good! * The ‘Set rule settings’ screen should be fine. You can make adjustments as you see fit. Click Next*.

The Set rule settings page (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) On the Review and finish screen, click Done*.

Our email transport rule is created! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)That’s all there is to it. Here’s the crucial part – adding the check in the message headers for a passing grade for DMARC and authentication! If you don’t put those checks in, the rule opens a relatively large hole for hackers to exploit it. Potential attackers can send malicious emails to your organization by spoofing that domain, bypassing your critical security checks and balances.

How to whitelist a domain in Office 365 using Microsoft 365 DefenderAnother relatively safe method to whitelist a domain in Office 365 is to use Microsoft 365 Defender. Here, we’ll update the default anti-spam inbound policy.

• To get there, open the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.
• Browse to Email & collaboration -> Policies & rules -> Threat policies -> Anti-spam policies.

The Anti-spam policies section is where we will modify our default policy (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Click on the Anti-spam inbound policy (Default) item. This will allow you to make changes. * Scroll all the way down to the ‘Allowed and blocked senders and domain‘ section and click the link titled Edit allowed and blocked senders and domains*.

At the bottom of the policy is where we add our email domain (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Here, you will find the policy graciously offers some helpful granularity. It allows you to enter an email address or domain to allow (options 1 and 2), as well as an email address or domain to block (options 3 and 4). Let’s choose Allow domains*.

We’ll click ‘Allow domains’ to add our domain (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Here, I will click on the ‘+ Add domains‘ button, then I’ll enter the domain in the ‘Domain‘ field and click Add domains* at the bottom.

We use the Manage allowed domains window to add our domain (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Then, I’ll click Done again at the bottom. Finally, click Save. * We can now see there is one domain added to the Allowed domains* section of the policy!

We now have one domain added (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)How to whitelist a domain in Office 365 by IP addressGranularity strikes again! We are also able to whitelist a connection by using its IP Address. When an email is inbound from the Internet and it routes through your tenant, Exchange Online (EXO) will check the IP Address of the sending SMTP server.

This is not commonly used and can sometimes be spoofed. However, there are business cases where this is the easiest way to always allow emails into your employee’s Inbox folders. Again, we’ll be using the Microsoft 365 Defender portal here.

• Navigate to the same location – Email & collaboration -> Policies & rules -> Threat policies -> Anti-spam policies.
• This time, click on Connection filter policy (Default).

This time we’re editing the ‘Connection filter policy (Default)’ (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Next, click the Edit connection filter policy link. * In the ‘Always allow messages from the following IP addresses or address range:‘ field, go ahead and type in either individual IP addresses or IP ranges using standard notation (152.4.45.179, 8.6.4.0/24, etc.) * Click Save*.

That’s all there is to it!

How to whitelist a domain in Office 365 using PowerShellI hope you didn’t think I would forget PowerShell! You’ll probably be amazed at how simple it is to make a similar change with one command.

Let’s go through the steps to add another email domain to the default anti-spam policy.

• Once you’ve connected to Exchange Online, start by entering this command. This gives us the ‘Name’ of the policy we modified earlier -‘Default‘.

Get-HostedContentFilterPolicy Using Get-HostedContentFilterPolicy to see the name of our default policy (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* We can now use the associated ‘Set-‘ command to add another domain. Watch this.

Set-HostedContentFilterPolicy -Identity 'Default' -AllowedSenderDomains 'secondinvestments.com' With one command we can add another email domain to our policy (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Now, THAT was easy. Instead of browsing all around the GUI of the Microsoft 365 Defender website, you can run that simple command to whitelist a domain in Office 365.

You should only whitelist domains that you trustWhitelisting a domain in Office 365 is an excellent and effective way to ensure that specific emails are not filtered as spam. This can be useful if you receive emails from a specific domain that are frequently marked as spam. Once you have whitelisted a domain, this will no longer happen.

It is important to note that whitelisting a domain can also increase your risk of receiving spam. This is because spammers can often spoof the sender’s address, making it appear as if the email is coming from a legitimate domain. If you whitelist a domain that is being used to send spam, you may end up receiving more spam!

For this reason, it is important to only whitelist domains that you trust. You should also regularly review your whitelisted domains and remove any that are no longer needed.

Please feel free to leave a comment below – thank you for reading!

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Microsoft has announced some important changes coming to Server Message Block (SMB) signing on Windows 11 Enterprise edition. Starting with the latest Windows 11 Insider Canary Build, SMB signing is now required by default for all connections.

Server Message Block is a client-server communication protocol that allows users to share access to resources such as files, printers, and serial ports on a network or remote servers. Meanwhile, SMB signing is a security feature in Windows that adds a digital signature to authenticate communication between the client and server.

Microsoft explained that the SMB signing requirement changes should help to protect Windows 11 users against NTLM relay attacks. The SMB signing feature is designed to prevent threat actors from tempering SMB packets during data transmission.

“This changes legacy behavior, where Windows 10 and 11 required SMB signing by default only when connecting to shares named SYSVOL and NETLOGON and where Active Directory domain controllers required SMB signing when any client connected to them. This is part of a campaign to improve the security of Windows and Windows Server for the modern landscape,” explained Microsoft Principal Program Manager Ned Pyle.

Source: MicrosoftSMB signing requirement changes could impact performanceMicrosoft notes that the upcoming changes could potentially impact the performance of SMB copy operations on Windows 11 PCs. Users will be able to address the problem by buying a faster CPU or adding more CPU cores/virtual CPUs.

Additionally, Microsoft warned that users might encounter errors (such as 0xc000a000 and -1073700864) while connecting to a remote share on a third-party SMB server that lacks support for the SMB signing capability. The company recommends customers to configure the feature on the third-party SMB server.

IT Pros can disable SMB signing on Windows 11However, it will be up to the IT admins to turn off the SMB signing requirement in server and client connectors. To do this, they will need to run the following PowerShell commands:

• Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false
• Set-SmbServerConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false

Microsoft plans to roll out the new default change for SMB signing to Windows 11 Education, Pro, and other editions as well as Windows Server later this year. “Depending on how things go in Insiders, it will then start to appear in major releases,” Pyle added. You can find more details about the change on Microsoft’s support page.

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MC566393 – Microsoft has released updates to the following update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps:

• Current Channel

When this will happen:

Microsoft will be gradually rolling out this update of Microsoft 365 Apps to users on that update channel starting June 1st, 2023 (PST).

How this will affect your organization:

If your Microsoft 365 Apps clients are configured to automatically update from the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN), then no action is required.

If you manage updates directly you can now download this latest update and begin deployment.

What you need to do to prepare:

To get more details about this update view the following release notes:

• Current Channel

Additional information

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Microsoft has started rolling out a new search experience in preview to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac. The new feature should make it easier for users to find information across multiple sources.

According to Microsoft, the revamped search experience offers smart search suggestions to help users improve productivity and save time. Users can also search for web results, commands, help articles, and commands.

Microsoft has also released some enhancements for people with low vision or blindness. These include better keyboard navigation within groups and VoiceOver support in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac.

How the new search experience works in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac Open a presentation, document, or worksheet. Click the Search box and select the search suggestions option. Now, type the phrase or keyword in the Search* box. * Users can also type the command name in the Search box to find it.

• Click the Find in this document option to find specific information within the file.
• Finally, users can click the Open Search pane to find web or media results in any document, presentation, or worksheet.

Additionally, Microsoft notes that Office users can access the improved search experience through keyboard shortcuts. Users can use them to open the search pane (Cmd + Ctrl + L), search dropdown (Cmd + Ctrl + U), and find content in the document (Cmd + F).

Enhanced search experience available for Office InsidersTo try out the new search experience, users will need to join the Office Insider program. This capability is available for testers in the Beta Channel running Version 16.74 (Build 23043001) or newer. The feature is also available for users who have installed Microsoft Office 2021 on their devices.

Last week, Microsoft announced the general availability of Outlook, Edge, Power Apps, and Viva Engage on shared devices. The feature is designed to let frontline workers securely access apps on all shared Android devices enrolled via Microsoft Intune.

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In this article, I will explain how to auto login Windows 10 to reach the desktop environment without having to enter a username and password. I’ll also outline the pros and cons associated with configuring auto login on this version of Windows.

What is auto login on Windows 10?Windows 10 provides robust security features to help users to protect their personal data, including the protection of user accounts by passwords. It’s generally not recommended to remove a password for a Windows device that is being used by an individual. However, configuring Windows to provide a passwordless experience could be appropriate in specialized cases, such as kiosk PCs with multiple users.

Windows auto login is a feature that automatically signs a user into a Windows 10 PC without entering a username and password. It enables users to bypass the login screen and directly access the specified user’s desktop.

What are the advantages of setting up Windows 10 auto login?There are a few reasons you may want to set up the auto login on Windows 10. Let’s have a quick overview of some of the main benefits of this feature, though keep in mind that auto login should be used with caution.

User convenienceAuto login eliminates the need to manually enter credentials to log in to a user account during system startup on Windows 10. The feature could be particularly useful for users who don’t share their PC with anyone else. Bear in mind that unless you can guarantee the physical security of the device, enabling auto login could put your account and data at risk.

Streamlined boot processThe auto login feature allows users to start up and reach their Windows desktops more quickly. This can be useful if you don’t want to be bothered after your PC restarted to install system updates.

Task automationWith auto login, it’s possible to automate specific processes and tasks that require the computer system to be logged in. The feature helps to ensure that scripts or programs run at startup without any user intervention.

AccessibilityAuto login provides an efficient and seamless user experience for people with physical disabilities. It lets them get quick access to Windows 10 without requiring assistance from others during the login process.

How to enable auto login on Windows 10There are a couple of ways to configure auto login on Windows 10. The first method is suitable for those using Windows 10 in a small office setup or at home. The second method I’ll be detailing is recommended for domain-joined Windows 10 devices. In large business environments, user credentials are centrally stored in Active Directory and managed by the IT department.

Method 1: Configure User Accounts settings First, log in to the local Administrator account. Open the Run command box by pressing the Windows key + R. * Type netplwiz in the Open field and click the OK* button. Netpwliz is a built-in utility tool for managing user accounts

Opening the Netpwliz utility tool (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Select the Users tab and uncheck the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box. Click OK* at the bottom of the window.

(Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) In the pop up window, enter the user name and password to disable password protection. * Finally, click the OK* button and restart the device.

Last step for disabling password protection (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen)That’s it, users will now be able to sign in on this PC without having to enter a username and password.

Method 2: Configure auto login for computers connected to a domainThe process to enable auto login is slightly different on domain-joined computers due to additional security measures and policies enforced by the domain.

• Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box, then type regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor:

Opening the Registry Editor (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon * Select Winlogon, and then locate the AutoAdminLogon registry value in the right pane. * Double-click AutoAdminLogon, then change the value data from 0 to 1 and click OK*.

Confirming the registry change (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) If the AutoAdminLogon value isn’t available, users may need to create it manually. To do this, click Edit >> New >> String Value. Enter AutoAdminLogon in the Value name and type 1 in the Value data field. Click OK* when you’re done.

Lastly, you’ll need to reboot the Windows 10 PC after performing this registry change. Now, you’ll need to follow the steps outlined in method 1 to allow users to sign in on this PC without having to enter a username and password.

Is it safe to auto login Windows 10 devices?Keep in mind that while auto login provides various time-saving benefits, it’s important to consider all the security and usability implications. With auto login configured, anyone with physical access to the computer can access sensitive data stored on it, or install malware. In general, it’s highly recommended to not configure auto login on Windows PCs devices that are often used away from a home or office.

Moreover, keep in mind that auto login makes switching between multiple accounts a more cumbersome process. Users will need to log out and then manually log in to the other account on that device.

Overall, the auto login feature provides a seamless user experience and helps to save some extra time and effort. However, it’s recommended that users should carefully evaluate their specific usage of the device, the level of required security, and the sensitivity of data stored on the PC before implementing it.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of Conditional Access authentication strength policies for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). The new feature allows IT admins to choose which multifactor authentication (MFA) methods can be used while accessing network resources.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security feature that allows customers to use two or more methods of verification to prove their identity and gain access to a system. It helps to protect users against cyberattacks such as password guessing and credential theft.

How Conditional Access authentication strength feature works?Azure Active Directory Conditional Access feature already lets organizations enforce specific access controls based on predefined conditions to protect data and resources. The Authentication Strength feature provides an additional level of protection by allowing IT Pros to mention the type of MFA methods that should be used.

“With Conditional Access authentication strength, administrators can define a minimum level of authentication strength required for access, based on factors such as the user’s sign-in risk level or the sensitivity of the resource being accessed. This can be especially useful for organizations that operate in highly regulated industries or have strict compliance requirements,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft notes that customers can choose between three built-in Authentication Strength methods such as Temporary Access Pass or password. They can also choose to set up custom authentication strength policies based on specific needs.

• MFA strength: It’s the set of combinations (like Microsoft Authenticator and Certificate-based authentication) that could be used to meet the “Require multifactor authentication” setting.
• Passwordless MFA strength: It supports authentication techniques that don’t require a password but satisfy the MFA requirements.
• Phishing-resistant MFA strength: It’s a set of techniques that require communication between the sign-in surface and the authentication method. For example, the FIDO2 security key and Windows Hello for Business.

Conditional Access authentication strength requirementsThe authentication strength feature could help organizations to address various scenarios. For instance, a user needs to access an application or take sensitive action within the app. Moreover, IT admins can configure the feature to let guest users securely access the resource tenant.

Microsoft notes that IT admins will have to purchase an Azure AD Premium P1 license to use Conditional Access within their organization. Customers will also need to configure combined MFA and SSPR registration. This capability is already in place for all Azure AD tenants created before August 15th, 2020.

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As a true Power Platform guy, I watched the breaking headlines from Microsoft Build 2023 last month and came away with 2 words to caption the bulk of it: Copilot Everywhere! Microsoft’s powerful AI service is making its way into various Power Platform and Microsoft 365 products. Imagine having an intelligent assistant at your fingertips that integrates with the tools you’ve grown comfortable using and the data that drives your company? That’s what Microsoft is trying to achieve with its various Copilot announcements.

Copilot integration with Power Platform products The new Copilot for Power Pages is designed to assist with copy-editing and text and layout generation using natural language prompts. You’ll even be able to embed a Power Virtual Agent (PVA) chatbot into your Power Pages that uses natural language models to have a more free-flowing conversation with your site visitors. What is truly amazing about Copilot’s integration into our favorite and even lesser-used products is that it can take your prompt and help you to build the solution you want, even if you don’t necessarily have the time or know-how to build it yourself.

The Microsoft 365 Copilot, which is currently available in private preview, will be able to sit over all your data, and then you will interact with it just like prompting ChatGPT or Bing Chat. However, there’s a distinction here I don’t want you to miss: We’re traditionally trained to think of these AI assistants as natural-language search engines. It used to be that you would type in a keyword to a search engine, and it would bring up the top matching websites or documents.

However, as AI assistants have begun popping up, there’s more to them than just keyword searches, because the AI understands the data around the matches it comes up with. And on top of that, it isn’t just parsing through documents and files looking for matching metadata: It can crawl through your data tables and understand more about your data, then take relevant action based on that data. This is what revolutionizes the platform.

Along with the Copilot integration into Power Automate, Power Automate’s flow design studio is finally getting a facelift. Obviously, the Copilot stuff is great. Being able to describe in natural language what I want my flow to do, and then let Copilot do the heavy lifting in assembling the pieces to make that happen is exactly what I wanted an AI assistant in Power Automate to do. But in addition to that, the larger Expression editor brought a tear to my eye.

If there’s a jaw-dropping feature to top all jaw-dropping features in these announcements, Copilot for PVA chatbots just might be the one. Not only do I love the idea of using a natural language prompt to help me build my chatbot, but that chatbot being automatically powered by the new language models and being able to interact with both my customers and my company data has me blown away by just how simple yet effective it is.

Copilot in Power Virtual Agents (image credit: Microsoft)New Power Apps Homescreen, starting templates, and start from ExcelThe Power Apps home screen got a facelift as part of Microsoft’s Build 2023 announcements. This new home screen is designed to make getting started with Power Apps easier for everyone. It does so by breaking out the home screen into 3 starting points, “Start with Data”, “Start with Page Design”, and “Start with app template”.

The standout feature under the “Start with Data” section is the innovative “Upload an Excel file” option. With a few clicks, you can transform your static Excel data into a dynamic Power App. The process is as straightforward as it is ingenious.

Once you’ve selected your Excel file to upload, the system retrieves the data and presents a preview of a Dataverse table based on the information from your spreadsheet. This step gives you a visual representation of how your data will be structured and allows for adjustments to ensure it fits your needs perfectly.

After any necessary modifications, hitting “Create App” brings your data to life. The system generates a Dataverse table from your data, seamlessly importing all your Excel information into this table. But the magic doesn’t stop there.

In the next stage, a responsive Power App is built automatically to work harmoniously with your newly created Dataverse table. This entire process, from Excel upload to app creation, happens in a blink – mere seconds. The result is a robust, personalized application, ready for you to explore and utilize.

This new feature epitomizes the spirit of Power Apps: transforming data handling from a mundane task into an exciting journey of discovery and innovation. If you want a walkthrough of how to use the new Excel feature, you can check out my demo video.

Custom Dataverse plugins When you’ve got complex operations that you need to automate, you’re probably accustomed to going to Power Automate for a flow or even putting custom code into an Azure Function. However, with custom Dataverse plugins, you can write out these operations using PowerFX, the same code base powering your Power Apps and Virtual Agents, and keep it all within the Dataverse platform.

The power of these plugins isn’t relegated to those super nerdy cases, though. Remember how Microsoft really wants us to stop putting hundreds of lines of variables and collection initializations in our App OnStart property? Guess what, custom Dataverse plugins make for a very powerful alternative, allowing you to offload all that data to the server and really streamline your app loading process.

A new era of AI assistance and collaborationThere is so much that Microsoft announced at Build for us Power Platform fans to get excited about. Copilot is a major piece, but it isn’t the only one. I’ve highlighted just a few of my favorite announcements in this article.

One thing that I kept thinking through all of them is that we’re witnessing a new era of AI assistance and collaboration. With Copilot seamlessly integrated into various Power Platform products, users are empowered to unleash their creativity and achieve their desired outcomes, even without extensive technical expertise.

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Microsoft has discovered a new macOS vulnerability dubbed Migraine. The company detailed in its security advisory that the flaw allows attackers to bypass System Integrity Protection (SIP) and perform malicious operations on macOS machines.

Apple first launched System Integrity Protection (SIP) in macOS Yosemite back in 2014. The feature is designed to prevent threat actors from making any changes to important system files and folders on Mac devices. System Integrity Protection (SIP) helps users to block unwanted modifications that could impact the system’s stability and security.

According to Microsoft, the “Migraine” security vulnerability (CVE-2023-32369) exploits the Migration Assistant app that lets users transfer files from Windows to macOS. Microsoft’s researchers used an Apple script that caused the tool to import a malicious Time Machine backup and infect the host system.

“By focusing on system processes that are signed by Apple and have the com.apple.rootless.install.heritable entitlement, we found two child processes that could be tampered with to gain arbitrary code execution in a security context that bypasses SIP checks,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team explained.

Apple releases patches to fix the Migraine vulnerability on macOSMicrosoft warned that the security flaw could be used to gain physical access to sensitive data, computer accessories, and devices. The technique shares similarities with the method employed in 2021 to exploit the Shrootless vulnerability. Microsoft disclosed the vulnerability to Apple, which released a security update to mitigate it on May 18.

Microsoft emphasized that organizations should use security tools (such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint) to monitor malicious activities. Additionally, Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management helps to quickly detect and fix critical vulnerabilities. Microsoft also recommends that security teams should collaborate with vendors to prioritize security patching.

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Microsoft has detailed all the improvements made to its Teams collaboration service in May 2023. The major highlights include a new active speaker view, 3D avatars, offline meetings, as well as management and security features. Here’s a look at everything you need to know.

Active speaker view for Microsoft Teams meetingsMicrosoft Teams has introduced a new Speaker View for both desktop and web users. The feature enables participants to easily track active speakers during Teams meetings. The meeting stage will prominently display the active speaker and shared content at the center, while the remaining participants will be shown at the top. Speaker View could be particularly useful for training sessions, town hall meetings, and lectures.

Last week, Microsoft released a new avatars feature in the Teams desktop client for Windows and macOS. The feature is only available for organizations with Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise licenses. Microsoft Teams is also getting a new meeting recap experience that lets attendees view shared content, meeting notes, and transcripts. Other features include organizer support for Breakout Rooms on VDI and control for profanity filters in Live Captions.

Expanded view for profile cardMicrosoft released some enhancements to improve the profile card in Microsoft Teams. Just like Microsoft Outlook, the feature allows users to view contact details, organizational chart, LinkedIn tab, birthday, and other relevant information. It’s now possible for Microsoft Teams users to schedule offline (in-person) meetings, including lunch breaks and personal appointments.

Additionally, Microsoft Teams added a new Files experience that lets users search content shared in chats, channels, and meetings. The new app makes it easier for meeting attendees to discover and locate files without switching between Microsoft 365 apps. Moreover, Microsoft Teams users will see a new Notes tab while creating a new standard channel.

Updates coming to Microsoft Teams Rooms and devicesMicrosoft detailed a few new features and enhancements for Teams Rooms devices. First, IT admins can manage automatic firmware updates for Android devices via the Teams Admin Center. Furthermore, administrators can choose to pre-configure meeting layout controls for Teams Rooms on Android.

Microsoft also highlighted some new devices certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms. These include Yealink MCore Pro Kit, Shure Microflex Advance MXA902, Jabra Evolve2 30 and 40 Stereo headsets, and New Epos wireless headsets.

Microsoft adds new management and security featuresLast but not least, Microsoft released a couple of new management features for IT admins. They can configure a new setting that prevents anonymous users from accessing meeting chat via the Teams Admin Center or PowerShell. Microsoft introduced a new widget that lets IT Pros quickly view unspent Microsoft Azure consumption commitment (MACC) in the Teams Admin Center.

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Last month was packed with Windows announcements as Windows 11 did get a lot of stage time during Microsoft’s annual Build developer conference. With Windows Copilot, Microsoft will integrate a new AI assistant into the OS, and Windows Insiders will get to test it first later this month.

The software giant also made various announcements for Windows developers including Dev Home, a new developer-focused experience that’s now available in preview. The company also detailed what to expect from the upcoming “Moment 3” update for Windows 11 that’s coming in June.

May 2023 Patch Tuesday added a new Windows Update toggleLast month’s Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 version 22H2 introduced a new toggle in Windows Update that lets users get the latest non-security updates, fixes, and improvements as soon as they roll out. This toggle is disabled by default on managed devices.

Windows 11’s “Moment 3” update is coming soon Windows 11 is getting another “Moment” update this spring. The optional update for Windows 11 version 22H2 released on May 24 already includes some of the upcoming “Moment 3” features, such as support for Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) audio.

This month, Microsoft will start rolling out the rest of the “Moment 3” quality of life updates, and there’s quite a lot: Highlights include a new VPN status icon in the system tray, the option to display seconds in the system tray clock, new access key shortcuts in File Explorer, live kernel memory dump (LKD) collection in Task Manager, new presence sensor privacy settings, and a new limit of 20 most recent tabs in Alt + Tab and Snap Assist.

Phone Link for iOS is Now Available for All Windows 11 UsersMicrosoft announced on May 15 that Phone Link for iOS was now available for all Windows 11 users in 85 markets. iPhone owners can now use the Phone Link app to send and receive text messages, make and receive phone calls, and see contacts and iPhone notifications right from their Windows 11 PC.

Phone Link for iOS is now available for all Windows 11 users (image credit: Microsoft).Microsoft Gets Ready to Push Windows 10 Version 22H2 to All UsersWith Windows 10 version 21H2 reaching end of servicing this month, Microsoft announced last month that it will soon start pushing Windows 10 version 22H2 to consumers and non-managed business devices that are approaching end of servicing.

Windows driver and firmware updates are coming to IntuneIT pros will soon be able to manage Windows driver and firmware updates in Intune. This will allow admins to get more granular controls for optional drivers and firmware updates, access detailed reporting, and take advantage of an integration with Windows Autopatch.

Build 2023 announcementsWindows Copilot was one of the main announcements Microsoft made during its Build 2023 developer conference, but there was much more.

Windows Copilot for Windows 11 is Coming in JuneWindows 11 will be the first OS to get an AI-powered personal assistant that will integrate with Microsoft 365. Windows Copilot is expected to be much more capable than Cortana, and it will also be able to connect with third-party services using plugins. Microsoft said that the new Windows Copilot will be available for Insiders in preview on June 11.

New Dev Home app launches in previewDev Home is a new developer-focused app that’s now available in preview on Windows 11. The app streamlines the configuration of WinGet, GitHub, and other coding environments in the cloud using Microsoft Dev Box and GitHub Codespace.

The new Dev Home app (image credit: Microsoft)GitHub Copilot X integration into Windows TerminalWindows Terminal, Microsoft’s new command line tool now integrates with GitHub Copilot X. This allows developers to natural language to interact with an AI to recommend commands, explain errors, and more. Microsoft also announced that it’s planning to Microsoft is also planning to integrate its GitHub Copilot with other developer tools including WinDBG.

Native support for .rar and other archive formatsWindows 11 is getting native support for the rar, tar, 7-zip, gz, and other archive formats later this year. The company will be leveraging the libarchive open-source project to implement this functionality.

Windows on ARM updates for developersMicrosoft continues its push to make Windows on ARM a better platform for developers. Visual Studio 17.6 will soon add MAUI support for ARM-based devices. Moreover, the ARM version of Visual Studio 17.71 Preview 1 also added support for Linux development with C++.

Windows Insider updatesIf the new Windows Copilot won’t be available for Insiders until June 11, Microsoft started testing several new features with Canary, Dev, and Beta channel testers last month.

New Dev Drive and Windows Backup AppThe Windows 11 Insider build 23466 released on the Dev Channel on May 24 lets developers set up a new Dev Drive on an existing drive or a virtual hard disk. Dev Drive leverages Resilient File System (ReFS) technology to improve performance for developer workloads.

This build also introduced a new Windows Backup app that lets users back up their PC settings (pinned app preferences, Wi-Fi networks, and other passwords) to the cloud. These settings can be restored on a new Windows 11 PC running the Windows 11 build 23466 during the out-of-box experience.

The new Windows Backup app (Image credit: Microsoft)vTPM Support in Hyper-V for Windows on ARM VMsThe Windows 11 Insider build 25370 released for Canary Channel testers on May 22 also brought support for virtual TPM 2.0 chips in Hyper-V on Windows on ARM devices. As a result, Windows 10 on ARM virtual machines created with Hyper-V can now be upgraded to Windows 11.

That’s it for the biggest Windows updates announced throughout the month of May. Again, we should have a lot to write about this month with the first preview of Windows Copilot expected to be released for Insiders on June 11.

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MC564198 – The latest version of Teams Rooms on Windows app 4.17 update includes new in-meeting experiences including:

• Breakout room support
• Choose your Together Mode scene and select it for everyone

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 95680, 126105

When this will happen:
Microsoft will begin rolling out in mid-June and expect to complete rollout by late July.

How this will affect your organization:

Breakout room support:

Teams Rooms on Windows can participate in a breakout room and be moved in and out of the main meeting, depending on a meeting organizer’s control. Breakout room organization is not intended experience for Teams rooms and is not offered.

1) Join a breakout room

• When an organizer turns ON the ‘Automatically move people to rooms’ setting, room users see the ‘We’ll move you to your assigned room in 10 seconds’ notification.
• When an organizer turns OFF ‘Automatically move people to rooms’ setting

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2) Return to the main meeting

• When an organizer turns ON ‘Automatically move people to rooms’ setting, room users see the ‘We’ll move you back to the main meeting in 10 seconds’ notification.
• When an organizer turns ON ‘Automatically move people to rooms’ setting:

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Choose your Together Mode scene and select it for everyone:

• Teams Rooms on Windows can now choose a Together Mode scene that fits your meeting type, using the view switcher on console.
• When your Teams Rooms on Windows is an organizer or presenter, you can have all of the participants see the same scene by clicking the ‘Select for everyone’ checkbox and ‘Apply’ button.

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What you need to do to prepare:

Kindly notify your users about this new experience and update your training and documentation as appropriate.

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MC564197 – Adoption Score in the Microsoft 365 admin center will soon be enabled by default without the need to opt-in before first use. If you want to opt-out, you can still navigate to the Adoption Score dashboard and opt-out of the experience. Adoption Score continues to be backed by Microsoft’s commitment to user-level privacy.

When will this happen:

Adoption Score within the Microsoft admin center will be enabled by default ON for all worldwide tenants beginning June 28, 2023.

How will this affect my organization

For organizations that do not have Adoption Score enabled, Microsoft is providing the capability for organizations to manage preferences to opt-in or opt-out ahead of default enablement of Adoption Score through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. For organizations that have already chosen to opt-in or opt-out of Adoption Score, there will be no change.

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What you need to do to prepare:

Visit this page to learn how to opt-out of Adoption Score.

Learn more about Adoption Score here:

• Adoption Score Supporting Documentation
• Privacy Controls for Adoption Score
• Adoption Score Overview Video

Additional informationHelp and supportBlog

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MC564196 – Users can soon select a playlist to be displayed in the list webpart in the full-blown playlist view along with video playback.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 124808

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out in early June 2023 and expect to complete rollout by late June 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

• Users will be able to select a playlist from the list picker while configuring the list webpart.
• Users will be able to see the full-blown playlist view as the default view for playlists.

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What you need to do to prepare:

There is no action required at this time, this change will be enabled automatically.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of cross-tenant synchronization for Azure Active Directory customers. The new feature allows IT admins to automate the creation of user accounts across tenants in their organization.

Microsoft launched the public preview of cross-tenant synchronization for Azure AD back in January. Cross-tenant synchronization helps to save the time and effort previously required to manage consent prompts and redemption process in Azure AD B2B collaboration.

“Cross-tenant synchronization automates creating, updating, and deleting B2B collaboration users. Users created with cross-tenant synchronization are able to access both Microsoft applications (such as Teams and SharePoint) and non-Microsoft applications (such as ServiceNow, Adobe, and many more), regardless of which tenant the apps are integrated with,” Microsoft explained.

Under the hood, the feature uses the Azure AD B2B functionality and provides integration with conditional access, cross-tenant access settings, and other security and governance capabilities. It lets IT admins limit access to content and resources to a specific group of users within the organization. This capability helps to reduce the likelihood of potential administrative errors and security threats.

License requirements for cross-tenant synchronizationAs of this writing, the cross-tenant synchronization feature is only available for commercial cloud customers. Microsoft says that it’s designed to improve intra-organization cross-tenant application access. However, the feature doesn’t support cross-cloud synchronization (such as public cloud to Azure Government).

Keep in mind that customers will need to purchase an Azure AD Premium P1 subscription to access cross-tenant synchronization as a source tenant. Microsoft has detailed three easy steps to configure the feature in Azure AD on this support page.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced that Amazon Security Lake is hitting general availability this week. The new service enables organizations to create a specialized data lake to aggregate, normalize, and store security data.

Security teams often face difficulties in gathering scattered security data within an organization. This is primarily because identity providers, firewalls, and applications each maintain their own event data and logs. It’s time-consuming and costly to create processes to normalize data across multiple sources.

With Amazon Security Lake, customers can store, analyze, and understand the security data coming from both on-premises and cloud infrastructure. The service converts security data into the Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework (OCSF) standard. It should help security engineers quickly identify, investigate and respond to security incidents.

“Security Lake centralizes security data from Amazon Web Services (AWS) environments, software as a service (SaaS) providers, on-premises, and cloud sources into a purpose-built data lake that is stored in your AWS account. With Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework (OCSF) support, the service normalizes and combines security data from AWS and a broad range of security data sources,” Amazon Web Services explained.

What are the use cases of Amazon Security Lake?Amazon Security Lake is designed to help organizations improve their overall security posture. The service also helps to streamline the compliance monitoring and reporting process as well as unify security data management across hybrid environments.

Additionally, Amazon Security Lake aggregates data from different AWS services, like GuardDuty, CloudTrail, AWS Firewall Manager, AWS Security Hub, and Lambda. The service also integrates with various third-party solutions, including SentinelOne, Splunk, Cribl, Aqua Security, Claroty, and Confluent.

Amazon Security Lake expands support for third-party integrationsAWS has introduced support for the latest version of OCSF in Amazon Security Lake. The service normalizes CloudTrail management events into the Authentication, Account Change, and API Activity OCSF event classes. The company has also updated resource names and schema mapping to improve the usability of log data.

If you’re interested, you can sign up for a 15-day free trial to test the Amazon Security Lake solution. The service is currently available for customers in several AWS Regions located in the US, Asia Pacific, Europe, and South America.

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As an IT admin, preventing your users from using simple or known-hacked passwords has become critical for the overall security of your enterprise. An excellent step to take is to plan for and deploy Azure AD Password Protection. In this article, I’ll walk you through installing the Proxy service and DC agent in your on-premises Active Directory, then register them with your Azure Active Directory tenant.

What is Azure AD Password Protection?More often than you want to admit, users in your organization often create passwords using common local words like a birthday, a child’s name, a school, or even a famous person. Because these passwords are easy to guess, they open up your enterprise to hackers and major security risks.

To enforce strong and complex passwords in your environment, Azure AD Password Protection provides a global and automatically downloaded banned password list. A local password change request will fail if a user attempts to use a banned password from the file.

The first steps to implement Azure AD Password Protection include installing the proxy service and domain controller (DC) agent software on a few of your on-premises servers. Then you register these with your Azure Active Directory tenant.

There are two modes that the solution runs in, Audit mode and Enforce mode:

• Audit mode is used to monitor and log infractions from your users changing their passwords.
• After you pilot the software for a while, you can switch to Enforce mode which will block users from changing their passwords with a banned password.

Azure AD Password Protection licensingIs Azure AD Password Protection free? Well, that depends. The two downloads you’ll use (the proxy service and DC agent I mentioned above) are no-cost. The only potential cost is listed in the table below.

If your environment is running on hybrid mode with both Active Directory and Azure AD, you will need either Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 licenses for your users. If you happen to have ‘cloud-only’ users and only wish to use the global banned password list, then there will be no costs for your organization.

Here is a small table that details what specific features require Azure AD Premium license plans.

| Users | Azure AD Password Protection with global banned password list | Azure AD Password Protection with custom banned password list | | --- | --- | --- | | Cloud-only users | Azure AD Free | Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 | | Users synchronized from on-premises AD DS | Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 | Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 |

Licensing details of Azure AD Password ProtectionHow are passwords evaluated with Azure AD Password Protection?If you look at the architectural diagram provided by Microsoft below, you get an idea of how the tool works.

1. A user initiates a password change.
2. The DC agent on one of your domain controllers processes the password filter DLL and sends the request to the proxy service on one of your domain member servers.
3. The DC agent service processes them by using the current password policy and returns a result of pass or fail.

The architecture of Azure AD Password Protection (Image credit: Microsoft)Global banned password listAzure AD Password Protection includes a global banned password list. The content of this list isn’t publicly available, but it’s based on the ongoing results of Azure AD security telemetry and analysis of user passwords utilized in Azure AD.

When a user tries to change their password, the desired password will be checked against this list. This will happen automatically for every Azure AD customer.

Custom banned password listTo offer customers more flexibility on what passwords are allowed in your organization, Azure AD Password Protection also supports custom-banned password lists. These lists work alongside the global list mentioned above to enforce your enterprises’ specific requirements in terms of words that may resemble people, products, headquarter sites, etc.

Users will see an error like these when trying to use one of these custom-banned passwords:

• Unfortunately, your password contains a word, phrase, or pattern that makes your password easily guessable. Please try again with a different password.
• Unfortunately, you can’t use that password because it contains words or characters that have been blocked by your administrator. Please try again with a different password.

Password spray attacks and third-party compromised password listsAnother security threat addressed by Azure AD Password Protection is password spray attacks. The majority of password spray attacks submit only a handful of known insecure passwords against each of the accounts in an organization.

Azure AD Password Protection blocks all known weak passwords likely to be used in these password spray attacks. This is based on real-world security telemetry data from Azure AD to build the aforementioned global banned password list. Because third-party websites that contain millions of compromised passwords are geared towards brute-force methods of invasion, those techniques aren’t the best way to improve overall password strength.

What are the requirements for Azure AD Password Protection? Let’s take a look at the requirements for implementing Azure AD Password Protection. Then I’ll offer some guidance on how to deploy this solution, how many servers to use, how many DCs to install the agents on, and more.

Here are some general Windows Server software requirements from Microsoft to be aware of.

• All machines, including domain controllers, that have Azure AD Password Protection components installed must have the Universal C Runtime installed.
• You need an account that has Active Directory domain administrator privileges in the forest root domain to register the Windows Server Active Directory forest with Azure AD.
• The Key Distribution Service must be enabled on all DCs in the domain that runs Windows Server 2012 and later versions. This service is enabled via a manual trigger start by default
• Network connectivity must exist between at least one domain controller in each domain and at least one server that hosts the proxy service for Azure AD Password Protection. This connectivity must allow the domain controller to access RPC endpoint mapper port 135 and the RPC server port on the proxy service.
• All machines where the Azure AD Password Protection Proxy service will be installed must have network access to https://login.microsoftonline.com for authentication requests and https://enterpriseregistration.windows.net for Azure AD Password Protection functionality.

There are other requirements for the Azure AD Password Protection DC agent and proxy service, and you can check out the support page on Microsoft Learn for more details.

How to implement Azure AD Password ProtectionNow that we have all the requirements fresh in your mind, let’s start with the installation steps. We’ll begin with the proxy service.

Deploying the Azure AD Password Protection proxy serviceThis first install step will typically require at least two member servers in your Active Directory domain. These servers will communicate with Azure AD to maintain a copy of the global and custom banned password lists for your Azure AD tenant.

Note: each server can only provide password policies for a single forest. The server must be joined to the domain. You will also need network connectivity between at least one DC in each domain of the forest and one password protection proxy server.

To install the proxy service, we will first download the software from the Microsoft Download Center.

Here is my Downloads folder on one of my member servers (WS22-FS02).

Downloads folder showing the two downloads for AAD Password Protection (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Let’s double-click on AzureADPasswordProtectionProxySetup.exe. We will check the license terms checkbox and click Install.

Installing the Azure AD Password Protection Proxy Bundle (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)And we’re done!

That was easy! Setup is complete (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)We now turn to PowerShell to finish the setup. Let’s first import the new module that was just installed with the Import-Module command. Then, we will run the Get-Service command to confirm that the service is running.

Import-Module AzureADPasswordProtectionGet-Service AzureADPasswordProtectionProxy | fl Using PowerShell to import the modules (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Next, we need to register the idle proxy with our Azure AD tenant. You will need a Global Administrator account to provision your first proxy service in your tenant. Although various authentication methods are available, let’s go with the most common and do it interactively.

Register-AzureADPasswordProtectionProxy -AccountUpn 'mdreinders@x3v6p.onmicrosoft.com' Registering the proxy in Azure (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)No news is definitely good news. Let’s run a test command and verify the config worked.

Test-AzureADPasswordProtectionProxyHealth -Testall Confirming the prior command registered successfully (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Yes! Looking good so far. Next, we register our on-premises AD forest with the appropriate credentials to communicate with Azure. You will need to use an account with either Global Administrator or Security Administrator rights, Enterprise Administrator AD rights, and an account with local administrator permissions. Yikes.

Register-AzureADPasswordProtectionForest -AccountUpn mdreinders@x3v6p.onmicrosoft.com Doing final checks for all initial configurations (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Again, we’re solid. Let’s move on to the DC agent!

Deploying the Azure AD Password Protection DC agentIf that seemed like a lot of steps, don’t worry. There’s literally a single step for installing the Azure AD Password Protection DC agent.

From the earlier download location, you just need to install the .MSI file and that’s it! I’ve logged into one of my DCs (WS16-DC2) and am double-clicking on the AzureADPasswordProtectionDCAgentSetup.msi file.

Installing the AAD DC agent software (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Let’s check the license agreement box and click Install.

It worked! Setup complete (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)That’s all there is to it! Oh, and a reboot.

Confirming the service is installed and running (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Looks like we’re 5 by 5 (Aliens reference, thank you very much…).

Enabling on-premises Azure AD Password Protection (in Azure)There is one final step. We need to enable this feature in the Azure Active Directory administrative center.

The Azure Portal website (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)On the left navigation, first, click Security -> Authentication methods -> Password protection.

Password Protection features in Azure AD (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)That’s interesting: Here, the Enable password protection on Windows Server Active Directory feature is already enabled and set to Yes. Plus, we are in Audit mode, meaning only banned password change events are logged. Users are NOT blocked… yet. When you switch to Enforce, users WILL be blocked when attempting to change their password from the list.

Using the Custom banned passwords list is as easy as setting that feature to Yes (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Enabling Azure AD Password Protection is worth itThis is a relatively easy-to-install solution that will help you control your users’ security. Implementing the custom banned password list will prevent your users from using common publicly known product names, headquarter sites, and even local sports team names from being used as passwords.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below, and thanks for reading!

The post How to Enable Azure AD Password Protection: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced yesterday that the AI-based intelligent recap feature is now generally available for Microsoft Teams Premium subscribers. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 model, the feature provides an overview of the most important information discussed during Teams meetings.

In Microsoft Teams, the intelligent recap feature can automatically generate meeting notes, recommended tasks, and personalized highlights. Users will also see timeline markers to quickly catch up on what was shared or discussed in the meeting. The feature eliminates the need to switch between apps/screens to view AI-powered insights, including meeting recordings, transcripts, shared content, and more.

“With intelligent recap, you can focus on the meeting discussion itself and not on capturing notes. AI-generated notes allow users to see key points and takeaways after the meeting, automatically created and powered by GPT. And follow-up is easy with AI-generated tasks and action items automatically suggested for you,” Microsoft explained.

The intelligent recap feature also provides a full transcript that highlights the speaker’s contributions in a timeline of topics and chapters. Microsoft Teams users can access intelligent recaps in the new “Recap” tab available in the Teams chat and calendar. The feature respects the organization’s security, privacy, and compliance policies for Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft has also released some enhancements to improve the existing meeting recap experience for all Teams users. “The new meeting recap will also be available on the ‘Recap’ tab and will enable users to watch the meeting recording directly within Teams, as well as provide co-created collaborative meeting notes, meeting transcript, and content shared,” Microsoft added.

Intelligent recap for Microsoft Teams meetings to add support for more languagesOverall, the intelligent recap feature is a welcome addition to the Microsoft Teams Premium plan. It might encourage more businesses to switch to the new premium tier that costs $7 per user per month until June 30th, 2023.

Microsoft notes that most of the intelligent recap capabilities are available starting today. However, some other features are expected to arrive in the next few months. Currently, intelligent recap is only available for Premium subscribers in English, with support for more languages to follow later this year.

The post Microsoft Teams Premium Adds New AI-Powered Intelligent Recap Feature for Meetings appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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The new Microsoft Teams 2.0 client that Microsoft made available in public preview in late March will become the default app for Windows users later this year. Anupam Pattnaik, the Product Lead for Teams 2.0 detailed the company’s plans in the first episode of UnplugIT, our new IT pro podcast hosted by Microsoft veteran Stephen Rose.

Microsoft Teams 2.0 has been rebuilt from the ground up to make it 2x faster and consume fewer resources than the “classic” Teams desktop app. The new Teams 2.0 client leverages the same WebView2 technology that already powers the new Teams for Consumers client that made its debut with Windows 11 last year.

“Right now, the classic Teams is the default because we do not have all the features that we support in classic Teams in the new Teams,” Pattnaik explained. “That’s the reason we have right now classic Teams as the default option, but sometime later this calendar year, we’ll make the new Teams the default option when we have feature parity, and when we feel confident that users can switch to the new Teams.”

Pattnaik also confirmed that the new Teams 2.0 client will launch in preview on non-Windows platforms later this year. “We plan to make the preview of the new Teams available to our Mac, VDI, and web users later this calendar year. We also do plan to roll it out to our other customer segments like EDU, and Government Cloud later this calendar year,” the Product Lead for Teams said.

The new Teams 2.0 client will become the default experience later this yearWhat to expect from the new Microsoft Teams 2.0As of today, IT admins can opt in to test the new Teams client in their organizations. After joining the preview program, end users can switch between the new Teams and the classic app with a toggle switch.

The new Teams 2.0 already brings a slightly revamped UI and significant performance improvements. According to data from benchmarking company GigaOm, app launch and meeting joins are twice faster. The new client also brings multiple accounts support, and users can receive real-time notifications no matter which account is currently in use.

Pattnaik confirmed that Microsoft is still working on adding support for advanced meeting capabilities such as Breakout Rooms, which should be available in the new Teams client before the end of the year. “Our team is continuously working on making sure that those features are available as soon as possible so that it makes it easier for customers to basically adopt the new Teams platform,” the Product Lead said.

You can learn more details about what to expect from the new Teams 2.0 client in the first episode of our new UnplugIT podcast.

The post Microsoft Will Make Teams 2.0 the Default Client Later This Year appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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In this first episode, Stephen talks to Microsoft’s Anupam Pattnaik, Product Lead for Teams. In this inaugural show, Stephen and Anupam discuss how IT can control access to the new Teams experience for end users, when Teams 2.0 will become the default experience for everyone, when the new client will reach feature parity with classic Teams, and when Teams 2.0 will be available for other platforms, like MacOS and web. And more!

TranscriptStephen Rose

Hey everybody, I’m Stephen Rose, and thank you for joining this brand new show, Unplug IT here on Petri. We’re going to be sitting down, taking a look at what topics are important to IT Pros, digging into really what you need to know to be successful as you pilot, deploy, secure, manage, and drive adoption within your own organizations. One of the top products that’s out right now that so many of you are asking questions on is the new Teams or Teams. 2.0. So I thought there’s nobody better to answer those questions than my friend, Anupam Pattnaik. Hey, Anupam, how are you?

Anupam Pattnaik

I’m doing great, Stephen. How are you?

Stephen Rose

I’m good. You are the senior product marketing manager for Teams 2.0 at Microsoft, and take a moment, explain your role, and then we’ll dig in and start talking about the new product and what that means for folks.

Anupam Pattnaik

Sure. So, my name is Anupam Pattnaik and I’m actually driving the product marketing work for Teams desktop and mobile clients. And today, I want to take my time and speak to you about the exciting news we just announced on March 27th about the new Microsoft Teams. I’m excited to chat with you, Stephen, on that.

Stephen Rose

Awesome. So, the new Teams is something that our TAP (Technology Adoption Program) customers, and TAP is an internal private program at Microsoft that, you know, that their largest customers are invited to to start to play with. So, this is something they’ve had for a little while, they’ve been playing with it, giving feedback, and on March 27th, you turned that into a public preview. And what that means is if it was allowed, companies could turn it on and allow end users to see a button that says “Try the new Teams.” Is that that correct? Is that the understanding of what happened on the 27th?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah. So basically, late last year we actually announced the private preview of the new Microsoft Teams, so within the Technology Adoption Program, within the TAP program, the customers were able to privately preview the new Microsoft Teams late last year. Then on March 27th this year, we actually announced the public preview of the new Microsoft Teams. So, we basically made the preview version of the new Microsoft Teams available to the general public. So basically, with the March 27th announcement, the preview of new Teams is available to the commercial Windows users. It’s not yet available to our users on Mac, VDI, the web, and…

Stephen Rose

We’ll get into that. So now, with this, there’s now a button that shows up that says “Hey, try the new Teams.” What if an IT pro does not want their end users yet… They want to test it, they want to play with it, but they don’t want their end users yet because there is some functionality missing, we’ll talk about that. How do they… Can they turn that off? Is that something that they can wait on right now and not let people try just yet?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so with the public preview announcement on March 27, basically, there are two sets of audiences. One set of audience is our customers who are in the public preview program. We have a public preview program where around 1,000,000 users are there, and we have a targeted release program where around 15 to 20 million users are there. So, our customers that are in the public preview program and in the targeted release program, they are the end users who can directly see the toggle. These end users, without admins doing anything, they can see, they can try the new Teams. But for rest of our commercial Windows users that are not in targeted release or in the public preview program, the admins need to select users in their organization. So once the admins opt in, go select their users in their organization, then these end users can see the toggle and try the new Teams. Then, end users use the switch to experience the new Teams. And keep in mind there will be a coexistence of the new and classic Teams for quite some time. So, that’s basically the lay of the land, yeah.

Stephen Rose

OK. And of course, end users can always switch back to the previous version of Teams at any time, they can move back and forth. It’s literally a toggle and a bit of a reboot of the app, it takes a few seconds, but they can go back if there’s something they’re trying to do because there is some functionality that’s missing, like the ability to create a team, third-party apps, and things like that that will come, and we’ll talk about that. But some folks may find it’s still missing some things that keep them from being able to do. So, it’s very easy to move back and forth. Now, is there a time when there will be no choice, that toggle is going to be there for everybody, whether IT wants it there or not… Is that going to become an issue, or will they always have control over that?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so we want to make it a really smooth transition for our customers, because we want to make sure that we are enabling our customers’ success. So, sometime later this year, later this calendar year, we will make the new Teams to be the default Teams product. Right now, the classic Teams is the default because we do not have all the features that we support in classic Teams in the new Teams. That’s the reason we have right now classic Teams as the default option, but sometime later this calendar year, we’ll make the new Teams the default option when we have feature parity, and when we feel confident that users can switch to the new Teams. That’s the time when we’ll make the new Teams the default option, and that’s something we are planning to do later this calendar year. That’s the tentative timeline, yeah.

Stephen Rose

So, it won’t require a new rollout or new deployment, it will just naturally become Teams, it’s what it’s going to be? Not the new Teams, but the new Teams will just become Teams and that will be it, and IT pros will be good in doing that, correct?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so, unlike some of our other product transitions, for example, if you look at Skype for Business to Teams, that was like a very complex migration. But this one won’t be like that. So, this will be like, at a certain point later this calendar year and also this transition will go over next year as well. So, this will not be a complex migration process. This will be like all the users of classic Teams should be able to easily port all of their chats and everything, even custom apps, their apps that they have created onto the new Teams. They won’t need to manually migrate those custom apps. Once they’re in the new Teams, they will all be reappearing in the new Teams.

Stephen Rose

Got it. So, the new Teams is different from the core app. I know when I was working on OneDrive, that was really important that we rebuilt the app from the bottom up so that we got rid of the groove.exe client and a lot of that legacy code and really created something that was smart and fast, and it’s very much the same here. One of the biggest shifts was moving from Electron to Reactive. Now, what does that mean for folks that aren’t familiar with either of those platforms or what that means? What is the Reactive platform and what does that mean for, you know, for Teams?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so that’s a great question so thanks, Stephen. So, to give you some background, the classic client of Microsoft Teams, actually with the classic client, we actually used some open source software like Electron. We use Electron as the host, and we use AngularJS as the web development framework. So, along with these two, we also used a variety of custom controls. Those are like constructed using various web technologies like HTML and CSS. So, the reason we opted for these technologies like Electron and AngularJS with the classic Teams is because these choices actually enabled the rapid delivery of cross-platform web clients. Because we we support Microsoft Tems. on Windows, Mac, with various differences across platforms, these technology choices with classic Teams such as Electron and AngularJS helped us enable rapid delivery of the app.

But, as you know, the capabilities and innovation of Teams expanded significantly over time. And it actually placed a lot of strain on the devices’ resources. So, recognizing this change, we actually began analyzing the available technologies. We performed a few benchmarks internally, we built some prototypes, and that’s when we actually redefined the new architecture. And some of the key decisions that we have made during this transition was to transition from Electron and leveraging Web View 2 as the host. We also decided to transition from Angular to a React platform to build user interfaces. And as you know, the consumer version of Microsoft Teams, it already began this transition before. And obviously, it makes sense that we bring this next phase of technology with Web View 2 and the React platform to the commercial version, and that’s why we are calling it the new Microsoft Teams.

Stephen Rose

Right. It becomes more of a “code it once and that’s it” rather than coding for every platform. Now, the other thing about Reactive, and it’s important to remember that Teams is still built on top of SharePoint, and every time you create a new Teams space, you’re creating a SharePoint space etc., was that it was really slow and memory intensive. Logging into Teams and launching it the first time you do it just takes forever. If you have to switch tenants, it got better, but it still was slow. This is one of the biggest reasons for moving to Reactive, and I know you have a demo you want to show, so let’s have you, you know, let’s take a look at the demo and let’s talk about performance both in CPU, memory, etc. inside of Teams.

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so the reason we decided to redesign the Teams app from the ground up and rearchitect the entire Teams app is because we wanted to… We heard it from our customers that the Teams app can be very resource- hungry, and we wanted to improve the speed as well as the performance of Teams.

At a high level, the new Microsoft Teams is up to 2x faster, and it can consume less than 50% computer resources compared to classic Teams. So, the reason we need a new Teams is that when we were rearchitecting, redesigning the Teams app, the North Star reason we set ourselves for was that the new Teams will be twice as fast as classic Teams, and it will consume less than 50% resources as classic Teams. And we plan to improve our performance of the new Teams throughout this calendar year. We did a performance benchmark with a third-party research vendor called Giga Ohm, and we were delighted to see the performance of the new Teams that we rolled out as part of our public preview announcement on March 27. So, the initial public preview build of the new Teams, that actually was very close to our performance goals. So, it was actually twice as fast. For example, starting from the Teams app installation to the launch of the app, as well as helping users to join meetings or switching chats was twice as fast compared to classic Teams. Also, in terms of resource consumption, the new Teams was consuming less than 50% memory, and also it was consuming less than 70% disk space compared to the classic Teams. And this is what we saw with our benchmarking project with a third-party research vendor called Giga Ohm.

Stephen Rose

Teams 2.0: faster, thinner, that’s great. Is there any functionality, though, that we’re going to lose? Because I know that when the new Teams came out, although it’s not feature complete, I couldn’t do things like present in Teams. And now I can and that functionality is rolling out, but is there any functionality that we’re going to lose altogether with the new Teams that we currently have today?

Anupam Pattnaik

So that’s a great question, Stephen. So, with the new Teams, there are certain features and capabilities that are actually going to be chased a bit. But we actually try to ensure that it’s a very smooth experience for the customers. So basically, what I’m trying to say is that with the new Teams, customers are going to achieve the goals that they were achieving with classic Teams, but certain things have changed.

For an example, I’ll give you a quick example here. With classic Teams, our customers can actually add a third party cloud storage service from the Files app in the classic Teams. So, by third-party cloud services, think of something like Box. But, with the new Teams, they can no longer see the “Add cloud storage” in the Files app on Teams’ left navigation bar, but they can still achieve the same objective, same goal. And how they can add a third party cloud storage now was changed.

So, with the new teams, what they can do is they can add third-party cloud storage apps such as Box directly from the Teams App Store. So, they can directly download the app from the Teams App Store versus adding it from the Files app in classic Teams. So, we have published some of those features that are changing from the classic to new Teams in our learn.microsoft.com pages. I’m happy to share the link with you so that users can go through that to see what are the experiences that are being changed in the new Teams.

Stephen Rose

Got it. So, we’re not losing any functionality, but some functionality in how we use it or how we access it may change, and there’s some new functionality that’s coming. One of the things that made me crazy and my Slack friend, Hyatt Horley, would constantly bang on my door about, is I hate the fact that I have to keep changing tenants and can’t get messages from other tenants without being in it, and that is making me a little crazy. And that’s something that is… I don’t want to say “fixed” because it was not really broken, it just worked differently, but we’ve made it work better. You know that Teams has made it work better in the new version, so let’s talk about multiple accounts support. And I know you have a video, but I want you to take a moment and tell us what we’re going to see, and then we’ll run the video to show some of the new functionality that’s part of that.

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, absolutely. So, we actually understand how challenging it is for our users to collaborate across organizations and to manage multiple work or school accounts. So, with the new Teams, we are actually offering a few new features such as multiple tenants and multiple accounts. So, with these two features, we are going to enable our users to collaborate more effectively across the organizational boundaries, which means that with the new Teams, the users can stay signed into multiple accounts, work and school simultaneously, and they can receive real time notifications no matter which one is currently in use. And also, they can seamlessly engage with users across multiple accounts and organizations without having to drop out of a call or a meeting. That really ensures that there is no disruption to their workflow. So, I would love to play a video to showcase that.

Stephen Rose

OK, good to know. Now on Mac, you know Microsoft released a M1 and M2 client, I believe it was last year. When will we see a new Teams for Mac? And then while I’m at it, let’s talk about VDI and even web. When will we see a new version for those platforms?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so basically, we will see the preview of the new Teams available for our Mac, VDI, and web customers sometime later this calendar year. So, similar to what we did with our March announcement, we made the preview of the new Teams available to our commercial Windows users. Similarly, we plan to make the preview of the new Teams available to our Mac, VDI, and web users later this calendar year. We also do plan to roll it out to our other customer segments like EDU, and Government cloud later this calendar year.

Stephen Rose

So, does that mean everybody can see it? What if I’m not seeing that functionality or not all of it? Does it mean it just hasn’t gotten to me yet? Or maybe I’m not in first release? So, I want to make sure people see that, that they can go do it, and if they can’t, understand what they need to do to be able to.

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so when we announced the public preview of the new Microsoft Teams, some of the anchor features, those were missing in the public preview of the new Teams in March. When we’ll announce this, like third-party and LOB apps and certain advanced meeting capabilities like breakout rooms, those that are missing, our team is continuously working on making sure that those features are available as soon as possible so that it makes it easier for customers to basically adopt the new Teams platform. So, the good news is that we have been making really good progress, and we plan to support some of those features such as third party and LOB apps, as well as breakout rooms in the next few months, so we will definitely send out a message, send a post, or publish a blog whenever we make those big anchor features available in the app. So, I would say stay tuned for more updates, yeah.

Stephen Rose

So, maybe sometime this summer, before fall… maybe?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah. So, I would say that at this point like the next few months, but yeah, it could be available, yeah.

Stephen Rose

But you’re not going to release it obviously before it’s tested and working good and all that. But you know it it’s going to come and it will happen, and then we’ll see feature parity later this calendar year, maybe around Ignite time frame, maybe when we release the Mac version, etc. But the goal is before the end of the year that it will be on par.

So, great that the new Teams is faster, it’s using less RAM, it’s thinner, but are we losing anything? You know, my understanding is, you know, that some of the commands are going to be more streamlined. It’s going to be easier to add third-party apps, and even the way that you share and things like that are going to be simplified. So, is this the correct understanding that it’s going to be simplified and easier, that we’re not losing anything, but there may be easier ways to do the things that we’re already doing.

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, I agree. So, certain end-user experiences are being enhanced with the new Teams for a better experience. So, the goal behind the new teams is that we are simplifying the UX. So, our goal is that our end users could be able to achieve their goals in less number of clicks and the UX will be less complex than before. And one of those changes that I’m talking about, also, I’ll give you an example. For example, with classic Teams, our end users they can actually add a third-party cloud storage service such as Box from the Files app in the Teams left navigation bar on classic Teams. But that experience is changing with the new Teams. Our users will no longer see the option to add cloud storage in the Files app on the Teams left navigation bar. Instead, they can add the third-party cloud storage app directly from the Teams app store. So, this is just one example, there are some of these changes that will be coming to the new Teams with the goal that we’ll simplify the end-user experience, and we have published some of this information on our website.

Stephen Rose

Great, all right. And we’re showing a few of the slides showing off some of the new navigation stuff as well. That’s awesome. All right, so let’s wrap things up here. What do you want to say to the audience on why they should, if they’re not already playing with the new Teams, why they should turn it on today?

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, so that’s a great question. So, I would highly encourage our end users and admins of Teams to turn on and experience the new Teams. It’s twice as fast in terms of loading the app, switching chats. Also, it will it put less strain on your computer resources. For example, if you are video conferencing and you are trying to share your screen, it will push less drain on your memory and disk space and battery. So, I’m sure you are going to love the new Teams experience, and this will help you achieve more in less time and help you being more productive. And we would encourage you to be the first to preview the new Teams experience and share your thoughts with us. And as you said, there are certain features that are not available on the new Teams, but we will be adding those features and functionalities as they continue to be released. And we are excited to hear from you and help us shape the future of Teams!

Stephen Rose

Awesome.

Anupam Pattnaik

So, thank you for being such a valued user.

Stephen Rose

I know a lot of the UX like some of the sharing dialogue is much easier to take a look at and figure out. But you’re right, the key thing is if you have thoughts, things you like, don’t like, etc., now’s the time to share that. There are easy ways to share and to get that out. And again, we’ve talked about the different websites to go to where to learn more. So, that is great. And Anupam, I’d love to have you back on a little later on this year when we release more of this functionality and we’re on parity to talk about what’s next and how IT pros can prepare to switch over to the new version, if that’s good with you.

Anupam Pattnaik

Yeah, that sounds great. And we have a ton of work to do and like a long journey ahead of us and I’m happy to be back on your show. And we will have some exciting news to share, not only for our users on Windows, but also on Mac, VDI and Web, so yeah, excited to be back.

Stephen Rose

All right, that sounds great. All right, for petri.com and for Unplug IT, I want to thank all of you for joining me on this pilot, on this inaugural first show. And I look forward to seeing you all again in two weeks with my next show. We’ll see you soon, take care everybody, bye bye.

The post Unplugging What’s Next for Teams 2.0 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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I’m delighted to announce that Stephen L Rose has joined Petri.com as Chief Technology Strategist. For those who don’t know Stephen, for fourteen years he led Microsoft deployment, adoption, and usage of Windows, Office, OneDrive, and Teams and Co-Pilot for IT professionals worldwide. And Stephen currently holds over 15 Microsoft and CompTIA technical certifications.

As part of his new role as Chief Technology Strategist at Petri, Stephen will be producing a new twice-monthly podcast, UnplugIT, where he will be interviewing a range of guests from across the industry, including leaders and decision makers at Microsoft and many of the clients that he’s worked with over the years.

Here’s more about the new Petri.com podcast:

UnplugIT! with host Stephen RoseUnplugIT! is an IT professional focused webcast hosted by IT influencer, 15-year Microsoft veteran, and Petri.com Chief Technology Strategist, Stephen Rose. Stephen focused on leading the efforts to help IT pros, technical decision makers, developers, understand the ins and outs of piloting, deploying, managing, securing, and driving adoption technologies like Windows, Office 365, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, and other products.

His previous webcast, “Inside Microsoft Teams”, where he sat down with IT leaders from Lego, Polaris, Special Olympics, AEG, Kent State University, and more garnered over 2 million views in just over 18 months.

In these new webcasts, Stephen goes beyond just Teams and sits down with industry experts to explore the latest trends, best practices to help our audience understand first-hand, the do’s, don’ts, and gotchas to get the most out of your tech investments.

Unplugging What’s Next for Teams 2.0Check out the first episode, where Stephen talks to Microsoft’s Anupam Pattnaik, Product Lead for Teams. In this inaugural show, Stephen and Anupam discuss how IT can control access to the new Teams experience for end users, when Teams 2.0 will become the default experience for everyone, when the new client will reach feature parity with classic Teams, and when Teams 2.0 will be available for other platforms, like MacOS and web. And more!

If you’d like to see the rest of season one as episodes become available, please subscribe to the UnplugIT YouTube channel. Upcoming episodes will feature among others:

• Christina Warren talking about GitHub for IT Pros
• Understanding the new era of Security, Chips and Device with Frank Buchholts
• Understanding Microsoft Syntex with Chris McNulty
• And many more!

The Editorial team at Petri is looking forward to working with Stephen over the coming months to produce invaluable content for IT Pros that we hope you will find not only interesting but also entertaining. So don’t miss out and subscribe to UnplugIT on YouTube now! And don’t forget to hit the bell icon to make sure you are notified when new episodes are published.

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Microsoft has recently announced the release of tenant restrictions version 2 (TRv2) for commercial cloud customers. The latest release enables IT admins to control whether end users can use externally issued identities to access external apps from org-owned devices or corporate networks.

The tenant restriction feature builds on the cross-tenant access settings that launched in preview for Azure Active Directory users in February 2022. It allows administrators to control how employees can securely collaborate with people from other organizations. Up until now, tenant restrictions only used an on-premises proxy server to perform cloud authentication with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).

“We’ve been hearing that data exfiltration is a big concern for our customers moving to M365 cloud services, especially those with a need to collaborate across organizational boundaries. TRv2 addresses those concerns by preventing information leaks due to token infiltration, anonymous access of external SharePoint online data, or anonymous join of external Teams meetings, and enables secure external collaboration,” Microsoft explained.

What are the benefits of Tenant Restrictions V2 (TRv2)?Microsoft highlighted several key features of tenant restrictions V2 (TRv2). This release gives IT admins more control over external tenant access within their organization. It’s also possible to create granular partner-specific collaboration policies for external tenants.

Additionally, tenant restrictions V2 makes it easier for IT Pros to manage externally issued user identities. Other capabilities include improved security as well as seamless configuration and management.

Microsoft explained that tenant restrictions V2 allows IT admins to define granular access controls on a per-organization, user, group, and application basis. The feature can be used to protect Office apps, UWP .NET applications, Microsoft Edge, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and other apps.

Microsoft recommends customers to implement TRv2 in order to ensure secure cross-company collaboration in enterprise environments. We invite you to check out this support page to find more details about setting up the tenant restriction policy.

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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Stephen Rose, Petri’s Chief Technology Strategist, talks to Paul and Brad about the most interesting news from Build 2023.

The post First Ring Daily – Stephen Rose Talks Build 2023 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft released the public preview of Authenticator Lite for its Outlook mobile apps back in March 2023. The company has announced that the feature is now generally available on Android and iOS devices.

Microsoft’s Authenticator Lite feature allows users to approve multifactor authentication requests for work or school accounts directly in the Outlook mobile app. Users will receive push notifications with time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) via the Authenticator Lite app.

Additionally, Authenticator Lite prompts end users to enter a number displayed on the screen
to block multifactor authentication (MFA) fatigue attacks. It’s a social engineering technique that involves bombarding a target victim with MFA push notifications. The Authenticator Lite feature aims to enhance security for users who have not already installed the Microsoft Authenticator app.

“We strongly recommend moving your users off phone transports for authentication and towards more secure methods such as push notifications. Authenticator Lite (in Outlook) expands the opportunity to convert users by bringing the enhanced security of push notifications to devices that have not yet downloaded the Microsoft Authenticator App,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft to enable “Managed Setting” for Authenticator Lite in JuneMicrosoft notes that IT admins can configure and manage Authenticator Lite capabilities in the Microsoft Entra portal and via MS Graph. However, the company plans to enable the Microsoft-managed setting for all organizations next month. It will let Azure Active Directory choose to turn on or off certain features for customers.

“Until June 9, leaving the feature set to ‘Microsoft managed’ will have no impact on your users and the feature will remain turned off unless you explicitly change the state to enabled. Due to the security enhancement this feature provides users, the Microsoft managed value of this feature will be changed from ‘disabled’ to ‘enabled’ on June 9,” Microsoft added.

Currently, Authenticator Lite is only supported in the Outlook mobile app, and it’s not yet available for desktop users. If you’re interested, you can find more details about how to enable the feature on this support page.

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Nvidia announced several new AI products at the Computex annual trade show in Taipei, Taiwan. The biggest announcements made by the chip maker include the Nvidia DGX GH200, a new supercomputer designed for enterprise AI, an accelerated networking platform for hyperscale generative AI, as well as a new modular server architecture optimized for AI workloads.

As Google and Microsoft both filled their recent annual developer conferences with various generative AI announcements, Nvidia is positioning itself as a leading provider of hardware, software, and services to power this new AI revolution.

“We’re now at the tipping point of a new computing era with accelerated computing and AI that’s been embraced by almost every computing and cloud company in the world,” said Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang at the company’s Computex keynote. According to the exec, 40,000 large companies and 15,000 startups are now leveraging Nvidia technologies such as the company’s CUDA parallel computing platform.

Nvidia announces new DGX GH200 AI supercomputerThe Nvidia DGX GH200 is a new AI supercomputer designed for generative AI, data processing, and recommender systems. It provides 1 exaflop of computing performance and 144 terabytes of shared memory, which is approximately 500x more than the DGX A100 supercomputer Nvidia announced back in 2020.

The Nvidia DGX GH200 (Image credit: Nvidia)The DGX GH200 is powered by 256 Nvidia GH200 Grace Hopper chips, which combine an Arm-based Nvidia Grace CPU with an Nvidia H100 Tensor Core GPU. All this computing power will help customers such as Google Cloud, Meta, and Microsoft to improve their generative AI workloads, which require a lot of resources.

“Training large AI models is traditionally a resource- and time-intensive task,” said Girish Bablani, CVP of Azure Infrastructure at Microsoft. “The potential for DGX GH200 to work with terabyte-sized datasets would allow developers to conduct advanced research at a larger scale and accelerated speeds.”

Nvidia details new MGX server specificationNvidia MGX is the name of a new modular server architecture designed to accelerate AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and Nvidia Omniverse workloads. It will allow system makers to quickly create over 100 server designs with a large choice of GPUs, CPUs, data processing units (DPUs), and network adapters.

“With MGX, manufacturers start with a basic system architecture optimized for accelerated computing for their server chassis, and then select their GPU, DPU and CPU. Design variations can address unique workloads, such as HPC, data science, large language models, edge computing, graphics and video, enterprise AI, and design and simulation,” the company explained.

Nvidia’s new MGX modular server architecture support different form factors (Image credit)Nvidia said that QCT, AsRock Rack, Asus, Gigabyte, Pegatron, and Super Micro will be among the first system makers to launch new MGX server designs, which will be supported by Nvidia’s full software stack.

Nvidia Launches Spectrum-X networking platformAt Computex, Nvidia also announced Spectrum-X, a new accelerated networking platform designed to improve AI workflows running on Etherned-based AI clouds. Nvidia Spectrum leverages the company’s Spectrum-4 Ethernet switches, which are built specifically for AI networks, as well as Nvidia’s BlueField-3 DPUs.

With Spectrum-X, Nvidia promises 1.7x better AI performance and power efficiency compared to traditional Ethernet fabrics, all while maintaining interoperability with Ethernet-based stacks. “NVIDIA Spectrum-X enables unprecedented scale of 256 200Gb/s ports connected by a single switch, or 16,000 ports in a two-tier leaf-spine topology to support the growth and expansion of AI clouds while maintaining high levels of performance and minimizing network latency,” the company said in the announcement.

Nvidia’s new Spectrum-X networking platform (Image credit: Nvidia)At its Build conference last week, Microsoft also detailed its partnership with Nvidia to improve AI workloads on Windows 11 PCs powered by Nvidia’s latest RTX GPUs. The company has already released new drivers that provide big performance improvements for workloads relying on text-to-image models

Soon, Nvidia will also launch new Max-Q low-power inferencing for AI-only workloads on RTX GPUs. This will allow mobile workstations with Nvidia’s latest GPUs to optimize Tensor Core performance for these workloads while keeping GPU power consumption as low as possible.

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MC561187 – This is an important message for customers who use the Stream (Classic) webpart to add videos to SharePoint Pages and news posts. Microsoft will retire the Stream (Classic) webpart on Aug 15, 2023 and it will no longer be available for use after this date. The Stream (Classic) webpart will be replaced by the new Stream (on SharePoint) webpart.

This change is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap: 124800

When this will happen:

The Stream (Classic) webpart will be retired on August 15, 2023.

The Stream (on SharePoint) webpart will begin its general availability roll out in mid-June, and Microsoft expects the rollout to complete by mid-July.

How this will affect your organization:

• Your organization will not be able to use Stream (Classic) webpart after August 15, 2023.
• All SharePoint pages and news posts that were built using Stream (Classic) webpart with single video as a source will continue to play your videos until February 2025.
• After your organization migrates video content to Stream (on SharePoint), single videos configured on the Stream Classic webpart continues to play inline while channels configured on the webpart is replaced by a button that redirects to the migrated folder location.
• If you would like to publish videos from Stream (on SharePoint) on SharePoint Pages, you can currently use video eligible webparts such as “File and Media”, “Hero”, “Highlighted content” and “List” webparts. Additionally, you will be able to use the new Stream (on SharePoint) webpart when it becomes available.
• For re-publishing Stream Classic webpart videos post migration, users will have to manually do so using the share URL via above mentioned webparts.

What you can do to prepare:

Please follow this documentation for detailed timelines and video publishing guidance on the new Stream: Stream (Classic) web part transition plan & new Stream Webpart

Help and support

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MC561186 – Microsoft Teams IT Admins will soon be able to block internal users from accessing chats when these users join meetings organized on external non-trusted tenants, including cross-cloud join. This release of Microsoft Teams’ new meeting chat setting will be rolling out across MS Teams Desktop, Mobile and Web and will provide a new way for tenants to manage users’ chat access in meetings hosted on external non-trusted tenants.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 123975

When will this happen:

Targeted Release: Microsoft will begin rollout in early July and expect to complete rollout by mid-July.

GA: Microsoft will begin rollout in mid-July and expect to complete rollout by late July.

GCC: Microsoft will begin rollout in early August and expect to complete rollout by mid-August.

GCCH: Microsoft will begin rollout in mid-August and expect to complete rollout by late August.

DoD: Microsoft will begin rollout in mid-September and expect to complete rollout by late September.

How this will affect your organization:

IT Admins can modify this setting for internal users from the Teams Admin Center under External Meeting Chat or from PowerShell under AllowExternalNonTrustedMeetingChat. Internal users who have External Meeting Chat as OFF from the Admin Center or AllowExternalNonTrustedMeetingChat as False from the PowerShell will not have read or write chat access in meetings hosted on external non-trusted tenants on any Teams platforms.

What you need to do to prepare:

You may want to notify your users about this new setting and the potential effect on their chat access when joining external meetings.

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Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Outlook, Edge, Viva Engage, and Power Apps are generally available on shared Android devices. The shared device mode allows frontline workers to securely access these apps on shared Android devices enrolled via Microsoft Intune.

Microsoft introduced shared device mode support for Edge, Outlook, Viva Engage, and Power Apps on Android devices in preview in January this year. It’s an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) feature that allows frontline workers to seamlessly sign into and out of supported Microsoft 365 apps while using shared devices. Up until now, shared device mode was available for the Microsoft Teams and Managed Home Screen apps.

“Once signed into a shared Android device, frontline workers can immediately send and receive emails on Outlook to communicate with team members and their leadership team. Many organizations are automating manual and fragmented processes with the help of Power Apps to save frontline workers’ time to focus more on customers,” the company explained.

How does the shared device mode work in Microsoft Edge and Viva Engage?The shared device mode feature enables frontline workers to access any web-based app on Microsoft Edge. Moreover, frontline workers can use Viva Engage to stay connected with other people across their organizations. It’s possible to view announcements and notifications, learn valuable skills as well as participate in Q&A sessions.

Microsoft notes that the shared device mode lets frontline workers sign out globally on the Android device at the end of their shifts. This means that their sensitive data will no longer be accessible to anyone using the device. “When used with Intune’s Application Protection Policies, you can provide additional data protection so other parts of the device do not leave data behind,” Microsoft added.

Microsoft says that this release should help customers to protect user data in Microsoft 365 apps on shared Android devices. The company has also published a guide to help IT admins configure shared device mode through Microsoft Intune. If you’re interested, you can learn more about the feature on this support page.

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Creating backups is one of the most important duties of an SQL Server database administrator, and there are a number of different ways to back up your most important databases. In this article, I’ll explain how to create a simple SQL Server backup job using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

The different ways to create SQL Server backup jobsDatabase backups are different from regular system or storage backups as databases are not just simple files. They have internal objects like users, permissions, indexes, views, and transactions.

While the end result of a database backup is a backup file that can be restored, the actual backup process needs to be database-aware in order to maintain complete consistency after a restore operation.

There are three main types of SQL Server backups:

• Full database backup: A full database backup is created by the BACKUP DATABASE statement, as we’ll see below. When you restore this backup, the entire database is restored to the state when the backup was taken.
• Transaction log backup: This backup type can only be created after having performed a full database backup. As you can guess, it only backs up the transaction log, which is backed up from the last successfully executed log backup at the current end of the log. Log backups can also be restored to a specific time or transaction.
• Differential backup: This backup type only includes the portions of the database or files that changed since the last full backup. It usually takes up less space than a full backup. Using this option also eliminates the need to restore all individual log backups performed since the last full backup.

The 3 types of SQL Server database recovery modelsThe type of backup and restore that you can perform depends on the SQL Server database recovery model you’ll be using. The recovery model is a database configuration option that determines the type of backup that you can perform. There are three different recovery models you can use:

• Full: This recovery model supports all restore operations including full database backups, differential database backups, and file-level backups. It also supports transaction log point-in-time restores, page restores, and file restores.
• Simple: This recovery model supports full, differential, and file-level backups. Transaction log backups are not supported.
• Bulk-Logged: This recovery model works like the full recovery model, except that certain bulk operations are minimally logged and it’s not possible to restore specific point-in-time data.

The different ways to back up an SQL Server databaseThere are a number of different ways you can backup a SQL Server database, here are the main ones you should know about:

T-SQL BACKUPThe T-SQL BACKUP command is core to most of the other backup mechanisms. When run from the Query Editor, the command will backup up a single database. This option can make an effective backup strategy when combined with scripts or the SQL Server Agent, as you will see later in this article.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) Backup WizardThe SSMS Backup Wizard is best for one-off ad hoc backups. However, it isn’t scalable and not well suited for routine data protection.

Azure Data StudioLikewise, Azure Data Studio provides an interactive database backup wizard that enables you to perform ad hoc database backups. However, as the SSMS option, this method is not scalable or suited to being used for routine data protection.

SQL Server Maintenance PlansSQL Server maintenance plans provide a way to automate database backups, and they can be a good option for smaller businesses. These maintenance plans can be created fairly easily using the SSMS GUI, but they are not as flexible as some of the other options.

PowerShellYou can also perform SQL Server database backups using the PowerShell Backup-SqlDatabase cmdlet. This cmdlet has essentially the same capabilities as the native T-SQL BACKUP statement, and it includes the option to backup transaction logs.

Overall, PowerShell backups can be a good option if you want to include SQL Server database backups as a part of some external backup script or process.

Ola Hellengren scriptsOla Hellengren is a Data Platform MVP who created an award-Winning SQL Server solution for backups and maintenance. These scripts are not officially a part of SQL Server, and they are not provided by Microsoft. However, many businesses have incorporated them into their SQL Server operations routines to perform tasks such as backups, integrity checks, index and statistics maintenance. For SQL Server backups, they create SQL Server Agent jobs.

SQL Server Agent jobsThe SQL Server Agent is a popular and reliable way to run one or more database backups. The SQL Server Agent works as an automated job scheduler, and it can run many different types of routine operations including backups automatically.

Creating a SQL Server Agent backup job with SSMSTo schedule an SQL Server database backup, you first need to create an SQL Server Agent job, and then add the T-SQL BACKUP command to that job.

Starting the SQL Server AgentTo create a backup job using the SQL Server Agent, you first need to open SQL Server Management Studio and then navigate to the SQL Server Agent node, as you can see in the following figure.

Accessing the SQL Server Agent node in SSMS (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)If you have not used the SQL Server Agent before, it might not have started already. You can start it by right-clicking on the node and then selecting Start from the context menu.

Creating a new backup jobTo create a new backup job, right-click the SQL Server Agent node and select New> Jobfrom the context menu.

Creating a new backup job with the SQL Server Agent (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)This will display the New Job dialog shown in the following figure. Here, you can provide a name and description for your new SQL Server Agent job.

• The Name prompt allows you to name the job. In this case, the job name is ‘AdventureWorksBackup’.
• The Owner prompt defaults to the current user, but you can change it to a different user.
• The Category prompt is mainly used as a description that tags the job
• The Description field allows you to key in several lines of descriptive text about the job.

Add a name and description for your new SQL Server Agent job (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)After you’ve filled out this page, click OK to add the job to the SQL Server Agent. This will add the ‘AdventureWorksBackup’ job under the Jobs note in Object Explorer.

Adding the T-SQL BACKUP command to your jobNext, to add the T-SQL BACKUP command to your job, right-click the AdventureWorksBackup job node and then select Properties from the context menu.

Accessing the Properties for our job (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)This will launch the Job Properties dialog where you can specify the job’s commands, schedules, notifications, and more:

• To add the T-SQL BACKUP statement, click on the Steps node in the left panel to display the list of job steps. For a new job, it will be blank because you haven’t created any steps yet.
• To add a backup step, click on New.

Adding a new backup step for our job (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)This will display the New Job Step dialog which allows you to create a new job step.

• First, give the job step a name. Here, we used ‘Backup’.
• Select the Type: There are several step types to choose from, and the default is Transact-SQL script (T-SQL).
• Next, supply the T-SQL BACKUP command in the Command pane. You can type it manually, but it’s usually better if you test it by running the command from inside a Query Editor window and then cut-and-paste the command into the Command pane.
• To back up the AdventureWorks2019 SQL Server database, you can use the following command:

BACKUP DATABASE AdventureWorks2019 TO DISK = 'c:\backups\AdventureWorks2019.bak' Adding the T-SQL BACKUP command to back up our database (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)This command creates a full SQL Server database backup of the AdventureWorks2019 user database to the disk file AdventureWorks2019.bak that’s located in the c:\backups folder. This example uses a disk device as the backup target, but you could also use tape or other backup media.

After entering your command, click OK to return to the Job Properties page where your new job step will be listed. At this point, you can either add additional commands to the command pane or add additional job steps. For instance, you could add additional steps for all the different databases you want to back up.

Scheduling your jobNext, to schedule your job, click on Schedules in the left pane, which will display the Schedule list dialog shown below. Here, click New to open the New Job Schedule dialog.

The Schedule list dialog (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Now, give the new schedule a name and then choose the frequency and interval that’s right for your backup job. Click OK when you’re done.

Choose the frequency and interval for your backup job (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)More options to create SQL Server backup jobsIn this tutorial, I detailed the different types of SQL Server backups that are available. I also explained how the SQL Server Agent can be used to schedule one or more jobs to run automatically.

Many businesses do periodic full backups along with more frequent differential backups and even more frequent transaction log backups. While the example I used in this article was a simple backup type, you also have the option of using encryption, compression, mirroring, and more.

The post SQL Server Essentials: How to Create a Simple Backup Job in SQL Server appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft has discovered that a Chinese government hacking group dubbed Volt Typhoon is targeting critical infrastructure environments in the United States. The campaign is designed to steal network credentials and sensitive data to disrupt critical communications with the Asia Pacific region.

According to Microsoft, the Volt Typhoon group has been actively targeting companies in Guam and other parts of the United States for at least two years. The campaign affected various industries such as manufacturing, construction, communications, government, maritime, education, information technology, utility, and transportation.

The Chinese hackers use the “living off the land” technique to manually control tools already installed on the victim’s computers. Additionally, the threat actors use home and small office network equipment (such as firewalls, routers, and VPN hardware) to hide their communications with infected devices.

“Volt Typhoon achieves initial access to targeted organizations through internet-facing Fortinet FortiGuard devices,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team explained. “The threat actor attempts to leverage any privileges afforded by the Fortinet device, extracts credentials to an Active Directory account used by the device, and then attempts to authenticate to other devices on the network with those credentials.”

Volt Typhoon attack diagramHow to protect organizations against Volt Typhoon attacksMicrosoft detailed indicators of compromise that could help IT admins identify whether their enterprise network is infected by Volt Typhoon attacks. The company urges customers to close or change the credentials of all compromised user accounts. It’s also recommended to monitor the activity of these accounts to prevent further damage.

Microsoft noted that organizations should enforce strong multi-factor authentication (MFA) policies to mitigate security risks. Moreover, IT admins can configure attack surface reduction rules to prevent credential spoofing, process creation, and execution of malicious scripts. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint customers can run endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities in block mode to defend against security threats.

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MC485549 – Updated May 25, 2023: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

With hundreds of new and updated feature announcements across Microsoft 365, it can be challenging to track when the feature or change is available in your tenant. To help you track feature availability in your organization, Microsoft will provide a release status for each new and updated feature announcement in Message center

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 108078

When this will happen:

• Targeted Release (if applicable): Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-December 2022 and expect to complete by mid-January 2023.
• Standard Release (if applicable): Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-April 2023 and expect to complete by late June (previously mid-May).

How this will affect your organization:

The release status will initially be available for a limited number of Microsoft Teams, Outlook on the web and Microsoft 365 admin center feature announcements. Admins will see three release statuses in the “Status for your org.” field on each applicable message which will be updated over the lifecycle of the feature release.

• Scheduled: The feature is planned to release, and is not available to the applicable users in your organization
• Rolling out: The feature is beginning to roll out to some applicable users in your organization
• Launched: The feature is available to all the applicable users in your organization

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Updates to feature release status will be provided on the original Message center post. Filtering capability on “Status for your org.” field will allow easier visibility on the updated release status. The release status will sync to Microsoft planner as part of the notes, if Planner sync is turned on in Message center.

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The release status will ONLY be available for generally available new and updated features that are also announced on Microsoft 365 Public Roadmap. If you do not see release status on a message, it means the release status is not available for that feature.

What you need to do to prepare:

You may want to consider updating your training and documentation as appropriate. For more information, please visit this Track new and changed features in the Microsoft 365 Message center.

Additional information

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Microsoft has recently released a major update for its Microsoft Lists app. The company detailed that the latest update brings several new capabilities and performance optimizations for Microsoft List users.

Under the hood, Microsoft has made various enhancements to make the Lists app twice as fast as before. Users should now notice faster loading times, better responsiveness, and smoother scrolling while using the app.

“We’ve supercharged Lists in the browser, in the PWA, and inside Teams to load in half the time. Whether you’re driving Lamborghinis or Lists, performance is the ultimate feature. So if you stop reading here, and don’t change a thing about how you work with Lists, you’re still going to enjoy a summer of lightning-fast views, forms, and fields,” the company explained.

Additionally, Microsoft unveiled a set of UI and UX optimizations to make Lists more consistent with other Microsoft 365 apps. Microsoft Lists now features a modern and cleaner look to improve the usability and accessibility of the app. The company has introduced support for different views, filtering and sorting options, as well as conditional formatting and rules.

Calendar view improvementsMicrosoft Lists Calendar view is getting a new top-requested week layout feature. This means that users can now choose between the month and week views to visualize list information. The new week layout enables users to get a more detailed view of tasks that are scheduled for the week.

Microsoft Lists to get a new forms experienceMicrosoft has released a new forms experience that should make it easier for users to collect information, track tasks, and stay organized within Microsoft Lists. Moreover, the app is getting a range of formatting options such as user-friendly questions, custom logos, descriptions, and names. Users can create multiple forms for the same list, which could be useful for event organizers.

Turnkey TemplatesMicrosoft has announced plans to bring support for organizational templates to all Microsoft 365 tenants worldwide. These include approvals integration, custom list templates, as well as Power Automate flows packaged into custom List templates.

Commenting feature coming to the Microsoft Lists mobile appsLastly, Microsoft detailed several improvements coming to the Lists mobile apps. The company expects to release MSA support to the Lists iOS app later this month, with Android support to follow by the end of June. Furthermore, Microsoft Lists will soon allow users to view and edit comments on iOS devices.

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When planning for an Azure Stack HCI environment, many organizations may struggle to decide if they should go for a large Azure Stack HCI cluster or plan for smaller, use-case-specific clusters. Today, I would like to detail the ups and downs of both solutions. To do that, I’ll be discussing the required initial investments, maintenance costs, workload-specific needs, and more for large clusters vs. small specialized clusters.

Azure Stack HCI deployment: Initial investmentsIf you decide to invest resources in an Azure Stack HCI environment, a large cluster can often make more sense from an investment point of view. You normally plan for a stamp – a group of servers within a cluster – that has a specified number of active nodes plus one or two nodes for redundancy and maintenance purposes.

If you start with a big stamp, the initial investment can be lower due to the smaller required number of cluster nodes. In the table below, you can see that a large cluster can be created with just one unified cluster with 12 nodes plus two additional ones for redundancy and maintenance purposes.

| Cluster deployment | Large Cluster | Smaller Clusters | | Unified Cluster | 12 + 2 nodes | 4 + 1 nodes | | Database cluster | 2 + 1 nodes | | Stretched cluster | 4 nodes | | Test Cluster | 2 + 1 nodes | | Total number of nodes | 14 Nodes | 15 nodes |

If you chose to deploy smaller specialized clusters, however, the initial number of nodes is superior because we have 4 different clusters. If you need to use more clusters, you’ll also need more nodes for redundancy purposes.

If you want to deploy hardware-hungry applications such as SAP in a mixed environment, you will need to have a larger hardware stamp and larger nodes. That means investing more resources into faster CPUs, more memory, more storage, and better network connectivity.

Smaller stamps, however, can be better specialized:

• You could have a small number of nodes to run SAP and they would be based on a high-end hardware tier.
• Other stamps could be powered by more affordable hardware if they’re dedicated to running general services like file- or web servers.

With smaller specialized clusters, you may have much more nodes to manage, but the monetary investment could stay the same. The only additional costs to consider are power draw and cooling, which will add additional operating costs. Depending on your data center regions, those can be quite significant.

Upgrade flexibility for your Azure Stack HCI deploymentSmaller Azure Stack HCI clusters can help you avoid vendor lock-in more easily. If you build a large cluster and you want to add similar additional nodes, you’ll often have to keep relying on the same vendor, even if they make you pay more than competitors. However, you could still mix different vendors and configurations in one cluster or buy used server hardware on the second or third market.

If you chose to go with smaller clusters in your environment and want to upgrade their capabilities, you can do that with newer-generation hardware. In practice, you will migrate your virtual machines to the newer cluster and keep your old hardware for other purposes. You could also sell it or just free up space for additional use cases.

If we take all these cost factors into account, here how the comparison table looks like.

| Criteria | Large Cluster | Smaller Cluster | | Number of nodes | + | . | | Initial investment | + | (+ with different hardware) | | Flexibility | – | + | | Compatibility and long-term use cases | – | + | | Vendor and market flexibility | – | + |

Maintenance needs for your Azure Stack HCI deploymentDuring the lifecycle of your Azure Stack HCI environment, you’ll need to apply patches, driver and firmware updates, and even new versions of the Azure Stack HCI operating system. In case of an operating system update, you’ll need to apply it around six months after release, otherwise, you’ll lose the support of Microsoft for your cluster.

The Azure Stack HCI update cycle (Image credit: Microsoft)Depending on your server vendor, you may lose a few months of support until they catch up with the latest release of Azure Stack HCI. But here comes the issue: When installing operating system, firmware, driver updates for your clusters, you need consistency across all nodes.

Disadvantages of large clustersHere, the large cluster option has a major downside. Depending on the number of spare nodes you have, you can only update up to two nodes at a time. While these two nodes are updating or upgrading, your cluster will be running in a critical state. That means, if you happen to lose another node due to a hardware or power outage, you may not be able to maintain and run your workload, or you may encounter a major impact on performance.

Another key downside for the large cluster option is the time the maintenance process takes. Let’s say that during an upgrade cycle, you have 14 cluster notes to upgrade. You’ll be updating two nodes at a time and this process requires 30 minutes. Overall, this maintenance process will take at least seven hours during which your infrastructure will be in a critical state.

If one of your nodes fails during that cycle, the upgrade process will stop. You will end up in a “halfway-through” mode, which means that half (more or less) of your nodes are updated while the other half is still untouchedand you’ll have to troubleshoot the issue to update these remaining nodes. In addition, if the installation of a software or firmware update fails, this will result in significant issues for your cluster, and all your workloads may be impacted or go down.

Advantages of smaller clustersWith smaller clusters, you can stretch out the update process more easily: You can do maintenance on uncritical clusters first before proceeding with more crucial clusters. If one of your clusters goes down, you could migrate its workload to another cluster and run it there while you’re troubleshooting the issue.

With smaller clusters, you can also run updates in parallel and update more than one cluster at a time. There’s no limit as every cluster is operating independently from the other. That helps to shorten the maintenance cycle by several hours and if a node fails to update on one cluster, the other ones won’t be impacted and can proceed with the maintenance.

Another benefit of small clusters, especially when you use hardware from different vendors, is that you may have the opportunity to update clusters early. It may often happen that one vendor adds support for the new version of Azure Stack HCI earlier than the others. As an example, that would allow you to start the update process of your Lenovo or HPE cluster a month prior to other clusters running on different hardware.

One downside I see with small clusters during maintenance is that you must invest more time into planning your maintenance cycle. However, with good planning, your overall maintenance should become much smoother and with lower overall risks.

| Criteria | Large Cluster | Small Cluster | | Overall time for updates/upgrades | – | + | | Time running in critical state | – | + | | Update/Upgrade parallelization | – | + | | Risk reduction | – | + | | Additional planning required | + | – |

Managing large and small Azure Stack HCI clustersWhen it comes to cluster management, larger clusters have much better standing. In the Azure portal, keeping an overview of resources and issues in large clusters is much easier than doing the same homework for multiple smaller clusters. You can also have a much better view of your infrastructure by using Azure Arc or other integrated components such as the Azure Resource Bridge.

With smaller clusters, you need to manage more machines and connectors. You also need to have separate views and filters for every cluster. That can produce some overhead in management.

Splitting up a cluster into much smaller chunks also brings no benefit in costs etc. when it comes to support. Because every Azure Stack HCI node and cluster that’s connected to a subscription will inherit the support agreement of the subscription, you will have access to the best available support in any case.

Supportability and outagesWhen you need to engage with support and perform support tasks on your cluster, a large cluster has a higher risk of outages than a smaller one. For example, if you need to perform some reconfigurations because of performance issues, your entire workload in the large cluster may be impacted, and it could happen that you bring down all these workloads by accident. You may even struggle to perform those tasks because of the high impact on your production environment.

When using smaller clusters, however, you can evacuate the cluster where you need to perform the support tasks. That minimizes the overall risk of downtime for your various workloads. Here, small clusters have a major advantage over large clusters.

Stretched clusteringIf you want to mix workloads and use solutions like Kubernetes or Azure Virtual Desktop, then you need to use a stretched cluster deployment. This is best for disaster recovery as you get automatic failover to restore your production environment.

Here, a small cluster deployment would make more sense as you can deploy workloads that do not support stretched clustering on a regular cluster. Other workloads that need that kind of disaster and failover solution could be deployed within a stretched cluster.

Choosing the best solution for your Azure Stack HCI deploymentDepending on your needs and budget for an Azure Stack HCI deployment, you may decide to go with either large or smaller clusters. It often comes down to pricing and the type of workload deployed on the clusters.

Personally, and with the correct budget, I prefer to use smaller clusters instead of a larger one. In general, I found out that the management overhead of a large cluster does not outperform the overall benefits of smaller clusters.

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Last year, Microsoft released support for number matching in push notifications for its Microsoft Authenticator app. Starting today, the number matching feature will become the default experience for all Authenticator users worldwide.

Microsoft’s Authenticator app’s number matching feature requires users to type the number displayed on the sign-in screen to approve access requests. It helps to counter Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) fatigue attacks that rely on push notification spam. MFA fatigue attacks occur when a threat actor spams the victim with MFA push notifications. It’s a social engineering tactic that is used to gain unauthorized access to a corporate network.

With this release, Microsoft will enable the number matching feature for all supported cloud services. Users will also see additional context (such as the app’s name and the login location) to prevent accidental approvals.

“Number matching is a key security upgrade to traditional second factor notifications in Microsoft Authenticator. We will remove the admin controls and enforce the number match experience tenant-wide for all users of Microsoft Authenticator push notifications starting May 8, 2023,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft suggests users to upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft Authenticator on their mobile devices. However, the authentication process will fail for users running older versions of the app that lack support for number matching.

Microsoft Authenticator number matching won’t be available for Apple Watch usersAccording to Microsoft, the number matching security protection will also be required for Self Service Password Reset (SSPR) and combined registration flows. The AD FS adapter will also require the feature on Windows Server versions 2022, 2019, and 2016. However, number matching won’t be available on Apple Watch devices.

“As services deploy, some may see number match while others don’t. To ensure consistent behavior for all users, we highly recommend you enable number match for Microsoft Authenticator push notifications in advance,” Microsoft added.

As MFA fatigue attacks continue to rise, it has become crucial for organizations to implement robust security measures to protect end users. The number matching feature provides an additional layer of security to prevent potential threats and breaches.

The post Microsoft Authenticator Enables Number Matching By Default to Block MFA Fatigue Attacks appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC546441 – Updated May 5, 2023: Microsoft has updated the content below for clarity. Thank you for your feedback.

Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for Teams helps organizations prevent sensitive data from being shared via Microsoft Teams channel or chat session. To prevent users from sharing sensitive information on Teams, customers need to assign Microsoft 365 E5/A5/G5/F5 licenses to their users as Teams DLP is made available through Microsoft 365 E5/A5/G5/F5 licenses. You can find a list of licenses that include Teams DLP capability here.

Please note – this is not a new change and Teams DLP has been a part of the Microsoft 365 E5/A5/G5/F5 licenses since it was launched.

Currently organizations with Microsoft 365 E3/G3/A3/F3 licenses assigned to their users are able to create Teams DLP policies, however starting June 30, 2023, organizations will require Microsoft 365 E5/A5/G5/F5 (or equivalent) licenses to use Teams DLP.

When this will happen:

June 30, 2023

How this will affect your organization:

You are receiving this message as a reminder to ensure your users who are currently covered with Teams DLP policies have the required Microsoft 365 E5/G5/A5/F5 licenses before June 30 2023. If you already have the mentioned E5 licenses, this message is not relevant to you, and Microsoft requests you kindly ignore this message.

If your users within the scope of your Teams DLP policies are assigned Microsoft 365 E3/G3/F3/A3 licenses, post June 30, 2023, your existing Teams DLP policies covering these users will become dormant and will not process any Teams messages for data loss prevention. You will not be able to create new Teams DLP policies or make changes to your existing Teams-only DLP policies that cover these users, and these users will not be block/audited while sharing sensitive information over Teams. The existing alerts while the policy was active will continue to be available for triage and remediation but no new alerts will be generated for these users.

If you have a DLP policy that covers multiple locations and one of the locations is Teams, that policy will continue to be active for all other locations except Teams. You will be able to edit such policies and remove Teams as a location in the policy configuration experience.

Please note that your Teams only DLP policies will not be deleted and will continue to be visible in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal for future use in the event that you are able to assign the required licenses to your users.

Microsoft recommends you assign the users within the scope of the Teams DLP policies appropriate Microsoft 365 E5/G5/A5/F5 licenses to continue to benefit from Teams DLP.

See which licenses include Teams DLP here.

Learn more about Teams DLP here.

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Microsoft has announced the release of its new cumulative update (CU13) for Exchange Server 2019. The latest update brings modern authentication support to Outlook for Windows in Exchange Server 2019 and addresses around 200 bugs.

Specifically, the 2023 H1 cumulative update adds support for modern authentication to on-premises Exchange Server 2019 environments. The security feature uses ADFS to issue and manage the OAuth 2.0 tokens. It lets organizations use stronger authentication mechanisms such as certificate-based authentication, smart cards, MFA, and third-party identity solutions.

“When Modern auth is enabled for a user, their Outlook client is redirected to ADFS. Users can then authenticate by providing credentials or performing multi-factor authentication. Once ADFS authenticates a user, it generates access tokens. These access tokens are validated by Exchange Server to provide client access to the user’s mailbox,” the Exchange team explained.

Source: MicrosoftModern authentication support coming to other Outlook clients in Exchange Server 2019Additionally, Microsoft explained that IT admins can now configure authentication policies to allow or block modern authentication for user accounts. The company says that administrators can use PowerShell commands to manage authentication policies.

As of this writing, modern authentication support is only available for Outlook for Windows (version 16327.20200 or later). The company plans to bring this capability to Outlook for macOS, the Outlook mobile apps, and other clients later this year.

Going forwards, Microsoft may opt to make modern authentication the default setting and gradually phase out basic authentication from on-premises servers. The company has already implemented this change for Exchange Online customers.

Backup and restore configurationMicrosoft mentioned that cumulative updates often overwrite various configuration files and custom settings. It’s a challenging task for IT admins to back up and restore these settings after installing the updates.

With this release, the setup process can now create a backup of the existing files, install the CUs, and then restore the most critical configuration settings. It eliminates the need to manually restore the settings to their pre-Setup state. You can find more details about Exchange Server custom configuration preservation on this support page.

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This month, Windows is getting memory safe Rust code in the kernel, Microsoft announces Windows 11 LTSC edition to launch late 2024, Windows 12 could be getting a special edition to support Arm and A.I. features, plus lots of updates for Insider Program builds.

Windows gets support for Rust in the Windows kernelAt the BlueHat security conference in Israel last month, Microsoft Vice President David Weston announced that some parts of the Windows kernel would be rewritten in Rust. Rust is a memory safe language that delivers improved security while maintaining the performance of C and C++. Weston said that we will see Windows booting with Rust in the kernel in the coming weeks and months. It wasn’t clear whether he was referring to Insider builds or the stable channel.

Microsoft has written 36,000 lines of Rust code in the Windows kernel to date. Weston says that there is a system call in the kernel written in Rust, which allows apps to interact with Kernel level functions.

The DirectWrite Core library has already been recoded with 152,000 lines of Rust as a proof of concept. And it is available today in the Windows App SDK. We can also expect some Rust work on Windows GDI components in the near future.

Despite these changes, Weston noted that Microsoft isn’t planning to rewrite Windows in its entirety. Check out Windows 11 Gets Rusty in the Name of Security for more details about updates to the Windows 11 kernel.

Microsoft is developing a special edition of Windows 12 for Arm and A.I.Windows Latest claims this month that Microsoft could be developing a special edition of Windows 12, which will run on Arm and be optimized for A.I. We know that Microsoft is working on some new A.I. features for Windows, like Smart Snap. But it’s not yet clear if these A.I. features will be available in all versions of Windows or limited to editions that are designed to run on specific hardware.

Windows 11 LTSC expected in late 2024As it stands, there is no LTSC edition of Windows 11. But Microsoft announced this month that it is planning to release an LTSC version of Windows 11 in late 2024. I expect this to coincide with the release of Windows 12.

Patch Tuesday new features for Windows 11Microsoft sneaked in a couple of updates to Windows 11 in the April cumulative update. Windows 11 now has Microsoft account notifications on the Start menu, improved Search box rendering on the taskbar for those with custom color modes, and updates to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

But more importantly, Windows 10 and Windows 11 users now get to enjoy Windows LAPS as a built in operating system component.

Phone Link iOS support now rolling out to Windows 11 usersMicrosoft announced that an updated version of Phone Link with support for iOS is now rolling out to Windows 11 users. The updated software brings basic support for calls, messages, and access to contacts. Microsoft says that if you need access to photos, the you should use the iCloud integration for the Windows 11 photos app.

Windows 11 coming to HoloLens 2Windows 11 is coming to HoloLens 2 with the latest tools for developers. Microsoft says that Windows 11 will bring ‘confidence’ to mixed reality customers that they are getting the most secure version of Windows.

The update to Windows 11 will be free and it includes Microsoft Edge WebView2. To update HoloLens 2, go to Settings > Update & Security > Check for Updates.

Download updates as soon as they are available in Windows 11In the April 2023 update preview, there’s now an option in Windows 11 22H2 to download updates as soon as they are available. The toggle applies to non-security updates released during the last week of every month and to other improvements and enhancements made available via Windows Update.

Microsoft Edge updatesThere are a couple of updates for Edge users this month. Plus, Workspaces enters public preview.

Browser essentialsMicrosoft added a feature called Brower essentials to the Canary channel. The Browser essentials icon in the tool bar will give you a quick overview of the performance and security status of the browser.

Microsoft Edge browser essentials (Image Credit: Microsoft)Microsoft Designer on sidebarMicrosoft also said that it was rolling out an option to add its Microsoft Designer preview to the sidebar for users on the stable channel.

Microsoft Edge Workspaces in public previewMicrosoft Edge Workspaces is now available in public preview. The feature allows users to collaborate on a tab group together. Microsoft explains that Workspaces helps users not lose track of links that are important for getting work done in your team.

Microsoft Edge Workspaces (Image Credit: Microsoft)Windows Insider Program updatesHere are the most notable updates to Windows on the Insider Program from April.

Facebook widgetMicrosoft released a Facebook widget across all three Insider Program channels. The widget lets users see Facebook notifications. There’s a separate widget for Facebook Messenger.

File Explorer details paneBuild 23451 on the Dev channel got an updated details pane in File Explorer. The new pane was made available for a subset of users and it adds more contextual information about files.

File Explorer details pane (Image Credit: Microsoft)File Explorer galleryWindows 11 Insider Preview Build 23435 gets a Gallery view in File Explorer. Microsoft says: “Gallery is a new feature in File Explorer designed to make it easy to access your photo collection. The set of content shown in Gallery is the same as what you’ll see in the All Photos view in the Photos app.”

App labels on the taskbarMicrosoft could be bringing back app labels to programs on the taskbar. According to a report in The Verge, while not in public testing yet, a new setting could be coming that allows you to display ‘icons and labels’ for apps on the taskbar.

A label is essentially the name of the running app and labels were previously available as an optional feature in Windows 10.

File Explorer Gallery view (Image Credit: Microsoft)Presence sensing privacyWindows 11 preview build 22624.1610 on the Beta channel got the ability to test new presence sensor and privacy settings under Settings > Privacy & security > Presence sensing. If your device has compatible hardware, you can manage presence sensing access and block apps from using sensors.

Windows Subsystem for Android updatesFinally this month, the Windows Subsystem for Android gets some updates:

• Support for picture-in-picture mode
• A new setting in the WSA Settings app, which runs the subsystem with minimal resources but apps launch quicker than in “As needed” mode. The setting is called “Partially running”.
• Linux kernel updated to 5.15.78
• Reliability improvements
• Security updates for Android 13

And that’s it for another month!

The post What’s New in Windows – April 2023 appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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MC550584 – Effective May 31, 2023, Grade Sync feature of Microsoft Teams Assignments will no longer be available to new customers. Existing customers may continue to use it until June 30, 2023.

When this will happen:

June 30, 2023

How this affects your organization:

After June 30 2023, Grade Sync will no longer sync Assignments and grades from Microsoft Teams Assignments and the student information system (SIS). After this change, teachers will need to manually create assignments and update the grades from Teams Assignments into the SIS.

Microsoft continues to support Grade Export to Excel and also have Education APIs for Microsoft Graph covering assignments and grades that may be useful for customers exploring alternatives.

What you can do to prepare:

If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Microsoft Education Technical Support https://aka.ms/edusupport.

No further action is needed on your part during this change.

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Last year, Microsoft released a public preview of Azure Active Directory certificate-based authentication (CBA) on mobile. The company announced yesterday that Azure AD CBA support is now generally available on iOS and Android devices.

The new security solution allows IT admins to provision certificates with a hardware security key for authentication on mobile devices. The company explained that its FIPS Federal Information Processing Standards)-certified helps to protect users against phishing attacks.

“We support both on-device certificates and external hardware security keys, like YubiKeys over USB or NFC on iOS and Android devices. With Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) on the rise, this feature will give you the ability to require phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA) on mobile without having to provision certificates on the user’s mobile device,” explained Vimala Ranganathan, Product Manager for Microsoft Entra.

According to Microsoft, Android users can leverage the latest MSAL support to enable Azure AD CBA support on their mobile devices. They can use the USB to plug in their YubiKey, select a certificate and, enter the PIN to access the app.

How the Azure AD certificate-based authentication (CBA) feature works?On iOS, users will first need to register through the Yubico Authenticator app. Then, they can copy YubiKey’s public certificate into the iOS keychain. Finally, iOS users can choose the YubiKey certificate for authentication and enter a unique PIN code.

Azure AD CBA on iOS mobile with YubiKey Microsoft’s Azure Azure AD CBA feature should help to prevent credential theft via social engineering or phishing attacks in hybrid environments. The company plans to introduce certificate filtering capabilities and support for additional smart card providers.

The passwordless authentication market continues to growLast year, Microsoft, Google, and Apple announced a partnership to expand passwordless login support across all major platforms. Since then, many security providers have been working on their own passwordless authentication solutions. The global passwordless authentication market is expected to grow to $53.64 billion by 2030.

The announcement comes just a few days after Google announced passkey support for Google accounts. It enables users to sign in to applications and websites with a screen-lock PIN or biometrics. This approach makes it difficult for threat actors to get unauthorized access to users’ accounts.

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Microsoft has recently unveiled the Intune Microsoft Store repository integration, which is intended to replace the current Microsoft Store for Business integration with Intune and provide a more consumer-like experience for employees. Microsoft has also released the WinGet Windows Package Manager, which allows IT pros to manage apps and updates through the Microsoft Store repository integration. In this article, I will explain how the Intune integration with the Microsoft Store works and how to add Microsoft Store apps to Intune.

What is the Intune integration with the Microsoft Store?This Intune integration with the Microsoft Store was announced in conjunction with the retirement of the Microsoft Store for Business and Education, which was scheduled to occur on March 31, 2023. However, Microsoft recently updated their announcement post to announce that the retirement of the Microsoft Store for Business will occur in several stages ending on September 15, 2023.

The Microsoft Store repository integration is expected to offer a number of improvements over the current Microsoft Store for Business integration such as enhanced app deployment, better update controls, and the ability to easily install and uninstall apps. In the current Microsoft Store for Business integration, apps must be manually synced in order to be made available in Intune, and there is no native update control for store apps.

The Microsoft Store repository integration, on the other hand, will automatically make new apps available and offer more control over app update deployments from Intune, as well as custom install and uninstall options. This should make it easier for enterprise admins to install, update, and manage apps on their organization’s devices.

One of the key features of the Intune integration with the Microsoft Store is the expanded catalog of apps it provides, which includes both UWP apps (Universal Windows Platform apps) and Win32 apps (traditional Windows apps). This means that in addition to the traditional Windows apps that have been available through the Microsoft Store for Business, the Intune integration with the Microsoft Store will also include apps from the Microsoft Store. This expanded catalog should offer more options for organizations looking to deploy apps to their devices.

How does the WinGet Windows Package Manager work?The WinGet Windows Package Manager, which serves as the client interface for the Windows Package Manager service, allows for the discovery, installation, upgrading, removal, and configuration of applications on Windows 11 or Windows 10 PCs. The WinGet tool connects to centralized application sources and provides a command line interface for installing and searching for apps. The apps and their packages are maintained centrally by the publishers, and the WinGet tool retrieves the packages as needed.

The WinGet tool offers a number of benefits for the management of apps on an organization’s devices. Enterprise admins can use the tool to discover and install new apps, as well as upgrade or remove existing ones. The tool also allows for the configuration of apps, which can be useful for setting up and customizing the behavior of certain apps.

In addition to benefits for enterprise admins, the Microsoft Store repository integration and the WinGet tool also offer benefits for end-users. The improved app deployment and update controls offered by the Microsoft Store repository integration should also make it easier for employees to stay up to date with the latest versions of the apps they use.

How to add Microsoft Store apps to IntuneThe process for adding a Microsoft Store app to Intune is very straightforward. Here are the steps you need to follow:

• From the Intune admin center, head to the Apps menu in the left panel, choose All Apps, and then click on Add.

Accessing the Apps menu in Intune (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the Select app type dialog, choose Microsoft Store App (new), and click on Select* at the bottom to move to the next screen.

Choosing a Microsoft Store app to add to Intune (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the Add App section, click on the Search the Microsoft Store app (new)* link.

We’ll be searching for a Microsoft Store app (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the search box that appears, enter the name of the app you wish to deploy and choose Select*

We’ve picked up Mozilla Firefox as the Microsoft Store app to deploy (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the App information section, review the metadata related to the app. Here, the information has been provided automatically. Click Next* when you’re done.

You need to review the metadata related to the app (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)* On the Assignments section, you need to decide which devices or users will receive the application. At this stage, you can also determine if the app is deployed as “Required” or “Available for enrolled devices.”

We’re ready to add our Microsoft Store app to Intune (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Finally, click Next and then Create* to add the app to Intune. * nominated devices.

You’re now ready to deploy your app to nominated devices. Once you add a Microsoft Store app to Intune, you won’t have to worry about keeping it up to date, Intune will do that automatically when a new version becomes available.

Overall, the new Microsoft Store app integration with Intune is a welcome improvement for IT pros, though there are some limitations you need to be aware of. In some cases, you may not be available to add Microsoft Store apps to Intune. As of today, not all Win32 apps will be available or searchable, and paid apps are also not currently supported.

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Google has started rolling out its passkey technology to Google accounts across all platforms. The feature allows users to log into any of their accounts with passkeys instead of passphrases and multifactor authentication (MFA).

A passkey is an authentication feature that enables users to securely access apps and services. It’s designed to let users authenticate through a facial or fingerprint ID or PIN on computers or phones. Passkeys rely on a robust security mechanism that links login credentials to their device.

Previously, Google allowed users to utilize passkeys as a part of the two-factor authentication process for their accounts. The latest update enables users to use passkeys to sign into Google websites. Currently, passkeys work alongside other authentication mechanisms, such as hardware security keys and passwords.

Why Google accounts should be protected with passkeys?Unlike passwords, passkeys bring several security benefits to secure Google accounts. The feature helps to protect devices against brute force attacks, phishing campaigns, and other security threats. Moreover, it’s a convenient authentication method that eliminates the need to remember passwords. The passkeys are stored locally on the device, which ensures that the data is not shared with Google or any other third-party entities.

“Passkeys are still new and it will take some time before they work everywhere. However, creating a passkey today still comes with security benefits as it allows us to pay closer attention to the sign-ins that fall back to passwords. Over time, we’ll increasingly scrutinize these as passkeys gain broader support and familiarity,” Google explained.

How to enable Google passkeys on Android devicesTo get started with passkeys, head over to the passkey setup page and then use the existing password to sign into the Google account. Click the “Use passkeys” button available in the center of the screen.

Last year, Microsoft, Google, and Apple announced their passkey initiative aimed at a passwordless future. PayPal, Docusign, eBay, and other businesses are already using passkeys for user authentication. It’s great to see that Google is finally moving one step closer to ditching passwords.

Google says that passkey support is currently only available for consumer devices. The feature is also available for users enrolled in Google’s Advanced Protection program. However, the company will soon bring the new passwordless sign-in experience to Google Workspace accounts.

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Microsoft has released a new email alerts feature that should make it easier for IT admins to keep track of known issues in Windows PCs. The highly requested feature enables administrators to sign-up for email notifications about Windows bugs via Microsoft 365 admin center.

Essentially, known issues are problems that impact the user experience, security, and performance of different versions of Windows. Up until now, Microsoft used to provide information about known issues affecting Windows 11/10 and Windows Server 2022 on the Windows release health dashboard. However, IT admins often do not have sufficient time to keep up with any new announcements on the page.

How does the Windows email alert feature work?According to Microsoft, the email alerts feature will enable eligible IT admins to receive email notifications for Windows update-related issues. These include changes in issue status, new workarounds as well as resolutions.

“The notification body will include the full content published about the issue in the Windows release health section of the Microsoft 365 admin center. With a quick glance, you’ll be informed of the status of the issue, as well as versions affected. You’ll find links to view the message in the admin center,” Microsoft explained.

How to subscribe for Windows known issue email alertsMicrosoft says that users will need to sign-up for email notifications about known Windows issues by following these steps:

• Go to Windows release health in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• Select Preferences >> Email and click “Send me email notifications about Windows release health.”
• Provide the email address and Windows versions to receive the notifications.
• Finally, click the Save button. However, it may take up to 8 hours to apply the changes.

Microsoft notes that users will receive only one email alert in the event that an issue affects multiple versions of Windows. This means that IT admins can sign-up for multiple Windows versions without worrying about getting duplicate emails.

Overall, the new email alerts feature should help IT Pros to make well-informed decisions regarding Windows update deployments within their organizations. Currently, it’s only available for customers with Windows 11 Enterprise E3/A3, Windows 11 Enterprise E5/A5, Windows 10 Enterprise E3/A3, Windows 10 Enterprise E5/A5, Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3/A3/F3, and Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5/A5 subscriptions.

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This Week in IT, I look at upcoming changes to the Windows 11 kernel that bring support for Rust. Plus, reports suggest that Microsoft could be developing its own Arm chip for a client device, Windows 12 will get a special edition to support Arm and A.I., and AWS Verified Access reaches general availability.

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Microsoft is removing the waitlist for its new AI-powered Bing today, and the company also detailed several new features to enhance the search experience with AI. The software giant also plans to turn its Bing chatbot into a platform and let developers create third-party plugins for it, echoing the recent launch of the first plugins for OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

In just three months, Microsoft says that its new Bing AI has gained real momentum: The company observed over a half billion chats, over 200 million images created with Bing Image Creator, and over 100 million daily active users for the search engine. By recently integrating its Bing AI into the Windows taskbar, Microsoft also claims that it’s now able to reach over 500 million users every month.

“Thanks to tremendous customer adoption, engagement and feedback, we’re ready to take the next step and are announcing the new Bing is now in Open Preview and no longer has a waitlist. This means that it will now be easier than ever for everyone to try the new Bing and Edge by simply signing into Bing with your Microsoft Account,” explained Yusuf Mehdi, CVP and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft.

Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing is getting image results, chat history, and moreIf everyone can now try the new AI-powered Bing, a lot of new features are also in the pipeline. Here’s everything Microsoft announced today:

• More languages for Bing Image Creator: The Bing Image Creator, which lets users create images with a simple description now supports more than 100 languages currently supported on Bing.
• More visual answers: The Bing chatbot will be able to include charts and graphs in its answers, building on Bing’s existing Knowledge Cards and visual search features.
• Visual search in chat: Users will be able to upload images in conversations with the Bing chatbot to search the web for more information.
• Chat history: Soon, Bing users will be able to continue a previous conversation with the Bing chatbot. Microsoft is also working on making Bing capable of using context from a previous conversation in a new one.
• Chat export and share: Another top requested feature coming soon is the ability to export a conversation with the Bing chatbot to share it with others or embed it in a document.
• Third-party plugins: Microsoft will let developers create plugins allowing Bing users to access third-party services within a chat conversation.

That’s it for the main new features coming soon to Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing, and the company said that it will share more details about third-party plugins at its Build developer conference later this month. However, the company also announced today some new AI-powered capabilities for its Edge browser.

Microsoft Edge is getting new AI-powered features tooMicrosoft Edge is the only web browser to offer a deep Bing integration, and Microsoft says it’s where 25% of Bing chats come from. The Chat feature in Microsoft Edge will soon get improved summarization capabilities for long documents and web pages. On mobile, Microsoft Edge will also let users ask questions about a page they’re viewing.

In the coming weeks, Microsoft will also introduce Edge actions in the browser’s sidebar. “For example, if you want to watch a particular movie, actions in Edge will find and show you options in chat in the sidebar and then play the movie you want from where it’s available,” Mehdi explained.

Lastly, Mehdi teased that Microsoft was in the process of redesigning Microsoft Edge. “As these changes begin to roll out, you’ll begin to see a sleeker and enhanced user interface including a streamlined look, rounded corners, organized containers and semi-transparent visual elements,” the exec said.

Microsoft is iterating really fast on its new AI-powered Bing, but the company’s partnership with OpenAI is already impacting many other Microsoft products. The software giant is in the process of implementing new “Copilot” experience across Microsoft 365 apps and services, and SharePoint is one of the latest apps to receive the Copilot treatment.

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Polly has teamed up with video technology provider Pexip to launch new cloud-based and on-premises communications services. The new offerings are designed to meet the business communication and privacy needs of the public, government, and private customers.

Specifically, Poly has integrated Pexip’s technology into its products to provide three communication solutions. These include Poly PrivateConnect powered by Pexip, Poly CloudConnect powered by Pexip, and Poly FedConnect powered by Pexip. The company says its new offerings could be particularly useful for the healthcare and financial sectors.

“We are introducing three offerings that prioritize better user experiences, deeper customization, higher levels of interoperability, and alliance strength while adhering to robust security protocols. These solutions will be a replacement for Poly’s existing Clariti and RealConnect offerings for on-premise and cloud-based communications,” said Chris Moss, Product and Portfolio Management, HP Hybrid Systems.

Poly PrivateConnect powered by PexipPoly has announced a secure video technology service called Poly PrivateConnect powered by Pexip. It offers a unified, flexible, and scalable meetings experience, all while maintaining strict security measures. The solution provides interoperability modules to let users connect with Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.

Poly CloudConnect powered by PexipMoreover, Poly launched another cloud-based video technology platform dubbed “Poly CloudConnect powered by Pexip.” The service offers interoperability for Google Meet and Microsoft Teams to enhance customization, user experiences, and management capabilities.

Poly FedConnect powered by PexipLastly, Poly FedConnect powered by Pexip is a FedRAMP-authorised solution for US government organizations. The SaaS-based video conferencing service provides a secure connection to let users join Teams calls from standards-based video systems.

Poly’s new on-premises and cloud-based collaboration solutions are available for government, public, and private sector organizations worldwide. These offerings should help users to meet the data privacy and compliance requirements of their organization. If you’re interested, you can check out the blog post for more details.

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Microsoft is planning to make web links in Microsoft Outlook and Teams to open by default in its Edge browser. The company is giving IT admins a 30 days notice that this change will be gradually rolled out in Outlook for Windows for all business customers.

Microsoft first announced the web link behavior change for consumers with Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscriptions in February 2023. The company claimed that it should make it easier for users to stay focused on important tasks. It should also eliminate the need to switch between different applications.

Now, Microsoft is getting ready to roll out the behavior change to commercial customers with Azure Active Directory (AAD) and Microsoft (MSA) accounts. Microsoft says that the Outlook desktop client will open web links in Microsoft Edge’s sidebar by default. This means that the app will completely ignore the default browser selected in Windows Settings. Microsoft has already rolled out similar changes that impact the search experience and widgets in Windows 11.

“Web links from emails in the Outlook for Windows app will open side-by-side with the email in Microsoft Edge so users can easily reference the link and email without switching back and forth between apps. The email will open in the Outlook app in the Edge sidebar. Links will open in Microsoft Edge even if it is not the system default browser in Windows,” the company explained on the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Going forwards, Microsoft plans to roll out the new default behavior for links in Microsoft Teams. The company explained that web links shared in Teams chats messages will open in Microsoft Edge, though there is no ETA yet. Meanwhile, Microsoft confirmed that similar changes will also arrive in Outlook for iOS and Android in the coming weeks.

Microsoft’s latest Edge push triggers backlash from IT adminsApparently, the recent announcement has generated a significant amount of criticism from IT administrators. “This has been going on for some time now with Outlook on Android. It completely bypasses the default browser setting and opens all links in Edge. It’s annoying.” an IT admin wrote on Reddit.

Microsoft advises IT admins to configure policies to manage the change for Microsoft 365 Apps. However, customers with a Microsoft 365 Business plan will need to control the settings on individual client machines. Do you think that this change would cause unnecessary headaches for thousands of small businesses with IT resources and budget restrictions? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Microsoft published a detailed roundup of all the new features added to Microsoft Teams in April 2023. This time around, the company highlighted improvements to meetings, webinars, management capabilities, Teams Rooms devices, and much more. Let’s dive in!

Meetings featuresStarting with meetings, Microsoft has released a new feature that will automatically lower a participant’s raised hands after speaking in the meeting. Users can choose to keep their hands raised by clicking the “Keep it raised” button. This capability is only available for desktop users, and it helps organizers to focus on unanswered questions.

Microsoft has also added a new ultrasound howling detection feature to eliminate the feedback loop and echo in Teams meetings. When a user joins a Microsoft Teams meeting and other participants are physically present in the same room, the app will automatically mute your microphone and speakers. This feature is only supported on the Teams desktop client for Windows and macOS.

Microsoft has introduced closed captions support for embedded videos in PowerPoint Live for Teams. Microsoft Teams now supports a new green screen feature that enhances virtual background effects. The feature helps users to increase the sharpness and definition of the backgrounds around the user’s face, ears, hair, and head.

Reminder Emails for WebinarsAs for webinars, Microsoft has introduced support for reminder emails to drive excitement and attendance for the event. All registered webinar participants will receive the emails at a specific date and time. These automated reminder emails will include webinar details and a custom-branded header along with a link to join the event.

Microsoft Teams can now auto-install approved appsThere are also some changes to the management side of Microsoft Teams. Administrators can now use the Auto install approved apps (AAA) feature to surface apps that are highly relevant to users’ needs. It will automatically install approved apps for users who sign into SaaS apps with their Azure AD credentials. The Auto install approved apps feature is designed to reduce administrative costs and manual processes.

Microsoft says that ISVs can now visit the partner center to target applications to select geographies. This means that Microsoft Teams users will only see apps relevant to their specific country or region.

Microsoft Teams Rooms devices and moreMicrosoft has announced several new devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms in April 2023. You can check out the full list below:

• Audiocodes RXV81 video collaboration bar for Microsoft Teams on Android
• Yealink Meeting Board Camera 6X for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android
• Bose Videobar VB-S for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows
• DTEN D7X 55” for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android
• Q-SYS Certified Teams Rooms Bundle
• Aver TR313V2 Camera, Back of Room Presenter’s Camera
• Lenovo ThinkVision MC60 Monitor Webcam

Q-SYS Certified Teams Rooms BundleFinally, Microsoft has started rolling out the features already available for commercial customers in multi-tenant cloud environments to government customers. These include the United States Department of Defense (DoD), Government Community Cloud (GCC), and Government Community Cloud High (GCC-High) tenants.

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Microsoft detailed yesterday several new updates coming to its SharePoint platform over the coming months, including a new AI-powered Copilot experience. Microsoft has an ambitious product roadmap for SharePoint sites and pages this year, and advanced image editing features and a new integration of Sharepoint pages into emails will roll out first in the next couple of months.

According to Adam Harmetz, Vice President of Product Management at Microsoft, the following SharePoint roadmap is “the biggest step we’ve ever taken in the 22-year history of the product to reimagine how sites, pages, and new types of content are created in SharePoint.”

Microsoft’s SharePoint product roadmap for 2023 (Image credit: Microsoft)We’ll start with the new Copilot experience in SharePoint, which is expected to launch in preview by the end of 2023.

New Copilot in SharePointThe new Copilot experience in SharePoint will simplify the creation of SharePoint sites with generative AI features. Users will be able to use Copilot when creating sites from scratch from the SharePoint Start page. “With only a brief prompt, Copilot in SharePoint creates a starter site for you, brings in information from across your organization as needed, and automatically aligns to your organization’s brand,” explained Harmetz.

Copilot will also be able to assist users looking to turn an existing document or presentation into a SharePoint page. Again, using a simple prompt such as “Create an employee onboarding site for Product Managers using this PowerPoint as a base” will be able to get the Copilot ball rolling.

The new Copilot experience in SharePoint (image credit: Microsoft).If Copilot promises to greatly reduce the time spent on setting up SharePoint sites, the platform is also getting a major aesthetic update with advanced features for creating sophisticated sites and pages.

New aesthetic capabilities coming to SharePointA new SharePoint Start page is planned for the September/October timeframe, and it will provide design templates, a list of recent posts and drafts, as well as analytics data. If the new Start page will make it easier to start creating a SharePoint site or page, Microsoft is also upgrading the content creation experience in various ways:

• Microsoft has redesigned the entire branding, theming, fonts, video, animations, and motion experiences with a touch of Fluent Design.
• A new brand center will let users reuse branding elements across sites more seamlessly
• A new content pane will provide relevant design suggestions when you’re working on a page.

The new content pane in SharePoint pages (Image credit: Microsoft)* The upgraded image editor will add support for shape cropping, color adjusting, adding filters, and overlaying text. * Co-authoring capabilities for SharePoint pages are coming by the end of the year.

To improve engagement with SharePoint content, Microsoft also announced new SharePoint integrations with other apps including Microsoft Stream and Microsoft Viva. Over the next few months, it will also be possible to share an entire SharePoint page via email.

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Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (Windows LAPS) is a powerful tool that allows organizations to better manage and protect their local administrator account passwords on Windows devices. This feature is available on Azure Active Directory-joined or Windows Server Active Directory-joined devices. In this article, I will explain how to configure Windows LAPS in an Azure Active Directory scenario and how to manage it from Microsoft Entra, the company’s new identity and access management platform.

Windows LAPS vs. Microsoft LAPS: What’s the difference?Windows LAPS is currently in public preview, with much of the capability available for all Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) customers. While the legacy Microsoft LAPS is still available for download, Windows LAPS offers several advantages over its predecessor.

• Firstly, Windows LAPS is an entirely separate implementation that is native to Windows.
• Windows LAPS also includes several new features not available in legacy Microsoft LAPS, such as the ability to back up passwords to Azure AD, encrypt passwords in Windows Server Active Directory, and store password history.
• Since Windows LAPS is now included in Windows, additional licensing is not required to take advantage of it. It’s also possible to use with the Azure AD free tier, meaning Azure AD Premium licensing is not required.

The vast adoption of legacy Microsoft LAPS over the previous decade means that this new solution will need to offer a migration procedure that’s as simple as possible. The migration process that Microsoft recommends to organizations is a side-by-side approach: They can run both solutions in parallel until the migration to the new Windows LAPS is complete.

The new native Windows LAPS capabilities are included in the April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates, and they support the following editions of Windows and Windows Server:

• Windows 11 (Pro, Education, Enterprise)
• Windows 10 (Pro, Education, Enterprise)
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022

If you’re using any of these versions of Windows and you’ve installed the April 2023 security updates, you’re ready to go and start configuring Windows LAPS. There’s no separate installer or agent required! However, while Windows LAPS is now built-in, you will likely need to use a configuration tool such as a Group Policy Object (GPO), ConfigMgr, or Intune to manage configurations on the client.

Before we get started with the configuration of Windows LAPS, you should be aware that Microsoft has acknowledged two potential regressions related to interoperability with legacy LAPS scenarios. “If you install the legacy LAPS agent on a device patched with the April 11, 2023 security update and an applied legacy LAPS policy, both Windows LAPS and legacy LAPS will enter a broken state where neither feature will update the password for the managed account,” Microsoft explained. As of this writing, the company is already working on a fix for this issue.

Windows LAPS configuration in an Azure AD ScenarioWindows LAPS for Azure AD joined devices can be configured with just a few clicks. We’ll start by enabling the feature tenant-wide. Microsoft recommends using the Microsoft Entra portal for the best experience.

Enabling Windows LAPS from the Microsoft Entra admin center* Browse to the Microsoft Entra admin center select choose Go to Azure Active Directory

Accessing Azure AD settings on the Microsoft Entra portal (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) From Azure AD, choose Devices → All Devices*.

Accessing Device settings for Azure AD (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Here, open the Device settings* menu.

Azure AD join and registration settings (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Scroll down to the Local Administrator Settings (preview) section. * Toggle the slider for Enable Azure AD Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS)* to Yes.

Enabling Azure AD Local Administrator Solution (LAPS) (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)Once enabled at the Azure AD tenant level, we can move to Intune and explore the various methods to configure Windows LAPS.

Configuring Windows LAPS within IntuneHere are the different ways to configure Windows LAPS within Intune.

• Windows Powershell with the Azure AD Powershell Module.
• Deploying a custom Open Mobile Alliance – Uniform Resources (OMA-URI) profile that uses a Windows Configuration Service Provider (CSP).
• The Intune settings catalog.
• A rich native Intune configuration profile.

Depending on your use case, you may choose any one of the above options to configure Windows LAPS for Azure AD joined devices. In this guide, however, I’ll show you how to do that using a rich native Intune configuration profile.

• From the Microsoft Intune admin center, choose Endpoint Security:

Accessing Endpoint security settings in the Intune admin center (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Next, click on Account Protection*.

The Account protection page is where you can create a policy (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) On this page, click on Create Policy*.

Let’s create a policy to configure Windows LAPS (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the platform dropdown menu, choose Windows 10 and later*.

Our Intune profile will target Windows 10 and later (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the Profile box, choose Local admin password solution (Windows LAPS)*.

Choosing Windows LAPS for our Intune profile (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Click on Create* when you’re done.

(Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Now, you’ll have to enter a name and description for your profile and click Next*.

(Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) In the Configuration settings* tab, configure the policy as required using the reference table below

| Setting | Description | Default | Options | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Backup Directory | Use this setting to configure which directory the local admin account password is backed up to. | Disabled (password will not be backed up). | – Disabled (password will not be backed up).– Backup the password to Azure AD only.– Backup the password to Active Directory only. | | Password Age Days | Use this policy to configure the maximum password age of the managed local administrator account. | 30 | 1 to 365 for AD7 to 365 for Azure AD | | Administrator Account Name | Use this setting to configure the name of the managed local administrator account. Note: This option does not create an account, it only determines which account is to be managed if present. | If not specified, the default built-in local administrator account will be located by a well-known SID (even if renamed). | | Password Complexity | Use this setting to configure the password complexity of the managed local administrator account. | Large letters + small letters + numbers + special characters | – Large letters – Large letters + small letters – Large letters + small letters + numbers– Large letters + small letters + numbers + special characters | | Password Length | Use this setting to configure the length of the password of the managed local administrator account. | 14 characters | 8char to 64char | | Post Authentication Actions | Use this setting to specify the actions to take upon expiration of the configured grace period. | Reset the password and log off the managed account. | – Reset password: upon expiration of the grace period, the managed account password will be reset. – Reset the password and log off the managed account.-Reset the password and reboot. | | Post Authentication Reset Delay | Use this setting to specify the amount of time (in hours) to wait after an authentication before executing the specified post-authentication actions. | 24 hours | 0 (disabled) to 24 hours |

Table showing Configuration Name, Description, Default value and Possible value Once you’ve chosen the right configuration, click Next*.

Configuring settings for our Intune profile (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) On the Scope tags screen, assign any scope tags that are required and click Next*.

You can assign any scope tags to your profile (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) On the Assignments page, choose the groups of users or devices to be targeted, or choose All Devices. Click Next* when you’re done.

Choosing the groups of users or devices to be targeted by our profile (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Finally, choose Review & Create* to complete the creation of your Windows LAPS profile in Intune

Manage Windows LAPS from Microsoft EntraAfter creating our Windows LAPS profile in Intune, we can manage it from the Microsoft Entra profile. Here, we’ll be able to see the list of all devices that have Windows LAPS configured.

From the Microsoft Entra admin center, we’ll go back to the Devices page of the Azure AD section.

• From the Azure AD section on the left, click on All Devices.

(Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) Next, Click on Local Administrator password recovery (Preview)*.

Opening the Local Administrator password recovery (Preview) screen (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)The Local Administrator password recovery (Preview) screen shows a list of all devices that have Windows LAPS configured, and it contains the following fields for each device.

• Device name: The name of the Azure AD device. This is also a link to the Azure AD device.
• Local administrator password: This field includes a link to show the local administrator password.
• Last password rotation: Date/time that the password was last changed.
• Next password rotation: Date/time that the password will be changed next.

Checking settings for devices that have Windows LAPS configured (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby) To view a device’s local administrator password, choose Show local administrator password. * A new pane will appear with the same details seen in the table. From here, choose Show:*

Showing a local administrator password (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)* Here, you can see the local administrator password:

The local administrator password has been revealed (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)Manage Windows LAPS with IntuneWhile Microsoft Intune can be used for the initial configuration of Windows LAPS, it can also be leveraged to perform key actions related to Windows LAPS. For example, in the Devices blade of the Intune admin center, you can rotate the local admin password for a device that is managed by Windows LAPS.

You can rotate the local admin password for a device managed by Windows LAPS in Intune (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)It is also possible to view the Local admin password in the Intune console, bypassing the need to use the Azure AD admin center or the Microsoft Entra admin center. To do that, you can simply choose the Local admin password in the Monitor section for the managed device:

You can view the Local admin password in the Intune console (Image credit: Petri/Dean Ellerby)Why you need to manage access to Windows LAPSFor a number of reasons, it’s important to strictly control access to the LAPS feature for admins in the environment. Microsoft has leveraged the native and built-in role based access control (RBAC) capabilities in Azure AD and Intune to ensure organizations can limit access to the feature.

Lastly, if you’re not ready to enable Windows LAPS in your environment yet, you can also start experimenting with it with the new emulation mode. When you’re ready to move away from the legacy Microsoft LAPS, you can choose to migrate over to the new features gradually.

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This month, as promised, we’re seeing the Microsoft Power Platform lean into AI enhancements. Many of these new AI-powered features are genuinely useful, and they should certainly improve as users provide feedback to the company.

As I always advise, you shouldn’t use experimental features in production apps, but once they cross the threshold to preview, that means that Microsoft is going to be rolling them out to all users in the future. Certainly, you should try out experimental features in non-production apps to get a feel for them yourselves. Anyway, let’s peek at some of the new Power Platform features introduced in April 2023.

Improved variables and collections experience in Canvas DesignerThe Power Apps Canvas Designer now includes a side-rail tab for variables and collections. Much like how the “Tree viewer” allows the selection of individual controls, you can now select your variable and then view the code where it’s defined and used in your app. Selecting the code section also brings it up in your formula bar for easy editing. This function allows you to view variables of all types, including collections, without leaving your canvas screen.

The new variables pane in Canvas Designer (Image credit: Microsoft)Power Apps gets better at implicit type conversionPower Apps has just gotten smarter at what Microsoft is calling “implicit type conversion,” or “coercion.” What does that mean? It means that you won’t need to define the specific data type for your function anymore.

Power Apps is now smart enough to attempt to figure out when you need to do a mathematical calculation and understand when your data is a value vs. a text. In other words, you will not always have to wrap textual numerals in a Value() so that the formula recognizes you want to use the number 3 and not the text character 3.

Formulas and mathematical operators will also be able to hazard a guess whether your data is Boolean(), Value(), or Text() based on the context of your formula. You may still need to help define it in some more complex formulas, but this is a positive step forward when you’re trying to incorporate untyped objects (such as JSON) into your formulas.

This feature, though still experimental (you must enable ParseJson function and untyped objects), should move to Preview soon.

Microsoft expands access to Copilot in Power AppsYou may have seen my demo in the last month related to using Copilot for Power Apps where I use natural language to create a working app. Microsoft is now making these Copilot capabilities available to builders on a sign-up basis. That, and the other new experimental features that rolled out in the March 2023 update are summarized on the Power Apps blog.

Comments in Power Apps and Power AutomateMicrosoft just announced the general availability of comments in Power Apps and Power Automate. Just as in other Microsoft products, comments can now assist users in collaborative app/automation building in Canvas Studio, Modern App Designer, and Power Automate.

Comments are now generally available in Power Apps (Image credit: Microsoft)A look at Power Automate’s “Describe it to design it” future updatesThere’s not much else to update this month regarding Power Automate, but Stephen Siciliano, VP of Power Automate gave us a look-ahead at the work that the Power Automate team is doing to enhance their Describe it to design it feature which rolled out last October. Specifically, they are fine-tuning their Azure OpenAI models based on our usage.

Interestingly, the exec provided a stat revealing that 76% of the flows within a week’s time ran at least once, vs. a mere 43% when created by scratch, or 64% when created via template. So, this is an indicator that developers are successfully using them with more room for growth. Rest assured, Microsoft is going to continue developing the Copilot feature for Power Automate and plans on releasing more features for it in the coming months.

PowerBI updatesIn the PowerBI realm, we mentioned last month that you can now use the new On-Object Interaction feature, which is currently in preview. Microsoft has been busy incorporating our feedback into this feature as they continue to enhance it.

Also, if you have been using the opt-in experimental Quick Measure Suggestions feature based on Azure OpenAI, you should be aware that it’s now enabled by default. Microsoft is pretty confident that using the power of AI in converting natural language into DAX is going to be something that we’ll all appreciate!

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Microsoft has announced a new version of the OneDrive web app for business and education customers. The company highlighted today that the updated app will include a new home experience that reduces the time required to find important files and documents.

With this release, the OneDrive web app is getting a new “For you” section that leverages AI-powered file recommendation features to surface personalized and relevant content. Microsoft plans to roll out the feature in the coming months.

“We’ve also added rich, context-based organization, such as views that show you recent, shared, and favorite and files from meetings. These views help you get back to content quickly. And lastly, inline activity updates let you catch up on files at a glance or jump right to comments in files that you want to address,” the OneDrive team explained.

Shared viewMicrosoft is adding a new Shared view to the OneDrive web app. The new feature will provide a central hub to view all internal and external files shared with the OneDrive user. The company will begin rolling out the new Shared experience later this quarter.

People viewAnother important update for OneDrive is a new People view that will let users organize files by people and view recent file activity. Users will be able to pin specific people to the top of the page for easier access. The new People view will be available in the OneDrive web app later this year.

New meetings view and other updates coming to OneDrive Microsoft is also introducing a new Meetings view that will let users view files shared through notes, online meetings, and Microsoft Loop. Moreover, the OneDrive web app is getting the ability to filter PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and PDF files. There is also a new customization feature that will let users change the color of the folders in OneDrive. Other capabilities include offline support and a new sharing experience.

Filter specific file types in OneDriveLast but not least, the OneDrive web app will let users create File Shortcuts links and pin certain files as Favorites. Microsoft also announced today that the new features will also make their way to the Files app in Microsoft Teams.

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Microsoft has detailed a bunch of new features added to its Windows Autopatch service in May 2023. The company explained that this is the most “impactful” update since Windows Autopach was launched back in May 2023.

Windows Autopatch is a cloud-based service that enables IT admins to automate the patching of Windows, Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Edge. Microsoft highlighted that its Windows Autopatch has helped businesses to save more than $1 million. These include $470,000 in on-site infrastructure costs and $848,000 in efficiency improvements.

“The theme of this release is responding to real enterprise needs – all because we’ve heard from Autopatch customers and would-be customers about what they want from the service. So here they are: new capabilities, controls, and reports, all geared towards helping IT administrators improve security and productivity with less effort,” Microsoft explained.

Up until now, the deployment of Windows feature updates was a resource-intensive process for organizations. The latest Windows Autopatch update gives customers greater control over feature updates on client devices. Microsoft says that IT admins can configure updates to specific Windows Autopatch groups called “Deployment rings” within their tenant. It’s also possible to roll out these updates in a staggered manner.

Windows Autopatch gets policy health alerts and new notificationsMicrosoft has introduced support for alerts and notifications about missed and modified policies in Windows Autopatch. This release lets IT admins view and track the details within the Tenant Management section. They can initiate action for the Autopatch service to restore policies and deployment rings without raising an incident.

Lastly, Microsoft has released some updates to improve the reporting experience for both feature and quality updates in Windows Autopatch. It provides a summary view of current status as well as trending or current views.

Microsoft added that the new Windows Autopatch updates are available in public preview for customers. The company will continue to test these features before making them generally available for all organizations. We invite you to check out the official blog post for more details.

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Microsoft has partnered with Stripe, PayPal, and GoDaddy to launch a new Payments app for Microsoft Teams. The app allows small businesses in the US and Canada to accept payments for webinars, one-on-one sessions, classes, appointments, and events within Teams meetings.

“We have partnered with leading players in the payments space to combine the core collaboration capabilities in Teams with powerful commerce features in this first-of-its-kind app. With a mutual focus on helping SMBs prosper, we are excited to partner with GoDaddy, PayPal, and Stripe to make it even easier for customers to interact with you and help you get paid faster,” said Brenna Robinson, GM of Microsoft 365, Small and Medium Business.

Microsoft mentioned that the new Payments app is aimed at 11 million small businesses that use Microsoft Teams. This app could be useful for various professionals such as consultants, teachers, and real estate agents.

Microsoft’s new Payments app is available to download from Microsoft’s AppSource repository. Once installed, customers can configure the app to connect with any third-party payment provider. Then, users can send payment requests, and customers can use their digital wallet, debit or credit card, or other methods to send money. It’s also possible to track received and outstanding payments in Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams Payments app to get integration with GoDaddyThe new Payments app is available for free in public preview for Teams Essentials ($4 per month) and Microsoft 365 business (from $6 per month) subscribers based in the US and Canada. As of this writing, the Payments app only supports PayPal and Stripe, with GoDabby integration coming in the near future.

Microsoft has teamed up with Small Business Association to celebrate National Small Business Week (NSBW) in the United States. As a part of the celebration, Microsoft is offering a 15 percent discount for the first full year of Microsoft 365 Business and Microsoft 365 Business Standard subscriptions. However, the limited-time offer is only valid for purchases made through Microsoft’s official website.

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Last week, Google announced account synchronization support for its Authenticator app. On April 25, the security research team Mysk highlighted on Twitter that the feature lacks support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE).

The security researchers found that the network traffic used to sync the credentials is not end-to-end encrypted. This means that the seed used to generate 2FA codes is transmitted in a format that is likely visible to both Google and attackers. The researchers warned that there is no setting that allows users to protect their synced 2FA codes.

Additionally, Google could potentially use the information linked to users’ accounts to show personalized advertisements. The security researchers recommended that users should not enable the new syncing feature until it adds support for end-to-end encryption.

Google product manager Christiaan Brand announced on Twitter that its Authenticator app will gain support for end-to-end encryption. However, he emphasized that users should not be concerned because the company encrypts data in transit and at rest across all its products.

“To make sure we’re offering users a full set of options, we’ve started rolling out optional E2E encryption in some of our products, and we have plans to offer E2EE for Google Authenticator down the line,” Brand explained. “Right now, we believe that our current product strikes the right balance for most users and provides significant benefits over offline use. However, the option to use the app offline will remain an alternative for those who prefer to manage their backup strategy themselves.”

Use Google Authenticator offline or without syncAs of this writing, Google has not provided an ETA for bringing end-to-end encryption to the new account syncing feature in Google Authenticator. In the meantime, users can get around the security issue by continuing to use Google Authenticator in offline mode or without Google Account sync.

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Amazon has announced the general availability of its AWS Verified Access service. The service enables IT admins to provide secure access to enterprise applications without using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

AWS Verified Access originally launched in public preview in November at AWS re:Invent 2022.
The service allows customers to create, configure and manage a collection of policies and criteria for accessing private applications. The feature provides an additional layer of security to prevent users from sharing corporate data through insecure VPN servers.

“Built using AWS Zero Trust principles, customers can use Verified Access to reduce the risks associated with remote connectivity. IT administrators and developers can define fine-grain access per application using real-time contextual signals, including identity and device posture. Verified Access also simplifies security operations. Customers can manage policies for each application all in one place,” Amazon explained.

Benefits of Verified AccessAmazon highlighted several advantages of its AWS Verified Access service, including security posture improvement. It evaluates each application access request to grant access to users that meet specific security requirements. AWS Verified Access also integrates with identity and device management services to maintain access logs. It should make it easier for administrators to troubleshoot issues.

AWS Verified Access gets two new featuresAmazon has also added two new security features to AWS Verified Access. The service is getting a new AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) integration to block application-layer attacks (such as SQL injection) targeting web applications. It helps to protect various resources such as AWS App Runner service, Amazon CloudFront distribution, and Application Load Balancer.

Additionally, AWS Verified Access supports passing signed identity context (email, username, and other attributes) to application endpoints. It’s possible to use the context to personalize applications.

AWS Verified Access is currently available for all enterprise customers, and you can get started today on the official website. Amazon says that users will be charged for each application on Verified Access, and the amount of data processed by the service.

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In relational databases like SQL Server, the SQL JOIN statement is used to query, connect and retrieve data from multiple tables based on data relationships between those tables. You can use the SQL JOIN statement with two or more tables, and it essentially returns records that have matching values in the different tables. In this tutorial, I will explain how to use the most common SQL JOIN types including the SQL INNER JOIN, the SQL LEFT JOIN, the SQL RIGHT JOIN, and the SQL OUTER JOIN.

SQL Joins are an essential feature to use when working with relational databases. They are mainly executed using the SQL SELECT statement. You can learn more about getting started with the T-SQL SELECT statement in my previous SQL Servers article: Using SQL SELECT and the WHERE and HAVING Clauses to Retrieve Data.

SQL INNER JOINThe SQL INNER JOIN operation creates a result set by combining rows that have matching values in two or more tables. This is probably the most commonly used join operation in T-SQL. SQL INNER JOIN only returns rows that have matching values, and it’s used to retrieve data that appears in all tables.

The following diagram illustrates how an SQL INNER JOIN operation works with two tables.

How an SQL INNER JOIN operation works with two tables (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)The syntax for an INNER JOIN is pretty straightforward. As part of your SELECT statement, you specify the two tables to join and the columns to use to match rows.

Let’s take a closer look at two tables from the AdventureWorksLT2019 sample database. If we use the SalesLT.Customer and SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader tables, we can use an SQL INNER JOIN to retrieve the orders for the customers in the SalesLT.Customer table by joining the two tables on the CustomerID column, which is a common column in both tables.

Here’s the T-SQL query you can use to accomplish that:

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT c.CustomerID, c.FirstName, c.LastName, soh.SalesOrderID, soh.OrderDate FROM SalesLT.Customer cINNER JOIN SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader soh ON c.CustomerID = soh.CustomerID Here’s how the syntax for the SQL INNER JOIN works:

• Here, you can see we’re selecting the ‘CustomerID’, ‘FirstName’, and ‘LastName’ columns from the SalesLT.Customer table, and the ‘SalesOrderID’ and ‘OrderDate’ columns from the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader table.
• The ‘c’ and ‘soh’ are shorthand table aliases that eliminate the need to always use the full table name when referring to columns.
• We’re using the INNER JOIN keyword to join the two tables. The ON keyword specifies the column to use for the join. Here it’s the ‘CustomerID’ column.

This query will return a result set that includes the ‘CustomerID’, ‘FirstName’, ‘LastName’, ‘SalesOrderID’, and ‘OrderDate’ columns for each customer who has placed an order, as you can see in the following figure.

The result of our SQL INNER JOIN query (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey) SQL LEFT JOINThe SQL LEFT OUTER JOIN operation will also create a result set by matching rows between our two previous tables. With the SQL LEFT JOIN, however, if no records match from the left table, it will show those records with null values.

This is useful when you want to include all rows from the first table and only the matching rows from the second table, even if there’s no match in the right table. The SQL LEFT OUTER JOIN will return null values in columns from the right table if there’s no match.

The following diagram illustrates how an SQL LEFT OUTER JOIN operation works with two tables.

How an SQL LEFT OUTER JOIN works with two tables (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)The syntax for the LEFT JOIN is also fairly simple. As part of the SELECT statement, you specify the two tables to join, the columns to use to match rows, and the LEFT JOIN clause.

Let’s take a closer look at two tables from the AdventureWorksLT2019 database. For example, to retrieve all customers and any orders they have, you can use the SalesLT.Customer and SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader tables and perform a LEFT JOIN as you can see in the following listing:

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT c.CustomerID, c.FirstName, c.LastName, soh.SalesOrderID, soh.OrderDateFROM SalesLT.Customer c LEFT JOIN SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader soh ON c.CustomerID = soh.CustomerID * In this example, we’re selecting the ‘CustomerID’, ‘FirstName’, ‘LastName’, ‘SalesOrderID’, and ‘OrderDate’ columns from the SalesLT.Customer and SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader tables. * We’re using the LEFT JOIN keyword to join the two tables and the ON keyword that we will be using in the ‘CustomerID’ column to join the two tables.

You can see the results of this SQL LEFT JOIN query in the figure below.

The results of our SQL LEFT JOIN query (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)This query will return a result set that includes all customers in the SalesLT.Customer table, along with any corresponding order information from the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader table. If a customer does not have any orders in the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader table, then the columns from that table will be null. You can see several null values in the previous figure.

SQL RIGHT JOINAs you might guess, the SQL RIGHT OUTER JOIN operation is essentially the opposite of the LEFT OUTER JOIN. The RIGHT OUTER JOIN selects data from the right table (Table 2) and matches this data with the rows from the left table (Table 1).

The RIGHT JOIN returns a result set that includes all rows in the right table, even if they do not have matching rows from the left table. If a row in the right table does not have a matching row in the left table, then the result set for the columns from the left table will be null.

The following diagram illustrates how a right JOIN works with two tables:

How a right JOIN works with two tables (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)We can show this with the SalesLT.Customer and SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader from the AdventuresLT2019 database. To retrieve all orders and their corresponding customer information, you can use a RIGHT JOIN query as you can see in the following example:

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT c.CustomerID, c.FirstName, c.LastName, soh.SalesOrderID, soh.OrderDateFROM SalesLT.Customer c RIGHT JOIN SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader soh ON c.CustomerID = soh.CustomerID * In this example, we’re selecting the ‘CustomerID’, ‘FirstName’, ‘LastName’, ‘SalesOrderID’, and ‘OrderDate’ columns from the SalesLT.Customer and SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader tables. * The RIGHT JOIN keyword is used to join the two tables, and the ON keyword specifies that we’re joining the two tables on the ‘CustomerID’ column.

This query will return a result set that includes all orders in the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader table, along with their corresponding customer information from the SalesLT.Customer table if it’s available. If an order does not have a corresponding customer in the SalesLT.Customer table, the customer columns in the result set will be null.

You might notice this query is very much like the preceding query. However, the LEFT JOIN resulted in many rows from the SaleOrderHeader table that had null values. However, our last query has no null values in the rows from the SaleOrderHeader table.

The results of our SQL RIGHT OUTER JOIN operation are shown in the following figure.

The results of our SQL RIGHT OUTER JOIN operation (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)SQL OUTER JOINSQL OUTER JOIN is not the most common type of join operation. Sometimes called a FULL JOIN, the OUTER JOIN query will not only retrieve the matching rows but the unmatched rows as well. In other words, it returns data from the joined table when there is a match in either the left or right tables.

As you might guess, this tends to produce larger result sets than the other join types. The following diagram illustrates how an SQL OUTER JOIN works with two tables.

How an SQL OUTER JOIN works with two tables (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)I’ll give you an example of an SQL OUTER JOIN operation using the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader and SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail tables. Here, we want to retrieve all sales orders and their associated details, including orders that don’t have any details records.

To do this, we can use a FULL OUTER JOIN. This will also return any SalesOrderDetail rows that didn’t have a corresponding SalesOrderHeader row. In most normal cases all SalesOrderDetails rows should have a corresponding SalesOrderHearder row but this might not be the case if there has been an application or system error which this can help detect.

Here’s a T-SQL query showing an example FULL OUTER JOIN:

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT soh.SalesOrderID, soh.OrderDate, sod.ProductID, sod.OrderQty, sod.UnitPriceFROM SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader sohFULL OUTER JOIN SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail sodON soh.SalesOrderID = sod.SalesOrderID * In this example, we’re selecting the ‘SalesOrderID’, ‘OrderDate’, ‘ProductID’, ‘Quantity’, and ‘UnitPrice’ columns from both the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader and SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail tables. * We’re using the FULL OUTER JOIN keyword to join the two tables, and the ON keyword to specify that the SalesOrderID column will be used to join the two tables. * This query will return a result set that includes all sales orders in the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader table, along with their corresponding detail information from the SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail table. It will also include all details in the SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail table, along with their corresponding order header information if it’s available. * If a sales order does not have any details in the SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail table, then the columns will be NULL. If a detail does not have a corresponding sales order in the SalesLT.SalesOrderHeader table, then the sales order columns will be NULL.

The results of this FULL OUTER JOIN operation are shown in the following figure.

The results of our FULL OUTER JOIN operation (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Learning SQL Join fundamentalsIn this tutorial, I covered the most common different types of SQL JOINS. I showed how to use the INNER JOIN, the LEFT JOIN, the RIGHT JOIN, and the OUTER JOIN, and I also explained how they are different and where they can be used. In an upcoming post, I’ll be covering some of the less common joins like the CROSS JOIN and the SELF JOIN, so stay tuned to Petri!

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Microsoft has announced some new capabilities for its Azure Virtual Desktop service. The top requested feature should help organizations to enhance endpoint security, configuration, storage, and employee experience.

Microsoft has introduced FSLogix profiles support for Azure AD-joined VMs in Azure Virtual Desktop. The feature lets users access file shares from Azure AD-joined VMs in order to store FSLogix profile containers. The VHD Disk Compaction feature lets users automatically decrease the storage space of a user’s container during the sign-out process.

“Next, we’ve added a new process during the sign-out phase which creates an AppX package manifest for employees. This enables faster app launch experiences the next time they sign in as the manifest is used to re-register the AppX applications. And lastly, when employees delete data from a session, we now roam their Recycle Bin which allows them to restore it from another session,” Microsoft explained.

Configure new endpoint security policiesMicrosoft has announced the general availability of Microsoft Intune user scope configuration for Azure Virtual Desktop multi-session Virtual Machines (VMs). The feature enables IT Pros to configure user certificates, PowerShell scripts, and settings catalog.

Azure Virtual Desktop Insights at scaleAdditionally, Azure Virtual Desktop Insights at Scale feature is now generally available for customers. The feature provides a central hub to view insights from different resources. For instance, IT admins can simultaneously monitor diagnostic and connection details for multiple subscriptions.

Security featuresMicrosoft has added watermarking support in public preview on Azure Virtual Desktop. The security feature is designed to protect sensitive information shared on client devices. It’s now possible to enable private endpoint access for workspaces and session hosts within a virtual network. Microsoft has also introduced RDP Shortpath support to enhance the transport reliability of Azure Virtual Desktop connections.

Microsoft Teams application window sharing support for Azure Virtual DesktopLastly, Microsoft Teams application window-sharing support is generally available for Azure Virtual Desktop. Previously, it was only possible to share a Microsoft PowerPoint Live presentation or full desktop during Teams meetings. This capability enables users to share a specific window directly from their desktop screens. Microsoft also released a new Multimedia Redirection (MMR) feature to improve the video playback experience on Azure Virtual Desktop.

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Apache Superset has released fixes to patch a security flaw in the default configuration that could lead to remote code execution. Tracked as CVE-2023-27524, the vulnerability allows threat actors to potentially steal sensitive data, harvest credentials, and then execute malicious code.

Apache Superset is an open-source data exploration and virtualization solution. It enables users to create interactive dashboards, graphs, and charts based on NoSQL databases, SQL databases, flat files, and other data sources. Apache Superset provides various advanced analytics capabilities such as ad-hoc data analysis, custom SQL queries, and integration with machine learning models.

In a recent advisory, Security firm Horizon3.ai explained that Apache Superset signs authentication session cookies with a default Flask Secret Key. The attacker could use the value of the default key to generate and sign cookies for authentication purposes.

“The security of the web application depends critically on ensuring the SECRET_KEY is actually secret. If the SECRET_KEY is exposed, an attacker with no prior privileges could generate and sign their own cookies and access the application, masquerading as a legitimate user,” explained Naveen Sunkavally, Chief Architect at Horizon3.ai.

Horizon3.ai releases script to discover the Apache Superset flawThe security firm found that around 2,000 vulnerable Superset instances relied on the default configuration, including government agencies, corporations, and universities. As a result, any attacker with administrative privileges can log in to the vulnerable servers. The researchers notified some organizations to address the vulnerability and protect their enterprise networks.

Horizon3.ai has released a script to help IT admins find vulnerable Apache Superset instances in their organization. “It’s commonly accepted that users don’t read documentation and applications should be designed to force users along a path where they have no choice but to be secure by default,” Sunkavally added. “The best approach is to take the choice away from users and require them to take deliberate actions to be purposefully insecure.”

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Microsoft announced some new updates for its Microsoft Sentinel solution this week. The company has highlighted a new Workspace Manager feature, Hunts feature to identify security threats, and other improvements.

Specifically, Microsoft Sentinel is getting a new Workspace Manager that enables IT admins to manage multiple Sentinel workspaces from a central workspace. The feature supports both single and multi-tenant scenarios with Azure Lighthouse. However, Workspace Manager is ideal for multitenant customer management scenarios that deal with distributed workloads.

Microsoft explained that the Workspace Manager supports various active content types. These include workbooks, analytics rules, automation rules (excluding Playbooks), hunting and livestream queries, as well as Parsers, Saved Searches and Functions.

Microsoft Sentinel Workspace Manager architectureMicrosoft Sentinel’s Workspace Manager offers three different architectures to accommodate different scenarios. For instance, Direct-link provides a central workspace that lets IT admins control all member workspaces. Moreover, Co-Management is designed for situations requiring more than one central workspace to manage a member workspace. N-Tier supports complex scenarios that involve hierarchical controls.

Microsoft notes that customers will need at least two Microsoft Sentinel workspaces to use Workspace Manager. It also requires the Microsoft Sentinel Contributor role assignment for managing central and member workspaces. Microsoft has provided a step-by-step guide to enable the Workspace Manager feature on the central workspace.

Microsoft Sentinel to get new Hunts feature in MayMicrosoft is also planning to add a new Hunts threat-hunting feature in Microsoft Sentinel next month. It will allow security analysts to generate bookmarks, custom hunting queries, and security-researcher-generated hunting queries to improve investigations.

“With the upcoming public preview in May 2023 of the new “Hunts” feature we are providing a first step towards an end-to-end hunting experience within Microsoft Sentinel by allowing customers to keep track of new, active, and closed hunts in one place,” Microsoft explained.

Lastly, Microsoft has announced the public preview of a new DNS Essentials Solution. It’s designed for DNS security scenarios and supports Cisco Firewall, Zscaler Internet access (ZIA), GCP DNS, Windows Server DNS, and other DNS products.

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This Week in IT, Editorial Director Russell Smith looks at the new AI features in Microsoft Designer, which has just entered public preview. Plus, Microsoft is hoping to simplify security in Microsoft 365 with a new cloud.microsoft domain for apps and services, Windows Laps now gets support for Azure AD joined devices in public preview, plus Phone Link is rolling out to Windows 11 users with iOS support.

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If you’re an IT pro working with Active Directory, you can use Group Policy to configure the Windows environments of your users’ computers and your enterprise servers using Group Policy Objects (GPO). However, the struggle to reach an intuitive and secure environment is real. In this article, I will explain how to create a GPO, and how to link, delete, and disable them. When we’re done, you should better understand the nuances of the wonderfully complex world of Group Policy.

Working with GPOsThere are two ways to work with GPOs: You can either use the Local Group Policy Editor to adjust the policies on a local computer or use the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to work on your enterprise environment. Because local policies are processed first (before domain policies) and to sustain and design a robust environment, we will focus on the enterprise scenario in this article.

Installing the Group Policy RSAT ToolThe Group Policy Management Console is part of the traditional Remote Server Administration Tool (RSAT) toolset. It is an MMC-based (Microsoft Management Console) tool that is installed with the modern Windows Settings app in Windows. I’ll show you how to install it next.

On a domain controller (DC), Group Policy settings are stored in the ‘SYSVOL’ shared folder and replicated to all other DCs in the domain (and forest, if you are set up that way). This describes the built-in redundancy of Group Policy infrastructure.

To show you how to install the Group Policy Management Console tool, I’ll be using my Hyper-V lab running a Windows Server 2022 Active Directory domain. I have logged into my Windows 10 version 22H2 workstation, so let’s get started:

• First, click the Start button and type in ‘optional‘.

Searching for ‘optional’ features in the Start Menu (Image credit: Michael Reinders) Click on ‘Manage optional features‘ and click the ‘+ Add a feature‘ button at the top. * Scroll down and put a checkmark in ‘RSAT: Group Policy Management Tools‘ and click Install*.

Selecting the Group Policy Management RSAT toolset (Image credit: Michael Reinders) After that is complete, click Start and open ‘Windows Administrative Tools.’ * Double-click on ‘Group Policy Management*.’

Locating Group Policy Management in Administrative Tools (Image credit: Michael Reinders)Now we see the Group Policy Management console. Here, we are introduced to the overall structure of how Group Policy is laid out and how you can target specific logical entities in your organization.

The Group Policy Management Console (Image credit: Michael Reinders)At this point, IT Pros, with the consultation of their security and compliance teams can do any of the following:

• Modify existing Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
• Create new GPOs
• Modify the filtering of specific GPOs at a group level
• Use WMI Filtering to target specific computers
• Use Group Policy Modeling and results to ‘test’ or perform ‘What-If’ scenarios

Next, we’ll start with creating a new GPO.

Create GPOLet’s create a new setting that will demonstrate how to modify your users’ computers in another way.

• First, I will right-click on ‘Domain Windows Computers‘ and click ‘Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here…‘

Starting a new GPO in Domain Windows Computers (Image credit: Michael Reinders) I will name it ‘Start Menu Cleanup‘ and click OK*.

Naming our new GPO (Image credit: Michael Reinders) Then, I will right-click on the new GPO and click Edit.*

Our new GPO – ready to configure settings! (Image credit: Michael Reinders) Let’s browse to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar*.

We’ve found our settings category for our Domain Windows computers (Image credit: Michael Reinders) Here, I will double-click on Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands*.

Modifying a policy setting (Image credit: Michael Reinders) After reading the Help, I’ll toggle Enabled on and click OK*.

Adjusting settings with our ‘Start Menu Cleanup’ GPO (Image credit: Michael Reinders)Now, be advised, this setting is now live in the environment. Every computer object in that OU will see these settings during the next refresh. By default, domain computers and servers will process Group Policy every 90 minutes with a 30-minute random offset. However, when testing (and troubleshooting), the gpresult command is your friend.

You can also force the computer to update Group Policy on the machine by running the following gpupdate command in your favorite terminal/shell. This will process all Group Policy changes for the computer and the logged-in user. The ‘/force’ switch forces the changes without request for approval.

gpupdate /force Using gpupdate /force to process all related group policies right away (Image credit: Michael Reinders)Ok, changes have now been processed. Let me right-click on the Start button and go to the Shut down or sign out menu, and… it worked! Those items we set to remove are now hidden.

The Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands are now hidden (Image credit: Michael Reinders)This rather simple change prevents your users from restarting or shutting down their computers. Obviously, there are a lot of variables and use cases for settings like this. It is ideal in some situations and painful in others. This is the balance you’ll go through as an IT Pro to decide what works best for your organization.

Link GPOLet me show you how to link an existing GPO to a specific location in Active Directory. In a previous lifetime, I created a GPO called ‘Domain Controller Security Lockdown.’ The settings in this GPO contain security compliance standards for domain controllers per our company’s guidelines. I can easily link these new settings to the DCs in my domain – reinders.local.

• First, I right-click on the Domain Controllers OU and select Link an existing GPO.

Linking an existing GPO to a container in AD (Image credit: Michael Reinders) Next, I will choose Domain Controller Security Lockdown from the list and click OK*.

We linked an existing GPO to the Domain Controllers OU (Image credit: Michael Reinders)Now you can see that GPO is linked to domain controllers. The next time our DCs check for Group Policy updates, they will process the settings in that GPO. That’s the beauty of the central control you have. Create and craft a group of settings once, then deploy (link) it easily to a container in your environment. You’re done!

Modify an existing GPOLet’s look at my domain – reinders.local – and see what we have.

As this is a lab, it is rather basic, almost primitive. In larger enterprises, it is not uncommon to discover hundreds or thousands of GPOs in a single domain. The complexity of inheritance of some GPOs, using WMI to target specific operating systems, dealing with local GPOs, child OUs, and local policies in the mix – all of it can be quite daunting.

As an aside, the sheer number of GPOs in your domain will start to dictate some overall performance penalties when computers start up and when users log in. This is probably the biggest debate today: Do you create a bunch of GPOs and only include one setting in each of them for ease of manageability? Or do you create a handful of GPOs with your policy changes to cut down processing time? This could be an article all on its own!

GPO scopeI previously installed Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) – there’s my GPO for the setup – ‘WSUS_Config_01’. If I click on it, you’ll see the scope defined.

The settings for our ‘WSUS_Config_01’ GPO (Image credit: Michael Reinders)The location is at the root of the domain (reinders.local). This means, by default, EVERY computer and server object in the domain will see and implement this GPO. Again, there are ways to filter out specific users, computers, OUs, and security groups. More on this later.

Here, the Security Filtering section shows the Authenticated Users group. This is almost saying ‘Everyone’: Any account that has authenticated to the domain will see this GPO.

WMI FilteringThe WMI Filtering setting below is where you can target specific SKUs. For example, you could target a specific WSUS installation to only touch Windows 10 version 21H2 and 22H2 computers.

Using the WMI Filtering capability is straightforward (Image credit: Michael Reinders)Edit GPOLet me show you how to edit a GPO.

• First, right-click on the GPO you want to and to modify and click ‘Edit…‘

This is the initial screen after choosing to Edit a GPO (Image credit: Michael Reinders) A new window will open showing you the logical layout – Computer Configuration and User Configuration trees. * To locate the WSUS settings, expand Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update. * Here, you can see there are two settings ‘Enabled’ or configured. Let’s open up Configure Automatic Updates.*

The settings for ‘Configure Automatic Updates’ (Image credit: Michael Reinders)This is a more involved setting, but you get the gist. These are the settings for how Windows Updates are applied to my domain. Rather granular, wouldn’t you say? But, the point here is you can manage all of your computers (or a subset) centrally here.

Here is an example of how GPOs “lock down” settings on computers. Did you notice the ‘Install updates for other Microsoft products‘ option checked at the bottom? If I check Windows Update -> Advanced options on this workstation, note that the first setting, ‘Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows’ is now controlled by Group Policy.It is marked On and is greyed out.

The 1st item is now controlled by Group Policy (Image credit: Michael Reinders)This is precisely what the “Some settings are managed by your organization” blurb signifies on top. Technically, it states that some Group Policies have been applied to this computer and you can’t adjust the setting.

Managing the default GPOsTwo GPOs are created when a new domain is created – ‘Default Domain Policy’ and ‘Default Domain Controllers Policy.’ At the minimum, these will dictate the domain password policies, account lockout policies, Kerberos policies, basic security options, and other network security options.

For decades, it has been strongly held that, as an IT pro, you should NOT modify these 2 policies – you should create new GPOs instead. There are several reasons for this, but I believe the most fundamental is that when troubleshooting your domain, you have a knowing that this default config has not been changed.

This has often been the first question out of Microsoft Technical Support when I’ve worked with them over the years on issues in Active Directory/Group Policy. They know those core settings and need to start there, at the bottom of the ocean, to make sure their inherent baseline is accurate.

So, that is also my recommendation on how you should manage the default GPOs – DON’T!

Disable a GPOIf you want to disable a GPO and prevent its settings from applying to future computers, simply right-click on the GPO and click Link Enabled. That will remove the link and set the GPO to a “dormant” state.

After clicking the ‘Link Enabled’ checkbox, the GPO is now disabled (Image credit: Michael Reinders)Delete a GPOIf you are performing cleanup and/or troubleshooting, you can delete a GPO by right-clicking on it and clicking Delete. To be thorough and efficient, I recommend you go to the Group Policy Objects view in the tree and delete it from there.

Deleting a Group Policy Object (Image credit: Michael Reinders)ConclusionImplementing Group Policy is deceptively simple… at first. It is rather easy to lay out your Group Policy Objects infrastructure. Confirming, validating, and later, troubleshooting why specific computers’ Office installations are updating on their own and others prompt the user… that’s where the fun begins.

All in all, the moral of the story is quite simple: Test, Test, Test! The more you can validate and get compliance in the beginning, the more efficient and streamlined your environment will be. Easier for troubleshooting and enabling new policies.

Please leave a comment below if you have any questions!

The post Managing Group Policy Objects: Create GPOs, Link GPOs, and Edit GPOs appeared first on Petri IT Knowledgebase.

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Microsoft announced updates for its Windows 11 and Windows 10 support roadmaps yesterday, and the biggest news is that a Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) version of Windows 11 will be released in the second half of 2024. This should be good news for organizations that have been waiting to upgrade their PCs to Windows 11 before Windows 10 reaches end of support in 2025.

The Redmond giant also revealed yesterday that Windows 10 version 22H2, the latest feature update for the OS released back in October 2022 will be the final version of the OS. In other words, there won’t be a 23H2 update for Windows 10 later this fall.

Windows 11 LTSC is coming in the second half of 2024For organizations waiting for a Windows 11 LTSC release, Microsoft said that Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC will be available in the second half of 2024. The company plans to share more details closer to release.

LTSC editions of Windows are best used on special use devices that don’t need to receive updates as frequently as other devices. LTSC versions of Windows also receive updates for a longer period of time.

Microsoft is already recommending organizations preparing to upgrade their PC fleets to Windows 11 to start testing their apps on devices using Windows 11 version 22H2. “It’s important for organizations to have adequate time to plan for adopting Windows 11,” the company emphasized.

Windows 10 version 22H2 will be the final version of the OSIt’s almost the end of the road for Windows 10, an OS released back in July 2015. Microsoft confirmed that Windows 10 version 22H2 will be “the final version of Windows 10,” and it will reach end of support on October 14, 2025.

Until that date, Windows 10 will continue to receive monthly security updates, but the OS won’t receive any new features. The writing was already on the wall when Microsoft didn’t announce any new features in Windows 10 version 22H2 last fall.

Even though support for Windows 10 will end on October 2025, that won’t be the case for LTSC versions of the OS. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 will be supported until January 12, 2027, while Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 will reach end of servicing on January 13, 2032.

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Microsoft has announced that its App Governance add-on will soon be a part of the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps service. Starting on June 1, the feature will be available for all customers with an E5 Security/Microsoft 365 E5 or any other subscription at no additional cost.

Microsoft highlighted that threat actors are increasingly targeting enterprise customers with app-based attacks. The App Governance add-on is a security feature that enables organizations to protect OAuth-enabled apps connected to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). It provides actionable insights to give IT admins complete visibility into how third-party apps access sensitive data stored in Microsoft 365 services.

“Because we are seeing a continued rise in app-based attacks, we believe this is a foundational capability for customers. That’s why today, we are excited to announce that going forward the App Governance add-on will be included in Defender for Cloud Apps at no additional cost. On June 1, 2023, new and existing customers will be able to start the opt-in process to begin using these capabilities,” Microsoft explained.

How does the App governance add-on work?The App Governance add-on provides a single dashboard that enables IT admins to view, react, and respond to the apps’ status and alert activities. It also lets them create governance policies for app and user patterns to block non-compliant or malicious applications. App Governance provides detection and mitigation strategies to protect end users against suspicious in-app activities and risky apps.

Microsoft will cancel subscriptions for all existing App Governance customers on June 1. The company confirmed that this change will not impact the current App Governance experience. However, Microsoft didn’t mention any details about refund or compensation policies. If you’re interested, you can learn more about App Governance capabilities on this support page.

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Today, Microsoft Designer goes into public preview and it adds new A.I. features. Like Canva, Designer offers a collection of templates and elements like graphics, photos, and video so that you can easily create eye-catching content for your social media channels.

What is Microsoft Designer?Essentially a clone of popular graphic design tool Canva, Microsoft Designer brings drag-and-drop design features allowing you to quickly create designs for social media content, like Instagram posts and Facebook ads. Microsoft Designer was originally announced at the Ignite conference in October 2022.

Use Microsoft Designer to create visuals and social media posts using A.I.One key difference with Canva is that the free version of Microsoft Designer lets you create graphics using a natural language model driven by Artificial Intelligence. For example, you could ask it to draw a YouTube thumbnail for a video about Microsoft Designer. If you don’t like the results, you can give the A.I. more context and slowly have it refine the design for you.

It’s worth noting that natural language generative A.I. could become a premium feature when Designer is made generally available.

If you would prefer to get started without the help of A.I., you can work with a blank canvas from where you can drag elements, such as photos and illustrated graphics, to build your perfect design.

Microsoft Designer AI generates captions, hashtags, and copy also part of the dealA.I. isn’t just used in the visuals. Microsoft has also included tools that harness A.I. to help you quickly generate captions, hashtags, headlines, and other text for your social media posts. It can even go as far as to suggest which fonts to use.

Repurposing content with automatic resizingThe resize features automatically moves elements in your design to accommodate different canvas sizes. If you manage more than one social media channel, you will be familiar with the different dimensions and aspect rations for each platform. The resize tool is designed to help you repurpose content originally intended for one set of dimensions to be quickly refactored to work with another.

AnimationsDesigner can also help you bring your designs alive by adding animations.

Microsoft Designer is coming to the Edge browserMicrosoft says that it is gradually rolling out Designer to the Edge sidebar. And whether you want it or not, Edge will be the first browser to natively include an integrated AI-powered graphic design app. Although it looks like it won’t be enabled on the sidebar by default.

Like other sidebar apps in Edge, you can use Microsoft Designer without leaving the webpage your currently on. The idea being that if you are creating a social media post, you can use Designer to create it without having to download a browser extension or switch apps to get the job done.

PricingWhen Microsoft Designer reaches general availability, there will be a free version and a premium version available to consumers with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. There’s no mention of whether Microsoft 365 business subscribers will need to pay extra to get access to the premium features.

Features lined up for the futureMore A.I. features are on the horizon for Designer. Including the ability to automatically remove backgrounds and lift out a foreground subject using a feature called Erase. You can also replace a background with something more to your liking.

You will be able to expand backgrounds to fill a canvas without stretching the original image. Microsoft notes that this is just the start for Designer and it plans more features going forward.

Microsoft Designer vs CanvaMicrosoft Designer has a limited set of templates in the current preview. And in turn, that means limited support for social media content. But I expect that to change over the coming months.

Canva has plenty of A.I. features too. But the free version doesn’t allow you to use generative A.I. to create designs from scratch and then tweak them using natural language. You’ll need the Pro subscription for access to that feature in Canva.

Canva is also expanding to become something more akin to Microsoft 365, offering a suite of applications. It’s new Visual Worksuite brings Docs, Whiteboards, Presentations, Social Media, Video, Print, and Websites to the table. Visual Worksuite is behind a paywall. And I don’t expect it will be possible for Canva to challenge Microsoft 365 in the enterprise space.

You can try out the public preview of Microsoft Designer for free here.

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Microsoft has released the optional April 2023 security patches for Windows 11 versions 21H2 and 22H2. The optional updates (KB5025298 and KB5025305) address interoperability issues between Windows LAPS and legacy LAPS policies.

Microsoft recently announced the native integration of Windows LAPS (Local Administrator Password Solution) on Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2019. The tool allows IT Pros to manage passwords on Windows Server Active Directory-joined and Azure Active Directory-joined devices. It helps administrators to regularly rotate and backup passwords to on-premises Active Directory.

Microsoft highlighted that the native integration eliminates the need to download and install an MSI file to use the Windows LAPS tool. Moreover, Windows LAPS gets serviced monthly like all other Windows components.

However, many IT admins found that installing the latest Patch Tuesday updates break the new Windows LAPS and legacy LAPS tools. Microsoft acknowledged the issue and provided a temporary workaround solution. Thankfully, Microsoft has now released an update to address the Windows LAPS interoperability bug on Windows 11 PCs.

“This update addresses an issue that affects the legacy Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) and the new Windows LAPS feature. They fail to manage the configured local account password. This occurs when you install the legacy LAPS .msi file after you have installed the April 11, 2023, Windows update on machines that have a legacy LAPS policy,” Microsoft explained.

Install Windows 11 preview updates to fix compatibility issues between Windows LAPS and legacy LAPS policiesIf you’re running Windows 11 22H2 or Windows 11 21H2, you can install the update by going to Settings >> Update & Security >> Windows Update. Keep in mind that users who skip the updates will get these fixes with the May 2023 Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11.

In related news, Microsoft has announced a public preview of Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) for Azure AD joined and hybrid Azure AD joined devices. The company says that IT admins can perform the initial Windows LAPS setup through the Azure Portal.

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Group Policy is an infrastructure feature in Active Directory that allows IT pros to manage their users’ Windows environments and servers. In this article, I will explain in detail what is Group Policy, what is a Group Policy Object (GPO), and how to adjust the policy settings to meet your security needs and compliance requirements. Creating a streamlined and consistent user experience is a beautiful plus.

What is Group Policy?Group Policy was released with Active Directory back in 1999 with the release of Windows 2000 Server. It was developed to provide enterprises with a secure and streamlined method to facilitate a consistent desktop experience for users (and servers).

You use Group Policy to control the environment of user and computer accounts. This is the most important distinction of how Group Policy was developed – User (based) policies and Computer (based) policies.

• User policies (user configuration) are applied when a user logs in to a computer on the domain.
• Computer policies (computer configuration) are applied during computer startup.

Separating these two core buckets allows IT admins to target specific user settings and computer settings, separately, including group policy preferences.

What is a Group Policy Object (GPO)?A Group Policy Object (GPO) is a collection of Group Policy settings and configurations. Essentially, they are a prettier front-end to modify the registry in Windows.

We all know how cumbersome, unintuitive, and dangerous it can be to modify the registry with Registry Editor. For these impactful reasons, Group Policy was developed.

The most basic functions a GPO modifies are password policies, allowing only specific users to connect to a specific group of servers via the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), and blocking or restricting users from specific shares. These settings manipulate how a system will look, how it will operate, and how it will behave for a somewhat granular group of users.

GPOs are generally created to target organizational units (OUs). Every user and computer object in a specific OU will apply these policy settings. There is a somewhat staggering number of flags and switches you can set to make sure what order these settings are used. I’ll get to that later.

What are some examples of what Group Policy can control?There are a dizzying number of settings that Group Policy supports. Let me give you some examples:

• Deploying operating systems and other software to all or specific groups of computers/servers.
• Running computer startup scripts and user logoff scripts.
• Changing everyone’s desktop background wallpaper.
• Adding a disclaimer after user login explaining unauthorized use is prohibited.
• Configuring the local Windows Defender Firewall policies and settings.
• Restricting access to Control Panel and Settings.
• Block the command prompt.

How do you access Group Policies?To manage the local group policy objects on a single computer, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor. To manage Group Policies at the Active Directory domain level, the default common native tool is the Group Policy Management Console.

The Local Group Policy EditorGenerally, you can open the Start Menu and search for ‘group policy‘ to access the Local Group Policy Editor. This a snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that you can use to configure and modify Group Policy settings within Group Policy Objects.

Accessing Local Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)The Group Policy Management ConsoleTo access the Group Policy Management Console, you can use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to access it. Even though you can log in to a domain controller to access this tool, that’s generally a ‘No-no.’ It’s best to install it on a local computer or workstation running Windows 10 or Windows 11.

The Group Policy Management Console (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)I have a separate article explaining how to install the Group Policy Management Console coming very soon!

Permissions and delegation for GPOsYou need to be a member of the Administrators group in an Active Directory domain to create and edit GPOs. There is also a global group called Group Policy Creator Owners. They can also create GPOs; however, they can only modify policies that they have created themselves.

To avoid IT pro burnout, or if your company has more robust compliance requirements around duty ownership, you can delegate these permissions using the Delegation feature in the Group Policy Management Console. This also helps to segment certain admins so they only have the keys to a specific OU or group of OUs.

As an example, a specific desktop support group could get delegated access to the ‘Workstations’ OU levels to handle all the Office and application-specific settings on your desktops.

GPO processing and linkingA key aspect of how Group Policy works is how they are linked in Active Directory and in what order they are processed. The complexity here can vary wildly. This starts the discussion on ‘who wins when a conflict occurs?’

This is the order that GPOs are applied to users and computers:

1. Local GPOs (single computer) or local policies
2. Site
3. Domain
4. Organizational Unit (OU)

The settings further down in the list will win any conflicts. This means that GPOs linked to an OU will get final precedence. Also, each GPO has what’s called a Link Order. The lowest link order is processed last and wins any conflicts that arise.

Contextual properties on a Group Policy Object (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Troubleshooting issues after linking a GPO to an OUAnother thought around troubleshooting – you can create a new GPO, link it to an OU, go to a workstation to update Group Policy, and then validate the outcome. If the desired outcome is NOT found, a quick tip is to ‘unlink’ the GPO.

Right-click on it and click the ‘Link Enabled‘ checkbox to uncheck it. After you click the ‘Link Enabled’ checkbox/toggle, the GPO is not linked. It will NOT be processed!

Unlinking a GPO can help to troubleshoot issues (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Child OUs and GPO inheritanceUnless you make any changes when creating your GPOs, child OUs will inherit all GPOs from their parent. To offer some granularity here, you can block inheritance to stop a GPO from applying to a child OU.

This is as simple as right-clicking on the OU/container and selecting ‘Block Inheritance.’ This will tell Group Policy not to process GPOs further up in the hierarchy.

Blocking Inheritance on a GPO (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)If there are any GPOs linked at the domain level, they will not be processed in the ‘Citrix Test Users’ OU. This provides a clean environment for, you guessed it, testing!

Enforcing a GPOAnother important topic in GPO processing is enforcement. By default, the settings in parent OUs are overwritten by settings in GPOs from child OUs.

If you right-click on a specific GPO and click Enforced, that GPO’s settings will be the end all, be all. This will make sure these settings get processed even if ‘Block Inheritance’ is in effect.

Enforcing a GPO will make sure it gets processed (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)You can use the Group Policy Modeling wizard at the bottom of the menu to simulate GPOs to troubleshoot this very topic. This is where you enter a specific user container or user account and a specific computer container or computer object, and tell Group Policy to simulate what the end result is and what GPOs would apply. This will show all GPOs that apply, why some GPOs would not apply (permissions, WMI Filtering, etc.), and what the ‘winning GPO’ is for each group policy setting.

The Group Policy Modeling Wizard (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Group Policy loopbackThe last item I want to mention is lookback processing of Group Policy. This is a specific type of group policy setting that allows you to apply user policies to computers.

When this is enabled, Group Policy processes settings to a computer as if a user was logged in. It’s an excellent troubleshooting tool when you are trying to determine why a specific setting is not applying as expected.

Adjusting the ‘Group Policy Loopback’ processing mode (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Security and change control for GPOsA very important part of the process when implementing Group Policy is to keep it robust and under control. This should include some sort of security framework, on paper and in action.

1. You need to be aware of who can create, modify, and delete certain GPOs.
2. Educate your IT pros on how GPOs are created and saved.
   • When you modify a specific setting in GPMC, it goes ‘live’ immediately. A computer or server could conceivably see that and incorporate that setting within seconds or minutes!
   • Be firm about leaving the Default Domain policy and Default Domain Controllers policy objects.
3. Change Control platform. Incorporate auditing on your domain controllers using the security event log to audit changes to Group Policy Object changes.
4. Invest in a software solution that ‘takes control’ over Group Policy administration, such as GPOADmin from Quest Software.

Group Policy is an integral aspect of your IT infrastructureGroup Policy has been near the top of the heap of IT pros’ biggest headache lists for many years. If Group Policy is generally straightforward in design and nature, it can be extremely difficult to troubleshoot due to the mishandling of complex frameworks of GPOs.

Hopefully, you’ve gained a greater understanding of how it works and what the basics of Group Policy entail. Please feel free to leave a comment or question below and thank you very much for reading!

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Microsoft announced this week that it’s planning to move its various Microsoft 365 web apps to a unified cloud.microsoft domain. This should really help to simplify access to Microsoft 365 apps and services on the web as the various subdomains Microsoft currently uses result in an inconsistent experience for users.

“As Microsoft cloud services have grown over the years, the domain space they live on has grown as well – into the hundreds. Over time, this fragmentation has created increasing challenges for end user navigation, administrative simplicity, and the development of cross-app experiences,” the Microsoft 365 team explained yesterday.

Microsoft has too many different domains (image credit: Microsoft) Microsoft obtained exclusive rights for the .microsoft top-level domain, which will help to ensure trustworthiness. However, the company opted to use the cloud.microsoft unified domain to provide access to its various Microsoft 365 apps in a consistent and secure manner.

“There are also anti-spoofing and integrity benefits to hosting such experiences on an exclusive, purposefully-managed TLD like .microsoft vs. a generic TLD like .com,” the company explained. This is also why the company didn’t want to make any changes to its microsoft.com domain, which will continue to be exclusively used for marketing, support, and e-commerce.

How the unified cloud.microsoft domain will work.Soon, instead of using outlook.office365.com to access the Outlook web app and teams.microsoft.com to access the Teams web app, users will need to visit outlook.cloud.microsoft and teams.cloud.microsoft, respectively. Microsoft says that this will be a gradual transition and that “only net-new services” will be deployed on the cloud.microsoft domain initially.

The software giant will notify customers at least 30 days in advance when it plans to transition a Microsoft 365 web app to the new cloud.microsoft domain. This will allow organizations to make necessary changes to their network configuration.

“In most cases, no customer action will be needed to continue using Microsoft 365 workloads the same way you do today,” the Microsoft 365 team said. Microsoft will also implement long-term redirects to make sure that existing links and bookmarks will redirect users to the new domain.

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MC546489 – Microsoft has released updates to the following update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps:

• Current Channel

When this will happen:

Microsoft will be gradually rolling out this update of Microsoft 365 Apps to users on that update channel starting April 25th, 2023 (PST).

How this will affect your organization:

If your Microsoft 365 Apps clients are configured to automatically update from the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN), then no action is required.

If you manage updates directly you can now download this latest update and begin deployment.

What you need to do to prepare:

To get more details about this update view the following release notes:

• Current Channel

Additional information

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Microsoft has started rolling out support for personal accounts in its Microsoft Loop app on mobile devices. Indeed, the company announced yesterday that the feature is now available in preview on iOS and Android.

Microsoft officially launched its new Loop app in public preview in March this year. The app provides a real-time collaboration experience that lets teammates work together on tasks, documents, and projects. It allows users to share specific pieces of content (like Loop components, pages, and workspaces) with both internal and external users.

Microsoft Loop comes with new AI-powered features with the integration of the Microsoft 365 Copilot tool. The app makes it easier to keep projects organized and has integrations with other Microsoft services such as PowerPoint and Word.

Up until now, the Microsoft Loop app only supported work accounts on mobile devices. However, Microsoft promised that support for personal accounts would be available soon. Rebecca Keys, the project manager of Microsoft Loop, confirmed on Twitter that users can now access Microsoft Loop on Android and iOS.

Microsoft Loop opens a limited number of spots for iOS usersTo test the new support for personal accounts in Microsoft Loop, Android users will need to download the app from the Google Play Store. On iOS, Microsoft Loop is only available for select users who have enrolled in Apple’s TestFlight program.

Keep in mind the app is still under development, and users might encounter some unexpected issues. Microsoft invites testers to use the Loop app and provide their feedback and suggestions to enhance the overall experience. Do you use Microsoft Loop to organize work and collaborate on projects? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Microsoft is changing its Windows Server 2022 licensing policies to better compete with rivals. Earlier this month, the company quietly updated the Product Terms page with three major changes that should help organizations to reduce costs and drive cloud adoption (via The Register).

Microsoft explained that customers no longer need a minimum of 16 core licenses to use virtual machines (VMs) or the Azure Hybrid Benefit. Secondly, the company is easing the Azure Hybrid Benefit requirements to let customers align the licensed cores with the actual core count of their virtual machine. Until now, a 20-core virtual machine required three sets of eight licenses. However, IT admins no longer need to comply with these criteria while licensing a VM with more than 8 cores.

Microsoft has also updated licensing requirements for companies that buy Windows Server subscriptions via cloud service providers (CSPs). It’s now possible to use Standard licenses with Windows Server Datacenter virtual machines. This capability is available for customers running VMs in on-premises data centres or with Authorized Outsourcers.

Lastly, Microsoft notes that organizations won’t need Windows Server CALs or External Connector licenses to access Windows Server software managed by a CSP-Hoster partner.

Windows Server 2022 licensing changes aim to reduce costsMicrosoft is making these changes to maintain its Windows Server market share and better compete with open-source alternatives such as Linux. It’s important to note that many organizations are now running Linux distributions on Azure servers to reduce licensing costs. These new licensing terms are aimed at providing more value to customers.

It remains to be seen if these changes will help Microsoft to maintain its dominance in the cloud computing space. However, it’s great to see that the company is taking steps to remain competitive and adapt to the changing landscape.

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Microsoft has announced the public preview of its new Microsoft Defender for APIs solution. The new powerful tool enables organizations to improve the security and management of their “business-critical APIs.”

Microsoft explained that Defender for APIs is available as part of its Microsoft Defender for Cloud service. It’s a security solution that protects cloud-native applications against identity-based attacks.

“Now through the integration of Defender for APIs with Azure API Management, security teams can use the Defender for Cloud portal to gain visibility into these business-critical Azure APIs, understand their security posture, prioritize vulnerability fixes, and detect and respond to active runtime threats within minutes – using machine-learning powered anomalous and suspicious API usage detections,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft’s new Defender for APIs solution enables IT admins to monitor all managed APIs in a single dashboard. It also leverages AI to analyze details about external, unused, or unauthenticated APIs. The feature makes it easier to detect security flaws and protect APIs in enterprise environments.

Additionally, Microsoft Defender for APIs enables administrators to monitor threat intelligence feeds and runtime traffic as well as access threat detection alerts. It provides security recommendations to let customers enhance their API security posture. This capability should help to harden API configurations to mitigate critical security risks. Other capabilities include API data classification that could be useful for risk prioritization tasks.

Microsoft Defender for APIs provides SIEM IntegrationMicrosoft Defender for APIs integrates with several security information and event management (SIEM) systems to facilitate threat mitigation activities. The service also provides seamless integration with the Cloud Security Graph in Defender Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM).

Microsoft notes that IT admins can view security recommendations and alerts within the Azure Portal or Microsoft Defender for Cloud Portal. Microsoft Defender for APIs is available in preview for commercial customers in most Azure regions. Let us know in the comments below if you think that the tool will help security teams to protect, manage and optimize API infrastructures.

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Google has released a new much-awaited feature for its Authenticator app on Android and iOS. The latest update allows users to sync their two-factor authentication codes (2FA) to Google accounts.

Google launched its Authenticator app for mobile users back in 2010. It’s designed to help customers protect their online accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA). The app generates unique one-time passwords (OTPs) that let users securely log in to online services.

Until now, the Google Authenticator app used to store OTPs only on the primary device. This meant that if a user lost access to their device, they wouldn’t be able to access any of their accounts secured with the 2FA mechanism. This issue was a significant drawback of the app, and Google has finally taken steps to address the problem.

“With this update we’re rolling out a solution to this problem, making one time codes more durable by storing them safely in users’ Google Account. This change means users are better protected from lockout and that services can rely on users retaining access, increasing both convenience and security,” said Christiaan Brand, Group Product Manager a Google.

How to sync 2FA codes in Google AuthenticatorTo use the cloud syncing feature, Google Authenticator users will need to install the latest update from the App Store or Google Play Store. Once enabled, users will see a cloud icon at the top right corner of the screen. It indicates that all codes will be automatically backed up to users’ Google Accounts. However, keep in mind that the security feature is not available for everyone just yet.

Overall, the new cloud syncing feature is a great improvement that makes multifactor authentication more secure and convenient for customers. “While we’re pushing towards a passwordless future, authentication codes remain an important part of internet security today, so we’ve continued to make optimizations to the Google Authenticator app,” Brand added.

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Microsoft has introduced several new features to its Microsoft Intune admin center. The company highlighted that these updates should help IT admins boost security and improve Defender Firewall management.

Microsoft announced that Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) Application ID tagging support is now available with Intune Firewall Rules policy. It enables customers to scope firewall rules to a specific app or group of applications. The feature is currently available for Windows 11 devices, with support for Windows 10 version 20H2 (and newer) to follow later this month.

“The WDAC AppID functionality adds an administrator defined tag to the given process token. By using these tags, the Firewall Rules policy won’t need to rely on an absolute file path or use of a variable file path that can reduce the rule security. Use of this capability requires you to have WDAC policies in place, which include AppId tags,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft has also added endpoint security firewall policy support for network list manager settings. This capability lets IT admin identify if an Azure AD device is connected to subnets within their on-premises domain. Moreover, it’s now possible to use the IcmpTypesAndCodes setting to set up inbound and outbound rules for Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). IT admins can access the setting in the Microsoft Defender Firewall rules profile on Windows Server, Windows 11, and Windows 10.

Finally, Microsoft released a new feature that enables administrators to configure firewall logging options in the endpoint security Firewall policy. The list of new settings includes Log File Path, Enable Log Success Connections, Enable Log Ignored Rules, and Enable Log Dropped Packets.

How to configure Windows Defender Firewall management settings in Microsoft IntuneMicrosoft notes that IT Pros can configure the new settings by heading to the Microsoft Intune admin center >> Endpoint security >> Firewall. They can access policy templates through Create policy >> Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server >> Microsoft Defender Firewall or Microsoft Defender Firewall Rules. However, this security capability is not available for Windows machines with the Security Management for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint attach solution.

In related news, Microsoft announced that IT admins can now configure and manage Windows LAPS on Windows endpoints with Microsoft Intune. This capability is available in public preview for enterprise customers.

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The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it comes with some important new features. Linux Kernel 6.3 is a minor release and it shouldn’t cause any major problems when you get round to upgrading. But like any change you introduce into your environment, it should be properly tested.

So, let’s look at the most important features in this update.

1. User-mode Linux support for RustRust support was added in Linux kernel 6.1, which was released back in December 2022. And this new release brings support for Rust code in user-mode. Essentially, these updates to the kernel make Rust an officially supported language for Linux kernel development, along with C as the primary language.

2. Updated support for Intel and AMD CPUs and graphics hardwareThe updated kernel supports technology to be released in upcoming AMD and Intel CPUs and graphics processors. Although some of the changes will also affect current hardware. Kernel 6.3 supports AMD Indirect Branch Restricted Speculation (IBRS). It is a new mitigation for Spectre that doesn’t involve such a hit on performance compared to Retpoline speculative execution.

3. ARM and RISC-V power managementRISC-V architectures now have accelerated string function support thanks to the Zbb bit manipulation extension, which aims to bring code size reduction, performance improvement, and energy reduction to the table.

And ARM gets Scalable Matrix Extension (SME) 2 instructions, which build on previous scalable vector extensions to add new capabilities and performance to improve matrix multiplications that are commonly used in scientific simulations, computer vision, and machine learning (ML) and augmented reality (AR) scenarios.

1. Filesystem improvements for NFS, EXT4m, BRTFS, and EROFSNFS gets better encryption with the AES-SHA2 standard. There are direct I/O performance optimizations for EXT4, BRTFS now has a faster filesystem driver, and EROFS gets low-latency decompression.

2. Networking improvementsKernel 6.3 adds support for Realtek RTL8188EU Wi-Fi cards and Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 wireless chipsets. NVIDIA BlueField 3 Data Processing Unit (DPU), an infrastructure compute platform with line-rate processing of software-defined networking, storage, and security, gets Ethernet support. And there’s also multi-path TCP support for mixed IPv4 and IPv6 flows.

While the new Linux kernel is available now, if you want to use it, you’ll have to ‘roll your own’ by compiling it yourself. That is until your distro is updated to support kernel 6.3.

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Amazon announced this morning some important updates for Amazon GuardDuty. The service has added support for Amazon EKS Runtime Monitoring, RDS Protection for Amazon Aurora, and Lambda Protection.

Amazon DutyGuard is a managed security monitoring service that uses machine learning to detect potential threats that can compromise Amazon Web Services (AWS) environments. It analyzes different data sources such as Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Flow Logs, domain name system (DNS) logs, and AWS CloudTrail for potentially unauthorized and malicious activities.

“GuardDuty’s new capabilities build on this powerful foundation to expand security detection and monitoring even further, to where customers tell us they need it most: containers’ runtime monitoring, databases, and serverless applications. We’ve now more than tripled the number of managed detections since we introduced GuardDuty,” said Jon Ramsey, VP for Security Services at AWS.

Amazon GuardDuty has introduced support for Amazon EKS Runtime Monitoring. The feature leverages a GuardDuty security agent to offer insights about network connections, process execution, file access, and other container runtime activities. It helps customers to identify and monitor compromised EKS clusters and privilege escalation attempts.

With Amazon GuardDuty RDS Protection, IT admins can detect potential threats to sensitive data stored in Aurora databases. The feature analyzes and profiles RDS login activity to detect security risks like suspicious logins and high-severity brute force attacks. IT Pros can view the threat alerts in the GuardDuty console as well as via other services like Amazon Detective, AWS Security Hub, and Amazon EventBridge.

Amazon GuardDuty adds Lambda Protection support Lastly, Amazon GuardDuty is getting support for Lambda Protection. The security feature makes it easier for customers to identify and mitigate security risks in serverless applications. Lambda Protection provides real-time monitoring of network activity logs to detect suspicious network traffic, including unauthorized cryptocurrency mining.

Amazon explained that the new threat detection capabilities are available for GuardDuty customers in most AWS regions. You can find more details about Amazon GuardDuty on the official AWS website.

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Last week, Canonical announced the release of Ubuntu 23.04. The latest version of its Linux distribution includes improved Azure Active Directory support, a new desktop installer, and other enterprise-focused features.

Codenamed Lunar Lobster, Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 provides native user authentication with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). This release enables Microsoft 365 enterprise customers to authenticate their Ubuntu Desktops with a common set of credentials. Canonical will continue to listen to user feedback before backporting Azure AD support to Ubuntu 22.04 Long-Term Support (LTS) later this year.

“This Ubuntu milestone release demonstrates our progress in raising the bar for the enterprise developer desktops, thanks to our best-in-class Linux integration with Active Directory (AD) Domain Services and now Azure Active Directory,” explained Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth.

Canonical also announced that the latest release adds support for the Active Directory Bridging Toolsuite’s Samba winbind domain service. It lets customers use Ubuntu with AD on Amazon Workspaces and older AD configurations. Other capabilities include support for network shares, app confinement, and enterprise proxy. However, keep in mind that some enterprise features may require an Ubuntu Pro license.

Ubuntu 23.04 adds a new installer and snap improvementsUbuntu Desktop 23.04 adds a new desktop installer called Subsiquity. It’s a streamlined installer designed to help IT admins with enterprise deployment and image customization at scale. Canonical has introduced an updated Snap package manager that allows users to download updates in the background and install them automatically when the desktop app is closed.

Last but not least, Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 brings improved toolchains and runtimes for all popular programming languages such as C++, .Net, Java, and Python. The latest distribution also comes with enhanced debugging support and container security and lifecycle management capabilities.

Canonical notes that Ubuntu 23.04 is available to download for free on the Ubuntu website. If you’re interested, we invite you to check out the official blog post to learn more about the aforementioned features.

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Microsoft has announced a public preview of Windows LAPS with Microsoft Entra Azure Active Directory. The new long-awaited feature enables IT admins to rotate and backup passwords using Azure Active Directory.

Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) is a tool that enables IT admins to automatically manage and back up passwords for local administrator accounts. Previously, Windows LAPS was only available as a standalone solution for enterprise customers.

Microsoft has recently unveiled that the tool is now natively integrated into Windows and Windows Server devices. The native version brings support for automatic password rotation, password history, and password encryption. It helps to minimize the risk of password theft as well as Pass-the-Hash (PtH) and lateral traversal attacks.

Windows LAPS management via Microsoft Intune available in previewWith this release, Microsoft is making Windows LAPS available for Azure AD joined and hybrid Azure AD joined devices managed by Microsoft Intune. It enables IT admins to store passwords in Microsoft Azure, recover them, and configure settings via Microsoft Intune. It’s also possible to view audit logs, create Azure AD role-based access control (RBAC) policies, and configure Conditional Access policies.

“Windows LAPS has been revamped to integrate into the Windows platform to securely rotate and backup passwords using Microsoft Entra, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). IT admins can use the first-class management experiences built into Intune to configure Windows LAPS and leverage the capabilities that are now available,” the Intune Support team explained.

Windows LAPS for Azure Active Directory: Configuration and License requirementsTo get started, customers will need an Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Intune subscription. IT admins should also ensure that the latest April cumulative update is installed on Windows 10 or 11 devices. We invite you to check out a full list of prerequisites on this support page.

Microsoft notes that Windows LAPS with Azure Active Directory capabilities are available in preview for customers with Azure AD free or higher licenses. Currently, the feature only supports Windows devices that are joined to Azure AD or Hybrid Azure AD. It’s not available for use with Azure AD-registered devices and non-Windows platforms.

Microsoft has recently confirmed that the native version of Windows LAPS is causing interoperability issues with legacy LAPS. The company is working on a fix, and it recommends customers to either uninstall legacy LAPS or delete all values available under the HKLM\Software\Windows\CurrentVersion\LAPS\State registry key.

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MC544789 – Microsoft has disabled the Dynamic Ordering feature for classic search experiences in SharePoint. While the UI for the feature is still present, all configurations associated with this feature are ignored.

When this will happen:

The UI will be removed by June 1, 2023.

How this affects your organization:

Dynamic Ordering is a classic search sorting feature which appeared in the SharePoint Query Builder dialog. The Query Builder dialog may be accessed three ways:

1. as part of configuring a web part,
2. configuring a result source,
3. configuring a Query Rule with a query re-write action.

The Dynamic Ordering feature appears in the “Sort” tab of the dialog. The Dynamic Ordering feature allowed promotion or demotion of items in search results through configuration, by adding XRANK clauses to the query request.

What you can do to prepare:

Functional parity may be achieved by adding XRANK clauses directly to the query template in the Query Builder dialog.

This change does not affect the modern search experience, except for Site Scoped search queries which trigger Query Rules defined in the SharePoint Search Admin UI at the tenant level which added Dynamic Ordering rules.

As part of the evolution of the Microsoft 365 service, Microsoft periodically evaluates the capabilities of the service to make sure that we’re delivering the utmost value to customers. As Microsoft continue to invest in Microsoft Search capabilities, the company determined the “Dynamic Ordering” feature offered limited utility and after careful consideration decided to deprecate its entry points.

This link, How to change the order in which classic search results are displayed in SharePoint Server, documents Dynamic Ordering and will be updated to reflect the change in behavior.

Additional information

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How much exactly does Google stand to lose if Samsung replaces it with Bing as the default search experience? Windows is set to get new A.I. smarts, and Microsoft is hoping to reduce reliance on Nvidia in the datacenter with its own Arm A.I. chips.

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Microsoft has released an updated version of Windows Update Health Tools for Windows 11 and Windows 10. The company detailed in a support document that the new update is designed to improve the reliability of the Windows update process.

Specifically, the new KB4023057 intends to address issues that could prevent the installation of critical updates on Windows 11 and 10 PCs. It’s available for PCs running Windows 11 versions 21H2 and 22H2 as well as Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2.

According to Microsoft, the new update will be delivered automatically to consumer devices through Windows Update. Alternatively, it’s also possible to manually download Update Health Tools from the Microsoft Download Center.

“This update should automatically install if your device is connected to Windows Updates services and allows automatic updates. If your device isn’t regularly receiving quality updates, because of low disk space or have low activity, this may prevent the device from installing the Update Health Tools. If you currently don’t have the client installed, you can then try triggering a normal Windows Update scan,” Microsoft explained.

How to deploy Update Health Tools via Windows Update for Business (WUfB)Microsoft recommends IT admins to deploy the update in enterprise environments via Windows Update for Business (WUfB). However, the update will not be offered to devices that are managed via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Microsoft notes that commercial customers can confirm the installation of Microsoft Update Health Tools by checking the contents of the following folder: C:\Programme\Microsoft Update Health Tools. As shown in the screenshot, enterprise customers can also verify if the service is running on their machines. Did you receive the KB4023057 update on your Windows 10 or 11 machines? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Microsoft has announced that its Azure Storage Mover is now generally available for enterprise customers. The new tool intends to make it easier to migrate files and folders from on-premises systems to Azure cloud storage.

Microsoft’s Azure Storage Mover made its debut in public preview in December last year. The managed cloud migration service enables IT admins to plan, launch and monitor workload migrations directly via the Azure Portal, CLI, or PowerShell. It’s useful for customers who need an efficient and cost-effective way to move large amounts of data to the cloud.

“You can use Storage Mover for different migration scenarios such as lift-and-shift, and for cloud migrations that you have to repeat occasionally. Azure Storage Mover also helps maintain oversight and manage the migration of all your globally distributed file shares from a single storage mover resource,” Microsoft explained.

Currently, Azure Storage Mover supports the migration of an on-premises network file system (NFS) share to an Azure blob container. It leverages virtual machines (VMs) as migration agents that can be deployed close to the source storage. The agents include details regarding metrics, job migration run and copy logs. Moreover, IT admins can manage all agents in a single place in Azure.

Azure Storage Mover minimizes workload downtimeMicrosoft emphasizes that the new Azure Storage Mover service is designed to reduce workloads’ downtime during repeated source and target migrations. This tool is a part of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to make going migrations easier for businesses. It will compete with existing third-party cloud migration solutions.

If you’re interested, you can download Azure Storage Mover from the official website. Microsoft plans to add more features to improve the Azure Storage Mover service, including migration customization options and insights about selected sources. Microsoft will also introduce support for post-migration tasks such as data protection and data validation.

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AWS Amplify is an Amazon Web Services (AWS) application development framework that organizations can use to develop and deploy web and mobile applications. It’s an end-to-end solution for creating an app backend and a frontend UI in just a couple of hours. In this article, I will explain how AWS Amplify works and how it can help organizations create cloud-based mobile and web apps in a more efficient way.

What is AWS Amplify?AWS Amplify includes an extensive set of tools allowing developers to build full-stack applications on AWS. It also provides pre-built UI components and code libraries for connecting apps to new or existing AWS services. Moreover, a powerful command-line interface (CLI) is also available to configure an app with just a couple of commands.

The major components of AWS AmplifyHere are the major components of AWS Amplify you should know about before getting started with the development platform.

• Amplify CLI Toolchain: This is a set of command-line interface tools allowing developers to create their apps, integrate them with other AWS services, and deploy them with ease.
• Amplify Studio (formerly Admin UI): This is a visual interface for managing backend services and resources for your apps.
• Amplify Libraries: AWS Amplify provides a set of libraries allowing developers to easily connect their apps to new and existing AWS backends.
• Amplify UI components: This is an open-source design system offering cloud-connected components for building your apps.
• Amplify Web Hosting: This is a fully managed CI/CD and hosting service for web apps.

AWS Amplify lets you create an app backend and a frontend UI (Image credit: Amazon)What are the differences between AWS Lambda and AWS Amplify?AWS Lambda is a cloud-based “serverless” infrastructure that lets developers run code on the AWS cloud without having to manage any infrastructure. Although both AWS Amplify and AWS Lambda can be used to build cloud-powered applications that integrate with other AWS services, there are some major differences between these two platforms.

| Differences | AWS Lambda | AWS Amplify | | Type of Service | Serverless computing | Development framework | | Supported Languages | Multiple programming languages including Java, Python, and Node.js, among others | Primarily JavaScript, but it supports other languages through its integration with AWS services | | Event Source | Triggered by external events | No external event source triggers, but it can integrate with various AWS services | | Deployment | Manual deployment of code and configuration updates | Automatic deployment is possible with CI/CD | | UI Components | No built-in UI components | Comprehensive library of customizable UI components |

The top features of AWS AmplifyAWS Amplify allows developers to simplify the development of their web and mobile apps and reduce development costs. Here are the top features of AWS Amplify for building full-stack applications:

• Low-code Development: AWS Amplify provides an easy-to-use low-code development environment through the Amplify Studio.
• Multi-platform support: AWS Amplify lets developers build mobile and web applications using the most popular frontend frameworks such as React, Angular, and Vue.Js.

AWS Amplify supports the most popular frontend frameworks (Image credit: Amazon) Scalability: AWS Amplify allows organizations to easily scale up or down their applications by leveraging the AWS cloud infrastructure. * Real-time data synchronization: Amplify supports real-time data synchronization for your applications thanks to AWS AppSync. * Analytics: AWS Amplify allows organizations to collect data for their apps using geolocation, logging, caching, session tracking, and more. It also provides predictive analytics capabilities through the machine learning-powered Amazon Personalize service. * Security: Amplify integrates with several AWS security services such as AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), Amazon Cognito, AWS Key Management Service (KMS), AWS Shield, and AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF). * CI/CD*: AWS Amplify offers tools for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). These tools can help to automate the development, testing, and deployment of code changes

How does AWS Amplify work?We’ve just detailed the top AWS Amplify features allowing organizations to build cloud-powered applications quickly and easily. Now, let me explain how building an app with AWS Amplify actually works.

Initializing your projectThe first step in building an application with AWS Amplify is to initialize the project using the Amplify CLI. During this step, you create your project structure and install the necessary dependencies. The Amplify CLI is available for download as a Node.js package, and it integrates with the most popular Javascript libraries and frameworks.

Configuring backend servicesOnce your project is initialized, you can configure the backend services required for your application including authentication, storage, analytics, APIs, and more. AWS Amplify provides a set of libraries that make it easy to integrate these services into your application. You can add, remove, or modify backend services using the Amplify CLI.

Configuring backend services for your application with AWS Amplify (Image credit: Amazon)Building your applicationWith your backend services now configured, you can start building your application’s frontend UI using Amplify’s pre-built components. These components allow you to add functionalities to your application without necessarily having to write your own custom code.

Testing your application locallyOnce you finish building your application, you can test it locally using Amplify’s local development environment. This environment includes a local server and a mock API allowing you to test your code without interacting with any cloud services.

Deploying your applicationWhen you’re ready to deploy your application, you can use Amplify Studio to deploy it to the cloud with just a few clicks. Amplify Studio provides a seamless experience when you need to automate building/testing/ deployment processes.

Manage your applicationAfter deploying your application, you can use Amplify Studio to manage it. There, you can configure how user authentication works in your app and add other services to it. You can also use Amplify Studio to manage hosting and CI/CD pipelines, view usage and metrics, and troubleshoot your application.

The main limitations of AWS AmplifyEven though AWS Amplify offers many benefits for web and mobile developers, it also comes with some limitations. Here is what you need to be aware of.

Limited customizationAWS Amplify provides developers with several pre-built libraries, templates, and components that simplify the process of building applications. However, developers may be quite limited when it comes to customizing their apps and building custom attributes for them.

Learning CurveAWS Amplify is a new service in the market and developers can have a tough time reading through documentation to troubleshoot any issues. Like any other cloud-based service, AWS Amplify is consistently evolving and users need to stay on top of updates to be able to get the most out of the platform.

CostAlthough AWS Amplify offers a free tier, it is unlikely to serve your professional or business needs due to storage and bandwidth limitations. Additionally, because Amplify offers integrations with other AWS cloud services, your overall billing costs may increase. We’ll have more on AWS Amplify costs below.

How much does AWS Amplify cost?Getting started with AWS Amplify is free. You can create your backend with Amplify Studio, the Amplify CLI, and Amplify libraries, and there is also a free tier for using backend resources. For building your frontend UI, you can also use Amplify Studio and UI components for free.

Hosting an app built with Amplify on AWS is free for 12 months, though there are some limitations on storage and bandwidth. The free tier offers 5GB of storage per month and up to 15GB of data transfer per month. To build and deploy your apps, you also get up to 1,000 build minutes per month.

If you need more capacity than what the free tier offers, you can pay as you go for AWS backend resources. Here are some of the AWS Amplify pricing details in the United States.

• Data storage: $0.023 per GB per month
• Build and deploy: $0.01 per minute
• Data Transfer rates: $0.15 per GB of data sent out
• Request count (SSR): $0.30 per 1 million requests
• Request duration (SSR): $0.20 per hour (GB-hour)

On top of these basic resources, you might also be billed for the additional resources and AWS services that you consume. The pricing structure might change as per your location and usage patterns, but you can request a custom quote from AWS for your Amplify usage.

ConclusionAWS Amplify is a feature-packed and flexible development platform for building web and mobile applications using the AWS cloud. It provides templates and custom components for rapid full-stack development. With a pay-per-usage model, the platform also provides a cost-effective solution for small businesses that may or may not already use AWS services.

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MC531738 – Updated April 20, 2023: As shared previously, Microsoft is working on control for admins to manage this feature and expect it to be available in early May.

Currently users open links automatically from Outlook for iOS and Android in their default browser. This change will prompt users to choose their browser instead. Users can choose their default browser if they prefer and configure that preference in their Outlook Mobile settings.

Microsoft apologizes for not communicating about this change sooner, per our commitment to proactive change communication.

When will this happen:

This is currently rolling out.

How will this affect your organization:

• Users will be seeing this experience launch when they open a link.
• If Edge is not installed, they will have the option to download it.
• Microsoft is working on a configuration for you to turn this off if there is a browser your workplace already uses, and will provide an update when it is released.

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MC538385 – Updated April 20, 2023: Microsoft will not be rolling this feature to customers in GCC at this time. We will communicate via Message center when we are ready to proceed. Thank you for your patience.

Teams across Microsoft are coming together to provide tools that help make meetings more effective. More specifically, we’re improving how you track what you want to discuss (Agenda), what you discussed/decided (Notes) and what you need to follow up on (Follow-up Tasks). These capabilities are now integrated into the end-to-end meeting experience in Teams, Loop, Planner, To Do, Office.com and OneDrive for Business.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 101509

When this will happen:

Preview Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out late April and expect to complete by mid-May.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out late May and expect to complete by late June.

How this will affect your organization:

Users within your tenant will see a Notes button during meetings that invokes these new capabilities. The meeting notes will be shown on the right pane of the meeting window with the ability to open them in the browser for more room or on a second monitor. Participants can collaborate in real time, create an agenda, take notes and add tasks. When participants are assigned a task in the meeting, they will also receive an email notification and it will be synced with the Planner and To Do apps.

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Meeting organizers will also see an ability to add Collaborative notes before meetings, to prepare by adding agendas or other materials in one place.

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After the meeting, Collaborative notes will remain accessible for all participants on the Teams calendar meeting details page. The experience is a Loop component, so they can be copied easily out of the meeting and into chats, group chats, emails and other documents. This makes prepping and follow-up even more seamless.

What you need to do to prepare:

Nothing is required to prepare. This capability will be enabled by default when it rolls out.

Note: the new Collaborative notes file will generate a Company Shareable Link (CSL) by default.

You can manage this feature via SharePoint PowerShell with:

Set-SPOTenant -IsCollabMeetingNotesFluidEnabled (boolean)

You can read more about admin controls here: Manage Loop experiences (Loop app and Loop components) in SharePoint.

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MC543773 – Microsoft will be removing the Microsoft Store for Business tab from the Microsoft Store app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs. The Microsoft Store for Business tab will continue to be available on HoloLens devices.

Note: The retirement of Microsoft Store for Business and Education on Windows 11 was announced in 2021

When this will happen:

We’ll be gradually rolling this out to all customers on or after mid-May.

How this will affect your organization:

Users will no longer be able to see Line of Business products listed in the Microsoft Store for Business tab in Microsoft Store when this change is implemented.

Microsoft recommends adding your apps through the new Microsoft Store app experience in Intune. If an app is not available in the Microsoft Store, you will need to retrieve an app package from the vendor and install it as a line-of-business (LOB) app or Win32 app. For instructions read the following articles:

• Add Microsoft Store apps to Microsoft Intune
• Add a Windows line-of-business app to Microsoft Intune
• Add, assign, and monitor a Win32 app in Microsoft Intune

Stay tuned to the Intune Customer Success blog as Microsoft will be publishing more information about this soon.

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MC543390 – Microsoft is announcing Intelligent Meeting Recap functionality in Microsoft 365 Feed for both Teams Premium users and users without Teams Premium.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 122529

When this will happen:

Targeted Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-April 2023.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out late April 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

For Teams Premium users

Focus on what matters with AI-powered meeting recap recommendations in the Microsoft 365 Feed. Get personalized recommendations to catch-up or revisit important meetings, including key insights from these meetings.

What’s in the card?

• Indication of which part of the meeting you missed
• Automatically generated AI tasks
• When your name was mentioned
• List of top speakers
• Quick links to the full meeting recap and recording

What’s next?

• Starting gradual rollout to GA by the end of April
• GPT-based AI meeting notes
• Recommending key meetings you attended
• Rolling out to the Outlook Mobile feed
• Showing Files related to the meeting

For users without Teams Premium

Focus on what matters with meeting recap recommendations in the M365 Feed. Get recommendations to catch-up or revisit important meetings.

What’s in the card?

• List of speakers
• Quick link to the full meeting recap and recording

What’s next?

• Starting gradual rollout to GA during May
• Rolling out to the Outlook Mobile feed
• Showing Files related to the meeting

What you need to do to prepare:

There is no action needed to prepare for this change. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate.

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MC543384 – In Nov ‘22, Power BI (PBI) launched the preview of integration with Microsoft Graph, with the goal to increase discovery of PBI reports, dashboards and apps across several surfaces like Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Bing @ Work.

This setting allows users in your org to see certain Power BI metadata (such as content titles and types, or open and sharing history) in Microsoft 365 services like search results and recommended content lists. Metadata from Power BI datasets are not displayed.

For example, a report that was shared with you in Teams or Outlook, will now appear in Microsoft 365 Home, SharePoint or Bing @ Work. You can also search for Power BI items in Microsoft 365 Home.

This setting applies only if your Power BI and Microsoft 365 tenants are in the same geographical region.

Between mid-May to end of June, Microsoft will automatically enable this setting for all users, unless you disable it manually (instructions below).

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 102409

When this will happen:

Microsoft will begin to roll out feature capabilities by mid-May and will complete by late June.

How this will affect your organization:

Power BI admins will have the ability to disable this experience for their users. These new capabilities will be on by default unless you disable the “Users can see Power BI metadata in Microsoft 365 services” setting prior to mid-May. Admins have the ability to enable or disable the setting at any time.

Note: It may take up to 24 hours for the changes to go into full effect.

What you need to do to prepare:

Microsoft will be looking to turn on the capability by default between mid-May and end of June. To disable this experience, follow the steps below:

1. Log into your Power BI (app.powerbi.com) account from your browser using your admin account credentials.
2. Click on Settings located on the right-hand side of the top banner, proceed to click Admin Portal from the drop-down menu.
3. Once in the Admin portal tab, navigate to the Tenant settings tab located in the left navigation pane.
4. 1. From inside the Tenant settings tab, scroll down to the list of settings titled “Share data with your Microsoft 365 services” and click on the setting titled “Users can see Power BI metadata in Microsoft 365 services” to expand it.
5. If the setting is enabled, then toggle it to Disabled (see fig 1)
6. If the setting is already disabled, then toggle to Enabled and then toggle to Disabled.
7. See Fig 2 for how a disabled setting looks like
8. Click ‘Apply’ to save the changes.

Once the setting is enabled or disabled, it may take ~24 hours for you to see changes within Office.com, SharePoint and Bing@Work. More details can be found here: Share data with your Microsoft 365 services tenant settings.

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MC543382 – The user’s policy details page in Microsoft Teams admin center provides admins with the ability to manage policies for individual users. However, the current experience falls short in meeting critical needs, such as presenting a comprehensive view of all policies assigned to a user and a policy assignment view to understand how a policy is applied to the user.

To address these concerns, the new user details policy page offers an enhanced experience that enables admins to view all effective policies for a user, along with a clear policy assignment hierarchy view. With this new functionality, admins can easily troubleshoot any problematic policy assignments, ensuring that policies are correctly assigned, and their users’ experiences are optimal.

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out early May 2023 and expect to complete by late May 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

With the new and improved user details page, you can now do a host of enhanced actions, including:

1. Edit policy assignments: To edit policy assignments for one or more policy types.
2. View policy assignments: To view what policies are assigned and how a policy` becomes effective for a user for each policy types in a hierarchical format. Inside this view, admins can:
   1. Assign/Remove “Direct assignment.”
   2. Edit direct assignment.
   3. Manage group assignments.
   4. Manage the effective policy assigned group in M365 admin center.
3. Remove direct assignments: To unassign/remove a directly assigned policy to make way for correct effective policy either view group policy assignment or Global(org-wide) default.

The above information is presented in a table format, which also offers support for sorting, filtering, and searching capabilities.

The hierarchy view for policy assignments provides administrators with valuable information on which policies are assigned to a user through Direct, Group, or Default assignments, and offers a range of actions to manage these assignments to ensure that the user receives the appropriate effective policy.

What you need to do to prepare:

Review how the policy assignment for users and groups and policy precedence rules works. For a better understanding, administrators can follow the scenarios provided –

1. Review and understand what policies are effective and how are they effective for a user.Steps:
   1. Login to TAC and navigate to Manage users > click on a user > navigate to Policies tab.
   2. Review the table showing effective policies for all policy types.
   3. In the table, check the column – Effective policy and Assignment type, to understand by what assignment method a policy is assigned to a user.
2. View policy assignment hierarchy to understand the policy precedence rules for effectiveness.Steps:
   1. Select a policy type that you want to see the policy assignment hierarchy.
   2. Click “View”
   3. Verify details in the side panel.

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Microsoft has released Hotpatching support for Windows Server Azure Edition VMs running the Desktop Experience installation mode. The company originally introduced Hotpatching for Server Core in February 2022, and this capability is now available in preview for the Desktop Experience.

Hotpatching is a feature that is used to apply security patches to Windows devices without requiring a reboot. It enables users to update critical components of the operating system without stopping services and applications. Hotpatching allows for the replacement of old code with new code while the system is still running.

Microsoft highlights that customers can use Hotpatching capabilities to speed up the deployment of updates and minimize reboots. It could also be useful in scenarios where a security update must be applied immediately to address critical vulnerabilities.

“With this new support, all Windows Server 2022 Azure Edition VMs in Azure (including Azure Stack HCI) can take advantage of rebootless updates using Preview images! This marks our continued investment in making Azure the best destination to run Windows Server, with many capabilities that optimize your server management through services such as Azure Automanage,” Microsoft explained.

You can see how Hotpatching works in the video below:

How to create a new Windows Server VM with HotpatchTo get started, IT admins will need to create a Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition Desktop Experience virtual machine with pre-configured Hotpatch. Microsoft has provided a step-by-step guide to create the VM from the Azure portal or programmatically with an ARM template and the Azure CLI.

Keep in mind that customers will need to host Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition on a supported platform (such as Azure Stack HCI version 21H2 or newer) to enable Hotpatching. If you’re interested, be sure to check out this support page to read a detailed comparison of Server Core vs. Desktop Experience.

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Microsoft’s new Azure Virtual Desktop app is available to download from the Microsoft Store. The company announced the app’s availability in public preview yesterday, and it runs on both Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs.

Until now, the only way to access Azure Virtual Desktop resources was to download the Microsoft Remote Desktop application. Additionally, it’s possible to use the service via a web browser across all platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Microsoft explained that the new Azure Virtual Desktop app provides the same features available in the existing Remote Desktop for Windows client. However, the Microsoft Store version of the application also brings some new capabilities for Windows users.

First off, the Azure Virtual Desktop app utilizes its own auto-update mechanism, which eliminates the need for manual downloads to get new features and releases. Users can also pin the Azure Virtual desktops and apps to the Start Menu on their Windows devices. To do this, they will need to right-click on any app or desktop and click the Pin to Start Menu button.

“Azure Virtual Desktop is a cloud VDI service that delivers secure remote desktop and app experiences from virtually anywhere. It provides the flexibility and control organizations need with exclusive support for Windows 11 and Windows 10 multi-session cost-savings capabilities and the built-in security and reliability of Azure. Company data is safe and secure because it lives in the cloud and not on your personal devices,” Microsoft explained.

Enterprise deployment of the Azure Virtual Desktop Store app for WindowsMicrosoft notes that IT admins can use management tools (such as Microsoft Intune or Configuration Manager) to deploy the Azure Virtual Desktop app in their organizations. Meanwhile, users can provide feedback, and opt-in to test new Insider builds before they’re generally available for everyone.

You can head over to the Microsoft Store to download the Azure Virtual Desktop app on Windows 11 or Windows 10 PCs. We invite you to check out this support page to troubleshoot issues with the Azure Virtual Desktop app.

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When you virtualize an Azure Stack HCI cluster, you may want to load balance applications running on it to optimize server utilization. While there are various built-in options to do that, they may be quite limited depending on your usage scenarios. In this article, I’ll discuss the various options you have to implement Azure Stack HCI load balancing, and I’ll also detail all the opportunities and drawbacks they may come with.

Using an external load balancer with Azure Stack HCIUsing external load balancer appliances with your Azure Stack HCI cluster is a very classic way to evenly distribute incoming traffic across your resources. These external load balancer appliances can be either hardware-based or virtualized.

The purpose of these appliances is to load balance your applications and forward traffic to the fabric infrastructure and into the virtualization environment. You can load balance applications running in different clusters and in different locations, and you can see how such an infrastructure works in the image below.

Using an external load balancer with Azure Stack HCI (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)Using external load balancers with your Azure Stack HCI cluster can really help to improve the overall reliability and availability of your infrastructure. However, this solution also comes with some drawbacks: You’ll always need some external components, and you’ll also need to make additional investments in hardware and/or licenses.

External load balancers can also include a cloud-based load balancer such as Azure Traffic Manager, which is a DNS-based traffic load balancer. Azure Load Balancer is another alternative that offers various fully-managed load balancing solutions.

However, cloud-based load balancers are rather inefficient for load balancing data center internal traffic as they’re sending all traffic up to the cloud and back to your infrastructure. Cloud-based load balancers are much more efficient for load balancing geo-distributed workloads.

Using a virtual load balancer on Azure Stack HCIAnother feasible load balancer option for Azure Stack HCI is to use Network Virtual appliances or Network Function Virtualization (NFV) appliances. These appliances can be hosted on Azure Stack HCI within a virtual machine and provide the same experience as external virtual appliances.

Using a virtual load balancer on Azure Stack HCI (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)Having a virtual load balancer on Azure Stack HCI offers a good “everything in one box” solution. However, there is still one caveat you need to consider: if your cluster goes down, so will your load balancer.

In the end, the best way to deploy virtual load balancers on Azure Stack HCI is to use them as multi-cluster load balancers to distribute your applications on different clusters.

Using virtual load balancers in a multi-cluster infrastructure (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)With such a solution, you will improve the reliability and overall availability of your workloads. However, this isn’t an “everything in one box” solution and you may need to invest in additional hardware to implement it.

Using Software-Defined Networking with Azure Stack HCISoftware-Defined Networking (SDN) in Azure Stack HCI allows organizations to centrally manage network services and load balancing in their data center. This solution also offers a Software Load Balancer (SLB) to distribute network traffic across virtual network resources.

Using a Software Load Balancer for Software-Defined Networking can help to improve availability and scalability for your workloads. However, it does add another layer of complexity and requires additional resources for Network Controller, the server role used to manage your virtual network infrastructure.

Using Software Defined Networking with Azure Stack HCI also comes with some limitations: Firstly, Multitenancy for virtual local area networks (VLANs) isn’t supported by the Network Controller feature. Moreover, as you can see below, the Software Load Balancer for SDN is bound to one cluster, so there is no option to load balance applications across different clusters.

Using a Software Load Balancer for Software-Defined Networking (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)Application-dependent load balancing optionsSome applications come with an integrated load balancing mechanism. A good example of that is Kubernetes, as the container orchestration tool offers load distribution as the most basic type of load balancing.

When load balancing is built into an application, you should benefit from a combination of reliability and performance optimization. Of course, the caveat here is that not every application has an integrated load balancer mechanism.

Personally, I prefer to deploy cluster-independent load balancing solutions. Here are the main benefits of that option:

• You can more easily adapt to changes regarding (geo)redundancy requirements.
• You can reduce fabric complexity.
• Application owners can adjust load balancing depending on workload requirements.
• You can leverage other technologies and cloud services to make application owners less reliant on specific environments.
• You can add your applications to another cluster when you run out of resources on your original Azure Stack HCI cluster

ConclusionAfter understanding all the different ways to implement Azure Stack HCI Load Balancing described in this article, you should find the best solution that fits the needs of your organization. And even though Azure Stack HCI is a rather new cloud-integrated product, it’s just another hypervisor, and using it shouldn’t result in more complexity for your environment.

Lastly, you should also aim to keep your applications as independent as possible from fabric, location, or cloud environments. That way, you’ll avoid the risk of being locked into a certain technology or ecosystem.

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Microsoft is adopting a new weather-themed taxonomy to describe threat actors across the world. Some nation-state actors such as Russia, North Korea, China, and Iran will be designated with a specific weather event in the new threat actor naming taxonomy, and the company will do the same for more specific threat actor groups.

Microsoft currently tracks over 300 threat actors across the globe, and soon, the company’s threat research group will use terms such as “Midnight Blizzard” or “Hazel Sandstorm” to describe threat actors. And no, this really isn’t a late April Fool’s joke.

“With the new taxonomy, we intend to bring better context to customers and security researchers that are already confronted with an overwhelming amount of threat intelligence data,” explained John Lambert, Distinguished Engineer and CVP, Microsoft Threat Intelligence. “It will offer a more organized, memorable, and easy way to reference adversary groups so that organizations can better prioritize threats and protect themselves.

How Microsoft’s new threat actor naming taxonomy worksMicrosoft acknowledged that other security vendors use their own taxonomies to describe threat actors, and the company is committed to making its new system easy to understand for customers already familiar with other taxonomies. “We will strive to also include other threat actor names within our security products to reflect these analytic overlaps and help customers make well-informed decisions,” Lambert said.

You can see below the different threat actor groups that Microsoft tracks with the type of weather event assigned to them.

| Actor category | Type | Family Name | | Nation state | China | Typhoon | | Iran | Sandstorm | | Lebanon | Rain | | North Korea | Sleet | | Russia | Blizzard | | South Korea | Hail | | Turkey | Dust | | Vietnam | Cyclone | | Financially motivated | Financially motivated | Tempest | | Private sector offensive actors | PSOAs | Tsunami | | Influence operations | Influence operations | Flood | | Groups in development | Groups in development | Storm |

Microsoft’s new weather-themed threat actor naming taxonomy (source: Microsoft.com)To distinguish actor groups within the same weather family, Microsoft will be using adjectives. As an example, the Iranian threat actor PHOSPORUS is named “Mint Sandstorm” in the new taxonomy. For threat actor groups in development, however, Microsoft will use a weather event followed by a four-digit number instead of an adjective.

Microsoft will use adjectives to distinguish threat actors within the same family (image credit: Microsoft)“The naming approach we have used previously (Elements, Trees, Volcanoes, and DEVs) has been retired. We have reassigned all existing threat actors to the new taxonomy, and going forward will be using the new threat actor names, Lambert explained.

Microsoft’s new threat actor naming taxonomy will start appearing in public-facing content and Microsoft services over the coming weeks. The company expects the rollout of the new taxonomy to be complete by September 2023, though it also said that there will be “some surfaces that will not be updated.”

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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is getting a new update that will enable IT admins to discover internet-facing devices. The new feature leverages the existing network telemetry and RiskIQ integration to automatically map all onboarded devices that are connected to the internet.

Microsoft has clarified that identifying and prioritizing internet-facing devices to address potential security threats can be a challenging task for organizations. This is due to the fact that many customers use different classification logics, data sources, and public IP ranges to cross-reference devices in enterprise networks. It makes it difficult for IT admins to verify the accuracy of insights collected across their digital assets.

“Microsoft Defender for Endpoint will automatically map and flag onboarded devices that are exposed to the internet in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal, providing more context to security teams and deeper insights into device exploitability. By providing a view into internet-facing devices, security teams can better prioritize alerts, recommendations and incidents as internet-facing devices oftentimes become an adversary’s entry point into the corporate network,” Microsoft explained.

How does internet-facing device mapping enhance security in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?As shown in the screenshot above, IT admins can view the classified internet-facing devices on the device inventory page. The information is also available through Advanced Hunting. Microsoft says that administrators can view internet-facing properties in the device pane.

Microsoft notes that the ability to identify internet-facing devices is available in public preview for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint customers. It should help organizations remediate vulnerabilities within the network and bolster their overall security posture.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has recently introduced new device isolation support for Linux devices. This capability has been available to protect Windows PCs since June 2022. The device isolation feature helps to prevent hackers from connecting to compromised devices and stealing sensitive information.

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Security researchers have discovered a new LockBit ransomware that’s designed to target macOS devices. The MalwareHunterTeam detailed on Twitter that the malware enables threat actors to encrypt files stored on Arm-powered Macs.

LockBit is a Russian-based group that has historically targeted Windows PCs, Linux, and virtual host machines. The gang has been running ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operations since 2019. Over the years, the LockBit group has deployed its malware against many high-profile targets in several countries.

Interestingly, Twitter user vx-underground found that the macOS variant of the LockBit ransomware has been available since November 2022. The malware has infected around 1,000 organizations worldwide. Security researchers believe that the LockBit gang managed to steal tens of millions of dollars from the victims.

Not a single person I can find tweeted LockBit has a Mac targeting version before I did above yesterday, nor can find any blog posts mentioning it, etc. So even if the gang had the first build in 2022 November, for public, this is not late at all, but even yet, seems the first… pic.twitter.com/4iR71cuLpo

— MalwareHunterTeam (@malwrhunterteam) April 16, 2023

LockBit ransomware doesn’t pose a real threat to Mac devicesApple security expert Patrick Wardle has performed a detailed analysis of the macOS version of LockBit. He found that the malware can encrypt files on macOS, but it currently doesn’t pose any real threat. Wardle also pointed out that LockBit uses an invalid digital signature, and it can’t run easily on a Mac device. The built-in security features (such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC)) will help to significantly reduce its impact.

“While this may be the first time a large ransomware group created ransomware capable of running on macOS, it’s worth noting that this sample is far from ready for prime time. From its lack of a valid code-signing signature to its ignorance of TCC and other macOS file-system protections as it stands it poses no threat to macOS users,” Wardle explained.

Emsisoft threat analyst Brett Callow explained that the LockBit ransomware for Mac is currently in its early development stages. Moreover, he confirmed that there is no evidence it has been exploited in the wild. “It is, however, an indication that LockBit is, or at least was, thinking about Macs,” Callow said.

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According to a recent report, cyberattacks increased by 38% in 2022 compared to 2021, meaning that it’s more important than ever to be vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity. One way to strengthen operational resilience against cyberattacks is by mastering Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR). As Gartner notes, “misused credentials are now the top technique used in breaches…. attackers are targeting Active Directory and the identity infrastructure with phenomenal success.”

Windows Server Active Directory is a legacy technology that is still used by 80% of organizations today. But because it was often poorly implemented and the IT organization has limited expertise on its incident response team, AD poses a significant risk. Some of the biggest concerns are detecting attacks not surfaced by security monitoring tools, vulnerabilities in AD, failure to regularly test a recovery plan, and detecting attacks that move from Windows Server AD to Azure AD.

ITDR and operational resilience In this expert-led webinar, 18-time Microsoft Valuable Professional (MVP) Gil Kirkpatrick, Chief Architect for products at Semperis, walks you through the connection between ITDR and operational resilience, recent identity-related cyberattacks, how threat actors breach AD and Azure AD, and how you can close common attack entry points.

In this session, you’ll learn:

• Why ITDR is key to operational resilience
• Common tactics that threat actors use to target AD/Azure AD as an entry point into your environment
• How to detect vulnerabilities in hybrid AD environments, including indicators of exposure (IOEs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs)
• How to guard against attacks that bypass traditional logging methods
• How to ensure a fast, clean AD forest recovery post-attack

Register for the webinar today!

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Microsoft has announced new File Hash and URL Search capabilities for its Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence solution. It’s a top-requested feature that enables customers to get detailed insights about specific hashes or URLs identified within their enterprise network.

Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence (Defender TI) is a cloud-based service that provides real-time data about threats and vulnerabilities across IT environments. It leverages machine learning and AI capabilities to identify patterns and anomalies and track malicious activities. The service integration with other security solutions to help organizations improve security posture and protect against sophisticated cyber attacks.

“Defender TI leverages Microsoft’s threat intelligence through static and dynamic analysis of files and URLs within and outside its ecosystem, providing comprehensive coverage of potential threats. The static study examines the file’s code without executing it, while dynamic analysis involves executing it in a controlled environment to observe its behavior,” Microsoft explained.

How Microsoft Defender’s URL and Hash Search Intelligence works?Microsoft highlights that this dual approach lets the Defender TI tool to use static analysis techniques to detect and categorize potential threats. The service also uses dynamic analysis methods to identify and analyze the actual behavior.

For instance, IT admins can use the search bar to search any URL or hash value. They will be able to view the reputation score and basic details about the file hash or URL entities. Moreover, the Data tab shows threat intelligence data directly from the MDTI tool.

With the increasing incidence of cyberattacks, Microsoft emphasizes the importance of implementing robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data and business operations. The newly introduced security feature aims to assist IT admins in detecting potential threats and taking proactive measures to protect their organization.

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced new threat intelligence capabilities for its existing security solutions. A new Intel Profiles feature provides contextual information regarding threat actors, exploits, and infrastructure. Microsoft Defender TI API is now available to help security teams respond to potential threats at scale.

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Microsoft Teams has introduced support for user-managed call queue and auto-attendant greetings. The long-awaited calling feature lets IT admins designate authorized users to manage greetings and announcements for their respective call queues and auto attendant directly within Microsoft Teams.

In Microsoft Teams, the call queues feature is a waiting area that allows incoming calls to be routed to agents who are responsible to answer them. Moreover, auto attendants are automated voice menus that route incoming calls based on caller input.

Previously, Microsoft Teams did not give users the ability to manage call queues and auto attendants. IT Pros had to grant specific Teams admin permissions to fulfill this requirement. The latest update now enables designated users to manage greetings without leaving Microsoft Teams.

“Changing business conditions often require adjustments to call queue/auto attendant greetings and announcements. However, it can be difficult to identify the right Teams admin to make these changes, and addressing high request volumes can be time-consuming for the responsible admins,” Microsoft explained.

How to enable user-managed call queue and auto attendant greetings in Microsoft TeamsTo get started, IT admins will first need to designate authorized users by creating Voice application policies in the Teams admin center or via PowerShell cmdlets. Once configured, Microsoft Teams users will be able to update the call queue for auto attendant greetings. To do so, click the three dots (…) menu >> Settings, and scroll down to select the auto attendant or call queue to update the greetings.

The new user-managed call queue and auto-attendant greetings feature is available in preview in the Microsoft Teams desktop and web clients. Microsoft plans to roll out the new capability to all users globally in June 2023.

Microsoft Teams has recently added a new My Day view in the Tasks by Planner and To Do app. It allows users to consolidate their tasks to organize and prioritize important workflows.

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Microsoft has announced that all new Windows 365 PCs will now be encrypted at rest. Starting this month, the new security feature will be available for all Windows 365 Cloud PC SKUs at no additional cost.

Windows 365 is a cloud-based service that allows users to access a virtual computer from any device with an active internet connection. It lets users create a secure Windows 10 or Windows 11 cloud PC to access their applications and files remotely. Microsoft offers Windows 365 Business and Enterprise Editions on a per-user, per-month subscription basis.

“All data is encrypted at rest and flows encrypted from the host to the storage service, where it’s persisted. Essentially, encryption at the host encrypts your data from end-to-end. Encryption at host doesn’t use your Cloud PC’s CPU and doesn’t impact your Cloud PC’s performance,” Microsoft explained. “It’ll also be in addition to the storage encryption that already exists for Cloud PC data at rest today.”

The Windows 365 end-to-end encryption feature uses platform-managed keys to encrypt Temporary disks and ephemeral OS disks at rest. It’s up to the IT Pros to use the customer-managed or platform-managed keys in order to encrypt the OS and data disk caches.

Limitations of host-based encryption in Windows 365 Cloud PCsMicrosoft notes that customers will need to enable encryption at rest for their new Windows 365 Cloud PCs in the Azure Portal. However, keep in mind that the feature support isn’t available for legacy VM Sizes and ultra disks or premium SSD v2 managed disks. Microsoft says that IT admins will need to deallocate and reallocate existing VMs to encrypt them.

Microsoft provides Windows 365 Cloud PC troubleshooting tipsIn related Windows 365 Cloud PC news, Microsoft detailed some troubleshooting steps to help end users and IT admins address and monitor Cloud PC connectivity issues. Connection failures may occur if a user reboots their system after a Windows update or loses internet connectivity.

Microsoft recommends IT admins to put their Cloud PCs under review if the troubleshooting function doesn’t fix the connection issues. It will allow the Microsoft Global Helpdesk team to review and find the root cause of the problem.

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Are you creating PowerShell scripts for the first time? One important skill to master is how to write PowerShell functions, which work as a block of code that you can easily reuse. In this article, you will learn about the basics of building your first function and how to call it when you need it.

If you want to follow along with the article, you will want to use either Windows PowerShell ISE or Microsoft Visual Studio Code with the PowerShell extension.

Ready? Let’s learn about PowerShell functions!

What is a PowerShell function?Imagine for a moment that you have a toolbox with a hammer, a wrench, and a pencil. Each tool performs a specific task. We can use independently these tools or in combination with each other to complete a task.

PowerShell functions are the tools in your toolbox.

A PowerShell function is a block of code that performs a specific task or set of tasks. Functions in PowerShell are like functions in other programming languages and can encapsulate a piece of code that can be called multiple times from within a script or from the PowerShell console.

What makes PowerShell functions usefulPowerShell functions are very useful for three main reasons: reusability, modularization, and abstraction.

ReusabilityFunctions allow you to encapsulate a specific piece of code that can be used repeatedly throughout your PowerShell scripts or modules. Once you define a function, you can call it multiple times with different inputs to perform the same action without having to rewrite the code each time.

ModularizationPowerShell functions make it easier to organize your code into smaller, more manageable chunks. By breaking down your script into smaller functions, you can focus on one task at a time, making it easier to read, maintain, and troubleshoot.

AbstractionFunctions allow you to abstract the details of a particular task, making it easier to use and understand. By hiding the implementation details of a task behind a function, you can create a simpler interface that other users can interact with without needing to know the details of how the task is performed.

Overall, PowerShell functions are a powerful tool for automating tasks and managing systems. By learning how to write and use functions effectively, you can become a more proficient PowerShell user.

How to create a PowerShell functionNow that you have a basic understanding of the role functions play, let’s get started creating your first one. You can see the syntax of a basic function below:

function Verb-Noun { code} Every function starts out with the keyword of the function followed by a name (verb-noun) for the function. The proper way to name a function is by using an approved verb-noun format. All code between the curly braces will be the tasks the function will perform when called.

PowerShell functions do’s and don’ts

• Remember the KISS principle, meaning accomplishing a single task in the simplest way possible. The goal of a function is to do one job and do it well with the least amount of code as possible.
• Avoid using aliases and positional parameters in your code. You should format for readability, as the next person troubleshooting your code could be you!
• Don’t hard-code values. It’s best to create variables and use parameters.

Basic PowerShell functionsLet’s try it out by making a basic function that will fetch the first 5 processes running on your computer. The name of the function is Get-FiveProcesses, which will filter the first five processes passed down the pipeline from Get-Process:

function Get-FiveProcesses { Get-Process | Select-Object -First 5} Saving a function is just like saving a PowerShell script. Simply save the function using the same name used in your code, Get-FiveProcesses.ps1. Once saved, load the script using the dot-sourcing technique into your session. Dot-sourcing allows you to run a PowerShell script in the current scope instead of in the script scope. Now you can run Get-FiveProcesses just like built-in cmdlets:

After saving a PowerShell function, we can run it like a built-in cmdlet (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Your function will remain loaded for the rest of your PowerShell session. When you close your session, your function will need to be reloaded again.

Advanced PowerShell functionsAdvanced PowerShell functions give you some powerful features that make your functions professional grade. What do I mean by that? Professional grade scripts include help, possibly some error handling, parameters, or accepting pipeline input.

Using the previous example, Get-FiveProcesses was a basic function that included no help. Let’s make some changes to this script by adding some comment-based help:

function Get-FiveProcesses { <# .SYNOPSIS Gets the first five processes. .DESCRIPTION Get-FiveProcesses performs basic filtering of processes to show a user only the first five processes of a host system. .NOTES This function works on Windows and Linux running PowerShell 7+ .LINK Be sure to check out more PowerShell articles on https://petri.com .EXAMPLE Get-FiveProcesses Get the first five processes. #> Get-Process | Select-Object -First 5 } Now, if you load your function again, you will use PowerShell’s Get-Help cmdlet to find out how to use your function. Below is an example:

Showing built-in help for the Get-FiveProcesses function (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Using a function in a PowerShell scriptYou can use a function as a session cmdlet or as part of a broader PowerShell script. In the previous section, you learned about a technique called dot-sourcing. You can also use functions within a script. Here’s an example:

```

Simple script with a function built-in# Declare the functionfunction Get-FiveProcesses { <# .SYNOPSIS Gets the first five processes. .DESCRIPTION Get-FiveProcesses performs some basic filtering of processes to show a user only the first five processes of a host system. .NOTES This function works on Windows and Linux running PowerShell 7+ .LINK Be sure to check out more PowerShell articles on https://petri.com .EXAMPLE Get-FiveProcesses Get the first five processes. #> Get-Process | Select-Object -First 5 Write-Host “Here are the first five processes!” }# now you call your functionGet-FiveProcesses

``` Save the example above as ProcessScript.ps1. Now, run the script in your PowerShell session:

Running the ProcessScript.ps1 script in our PowerShell session (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Passing parameters to a PowerShell functionPowerShell advanced functions can accept parameters if you define them using a parameter block within your function code. Below is a basic parameter block example that contains a Parameter() block to designate the type and name of the parameter:

function Write-MyFunctionMessage { [CmdletBinding()] param ( # This parameter allows you to type a message string [Parameter()] [string] $MyName ) Write-Host “Hello $MyName! How are you today?”} The Write-MyFunctionMessage function passes the string value typed when using the parameter, as shown below:

The Write-MyFunctionMessage function in action (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Parameters can have attributes that change how a function behaves. Let’s say you have a parameter that is needed in order for a command to complete successfully. By default, all parameters are optional. Using the attribute Mandatory in the Parameter () block forces you to enter the parameter, as shown below:

function Write-MyFunctionMessage { [CmdletBinding()] param ( # This parameter allows you to type a message string [Parameter(Mandatory)] [string] $MyName ) Write-Host “Hello $MyName! How are you today?”} To test the behavior change, try to run the function again and this time, don’t use the -MyName parameter. Since the parameter is mandatory, PowerShell will prompt you for the value. If you were to leave the value blank again, you will get an error:

Not using the -MyName parameter results in an error (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Parameters can also have default values assigned. Let’s say that you want the default parameter value to be “Reader”. Your code would then use the = sign after $MyName followed by a string value “Reader”:

function Write-MyFunctionMessage { [CmdletBinding()] param ( # This parameter allows you to type a message string [Parameter()] [string] $MyName = “Reader” # Default Value ) Write-Host “Hello $MyName! How are you today?”} Now, when you forget to enter a parameter value for -MyName, the function will no longer return an error:

The Write-MyFunctionMessage function no longer returns an error (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Returning values from a PowerShell functionIn PowerShell, you can return values from a function using the return keyword or by using the Write-Output cmdlet. I’ll give you an example of each of them below.

Using the return keyword function Add-Numbers { param( [int]$num1, [int]$num2 ) $result = $num1 + $num2 return $result} In this example, the Add-Numbers function accepts two integer parameters and returns their sum using the return keyword.

The Add-Numbers returns the sum of our two integer parameters (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Using the Write-Output cmdlet function Get-ServiceNames { $services = Get-Service Write-Output $services.Name} In this example, the Get-ServiceNames function retrieves all services on the system and returns their names using the Write-Output cmdlet.

The Get-ServiceNames function retrieves all services on the system (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Both approaches can return values from a function. The difference between them is that the return keyword exits the function and returns the value immediately, while the Write-Output cmdlet continues executing the function and sends the value to the output stream.

In most cases, using the Write-Output cmdlet is preferable because it allows you to pipe the function’s output to other cmdlets for further processing.

Accepting pipeline inputTo make a PowerShell advanced function accept pipeline input, you need to define a parameter that accepts input from the pipeline. You can do this by adding the ValueFromPipeline parameter attribute to the parameter you want to accept input from the pipeline.

Here’s an example of how to create a function that accepts pipeline input:

function Get-ProcessOwner { [CmdletBinding()] param ( [Parameter(ValueFromPipeline=$true)] [string[]]$ProcessName ) begin { Write-Verbose “Starting the function” } process { foreach ($p in $ProcessName) { $process = Get-Process -Name $p -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue if ($process) { $owner = $process | Select-Object -ExpandProperty UserName Write-Output “$p is owned by $owner” } else { Write-Warning “$p is not running” } } } end { Write-Verbose “Ending the function” }} In this example, the ProcessName parameter accepts an array of strings from the pipeline. The ValueFromPipeline parameter attribute allows the function to accept pipeline input.

You can then use this function with pipeline input like this:

Get-Process | Get-ProcessOwner This would return the owner (if found) of each (running) process that is piped to the Get-ProcessOwner function.

Error handlingYou can use PowerShell’s advanced function error handling to define how errors within your script or function are handled. By default, PowerShell will halt the execution of a script or function if an error occurs, but advanced function error handling lets you customize this behavior to handle errors in a more controlled way.

To implement advanced function error handling in PowerShell, you can use the try/catch construct. Here’s an example:

function My-Function { [CmdletBinding()] param ( [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string]$Path ) try { # Attempt to perform some operation that may generate an error Get-ChildItem $Path -Recurse -ErrorAction Stop } catch { # Handle the error in some way Write-Error “An error occurred: $($\_.Exception.Message)” }} In this example, the try block attempts to run the Get-ChildItem cmdlet with the specified $Path parameter. If an error occurs, the catch block will execute, and the function will display the error message using the Write-Error cmdlet:

If an error occurs, the catch block will execute (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)You can also use the finally block to define code that will execute regardless of whether an error occurred. Consider the next example:

function My-Function { [CmdletBinding()] param ( [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string]$Path ) try { # Attempt to perform some operation that may generate an error Get-ChildItem $Path -Recurse -ErrorAction Stop } catch { # Handle the error in some way Write-Error “An error occurred: $($\_.Exception.Message)” } finally { # Clean up any resources that were used in the try block Write-Verbose “Cleaning up resources...” }} In this example, the finally block will always execute, even if an error occurred in the try block. This can be useful for tasks like closing open file handles or releasing other resources.

The My-Function -Path command in action (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)And here’s the command again, but this time with the -Verbose parameter, which details more information about the operation done by the command.

Running the same command with the -Verbose parameter (Image credit: Petri/Bill Kindle)Notice that the Write-Verbose cmdlet as set in your function is the last bit of code to run before the function exists.

Overall, advanced function error handling in PowerShell gives you greater control over how errors are handled in your scripts and functions and can help make your code more robust and resilient.

Where can you learn more about writing PowerShell functions?Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of this article on writing PowerShell functions. If you want to know more, you read our guide on how to create advanced functions in PowerShell. You can also find more information on PowerShell functions on Microsoft Learn, the PowerShell.org forum, and the PowerShell Discord server.

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Microsoft has started testing support for profiles in its Outlook for Mac app. Until now, it wasn’t possible to mute notifications by account, but the new feature helps to create a distraction-free user experience across several accounts.

Microsoft highlighted that this release will let Outlook users switch between profiles by pressing the Control + Tab keys. It’s also possible to use Siri automation to switch between personal and work profiles at a scheduled time.

“In Outlook Mac, you can now create profiles – for example, one for your work account, and another for your personal account. You can then select your work profile and Outlook will not bother you with any notifications from your personal email accounts. Similarly, if you select your personal profile at home, Outlook will not bother you with work-related emails,” the Office Insider team explained.

In Outlook for Mac, the new Profiles feature enables users to apply different themes to their work and personal accounts. It also lets macOS users connect their email accounts to Apple’s Focus Filters.

How to create profiles in Outlook for MacTo try out the new feature, users will need to create a new profile in Outlook for Mac by clicking the Globe icon on the navigation bar. Now, follow the on-screen instructions to create a work or personal profile. The new profiles will show up in the navigation bar, and users will be able to edit the default profile preferences by selecting Profiles >> Manage Profiles.

Microsoft says that the new profile-switching experience is only available for Office Insiders in the new Outlook for Mac client. However, they will need to add at least two accounts to use the feature in the app. Microsoft will keep listening to user feedback to improve the existing experience before making it generally available for everyone.

Last month, Microsoft announced that its new Outlook for Mac app is now free to use on macOS. This means users won’t need a Microsoft 365 subscription or an Office license to use the app on their devices.

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Microsoft is investigating an interoperability issue between the new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) and legacy LAPS policies. The company has confirmed that installing the April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates will break the functionality of both Windows LAPS and legacy LAPS on Windows devices.

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced the native integration of Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) on Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server. The feature allows IT admins to manage local account passwords on Windows PCs. LAPS supports both Active Directory and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) environments. Windows LAPS policies can be managed with Group Policy templates or the CSP interface on Windows.

Up until now, Windows Local Administrator Password Solution was available as a free download on the Microsoft Download Center. Going forwards, the tool will continue to exist as an optional download, but it will now be called “Legacy LAPS.”

“There is a legacy LAPS interop bug in the above April 11, 2023 update. If you install the legacy LAPS GPO CSE on a machine patched with the April 11, 2023 security update and an applied legacy LAPS policy, both Windows LAPS and legacy LAPS will break. Symptoms include Windows LAPS event log IDs 10031 and 10032, as well as legacy LAPS event ID 6,” Microsoft explained.

How to fix legacy LAPS interop bug on Windows Fortunately, Microsoft says that it’s working to resolve the problem, and a fix should be available in the near future. In the meantime, the company has provided a temporary workaround to help organizations address the LAPS interop bug in on-premises environments.

Microsoft recommends that IT admins can uninstall legacy LAPS to mitigate the problem. Alternatively, they can delete all values under the following registry key: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\LAPS\State

Did you experience any problems with the LAPS functionality on Windows PCs? Let us know in the comments below.

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If you’re planning to go on a vacation, you might want to set automatic out-of-office (OOO) replies in Microsoft Outlook. OOO replies send automated email responses when you are unable to respond. In this article, I’ll explain how to set up out-of-office messages in Outlook for Windows, Mac, and the web.

Typically, OOO messages inform the sender that the recipient is away and they may contact someone else in case of any emergency. It’s possible to schedule out-of-office replies in Outlook for a specific timeframe and customize them to suit your needs.

How to create out-of-office messages in Outlook for WindowsUsers can create an out-of-office reply in Outlook for Windows by following these steps:

• Launch the Outlook for Windows app and click the File tab.
• Navigate to the top-left corner, select Info, and then click Automatic Replies.

Accessing Automatic Replies options in Outlook for Windows (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) In the Automatic Replies window, select Send automatic replies and enter the message in the text box. * Users click the Only send during this time range* checkbox to schedule the reply. Select the start and end dates and times respectively.

Choose a specific time range for your out-of-office messages (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Alternatively, users can choose to disable the out-of-office reply manually by clicking the Do not send automatic replies option in this window. * Finally, click the OK* button to apply the changes.

You can disable out-of-office replies manually (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen)Outlook lets you enable automatic replies for users outside of your organization (including your personal contacts and/or external users), but you may want to think twice about enabling this setting. In addition to exposing yourself to spam, you may also reveal personal information such as your schedule, location, and availability times, leading to unwanted emails and potential security risks.

How to create out-of-office messages in Outlook on the webHere’s how users can schedule automatic replies in Outlook on the web:

• Click the Gear icon in the top-right corner to open the Settings flyout.

Accessing settings on Outlook on the web (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Select Automatic replies at the bottom of the pane, and then choose Mail >> Automatic Replies*.

Accessing Automatic replies settings on Outlook on the web (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Click the Turn on automatic replies* toggle to enable out-of-office messages.

You can also choose a specific time range for automatic replies (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Write the content of the out-of-office message in the text box. Users with Microsoft work or school accounts can type separate messages for people who are inside or outside their organization. * It’s also possible to set a time period for sending out-of-office replies to emails sent during a specific period. Click the Save* button at the bottom right corner and close the window.

How to create out-of-office messages in Outlook for MacMac users can follow these steps to create an out-of-office message in Outlook for Mac:

• In Outlook for Mac, navigate to the menu bar and click Tools > Automatic Replies

Access Automatic Replies settings in Outlook for Mac (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Click the Send automatic replies for account* checkbox and write the message in the text box as shown below.

Enabling automatic replies in Outlook for Mac (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Select the Send Replies Only During This Time Period option to schedule replies. Choose the start and end dates and times and then click O*K to save the changes.

Choosing a specific time range for your out-of-office-messages (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen)Outlook for Mac users who don’t use the schedule feature can disable the automatic replies manually.

How to set out-of-office replies for unsupported email accountsNotably, the Outlook Automated Replies feature doesn’t support Yahoo, Gmail, IMAP, or POP accounts. In this case, users will need to create a rule to respond to email messages automatically.

Create an out-of-office message template Open the Outlook desktop app and click New Email*.

Creating an out-of-office message template (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Enter the subject line and compose the email message. * Select File > Save As and write the name of the template. Then, select the Outlook Template (.oft) option in the Save as type** drop-down menu. * Save the template in the location c:\users\username\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates.

Create an out-of-office rule Select File > Manage Rules & Alerts*.

Accessing Rules and Alerts in Outlook for Windows (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Click the New Rule* button in the E-mail Rules tab.

Creating a new rule in Outlook for Windows (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Under Start from a blank rule, select Apply rule on messages I receive and click the Next* button.

Select ‘Apply rule on messages I receive’ (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) In the Rules wizard, don’t make any changes to the Step 1 and Step 2 boxes to automatically reply to all emails. Click the Next button and Yes* to confirm the changes.

Don’t make any changes to the Step 1 and Step 2 boxes in the Rules wizard (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) In the What do you want to do with the message? popup, click the reply using a specific template option in Step 1: Select action(s) available. In Step 2, click the a specific template* link.

Choose to reply using a specific template (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Click the Look In dropdown menu and select the User Templates in File System option. Now, click the custom template and select Open >> Next*.

Choosing your custom template (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Choose any necessary exceptions that you want to add and click the Next* button again.

Choose any exceptions you want to add (Image credit: Petri/Rabia Noureen) Enter a name for the rule, select the Turn on this rule option, and click Finish*.

It’s important to note that the Outlook desktop app should be running to send out-of-office replies automatically while you’re away. The rule will stop working if Microsoft Outlook is closed.

To disable out-of-office replies, you will need to head over to File > Manage Rules & Alerts to manually turn off the rule.

ConclusionCreating personalized out-of-office replies in Outlook is useful to let your colleagues know that you won’t be available for a few days. This can reduce stress and avoid miscommunication while you’re away attending a conference, taking a vacation, or simply having a break from work.

Lastly, be aware that the out-of-office messages you set up in Outlook will also be displayed in Microsoft Teams. This means that anyone who tries to reach you through Teams will see the message and be informed that you are unavailable.

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Amazon announced yesterday Amazon Bedrock, a new platform allowing organizations to build and scale generative AI applications in the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Despite being the leading cloud provider with Amazon Web Services, the company was a bit late to join the generative AI race but it’s well positioned to catch up.

“At AWS, we have played a key role in democratizing ML and making it accessible to anyone who wants to use it, including more than 100,000 customers of all sizes and industries. AWS has the broadest and deepest portfolio of AI and ML services at all three layers of the stack,” emphasized Swami Sivasubramanian, VP, Database, Analytics and ML at AWS.

Amazon Bedrock lets companies build and scale generative AI applicationsWith Bedrock, Amazon isn’t interested in building its own version of ChatGPT. Instead, the company will allow other companies to build generative AI apps using foundation models (FMs) from AI startups including AI21 Labs, Anthropic, and Stability AI, as well as Amazon’s own Titan FMs.

Amazon Bedrock is currently available in limited preview, but the company claims that it will be “the easiest way to build and scale generative AI applications with FMs” due to the variety of foundation models available to developers. As an example, Amazon’s two Titan models are optimized for summarization, text generation, and detecting harmful content in data, but other models from AI partners are optimized for other things including text processing tasks and image generation.

For developers using AWS to train ultra-large machine learning models, the company also announced the general availability ofAmazon EC2 Inf2 instances powered by AWS Inferentia2 chips, which add a cost-effective solution for running generative AI workloads. New EC2 Trn1n instances powered by AWS Trainium chips are also available to train generative AI models faster.

Amazon’s three products for building generative AI apps on AWS (Image credit: Amazon)Amazon’s CodeWhisperer AI coding companion is now free to useAmazon also announced yesterday that CodeWhisperer, the company’s AI-powered code-generating service tool was now available free of charge for developers. CodeWhisperer supports Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, C#, and many other languages, and it can be accessed within the AWS Lambda Console, Visual Studio Code, and other IDEs.

You can sign up to use CodeWhisperer for free on the official product page. A CodeWhisperer Professional Tier is also available with more administration features and higher limits on security scanning.

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MC528361 – Updated April 13, 2023: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Integrations in Viva Goals help save time and energy by automatically updating your key results and projects through connections to other applications from Microsoft and third parties. These integrations allow data to flow from the connected applications into Viva Goals so that results and initiatives are up to date. Viva Goals is launching a new integration for Microsoft Project for the Web which will enable users to automatically update Initiatives and Key Results in Viva Goals based on progress in Project for the Web.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 117462

When this will happen:

Microsoft will begin rolling out in early May (previously mid-April) and expect to complete rollout by late May (previously early May).

How this will affect your organization:

Once the integration is enabled by global admins, Viva Goals users will be able to connect Project for the Web as a data source for Initiatives and Key Results.

What you need to do to prepare:

Global admins or Viva Goals admins will need to enable Project for the Web in their tenant by following the steps outlined in Enable Integrations in Viva Connections.

Additional information

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Microsoft has published guidance to help businesses protect their Windows devices against the BlackLotus UEFI bootkit. The company also detailed some mitigation strategies to recover from BlackLotus attacks in enterprise environments.

BlackLotus is a sophisticated malware that allows attackers to target the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). It enables threat actors to bypass Secure Boot and hijack the boot process even on updated Windows 11 machines. BlackLotus modifies the registry files to disable OS security mechanisms, including Windows Defender, BitLocker encryption, and Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI).

Essentially, BlackLotus exploits the CVE-2022-21894 vulnerability to bypass Secure Boot and other advanced protections. Microsoft fixed this vulnerability in January 2022, but the signed binaries still need to be included in the UEFI revocation list

“It is critical to note that a threat actor’s use of this bootkit is primarily a persistence and defense evasion mechanism. It is not a first-stage payload or an initial access vector and can only be deployed to a device to which a threat actor has already gained either privileged access or physical access,” the Microsoft Incident Response team explained.

Microsoft has detailed a couple of artifacts that should be analyzed to track BlackLotus infections in enterprise environments. The company suggests IT admins to use the mountvol command-line utility to mount the boot partition, and find recently created and locked bootloader files. The Microsoft Incident Response team also recommends security teams to examine registry keys, network logs, Windows Event logs, and boot configuration files.

Effective strategies for recovery and prevention against BlackLotus attacksMicrosoft has provided some recommendations that should help organizations to recover Windows devices infected with BlackLotus. The company urges IT Pros to disconnect these devices from the network and reinstall with a clean operating system and EFI partition. It’s also possible to restore from a clean backup with an EFI partition.

It’s highly recommended that organizations should maintain credential hygiene, and restrict local administrative privileges to block BlackLotus attacks. Moreover, IT admins should ensure that their antivirus products are always up to date.

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This Week in IT, Microsoft slips more new features into the April CU for Windows 11, including Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS), Iran is coming after hybrid cloud environments, the Outlook for Windows preview gets support for Gmail accounts, and much more.

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Microsoft has released version 2303 of the Microsoft Configuration Manager for the Current Branch. The company announced that Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is now branded as Microsoft Configuration Manager.

Microsoft has made improvements to the Cloud Sync feature in Microsoft Configuration Manager. Specifically, IT admins can view collection member sync status (such as success, in progress, and failed) in the Collection Cloud Sync dashboard. In the Monitoring workspace, Microsoft has introduced dedicated dashboards to show the Cloud Sync status for user and device collections.

IT Pros can now view Endpoint Security reportsWith Configuration Manager version 2303, Microsoft added support for Endpoint Security reports in Intune admin center to show insights about tenant-attached devices. Microsoft has introduced audit messages support for authorization failure in the admin service. Up until now, the authorization failure messages used to be logged in log files.

Microsoft has added SQL Server 2022 RTM version support for Microsoft Configuration Manager. It’s possible to use the SQL Server version with the central administration site, a primary site, and a secondary site.

The Unified update platform (UUP) is now generally availableMicrosoft has started offering on-prem Unified Update Platform (UUP) that promises smaller and faster uploads of Windows updates. However, the first UUP update will require a one-time 10GB download for businesses to on-premises Windows 11 22H2 devices. Microsoft recommends using the Configuration Manager Current Branch version 2203 or higher, and supported versions of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Continuous innovation control integration with Configuration Manager 2303Microsoft has released a new commercial control integration with Configuration Manager version 2303. The client policy allows IT admins to control select features introduced via servicing that are off by default.

Additionally, Microsoft introduced dark theme support to the delete secondary site wizard available in the Configuration Manager console. IT admins will need to navigate to the top left corner of the screen and click the arrow to switch to the dark theme.

What are the deprecated features in Configuration Manager version 2303?Microsoft has detailed the features that have been deprecated in Configuration Manager version 2303. The company has removed the Community hub service and integration with the service. Moreover, administrators can no longer create a new Microsoft Store for Business in Configuration Manager.

In case you missed it, Microsoft is also changing the release cadence of Microsoft Configuration Manager to better align with Windows, and we invite you to check out our separate post for details.

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Microsoft-owned LinkedIn has announced some new features that will let users verify their identity and current jobs on the professional networking platform. The new identity verification capabilities are available for free and don’t require any paid subscription plans.

“On LinkedIn, when you show that you’re the real you, you’ll have an even greater chance of finding the professional opportunities that matter to you and your community. That’s why we introduced verification options in October 2022, and starting today, we’re rolling out three additional ways to verify your identity and where you work,” said Oscar Rodriguez, VP of Product Management at LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has partnered with the electronic identity verification platform CLEAR. It allows employees to securely confirm their identity using a US government-issued ID and phone number. The verification badge (a blue or green check) will appear next to the profile name on LinkedIn.

Additionally, LinkedIn now allows users to verify their identity on the platform using their company email addresses. However, this feature is currently available for more than 4,000 organizations. LinkedIn plans to expand support to more companies, though there is no ETA yet.

LinkedIn Identity verification with Microsoft Entra Verified IDLinkedIn has announced that users will be able to use a Microsoft Entra Verified ID credentials for verification purposes. Microsoft Entra Verified ID is based on open standards, and the verified ID credentials could be used for rewards programs, background checks, loan applications, and much more. It’s now included with an Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) free subscription.

LinkedIn is currently testing Microsoft Entra verification support with over 70 organizations, including Microsoft, Avanade, and Accenture. The company will begin rolling out this capability to customers later this month. However, it will initially be limited to 2 million LinkedIn users.

Microsoft intends to expand the use of this verification solution to support numerous other applications. “But this is just the beginning. Verified ID credentials can increase trust, authenticity, and verifiability while reducing cost, time, and friction in many scenarios,” Microsoft added. Let us know in the comments below if you think that the new verification features will make it easier to prove your identity.

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Cohesity, a data security and management service provider, has announced an expanded partnership with Microsoft. The deal includes new software integrations on both platforms that should help to protect businesses against ransomware threats and cybersecurity attacks.

First off, Cohesity has announced the integration of its DataProtect backup and recovery solution with Microsoft Sentinel. It will enable customers to access AI-powered anomaly detection capabilities for incident reporting and ransomware alerts.

Cohesity also provides seamless integration with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and multi-factor authentication (MFA). It makes it easier for IT admins to securely manage and access the Cohesity Data Cloud and Cohesity Cloud Services.

“This expanded collaboration will make it simple for thousands of Microsoft customers and ecosystem partners to access Cohesity’s award-winning platform, including its differentiated benefits of scalability, simplicity, and security, in hybrid-cloud or multicloud scenarios,” said Sanjay Poonen, CEO and president, Cohesity.

Cohesity has also teamed up with data management provider BigID. Powered by BigID, Cohesity data classification enables customers to leverage actionable data intelligence for discovery, security, privacy, and governance across Microsoft environments.

Cohesity cloud services now available on Microsoft AzureAdditionally, Cohesity has announced that its popular Cohesity Cloud Services are now available on Microsoft Azure, including Cohesity FortKnox. This release lets organizations protect their sensitive data in multi-cloud and hybrid environments. Microsoft plans to announce the general availability of FortKnox on Azure in the coming months.

Last but not least, Cohesity has introduced Microsoft 365 support in its DataProtect backup as a service (BaaS). The feature allows customers to host their Microsoft 365 data to a data plane hosted on Microsoft Azure.

Cohesity offers various solutions to simplify data management, enhance efficiency, and lower expenses for businesses operating in enterprise environments. The integration of Cohesity with Microsoft Azure is a welcome addition that should help organizations to stay ahead of cybercriminals.

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In this article, I’ll cover the basics of using the SQL SELECT statement to retrieve data from one or more SQL Server tables. I’ll also detail how to retrieve selected columns, as well as how to use the SQL WHERE and HAVING clauses to filter rows.

The samples in this article all use the AdventureWorksLT2019 sample database. In the previous article of this series, I explained how to populate SQL Server tables using the INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements. These Structured Query Language (SQL) statements modify the contents of a table, but the SQL SELECT statement has a different purpose.

How to use a simple SQL SELECT statementThe SQL SELECT statement is used to query data from a table. The following code illustrates the most basic syntax of the SELECT statement.

SELECT columns FROM schema\_name.table\_name; As you should know, table data is organized in a row-and-column format. Each row represents a unique record in a table, and each column represents a field in the data set.

The first agreement of the SELECT statement is a list of the column names that will be retrieved. Here, you specify a list of comma-separated columns from which you want to retrieve data.

Next, the FROM clause specifies the source table and its schema name if that’s required. SQL Server uses schemas to logically group tables and other database objects. The default schema for every database is dbo, and because it’s the schema that’s being used here it can be omitted.

The following listing shows an example of a simple SELECT statement:

• The first USE command sets the current database to AdventureWorksLT2019.
• The SELECT statement supplies a column list for the result set that will be retrieved from the SalesLT.Customer table.
• In this case, the AdventureWorksLT2019 sample database uses the schema name of ‘SalesLT’ (amongst others), so you need to include the schema name, a dot, and then the table name, which is ‘Customers’.
• The ‘FirstName’ and ‘LastName’ columns retrieve the first name and the last name of the customer.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT FirstName, LastName from SalesLT.Customer An example of a simple SQL SELECT statement (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)As a shorthand, you can use an asterisk (*) to retrieve all of the columns in the table regardless of the number of columns. You can see an example of that below:

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT * from SalesLT.Customer You can use an asterisk (*) to retrieve all of the columns in the table (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)The SELECT * statement is useful for ad-hoc queries or for examining the columns and data of a table that you are not familiar with. However, you should not use this statement for production code – It typically retrieves more data than your application needs, and you don’t want to increase your SQL Server workload.

How to filter rows with the SQL WHERE clauseThe real power of the SELECT statement is found in its filtering and joining capabilities. The SELECT query can use an optional WHERE clause to filter the data that will be returned.

The WHERE clause uses one or more Boolean conditions to select the desired table data. The WHERE clause always comes after the FROM clause and before the GROUP BY, HAVING, and ORDER BY clauses.

You can see an example of using the SQL WHERE clause below. Here, the WHERE clause is used to filter out a select list containing the ‘FirstName’, ‘LastName’, ‘Phone’, and ‘CompanyName’ columns from the rows that contain the value ‘Sharp Bikes’ in the ‘CompanyName’ column.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT FirstName, LastName, Phone, CompanyName FROM SalesLT.Customer WHERE CompanyName = 'Sharp Bikes'; Using the WHERE clause to filter data that will be returned (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Filteringrows that contain a value as part of a stringThe power of using the WHERE clause with the SELECT statement lies in its flexibility. The WHERE clause goes far beyond the simple equality, “greater than” and “less than” comparison operators. Let’s take a closer look at some of the things you can do with the WHERE clause, starting with using the LIKE operator.

The LIKE operator is used to determine whether a specific character string matches a specified pattern. In the example below, we retrieve all of the rows from the Customer table that contains the word ‘Bike’ anywhere in the ‘CompanyName’ column. Here, we need to use the % wildcard character both before and after the word ‘Bike’.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT SalesPerson, CompanyName FROM SalesLT.Customer WHERE CompanyName LIKE('%Bike%'); Using the WHERE clause with the LIKE operator (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Filtering rows that meet any of three conditionsYou can also use the WHERE clause to filter rows based on multiple different values. The following code listing shows how to use the SELECT statement with a WHERE clause to select three different values from the Product table. In this example, the WHERE clause is used with the OR operator to select rows where the ‘ProductID’ is equal to 680, 711, or 722.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT Name, ProductID, ProductNumber FROM SalesLT.Product WHERE ProductID = 680 OR ProductID = 711 OR ProductID = 722; Filtering rows that meet different conditions with the WHERE clause (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Filtering rows that are in a list of valuesLikewise, you can use the WHERE clause to select rows that are contained in a list that is defined by using the IN operator. In the following example, the SELECT statement will return the rows that contain the values of ‘Bothell’, ‘Bellevue’, or ‘Renton’ in the ‘City’ column of the SalesLT.Address table.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT AddressID, AddressLine1, City FROM SalesLT.AddressWHERE City IN ('Bothell', 'Bellevue', 'Renton'); Filtering rows that are in a list of values with the IN operator (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Filtering rows that have a value between two valuesYou can also use the SELECT statement’s WHERE clause with the BETWEEN operator to select row values that fall inside of a certain predefined range in a specific column. The following example shows how you can use BETWEEN to just return the rows in the Product table that have a value in the ‘ListPrice column’ that’s greater than 10 and less than 50.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019SELECT ProductID, Name FROM SalesLT.Product WHERE ListPrice Between 10 AND 50; Filtering rows that have a value between two values (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Filtering rows with the HAVING clauseYou can also filter rows in a result set by using the HAVING clause. The HAVING clause was added to SQL Server because the WHERE keyword cannot be used with aggregate functions such as GROUP BY. It’s used to specify a search condition for a group or an aggregate that includes one or more conditions that are true for different groups of records.

The HAVING clause always comes after the GROUP BY clause and before the ORDER BY clause, as you can see in the following SQL statement. In this example, the result set consists of the ‘SalesOrderID’ and the column alias ‘SubTotal’. The order is asc (ascending) and the rows are aggregates grouped by the ‘SalesOrderID’.

USE AdventureWorksLT2019 ; SELECT SalesOrderID, SUM(LineTotal) AS SubTotal FROM SalesLT.SalesOrderDetail GROUP BY SalesOrderID HAVING SUM(LineTotal) > 5000.00 ORDER BY SalesOrderID ; Filtering rows with the HAVING clause (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)SummaryIn this tutorial, I explained the basics of using the T-SQL SELECT statement to filter out rows in a number of different ways. The WHERE clause provides an extremely flexible set of operators that enable you to select rows based on a number of different conditions. Likewise, the HAVING clause enables you to select groups of rows that meet a certain condition. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my next article in this SQL Server Essential series.

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Security researchers have discovered a design flaw in Microsoft Azure. The vulnerability could enable threat actors to get access to storage accounts and gain full control of the environment.

According to Orca Security researchers, the design flaw exists in a mechanism known as Shared Key authorization. Shared Key authorization is enabled by default while creating storage accounts, and it can be exploited easily.

Microsoft claims that Azure automatically generates two 512-bit storage account access keys while setting up a storage account. The access keys, which are utilized for granting data access, have a total length of 512 bits. The data access can be provided either via Shared Key authorization or with SAS tokens signed with the shared key.

Orca Security found that threat actors could manipulate Azure Functions to steal access tokens of highly privileged identities. This means that a hacker who gains access to the Storage Account Contributor role could potentially access sensitive business assets, and execute remote code (RCE) on virtual machines.

“At this point stealing credentials and Escalating Privileges, as scary as it may sound, is fairly easy. Once an attacker locates the Storage Account of a Function App that is assigned with a strong managed identity, it can run code on its behalf and as a result acquire a subscription privilege escalation (PE),” Orca Security explained.

Microsoft: Shared Key authorization is a “by-design flaw” in Azure Storage accountsThe Microsoft Security Response Center investigated the problem and concluded that it’s a design flaw rather than a security issue. Microsoft recommends that IT admins should disable Azure Shared Key authorization and switch to Azure Active Directory authentication instead.

Microsoft also plans to disable shared access signature authorization by default for new storage accounts. However, there is currently no information available on the timeline for this update. Meanwhile, Microsoft recommends IT admins to learn more about how to use identity-based authorization for Azure Storage accounts.

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Microsoft’s new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) is now natively integrated into Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server. Windows LAPS lets IT Pros secure local administrator accounts on Windows devices, and it supports on-premises Active Directory and Azure Active Directory scenarios.

With the release of the April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates yesterday, Windows LAPS is now an inbox feature that will be updated via the normal Windows patching process. The existing Microsoft security product known as Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS), which is an optional download, continues to exist but Microsoft now refers to it as “Legacy LAPS.”

Windows LAPS brings new features for on-premises AD and Azure AD scenariosThe native version of Windows LAPS adds support for password encryption, password history, and automatic password rotation. Windows LAPS also adds Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) backups to improve the security of domain controllers.

Windows LAPS supports rich policy management via both Group Policy and Configuration Service Provider (CSP), and a new PowerShell module also gives IT pros better password management capabilities. Additionally, Windows LAPS adds support for hybrid-joined devices.

The new PowerShell module for Windows LAPS (image credit: Microsoft)If you’re not ready yet to migrate over to the new features, Windows LAPS also offers an emulation mode. “We do strongly recommend adopting the new features in order to take advantage of the new security improvements,” Microsoft explained yesterday on the Windows IT Pro blog. “Doing this will be much more secure for these sensitive passwords, especially when stored in Active Directory with encryption enabled, or in Azure AD.”

Windows LAPS support for Azure Active Directory in private preview The new LAPS scenario in Azure Active Directory, which is currently in private preview, will give IT pros more options for managing passwords in the cloud. New capabilities include Azure management portal support for retrieving and rotating passwords, as well as Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC) policies for authoring authorization policies for password retrieval.

Microsoft said yesterday that LAPS support for Azure Active Directory will enter public preview “later this quarter.” The company said that making LAPS a native Windows feature was a popular request, and it’s inviting organizations to use the new feature in their existing deployment.

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Microsoft has released today the April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10. This month, Microsoft fixed 97 vulnerabilities in Windows and other components, with one of them being already exploited by attackers.

On the quality and experience updates front, Microsoft is making the new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) an inbox feature on Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2019 or newer. The feature is now natively integrated and will be serviced via the normal Windows patching process.

Let’s start with the long list of security flaws Microsoft released this month, which includes a good amount of remote code execution vulnerabilities.

97vulnerabilities fixed in the March Patch Tuesday updatesAmong the 97 security vulnerabilities addressed with the April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates, 7 are rated “Critical” and the rest are rated “Important.” The Zero Day Initiative also pointed out that none of the bugs disclosed during the recent Pwn2Own Vancouver are being addressed with these updates.

Here are the most important patches you should know about this month:

• CVE-2023-28252: This is a Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability that’s already being exploited by attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges.
• CVE-2023-28231: This DHCP Server Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability can be exploited by an authenticated attacker using a specially crafted RPC call to the DHCP service.
• CVE-2023-28219: This Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Remote Code Execution Vulnerability requires an unauthenticated attacker to send a specially crafted connection request to a RAS server.
• CVE-2023-21554: This Microsoft Message Queuing Remote Code Execution Vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker sending a specially crafted malicious MSMQ packet to an MSMQ server.
• CVE-2023-28291: This Raw Image Extension Remote Code Execution Vulnerability requires an attacker or victim to execute a specially crafted application or file from the local machine to take control of the system.
• CVE-2023-28232: This Windows Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol Remote Code Execution Vulnerability could be triggered when a user connects a Windows client to a malicious server.

Here’s the full list of patches Microsoft released this month:

| Product | Impact | Max Severity | Article | Download | Details | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025230 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2022 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025230 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025229 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2019 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025229 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025229 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025229 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025229 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Microsoft ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28304 | | Microsoft OLE DB Driver 19 for SQL Server | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28304 | | Microsoft OLE DB Driver 18 for SQL Server | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28304 | | Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28304 | | Azure Service Connector | Security Feature Bypass | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28300 | | Raw Image Extension | Remote Code Execution | Important | Update Information | Security Update | CVE-2023-28292 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025285 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025288 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025285 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025288 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025287 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025272 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025287 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2012 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025272 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025279 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025277 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025279 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025277 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025271 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025273 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025271 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025273 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025271 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025273 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025271 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025273 | Security Only | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025228 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows Server 2016 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025228 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025228 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025228 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025234 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025234 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025239 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025239 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025224 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5025224 | Security Update | CVE-2023-21729 | | Send Customer Voice survey from Dynamics 365 | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28313 | | Azure Machine Learning | Information Disclosure | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28312 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for 32-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 32-bit Systems | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Microsoft Publisher 2013 Service Pack 1 RT | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002213 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for 64-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 64-bit Systems | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editions | Remote Code Execution | Important | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-28287 | | Visual Studio Code | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-24893 | | Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) version 9.1 | Spoofing | Important | XXXXXXX | Security Update | CVE-2023-28314 | | Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) version 9.0 | Spoofing | Important | XXXXXXX | Security Update | CVE-2023-28314 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.5 | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28299 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.0 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28260 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.2 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28260 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.4 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28260 | | Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28311 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28311 | | Microsoft Publisher 2016 (32-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28295 | | Microsoft Publisher 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002213 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28295 | | Microsoft Publisher 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002213 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28295 | | Microsoft Publisher 2016 (64-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002221 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28295 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Denial of Service | Important | 5025239 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28302 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11 (includes 16.0 – 16.10) | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28299 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9 (includes 15.0 – 15.8) | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28299 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022352 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022346 | Security Only | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022352 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022346 | Security Only | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022348 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022343 | Security Only | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022348 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2012 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022343 | Security Only | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022289 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2016 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022289 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022289 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022289 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022297 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022297 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022303 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022303 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022287 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022287 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022282 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022291 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2022 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022291 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022286 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows Server 2019 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022286 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022286 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022286 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5022286 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28297 | | Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002383 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28288 | | Microsoft SharePoint Server Subscription Edition | Spoofing | Important | 5002375 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28288 | | Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019 | Spoofing | Important | 5002373 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28288 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002381 | Cumulative Update | CVE-2023-28288 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002383 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28288 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 | Spoofing | Important | 5002385 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28288 | | .NET 7.0 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5025916 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28260 | | .NET 6.0 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5025915 | Security Update | CVE-2023-28260 | | Remote Desktop client for Windows Desktop | Information Disclosure | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-28267 | | Microsoft Malware Protection Engine | Denial of Service | Important | Security Update | CVE-2023-24860 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2022 for x64-based Systems (GDR) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021522 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 for x64-based Systems (CU 18) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021124 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2017 for x64-based Systems (CU 31) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021126 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2016 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 3 Azure Connectivity Pack | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021128 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2016 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 3 (GDR) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021129 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 3 for x64-based Systems (CU 4) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021045 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 for x64-based Systems (GDR) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021125 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 3 for 32-bit Systems (CU 4) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021045 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 3 for 32-bit Systems (GDR) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021037 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 3 for x64-based Systems (GDR) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021037 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for x64-Based Systems Service Pack 4 (QFE) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5020863 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for x64-Based Systems Service Pack 3 (QFE) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021112 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 for 32-Bit Systems Service Pack 3 (QFE) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021112 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2017 for x64-based Systems (GDR) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021127 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2012 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 4 (QFE) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021123 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2012 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 4 (QFE) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5021123 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 | | Microsoft SQL Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 4 (QFE) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5020863 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23384 |

Quality and experiences updatesWith the April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft’s Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) is now natively integrated into Windows. This affects Windows 11 and Windows 10 Pro, EDU, and Enterprise, Windows Server 2022 and Windows Server Core 2022, as well as Windows Server 2019.

The new built-in Windows LAPS also adds support for Azure Active Directory in private preview. Moreover, there are a couple of new capabilities for on-premises Active Directory scenarios, as well as new features for both Azure AD and on-premises AD scenarios. You can more details about what’s new in this article.

On Windows 11 version 22H2, this month’s KB5025239 patch will make the search box on the taskbar look slightly lighter when using custom color mode. This will be especially noticeable if you set Windows mode to dark and app mode to light on your PC.

Lastly, Microsoft has also fixed the following bugs in this patch:

• USB printers are no longer classified as multimedia devices.
• Microsoft Narrator can now read dropdown lists in Excel.
• PowerPoint will no longer become unresponsive when using accessibility tools.
• NotePad will now show the combo box with all options in Settings.

On Windows 10 versions 20H2, 21H2, and 22H2, the KB5025221 patch addresses a known issue with kiosk device profiles which caused devices where automatic logon is enabled to not work. As mentioned above, this update also adds the new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) as a Windows inbox feature.

Windows Update testing and best practicesOrganizations looking to deploy this month’s patches should conduct thorough testing before deploying them widely on production systems. That said, applying the patches widely shouldn’t be delayed longer than necessary as hackers start to work out how to weaponize newly reported vulnerabilities.

A best practice is to make sure you have backed up systems before applying updates. Every month, users experience issues with Windows updates that lead to systems not booting, application and hardware compatibility issues, or even data loss in extreme cases.

There are backup tools built into Windows and Windows Server that you can use to restore systems in the event a patch causes a problem. The backup features in Windows can be used to restore an entire system, or files and folders on a granular basis.

If you have any problems with this month’s patches, please let us know in the comments below. Other readers might be able to share their experiences in how to roll back problematic updates or mitigate issues caused by patches that are important to have in place.

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Microsoft announced yesterday that its Yammer mobile apps for iOS and Android have now been rebranded as Viva Engage. The new app should make it easier for employees to connect with coworkers, find and share content and engage in communities.

Viva Engage is an evolution of the Yammer Communities app in Microsoft Teams that launched back in July 2022. The new service is designed to enable organizations to connect and engage with their employees. Viva Engage provides several tools to help employees with community building, self-expression, knowledge sharing, and leadership engagement.

Microsoft has decided to eliminate the Yammer brand because having two separate social platforms was confusing for enterprise customers. This situation also made it challenging for IT admins to promote adoption and provide clarity for end users.

“With the new Viva Engage app on iOS and Android, you can stay connected with your colleagues, get updates on important projects, and share information easily, all from your mobile device. The app comes with a modern interface, support for device-specific features, and an improved user experience,” Microsoft explained.

Getting started with the Viva Engage mobile appMicrosoft highlights that the new Viva Engage app lets users view important announcements and messages directly from their mobile devices. It also makes it easier for users to participate in org-wide communities on the go. The Viva Engage app lets users upload videos and photos and react to messages from the notifications. It’s also possible to participate in Live Events while using other applications.

Microsoft says that users can download the new Viva Engage app from Google’s Play Store and the App Store. Meanwhile, existing users will need to update their Yammer app to see new features and the Viva Engage branding. “The App Store and Play Store listings will continue to carry a reference to Yammer, as will the push notifications until Yammer.com is rebranded later this year,” Microsoft added.

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Microsoft is officially killing off its extended support for SharePoint Server 2013 today. It’s been a long time coming, but today marks the end of updates for SharePoint Server 2013 and SharePoint Server 2013 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Microsoft initially released SharePoint Server 2013 back in January 2013. It’s a content management and collaboration platform that included various features and capabilities, including social networking. It also supported a powerful search experience, business intelligence, and automated business processes and workflows.

Microsoft ended mainstream support for SharePoint Server 2013 five years ago on April 10, 2018. Starting today, the company will no longer offer feature and security updates, bug fixes, and other technical support for SharePoint Server 2013.

Microsoft suggests upgrading to SharePoint 2019 or SharePoint OnlineMicrosoft recommends customers to migrate their content to SharePoint Server 2019 or SharePoint Server Subscription Edition in on-premises environments. The company plans to provide extended support for SharePoint 2019 until January 9, 2024.

Alternatively, Microsoft notes that organizations can also choose to switch to the cloud to leverage the new features of SharePoint Online. It should help to reduce the resources required to maintain the platform in on-premises environments.

What happens to organizations still using SharePoint Server 2013?Microsoft has warned that customers who will continue to run SharePoint Server 2013 would be vulnerable to cyberattacks. They will need to deploy additional security solutions (such as advanced firewalls and intrusion detection systems) to protect their unsupported environments. Microsoft noted that organizations running SharePoint Server 2013 will also inevitably be at a higher risk of workflow disruption or downtime.

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Microsoft has announced several new capabilities added to its Windows Autopatch service this month. The company has introduced a new feature that enables customers to set custom schedules for the deployment of quality updates for each ring in their tenants.

Specifically, IT admins can now configure deadline-driven or scheduled install settings in Microsoft Intune. The scheduled install feature lets IT Pros apply updates outside of working hours on Windows machines. Deadline-driven customizations enable customers to modify deadlines, deferrals, and grace periods within 14 days.

Last month, Microsoft unveiled a new Windows Autopatch feature that lets IT admins block updates for Microsoft 365 Apps. The company has announced that this capability is now generally available for all enterprise customers.

“Since Windows Autopatch currently sets enrolled devices to Microsoft 365 App updates via the Monthly Enterprise Channel, this feature allows organizations subscribed to different channels to still take advantage of Windows Autopatch,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft has also announced some enhancements coming to the Tenant management blade. The company will alert IT admins about expired licenses that need to be replaced or renewed to retain access to Windows Autopatch.

Windows Autopatch to add new reporting features and much moreMicrosoft has also announced several new capabilities that will soon be available in public preview in Windows Autopatch. First up, IT admins will be able to use Windows Autopatch to deploy Windows 11 updates. Additionally, they will be able to utilize Autopatch groups to apply various cadences and ring configurations to a specific set of Windows devices.

Microsoft’s Windows Autopatch is also getting support for new reports that will provide more insights such as feature updates. Some new settings will help organizations ensure the enforcement of policies and configurations. Other capabilities include a new 5-ring default option and support for custom ring configurations.

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Microsoft Teams has added a new feature that should make it easier for users to spice up their virtual meetings. Indeed, Microsoft has partnered with Snap to bring new Snapchat Lenses to Microsoft Teams meetings.

With this release, Microsoft Teams users can now access a collection of 26 popular Snapchat Lenses during meetings. Participants can use the Lenses to transform themselves into cartoon characters and add a variety of backgrounds to their video feeds. The feature eliminates the need to use third-party apps to use these Lenses in Teams.

“Lenses allow users to add augmented reality (AR) effects to video calls, bringing livelier human interaction to meetings. AR captures and processes information about our physical environment and then overlays it with virtual objects and information, allowing us to see and experience the world in a different way. Since AR uses cameras, sensors, and displays, which are already built into video conferencing, it is a perfect and seamless fit with Teams,” Microsoft explained.

How to enable Snapchat Lenses in Microsoft TeamsTo turn on Snapchat Lenses before a meeting, Microsoft Teams users will need to click Video Effects and select the More Video Effects option. Navigate to the right pane and click Snapchat under the Filters category. Select any Lens and then click the Join Now button.

Alternatively, Microsoft Teams users can turn on Snapchat Lenses during an ongoing meeting. To do this, click the More (. . .) menu at the top of the screen and select Video Effects. Navigate to the Filters category and click the Snapchat option. Finally, select any Lens from the list and click Apply to preview the changes.

Microsoft confirmed that the new Snapchat Lenses are only available for work accounts in Microsoft Teams. For now, the feature is currently supported in the classic version of the Teams desktop app. The company plans to add support for the new Microsoft Teams client by the end of this year. Let us know in the comments below if you think the new Snapchat Lenses will help to make hybrid meetings more fun and engaging for the participants.

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Register for our webinar on April 12th to discover how to establish hardened configurations for your Windows servers and endpoints, and how to monitor file activity to spot potential attacks in progress.

Dirk Schrader, VP of Security Research at Netwrix, will cover:

• Using best-practice benchmarks to establish hardened configurations across your IT estate.
• Tuning baselines to fit your needs and risk tolerance.
• Monitoring file activity while avoiding alert fatigue.
• Promptly remediating configuration drift.
• And how to maintain and prove regulatory compliance.

Most compliance regulations and security frameworks recommend implementing system hardening and FIM whenever possible. So, this webinar is essential for organizations that need to be compliant or want to avoid security breaches and disruptions to business processes.

System hardening and FIMSystem hardening involves changing the out-of-box configuration of Windows and Windows Server to a more secure default that helps protect against common threats. You should establish secure baselines that provide additional protection but also don’t break important functionality.

File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) checks operating system and application files to ensure they haven’t been modified or are corrupted. Comparing files to a known and trusted baseline allows IT to establish whether changes might indicate a problem or malicious activity.

FIM is an important component of Windows change auditing and it is required to meet some compliance mandates. In the webinar, you will learn how FIM can help with system hardening, and block and detect malware and other cyberthreats that might endanger your environment.

Register now using the link below or at petri.com.

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Microsoft has warned that an Iranian state-backed threat actor dubbed Mercury has been carrying out destructive attacks in hybrid environments. The Microsoft Threat Intelligence team has found that the attackers teamed up with another hacking group code-named DEV-1084 to target both on-premises and cloud customers.

According to Microsoft, Mercury first exploited the log4j vulnerability to gain initial access to the system. The threat actors established persistence and then moved laterally throughout the enterprise network. Once done, Mercury handed out network access to the DEV-1084 group that launched two separate attacks against on-premises resources and Microsoft Azure.

Specifically, the threat actor leveraged Group Policy Objects (GPO) to interfere with the security tools and distribute ransomware in the NETLOGON shares on Active Directory domain controllers (DCs).

Additionally, the hacking group used the AADInternals tool to harvest credentials for the Azure AD Connector account. They also used RDP to compromise another Global Administrator account and bypass MFA.

“Azure AD Connector account and the compromised administrator account were then used to perform significant destruction of the Azure environment—deleting within a few hours server farms, virtual machines, storage accounts, and virtual networks. We assess that the attacker’s goal was to cause data loss and a denial of service (DoS) of the target’s services,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team explained.

How to block destructive attacks in on-prem and Azure AD environmentsMicrosoft has detailed a couple of recommendations to protect organizations against similar attacks. Customers should enable Tamper protection features in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to prevent misconfigurations in antivirus solutions. Secondly, IT admins should review global admin permissions in their Microsoft 365 environment.

Furthermore, Microsoft suggests enforcing Conditional Access policies (like trusted IP address and device compliance). It’s highly recommended to enable continuous access evaluation (CAE) to block access to compromised accounts to mitigate cyberattacks. Microsoft says that administrators should also keep an eye on any unusual activities on the Azure AD connector and AD DS connector accounts.

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Last year, Microsoft unveiled that it would phase out Client Access Rules (CARs) in Exchange Online in September this year. Now, the company has announced that it has delayed the deprecation of CARs, and it’s expected to be complete until September 2024.

Client Access Rules (CARs) is a feature that enables IT admins to allow or block client connections to Exchange Online based on various parameters, including user agents, IP addresses, and authentication methods. The feature lets administrators configure policies to protect Exchange Online resources against security risks, security risks, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Last October, Microsoft disabled CARs for Exchange Online customers who were not using the cmdlets. This change was aimed at encouraging organizations to switch to more secure methods like continuous access evaluation (CAE) and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) conditional access.

Microsoft has acknowledged that some enterprise customers are facing challenges while migrating certain CARs to conditional access and CAE. This means that these organizations won’t be able to complete the migration process until September this year.

“We have been working with customers to learn how they use CARs and how they can migrate to these newer features, but we have encountered a few scenarios where it’s not possible to migrate current rules. For these scenarios, we will allow the use of CARs beyond the previously announced September 2023 deadline until we can support them,” the Exchange team explained.

Microsoft Exchange team to help IT admins with Client Access Rules migration plansMicrosoft explained that the migration process would require some planning and testing within the organization. The company recommends IT admins to open a support ticket to address any technical issues that might be preventing them from switching CARs to Conditional Access and CAE.

Last month, Microsoft also announced its plans to postpone the deprecation of Remote PowerShell (RPS) in Exchange Online until October 2023. The Exchange team advised all customers to move from the legacy Remote PowerShell Protocol to the PowerShell v3 module.

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The Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) allows Windows 10 and Windows 11 users to run a Linux distribution without using a virtual machine. Recent versions of Windows 10/11 make it very easy for developers to get started with WSL2 and run Linux repositories natively. In this article, I’ll explain how to install WSL2 on Windows 10 or Windows 11, and I’ll also show you everything you can do with WSL2 on Windows.

Install WSL2 on Windows 10 and Windows 11You can install WSL2 on Windows 10 or Windows 11 by running the following PowerShell command (with admin privileges):

wsl --install This command will install WSL2, the virtual machine platform, as well as the Ubuntu Linux distribution for you. Reboot your PC to see them appear in your Start Menu.

Keep reading for more detailed instructions on how to install WSL2 on a virtual machine or on an older version of Windows 10 version 1909 or older.

What is the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2)?Many people across various user bases cried joy when Microsoft announced the Windows Subsystem for Linux in 2016. This developer-focused feature allows a wide variety of users to run a Linux environment natively in Windows 10 and Windows 11 without needing to dual boot or use a virtual machine. All the required technology is now a part of Windows.

There are two versions available: WSL1 and WSL2. In May of 2019, WSL2 was announced with some significant new features, most notably a native Linux kernel utilizing some core Hyper-V functionality. A key performance improvement included substantially faster read/write I/O operations.

Installing WSL2 on modern versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11What are we waiting for? Let’s get started with the technical requirements to install WSL2 on modern versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11

Technical requirements for installing WSL2* Windows 10 version 1803 or newer + (Optional) You need to run Windows 10 version 2004 (or higher) or Windows 11 to be able to use the simple installation commands below. * x64 or ARM processor. * Virtualization attributes must be enabled in your system’s BIOS. + If you are planning to install WSL2 on a virtual machine, you need to have nested virtualization enabled. I will cover that later on in the article.

Microsoft initially had quite a few steps required to get WSL1 installed and working about seven years ago. You’ll discover those in the section below if you’re running Windows 10 version 1909 or earlier (By the way, what didn’t you upgrade already?)

Once you are running Windows 10 2004 or newer (build 19041 or newer), you’ll be able to get up and running with minimal effort. Let’s jump in!

Enabling WSL2 with PowerShellStarting with my Windows 10 PC (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)I will be using my Hyper-V lab on my (new) desktop computer. I have a VM running Windows 10 Enterprise version 22H2. However, you only need version 2004 or newer – just being complete.

• To start, open a PowerShell prompt with admin privileges.

Windows PowerShell (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* Enter the following command to install WSL2:

wsl --install Using the ultra-efficient ‘wsl –install’ powerhouse command! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Watch it go! The command installs the Virtual Machine Platform, Windows Subsystem for Linux, and even installs the Ubuntu Linux distribution for you. How nice. Next, let’s restart.

After a reboot, you’ll notice that Windows Subsystem for Linux and Ubuntu now appear in the Start Menu.

New WSL items in the Start Menu (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Plus, on my system, Ubuntu launched on its own. Another nice touch. However, in my case, we encounter a temporary issue regarding virtualizations.

We need to resolve the issue with virtualization before proceeding… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)As I stated above, WSL2 uses a subset of Hyper-V technologies. Because of this, your computer’s BIOS (UEFI) needs to have CPU virtualization features enabled.

If this was a physical desktop or laptop (or server), you would boot into your BIOS settings and confirm these are enabled. But in this case, I am already running a virtual machine. So, I need to run a PowerShell command on my host computer to enable special flags on the VM I am using.

• I will power down my VM and run this command.

Set-VMProcessor -VMName "Windows 10 22H2 - AAD - x3v6p (Petri)" -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true Enabling nested virtualization on our Hyper-V VM… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* Now, I can power up my VM and run Ubuntu from the Start Menu.

Ubuntu is alive! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Success, Ubuntu now works after enabling nested virtualization.

Post-setup tasks and best practicesAfter I launched Ubuntu, I was prompted to create a UNIX username and enter a password (twice). I did that and voila! Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS running natively on Windows 10. Pretty slick.

As a Linux learner, I do have a decent amount of commands at my disposal. I have a few things I run whenever I fire up a new distro. You can run the following command to get updates for the core modules in this flavor, then upgrade said modules in one fell swoop!

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y Running some ‘apt-get’ commands to update and upgrade our distro’s modules (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Now we have the newest and most secure modules in our Linux distribution.

Installing WSL2 on older versions of Windows 10If you happen to be running Windows 10 version 1909 or earlier on your PC, you will need to hop through considerably more hoops. But, don’t fret, the command line helps here. It’s not that bad. Plus, it gives you an excuse to remain familiar with your favorite pal, PowerShell.

Enabling WSL2Let’s begin. I just installed Windows Terminal so I can copy and paste.

• Open an administrative Terminal window and run this command to install Microsoft WSL.

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart Next, we will enable the Virtual Machine platform feature. Again, if you happen to be running this in a VM, you need to make sure you’ve enabled the virtualization flags for the VM. As I already did it above, I don’t need to perform the steps here.

• Run the following command to enable WSL, and then reboot.

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart Using PowerShell to enable WSL the ‘hard’ way (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* After the reboot, download the ‘WSL2 Linux kernel update package for x64 machines’ via this link. Make sure to run it from a command prompt with admin rights.

Updating the WSL kernel via a download from Microsoft (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Next, this should already be done, but we will make sure the default version of WSL used in future distros will be the newer ‘WSL2’.

• Use the command below to ensure that all future Linux distros will be using WSL2:

wsl --set-default-version 2 Verifying all future distros will run as ‘WSL2’ (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Ok, we are almost there. From here, we can open the Microsoft Store and search for distributions. You can use keywords like ‘ubuntu’, ‘suse’, ‘opensuse’, etc. Here are a good number of direct links from Microsoft to get you started.

• Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• openSUSE Leap 15.1
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1
• Kali Linux
• Debian GNU/Linux
• Fedora Remix for WSL
• Pengwin
• Pengwin Enterprise
• Alpine WSL
• Raft(Free Trial)

And that’s it! After you click ‘Get’ on each Store item, it will install and prompt you to run through its respective user provisioning.

After installing the Linux distribution of your choice, I recommend to go through the additional steps and best practices I detailed earlier in my article.

Tips and tricks for WSL2There are countless things to accomplish in the world of Linux, and venturing off into that lovely world is outside the scope of this article. The potential here to increase productivity by running native Linux distros is boundless. However, the first tip I highly recommend is using Windows Terminal.

Windows TerminalWindows Terminal is the most useful tool you have to run WSL2, especially when you’re running multiple distros. Each time you launch Windows Terminal, it will check and discover local WSL distros you can launch right in the same window.

Using Terminal to access various distros seamlessly! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)As you can see, Terminal knows what distros I have. I can open a new tab in Terminal, each running a different flavor of Linux.

Using Windows Terminal to see all your distros in one window (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Very cool! And I’m a Windows user!

Can you use WSL1 and WSL2 simultaneously?In case you’re asking about the two versions of WSL, yes, you can certainly run some distros on WSL1 and some on WSL2. You can run the following command to list all the distros you have installed and what version they’re running.

wsl --list --verbose I have 3 distros at the moment and they are all WSL2. That is the default.

Want to convert one of them to WSL1? Go ahead and run the following command. After the ‘–set-version’, you enter the distribution name (in this case ‘Ubuntu’), and there it is.

wsl --set-version ubuntu 1 Seeing if distros are running WSL1 or WSL2 (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)WSL1 vs WSL2: How to choose?As Microsoft explained on a support page, There are reasons why you may need or want to use WSL1 for some of your scenarios. The first one would be a project that requires cross-compilation using both Windows and Linux tools on the same files

File performance across the Windows and Linux operating systems is actually faster in WSL1 than it is in WSL2. As a result, if you’re using Windows applications to access Linux files, you will currently achieve faster performance with WSL1.

The second use case where using WSL1 beats WSL2 is if your project files must be stored in the Windows file system. If you use your WSL Linux distribution to access project files on the Windows file system, which cannot be stored on the Linux file system, you will achieve faster performance across the OS file systems by using WSL1.

Advantages to running native Linux distributions in WindowsThere are many advantages to running native Linux distributions in Windows 10/11 with WSL2. You don’t need to worry about having another computer, or even another virtual machine. A subset of core Hyper-V technology was developed solely for this purpose. Plus, using Windows Terminal to have a handle on ALL your local distros, PowerShell, command prompt… it’s a truly wonderful solution.

There are several hooks for developing applications with Visual Studio. You can read these Microsoft documentation links for more information.

• Walkthrough: Build and Debug C++ with Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) and Visual Studio 2022 | Microsoft Learn
• Get started using VS Code with WSL | Microsoft Learn
• Targeting the Windows Subsystem for Linux from Visual Studio – C++ Team Blog (microsoft.com)

Thank you for reading – please leave a comment below with a question!

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MC538726 – Microsoft is bringing improvements for Meeting Recapping. Now, you can find your recording, transcripts, meeting content, and meeting notes all under a single new Recap tab. Watch your recording directly in the Recap tab to catch up on what was discussed while reviewing the notes and transcript without having to switch screens/apps.

When this will happen:

Targeted Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out late April and expect to complete by early May.

Preview: Microsoft will begin rolling out late April and expect to complete by early May.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out late May and expect to complete by early June.

How this will affect your organization:

Users can access Recap from Calendar after meeting ended or directly from meeting chat.

When both recording and transcript is available from the meeting, the recap tab will show (if applicable for the meeting)

• Recording
• Content (Presented PowerPoint Live files, Sent file in Meeting Chat, Attendance Report for organizer)
• Manual notes (if added)
• Transcript (view, search and download)

This feature does not require Teams Premium license. For Teams Premium Meeting Recap, see MC post: MC537956.

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What you need to do to prepare:

You may consider updating the training materials for you users to inform this feature is now available.

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MC538725 – Starting with Edge 113, Microsoft Edge for macOS will begin using a new updater called EdgeUpdater.

Note: This change only affects Microsoft Edge on macOS.

Microsoft Edge on macOS

• Timing: Beginning with Microsoft Edge version 113 (scheduled for the week of May 4, 2023)
• Action: If you use update preferences for Microsoft Autoupdate to prevent browser updates, you will need to transition to the new EdgeUpdater UpdateDefault policy before Edge 113 to prevent future automatic updates.

How this will affect your organization:

If you do not transition before the new EdgeUpdater is deployed with Edge 113 (scheduled for the week of May 4. 2023), the new updater will default to updating Microsoft Edge automatically on your macOS devices.

What you need to do to prepare:

To maintain your desired update preferences, you will need to transition to the new EdgeUpdater UpdateDefault policy and set your preferences prior to Edge 113.

Additional information:

• See our article on Microsoft Learn
• Microsoft 365 Roadmap – Feature ID: 114512

Microsoft always value feedback and questions from our customers. Please feel free to submit either feedback or questions via Message Center.

Help and support

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Microsoft has announced some important changes coming to its Microsoft Entra Entitlement Management service. Starting on May 3, employees in the user admin role won’t be able to perform identity governance tasks such as managing Entitlement Management catalogs and access packages.

Microsoft Entra Entitlement management is an identity management feature that lets customers manage and control access to applications and resources. It helps to automate access requests, access assignments, reviews, and expiration workflows. Entitlement management makes it easier for IT admins to ensure that only authorized internal and external users have access to groups, applications, and SharePoint Online sites.

Essentially, an access package is a bundle that comprises all the necessary resources that a user requires to carry out their tasks. These access packages are defined within containers called catalogs.

User Admin role updates in Microsoft Entra Entitlement ManagementGoing forwards, Microsoft says that organizations will need to use the Identity Governance Administrator role for daily management tasks. It’s highly recommended that IT admins should ensure that only those users have permission to manage Entitlement Management catalogs and access packages.

“We want to ensure minimal customer impact when we remove Entitlement Management permissions from the User Administrator role. By assigning admins the Identity Governance Administrator role, they will have the necessary permissions to continue managing catalogs and access packages,” Microsoft explained in a message on the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Microsoft explained that IT admins will be able to manage role assignments through the Azure Active Directory admin center or Graph API. You can find more details on how to update or remove existing role assignments on this support page.

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Microsoft has started testing a new Browser Essential feature in Microsoft Edge. The new tool provides a unified dashboard that enables users to monitor the performance and security of the web browser.

Microsoft explained that users can click on the Browser Essentials toolbar icon to view key performance metrics in Microsoft Edge. It provides insights about features such as the Performance Detector, Sleeping Tabs, and Sleeping Tabs.

“We know it can be difficult to understand whether a browser is really giving you a great experience. For that reason, we’ve improved upon the previous Performance Hub and created Browser essentials to reveal how Microsoft Edge’s performance and security features make your everyday browsing fast, efficient, and safe,” the Microsoft Edge team explained.

Microsoft Edge uses the SmartScreen service to protect users from phishing and malware websites and applications. Browser Essentials includes reports that offer insights into the harmful websites and downloads that have been scanned and blocked within the browser.

Last but not least, the Performance Detector feature helps to detect performance issues (such as high RAM and CPU usage of background tabs) in Microsoft Edge. It uses Browser Essentials to provide recommended actions to reduce memory usage and other resources. Microsoft plans to add support for more recommendations in future releases.

How to access Browser Essentials in Microsoft Edge?Currently, the Browser Essentials tool is only available to all Edge Insiders in the Canary Channel and select testers in the Dev Channel. Browser Essentials will eventually replace the existing Performance Hub in Microsoft Edge version 112.

Microsoft Edge users can access the feature by clicking the heart pulse icon available on the toolbar. Microsoft will continue to listen to user feedback to expand the tool to more users in the coming months.

Microsoft Edge has also introduced a new Workspaces feature in public preview. It allows users to save and share a group of browser tabs with other people. Microsoft Edge Workspaces support is currently supported on Windows and macOS.

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SQL Server sample databases can be very useful for learning new techniques or trying out various samples of code. In this article, I’ll detail what you can do with the main SQL Server sample databases including Northwind, AdventureWorks, and WideWorldImporters. I’ll also show you how to find these SQL Server sample databases and install them.

What are SQL Server sample databases?SQL Server sample databases contain fictitious information that can be safely used for testing and development. However, no sample databases have been installed during the SQL Server installation process since SQL Server 2005.

At some point, Microsoft felt that sample databases were a potential security exposure, and that’s why they removed them from the SQL Server code base. That said, over the years Microsoft has provided several sample databases for the SQL Server relational database management system and Analysis Services.

The main sample databases available today are Pubs, Northwind, AdventureWorks, and WideWorldImporters.

As you’ll see throughout this article, these different sample databases give you different types of data you can use for your testing and development scenarios.

Pubs and Northwind sample databasesPubs is the first sample publisher database that came with SQL Server, and it was originally developed by Sybase. It’s based on a publishing company tracking books, authors, and sales.

The Pubs sample databse used to be available as an option as a part of the SQL Server installation process until the SQL Server 2005 release. However, many SQL Server users thought it was too simple to be a good sample.

To provide a more complex sample database, Microsoft made the Northwind database available with SQL Server 2000 release. It was originally developed by the Access team, and it’s based on a food import and export company called Northwind Traders.

Microsoft later removed the Northwind database with the release of SQL Server 2005. However, SQL Server users can still download them from Northwind and pubs Sample Databases for SQL Server 2000.

The download is a .msi installation file called SQL2000SampleDb.msi. Running the installation file extracts T-SQL database scripts into the default folder (C:\SQL Server 2000 Sample Databases), as you can see below.

You can still install the Northwind and Pubs sample databases (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)You can install the two samples by running the instpubs.sql script to install the Pubs sample, as well as the instnwnd.sql script to install the Northwind sample. The scripts contain all of the code needed to create and populate the tables for each database.

• First, open the .sql files using the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) Query editor as you can see in the image below.

Opening the .sql files for the two sample databases with SSMS’ Query Editor (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey) Click the green Execute* button to run the scripts.

When I first ran the instpubs.sql script to install the Pubs sample, I got the error “Could not find stored procedure ‘sp_dboption’.” This stored procedure was removed from SQL Server following the SQL Server 2008 release. However, deleting the following lines allowed the script to run with no errors.

execute sp\_dboption 'pubs' ,'trunc. log on chkpt.' ,'true'GO Running the instnwd.sql script to install the Northwinds sample produced the same “Could not find stored procedure ‘sp_dboption’ error.” In this case, deleting the following lines allowed the script to run to completion.

exec sp\_dboption 'Northwind','trunc. log on chkpt.','true'exec sp\_dboption 'Northwind','select into/bulkcopy','true'GO Running these T-SQL scripts will create and populate the Pubs and Northwind sample databases. Afterward, you can use them like any other SQL Server database.

AdventureWorks and AdventureWorksLT sample databasesStarting with SQL Server 2005, Microsoft released the AdventureWorks sample database, which was intended to replace Pubs and Northwind. AdventureWorks is an example database for a multinational bicycle manufacturing and sales company called Adventure Works Cycles, and it uses the SQL Server user-schema naming system that Microsoft introduced with SQL Server 2005.

The primary relational versions of the AdventureWorks databases are AdventureWorks and AdventureWorksLT. The latter is a smaller and simpler version of the full AdventureWorks database. There are multiple versions of these databases for each release of SQL Server since SQL Server 2008 R2. However, so far, there hasn’t been a new release for SQL Server 2022.

The AdventureWorks samples for the different SQL Server versions were originally found on CodePlex, but the CodePlex site was shut down in 2017. They have since been moved to GitHub. The table below includes download links for all versions of the AdventureWorks sample database.

| AdventureWorks sample database | AdventureWorksLT sample database | | AdventureWorks2019.bak | AdventureWorksLT2019.bak | | AdventureWorks2017.bak | AdventureWorksLT2017.bak | | AdventureWorks2016.bak | AdventureWorksLT2016.bak | | AdventureWorks2016_EXT.bak | N/A | | AdventureWorks2014.bak | AdventureWorksLT2014.bak | | AdventureWorks2012.bak | AdventureWorksLT2012.bak | | AdventureWorks2008R2.bak |

These downloads are full database backups (.bak) files that you can use to install the AdventureWorks samples. You can simply download the .bak file and then use SSMS or the T-SQL RESTORE statement to restore the backup file as a SQL Server database.

In the image below, you can see that SSMS restore dialog for the AdventureWorks2019 prompts you for the .bak file to restore and also asks for a database name.

Restoring the AdventureWorks2019 sample database from a backup file (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)In addition to the relational database samples, Microsoft has also made business intelligence/data warehousing samples for the AdventureWorks database called AdventureWorksDW and AdventureWorksAS. These samples can be used with SQL Server Analysis Services. They are installed just like the relational samples by downloading a restoring a .bak file. The BI samples are at the following GitHub locations:

• AdventureWorksDW2019.bak
• AdventureWorksDW2017.bak
• AdventureWorksDW2016.bak
• AdventureWorksDW2016_EXT.bak
• AdventureWorksDW2014.bak
• AdventureWorksDW2012.bak
• AdventureWorksDW2008R2.bak

WideWorldImporters sample databaseWith the release of SQL Server 2016, Microsoft made the new WideWorldImporters database available. It’s for an example wholesale novelty goods importer and distributor, and it can be used to get familiar with temporal tables, In-Memory OLTP, columnstore indexes, Row-Level Security (RLS), dynamic data masking (DDM), and more.

There are different versions of the WideWorldImporters relational database for the on-premises version of SQL Server 2016 and higher as well as for Azure SQL Database:

• WideWorldImporters-Full.bak: For the SQL Server 2016 Enterprise edition and higher. It is in the backup file format.
• WideWorldImporters-Standard.bak: For the SQL Server 2016 Standard edition and higher. It is also in the backup file format.
• WideWorldImporters-Full.bacpac: This is for the Azure SQL Database Premium tier. It provides a full-featured OLTP sample database in BACPAC format.
• WideWorldImporters-Standard.bacpac – This is also for the Azure SQL Database Standard tier and it provides a standard edition OLTP sample database in BACPAC format.

To install the WideWorldImporters sample database on a local SQL Server system, you can download the .bak file and then use SSMS or T-SQL RESTORE to restore the backup file as a SQL Server database. You can see the SSMS restore dialog for the WideWorldImporter database in the following figure.

Installing the WideWorldImporters sample database by restoring a backup file (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)The various BACPAC files can be used with SQL Server on-premises or Azure SQL Server. To import a .bacpac file as a new SQL Server database, you can use the SQL Server Management Studio.

• Click on the Database node and select the Import Data-Tier Application option from the context menu.
• Follow the prompts in the Import Wizard you can see below to import the sample database from the .bacpac file.

Importing a .bacpac file as a new SQL Server database in SSMS (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Like you might expect, in addition to the relational samples there are also several data warehousing examples.

• WideWorldImportersDW-Full.bak – For the SQL Server 2016 Enterprise edition and higher. It is in the backup file format.
• WideWorldImportersDW-Standard.bak – For the SQL Server 2016 Standard edition and higher. It is in the backup file format.
• WideWorldImportersDW-Fullbacpac – For Azure SQL Database Premium tier. It provides a full featured OLTP sample database in the BACPAC format.
• WideWorldImportersDW-Standard.bacpac – For Azure SQL Database Standard tier. It provides a standard edition OLTP sample database in BACPAC format.

For more details about generating data for the sample database, you can check out the article about WideWorldImporters data generation on Microsoft Learn. There are code samples in the sample–scripts.zip file that contain T-SQL scripts showing how to use different features in this database. Plus, there is a workload–drivers.zip file that contains two programs that can that simulate a workload running against the WideWorldImporters database.

SummaryIn this tutorial, you learned about the different Microsoft SQL Server sample databases including Northwind, AdventureWorks, and WideWorldImporters. This guide should help you decide which samples you might want to use for your testing and development, and you can find more information in the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.

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MC537956 – Users with a Teams Premium license will now be able to access a comprehensive meeting overview in the new ‘Recap’ tab in Teams, which leverages AI to provide personalized highlights and key insights from the meeting.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 122529

When this will happen:

Targeted Release and Preview: Microsoft will begin rolling out late April and expect to complete by early May.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-May and expect to complete by late May.

How this will affect your organization:

For users with a Teams Premium license, Intelligent Meeting Recap is a comprehensive AI-powered meeting recap experience that helps users catch-up, recall, and follow-up on hour-long meetings in minutes by providing recording and transcription playback with AI assistance. Located on the new ‘Recap’ tab in Teams calendar and Chat app, this experience also allows users to browse the recording by speakers, and topics, as well as access AI-generated suggested notes, suggested tasks, and @mentions.

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What you need to do to prepare:

The feature is only available for Teams Premium users and for meetings that were transcribed and recorded. The user can toggle an option to be anonymized in meeting transcripts, by access Teams setting -> Captions and Transcripts.

You may consider notifying your Teams Premium users about this change and updating your training and documentation as appropriate.

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MC537955 – A new authorization model is implemented for Planner plans, which will be a ‘shared container-based’ authorization model, where OneDrive and SharePoint Online files can be linked to plans to provide users with access to the plan if they have access to the shared container. This means that file-based authorization for plans will provide streamlined access to roster-backed plans that are connected to one or more SharePoint Online/OneDrive files. Note: Graph API is available only in beta

For eg: A user with access to a Loop component or meeting notes that is linked to a plan in Planner will be able to access the plan without needing to be added as a roster member and thereby reducing any potential authorization errors that may arise owing to either roster limits or the absence of another user who can grant access.

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out early April 2023 and expect to complete by mid-April 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

The users will have a revised authorization experience for the roster plans. The new authorization model allows users to access roster plans that have been shared with a file if they have access to the file (even if the user is not a direct member of the plan).

Users of a Planner plan will see an informatory note as “People with access to these files can also access this plan”.

Users who do not have access to the file (but are roster members) will be informed that a file is providing access to the plan but will not be informed what that file is.

What you need to do to prepare:

There is no action needed to prepare for this change. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate.

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MC537952 – Microsoft is updating the chat details experience for Teams Mobile Group Chats, One on One Chats, and Self Chats.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 114938

When this will happen:

Targeted Release (Preview): Microsoft will begin rolling out in mid-April and expect to complete rollout by mid-May.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out in mid-April and expect to complete rollout by mid-May.

GCC, GCC-H, DoD: Microsoft will begin rolling out in late May and expect to complete rollout by early June.

How this will affect your organization:

The following items will be new:

• Updated UI and layout.
• Users are now able to access their own people card from the chat details and see Files and Apps from that conversation rather than seeing Files and Apps from the chat canvas, which will be deprecated.

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What you need to do to prepare:

There is no action required at this time. You may want to notify your users of this change.

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Microsoft announced this morning that its Windows 365 Cloud PC service is now available in public preview for frontline workers. The new offering is designed to provide secure and personalized experiences for shift workers, seasonal staff, and part-time employees.

Microsoft introduced its Windows 365 Cloud PC service back in July 2021. It enables users to remotely access their Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs on any device through a web browser. Microsoft’s new Windows 365 Frontline offering lets organizations use a single license to configure up to three Cloud PCs.

“With Windows 365 Frontline, each license you purchase enables three people to access a Cloud PC during their work hours. This means that instead of purchasing a license for every shift worker, you can purchase only enough licenses for the number of active employees at a given time,” explained Wangui McKelvey, GM for modern work apps at Microsoft.

Windows 365 Frontline lets IT admins set session time limitsMicrosoft highlighted that Windows 365 Frontline also includes some additional capabilities to meet the needs of businesses with shift or part-time workers. First up, IT admins can use the automatic lock screen feature to set up a configuration that will log users out of their Cloud PCs after a specific period of inactivity. It helps to protect sensitive data and confidential information from unauthorized access.

Microsoft has introduced the ability to automatically sign out users at the end of their shifts. There are also some new management features to deploy Windows updates outside of working hours to minimize reboots. The frontline utilization report lets administrators monitor the usage patterns of Cloud PCs in Microsoft Intune.

The auto reset feature lets users restore the Windows 365 Cloud PCs to their original state for each new session. It should be useful for employees who handle sensitive data such as healthcare workers, technical support, and customer service agents. However, this capability is currently not available during the public preview.

Windows 365 Cloud PC gets new LG TV integrationMicrosoft says that customers can sign up to access the public preview of Windows 365 Frontline on this website. Notably, IT admins will be able to use Microsoft Intune to manage Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs alongside other Cloud PCs and endpoints.

Finally, Microsoft has expanded Windows 365 support to more devices, including LG’s latest smart TVs and Motorola Android phones. The company has announced that its Windows 365 app is now available to download in the Microsoft Store. Microsoft is also planning to add offline support to Windows 365 that will let users work locally due to connectivity issues.

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Amazon GuardDuty has introduced Amazon EKS Runtime Monitoring support this week. The new capability enables organizations to detect runtime threats from more than 30 security findings to protect EKS clusters.

Amazon launched the Amazon GuardDuty feature back in 2017. It’s a threat detection service that uses AI and other security tools to monitor AWS accounts for suspicious activities and potential security threats. Amazon GuardDuty provides detailed insights and real-time alerts to help security teams investigate and remediate potential security issues.

The new EKS Runtime Monitoring capability utilizes a fully managed EKS add-on to provide insights into the specific container runtime activities. These include network connections, file access, and process execution. These insights make it easier for IT admins to detect and contain potential threats before they escalate.

“GuardDuty can now identify specific containers within your EKS clusters that are potentially compromised and detect attempts to escalate privileges from an individual container to the underlying Amazon EC2 host and the broader AWS environment. GuardDuty EKS Runtime Monitoring findings provide metadata context to identify potential threats and contain them before they escalate,” Amazon explained.

Amazon EKS runtime monitoring pricing detailsAmazon is offering a free 30-day trial of GuardDuty for EKS Runtime Monitoring for all existing GuardDuty accounts at no additional cost. However, customers will be required to pay for the service after the completion of the trial period.

It is important to note that the cost is based on the number and size of protected EKS workloads, and it’s measured in vCPUs. For more details, you can refer to the GuardDuty pricing page. We also invite you to check out this step-by-step guide to learn about how to configure EKS Runtime Monitoring in GuardDuty.

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Microsoft has announced that the Workspaces feature is now available in limited public preview in Microsoft Edge. The new collaboration enables users to share a set of browser tabs and favorites with multiple people.

Microsoft first unveiled the Workspaces feature for its Edge browser at Ignite 2022. Up until now, it was only available in public preview for enterprise customers. With Edge Workspaces, consumers can now collaborate in a group space within the browser. The shared tabs are updated in real-time as people work within a workspace.

According to Microsoft, the Workspaces feature enables Microsoft Edge users to plan trips, organize activities, and more. It also makes it easier for managers to add new people to a project.

“In Workspaces, you can create a single, shared view of your group’s web pages and documents within a unique browser window, with real-time updates. For that trip you’re planning, you can invite those in your group to view the same pages, share flights, lodging options, and even create a shared document to collaborate on trip activities and plans,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft clarified that it had introduced some privacy and security controls to protect customer data. This means that the Workspaces feature won’t share private information (such as passwords, collections, extensions, cookies, and downloads) with others who can access the shared workspace.

How to get access to the Microsoft Edge Workspaces previewMicrosoft Edge Workspaces are available for users on macOS and Windows devices. However, users will need to be signed in to their personal Microsoft account in Microsoft Edge version 111.0.1661.51 (or higher).

Microsoft says that users can sign up for the Microsoft Edge Workspaces limited preview on this page. Moreover, beta testers can invite 5 friends and family members to access the Workspaces preview. Microsoft didn’t say when users can expect the feature to be generally available for everyone.

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Apart from the release of Windows 11 22H2 Moment 2, it’s been a fairly quiet month. But not for Windows Insiders, where there’s been a ton of new features added.

So, let’s get started!

Windows 11 22H2 Moment 2 now generally availableThe primary change in this update is to the Search box in the taskbar, which is now typable. There’s also partial integration with Bing A.I. While you can’t interact with the Bing A.I. chatbot directly in Windows 11, you do get the option to open Bing Chat when searching.

Other updates include the ability to access Windows Studio Effects from Quick Settings, assuming you have a compatible device. And the taskbar has been optimized for 2-in-1 devices. There’s now a swipe gesture to switch between collapsed and expanded states.

For users who have joined their Windows 11 device to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), there are also A.I-powered recommendations in the bottom half of the Start menu. As a reminder, Recommended on the Start menu displays files in Microsoft 365. I’ve read in several places that search is now faster in File Explorer and that it should better surface recommended local and cloud files. In my testing, it seems as slow as ever.

Quick Assist has got a minor design makeover and it is now installed by default on Windows 11 22H2 devices. It is also now available by default on the Start menu. But again, that doesn’t appear to be the case on devices that are upgrading to Moment 2.

Widgets gets third-party app support. At release, Facebook Messenger, Phone Link, and Spotify were added as new apps.

Notepad got tab support. The Windows 365 app was made generally available, and Windows 11 Phone Link gets iPhone support in preview.

Windows 11 Phone Link iOS supportChanges to app pinning in Windows 11Microsoft wants to give users more control over the apps that get pinned to the desktop, Start, and the taskbar. Several new features are coming to help achieve that goal.

The first is a deep link URI for apps that takes users to the right location in the Windows 11 Settings app where they change defaults. There’s going to be a new API that will let apps pin primary or secondary tiles to the taskbar. The idea is to present users with a trusted and consistent Windows experience so it’s clear what is happening and provide the option for the user to confirm or deny the change.

Microsoft Edge ‘video super resolution’Edge Canary got a new feature called video super resolution (VSR). It automatically upscales low resolution videos. Providing you have a Nvidia RTX 20/30/40 series or AMD RX5700-RX7800 series graphics card, the device is plugged in, the video is less than 720p, and it’s not protected by Digital Rights Management, Edge will upscale the video.

Microsoft says it’s working on support for devices that have multiple GPUs.

Windows Insider BuildsEarly in March, Microsoft announced changes to the Canary Channel, saying that it is going to be the place where preview platform changes are tested that require a longer lead time before a more general release. For example:

• Changes to the Windows kernel
• New APIs

Some of the changes tested in the new Canary Channel may never ship to customers. Microsoft notes that builds coming to the Canary Channel will have seen very little internal validation or testing before they are released. And with little documentation, so don’t expect a blog post to accompany every new build.

Nothing changes with the Dev Channel, it is where Microsoft will incubate news ideas and preview new features. Again, some features may never see a general release to customers. Insiders should note that the Dev Channel will continue to provide better platform stability over the Canary Channel.

So, bearing all that in mind, make sure that you switch to the channel that suits your needs best.

New English dialects for voice accessWindows 11 build 22624.1391 brings improvements to voice access. There’s a redesigned in-app command help page and support for new dialects including: English -UK, English – India, English – New Zealand, English – Canada, English – Australia.

Mixer, pizza, and auto color managementWindows 11 Insider Preview Build 25309 brings a new volume mixer experience to Quick Settings. And there are new options for touch keyboard settings:

• Never – suppresses the touch keyboard even when there’s no keyboard attached
• When no keyboard attached – shows the touch keyboard only when the device is used as a tablet
• Always – shows the touch keyboard when the hardware keyboard is connected.

Auto Color Management (ACM), on qualifying Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) displays, can be switched on and colors across all Windows apps, color managed or not, are displayed accurately on all supported displays.

File Explorer gets a new pizza icon that denotes the user is working with the updated ‘Windows App SDK’ version of File Explorer.

Theme aware widgets are now a thing – widgets will change appearance depending on the user’s Windows theme, i.e., light or dark.

Live caption languages and File Explorer XAML menu access keysWindows 11 build 23403 gets more live caption languages. The original release of live captions supported English (United States). Now we get these languages:

• Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Portuguese (Brazil)
• Spanish
• other English dialects

File Explorer is getting access keys on the XAML context menu.

LSA protectionWindows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314 introduces ‘LSA Protection Enablement on Upgrade’. This new option helps protect login credentials by preventing unsigned drivers and plugins loading into the Local Security Authority (LSA). Microsoft says:

Starting with on upgrade, we will audit for a period of time to check for incompatibilities with LSA protection. If we do not detect any incompatibilities, we will automatically turn on LSA Protection. You can check and change the enablement state of LSA protection in the Windows Security application under the Device Security > Core Isolation page.

Windows 10 Build 19045.2787Check out the Windows Blog for more information about Windows 10 Build 19045.2787 on the Release Preview Channel.

Microsoft account notifications on the Start menu, live kernel memory dumps in Task Manager, and a USB4 Settings pageWindows 11 Build 22621.1483 gets notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu. Microsoft says the feature is only available to a small number of testers at the moment.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23419 brought live kernel memory dumps in Task Manager and a new USB4 settings page in the Settings app. It will allow you to:

• View the tree of connected USB4 hubs and devices
• See attributes and capabilities of connected devices and hubs
• Copy details so they can be shared with customer support or sysadmins

A larger widgets board, SHA-3 support, and improved Content Adaptive BrightnessWindows 11 Insider Preview Build 25324 has a widget board with a wider canvas along with sections for widgets and feed content.

This build also gets SHA-3 support:

• Supported SHA-3 hash functions: SHA3-256, SHA3-384, SHA3-512 (SHA3-224 is not supported)
• Supported SHA-3 HMAC algorithms: HMAC-SHA3-256, HMAC-SHA3-384, HMAC-SHA3-512
• Supported SHA-3 derived algorithms: extendable-output functions (XOF) (SHAKE128, SHAKE256), customizable XOFs (cSHAKE128, cSHAKE256), and KMAC (KMAC128, KMAC256, KMACXOF128, KMACXOF256).

And unsafe password copy and paste warnings has been expanded to provide a UI warning on copy and paste actions, like currently when typing in a password.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23424 gets improved Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC) on mobile devices where the OEM has enabled it. Now CABC runs on laptops and 2-in-1 devices when plugged into a charger.

And that’s it for another month!

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MC537415 – With the newly introduced toggle for turn on/off profanity filtering in Live Captions, users will now be able to control whether they want to continue to leverage the profanity filtering capability provided out of the box, or if they want to see every word as-is.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 113412.

When this will happen:

Targeted Release (Public preview): Microsoft will begin rolling out early April and expect to complete by mid-April.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out early May and expect to complete by mid-May.

GCC-High and DoD: Microsoft will begin rolling out early July and expect to complete by mid-July.

How this will affect your organization:

Users now have a new option to turn off the profanity filtering and be able to see the Captions as is. They can control this option via Settings in Teams > Captions and transcripts > Filter profane words in meeting captions.

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What you need to do to prepare:

You may consider updating the training materials for you users to inform this feature is now available.

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MC537412 – Teams Rooms on Windows devices that are eligible for Windows 11 upgrade will receive the Windows 11 22H2 release in May 2023. This will be offered and installed on their devices with 4.16 dot release (a newer release than 4.16.40.0 currently available). Devices that are not eligible due to an incompatible processor will continue to use Windows 10 per Windows hardware support policy. These devices will be offered Windows 10 22H2 release.

Devices that cannot upgrade to Windows 11 will continue to be supported until the end of Windows 10 End of servicing for General Availability Channel or hardware support from OEM, whichever comes first. Windows 10 releases information at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/release-information. Please note, not all Windows releases are supported for Teams Rooms, to find supported version, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/rooms/rooms-lifecycle-support#windows-10-release-support.

In addition, Teams Rooms on Windows OEMs will shift their manufacturing to Windows 11 IoT Enterprise as Windows 10 IoT Enterprise end of license sales is fast approaching (10/14/2023). OEMs with existing Windows 10 licenses inventory (or to support recovery media for existing Windows 10 based devices) may continue to provide Windows 10 based images for some time that should automatically update to Windows 11 post setup. All OEMs are expected to move to Windows 11 IoT Enterprise based images in future. Customers should ensure all new hardware purchases check for Windows 11 compatibility to future proof their device investment.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 122148

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out early May and expect to complete by late May.

How this will affect your organization:

Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows application release 4.16.XX. X (a dot release, on top of current release 4.16.40.0) will be available in May 2023. This app will allow eligible Teams Rooms on Windows devices to receive Windows 11 22H2 update through Windows update. After the dot release has booted normally at least once, customers can either wait for 8 days for Windows 11 22H2 to install automatically or can pull the latest Windows 11 update from Windows Updates manually by checking for updates from the Windows Settings app. Devices that are not eligible will be offered Windows 10 22H2 release.

To check if your device is eligible for Windows 11, you can either check the list of eligible Intel processors for Windows 11 at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors

What you need to do to prepare:

To ensure that there are no issues preventing the Windows update in your environment, it is recommended to manually check for updates on a small set of devices, after the Windows 11 enabled 4.16.XX.X release has been installed and booted normally at least once on them. From admin mode, check for updates using the Windows Settings app: Windows 11 22H2 or Windows 10 22H2 (depending on what’s supported for your devices) should be offered and should download and install. If the updates are not offered or installed, check for external policies (such as MDM or Active Directory Group Policies) that might be in place for your organization that could block this update.

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MC537341 – Microsoft has released updates to the following update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps:

• Current Channel

When this will happen:

Microsoft will be gradually rolling out this update of Microsoft 365 Apps to users on that update channel starting April 4th, 2023 (PST).

How this will affect your organization:

If your Microsoft 365 Apps clients are configured to automatically update from the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN), then no action is required.

If you manage updates directly you can now download this latest update and begin deployment.

What you need to do to prepare:

To get more details about this update view the following release notes:

• Current Channel

Additional information

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Microsoft has announced some new logging and metric improvements to provide more insights into Microsoft Azure Firewall traffic. The Latency Probe metric feature enables IT admins to monitor the overall latency and health of Azure Firewall to troubleshoot app performance issues.

“In the case that Azure Firewall is experiencing latency, this can be due to various reasons, such as high CPU utilization, traffic throughput, or networking issues. As an important note, this tool is powered by Pingmesh technology, which means that the metric measures the average latency of the firewall itself. The metric does not measure end-to-end latency or the latency of individual packets,” Microsoft explained.

Previously, the firewall logs didn’t show the complete journey of the packet in the TCP handshake. Microsoft has introduced Flow Trace logs that allow IT administrators to monitor all packets traversing through the firewall. The capability makes it possible to view the return packet, failed connections, and unrecognized packets.

Microsoft Azure Firewall now supports Top Flow logsThe Top Flows log feature shows the top connections that are responsible for the maximum data transfer in a specific time frame through the firewall. IT admins can monitor the top traffic to detect any unexpected or anomalous traffic. The Top Flows log also helps to allow or block network traffic based on the results.

Microsoft says that the new logging and metric capabilities are available in public preview for Azure Firewall customers. You can check out this support page to learn more about configuring Flow Trace and Top Flows Logs.

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Microsoft has released a new My Day view in the Tasks by Planner and To Do app for Microsoft Teams. The feature enables users to consolidate their task lists to effectively organize and prioritize important workflows.

“’My Day’ view brings together tasks from various sources such as Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Planner (tasks assigned to you in Plans), and flagged emails from Microsoft Outlook. Now, you can view all your tasks in a single, unified interface. If you’re concerned about a task today, just add it to My Day by right-clicking the tasks and selecting the ‘Add to My Day’ option,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft highlights that the My Day view lets users sort tasks by priority level and due date. The feature also makes it easier for the users to track their progress throughout the day. Moreover, the My Day view provides an option to mark tasks as completed to declutter their workspace.

How to access the My Day view in the ‘Tasks by Planner and To Do’ App for Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams users can access the My Day view by following the steps listed below:

• Launch Microsoft Teams and navigate to the sidebar and click the Apps tab.
• Use the search bar to find and install the Tasks by Planner and To Do app.
• It’s also possible to pin the app in the left navigation bar in Microsoft Teams. To do so, users will need to right-click on the app and select the Pin option.
• Users can access the My Day view in the left-hand panel.

Microsoft has also introduced a green screen feature in public preview for Microsoft Teams meetings. Keep in mind that this capability is only supported on macOS and Windows devices with Intel-based processors. The green screen effect doesn’t support Apple’s M1 and M2 chips and AMD-powered laptops.

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Microsoft has started rolling out support for third-party accounts in its Outlook for Windows preview app, which is currently available for Office Insiders. The web-based version of Outlook now lets users add a Gmail account in addition to personal Microsoft accounts and work and school accounts, and the preview client also supports displaying calendars and contacts from Google accounts.

“Longtime Outlook for Windows users will note that third-party account support has also been improved over the classic client experience, which didn’t have Google Calendar or Contacts support. Now people can use their Gmail email, Google Calendar and Contacts within the new Outlook for Windows preview. This has been a popular ask and is made possible by our modern codebase in the new Outlook for Windows,” the Outlook team said yesterday.

Outlook for Windows preview now supports Gmail accounts (Image credit: Microsoft)Outlook for Windows Preview will soon support more third-party email accountsSupport for Gmail accounts will roll out gradually to beta testers, and a pop up will warn them when the ability to add a Google account becomes available to them. The calendar experience also supports adding multiple shared calendars, multiple time zones, as well as displaying daily weather in the Calendar view.

If Gmail is one of the most popular email services out there, the Outlook for Windows preview will soon add support for Yahoo, iCloud, and other IMAP email accounts. Native support for .ics files is also in the pipeline, along with offline support.

Outlook for Windows preview supports Google calendars and contacts (Image credit: Microsoft)Microsoft will soon expand testing for the Outlook for Windows preview Microsoft is planning to make this new web-based version of Outlook for Windows available for all users later this month. The new experience will be available via a toggle within the classic Outlook for Windows app, but IT pros will be able to block it.

While the new codebase will allow Microsoft to iterate faster on this new Outlook for Windows app, the company isn’t planning (yet) to deprecate the classic Outlook for Windows app, which has many features and add-ons that power users still rely on. However, the new Outlook for Windows experience should eventually the UWP-based Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11, which are no longer in active development.

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Did someone say it’s already Spring? It sure feels like it with all of the Microsoft Power Platform changes and new AI-enhanced features that the company touted in March. Don’t worry though, we’ll whet your appetite and provide some links below.

New Microsoft 365 CopilotIf you missed the announcement of the Microsoft 365 Copilot last month, then you may have been visiting another galaxy. Copilot is entering the fray across Microsoft Office to assist you in creating, synthesizing, linking, sharing, and much more for the Microsoft 365 products we use at work every day. It is designed to be a virtual assistant that you can interact with using use natural language.

The new Microsoft 365 Copilot (Image credit: Microsoft)New AI Copilot for Power AppsMicrosoft also announced last month a new AI Copilot for Power Apps that you can sign up for, if you live in the United States and have an environment in English, as an experimental feature. In short, it’s a very quick way for someone with very little app-building experience to create an app, with sample data, built right on top of Dataverse.

Yes, that will make it a premium feature, but the possibility of empowering your entire organization as Power Apps makers is looking more realistic. I’ve personally tried and demonstrated Copilot for Power Apps, and it works!

Microsoft also has a new AI Copilot for Power Apps (Image credit: Microsoft)As Microsoft held its Business Applications Business Applications Launch Event yesterday, you can expect much, much more integration with AI in future app building. Again, AI is not gaining steam to replace you, but it’s going to enhance what you can do. I told my team this week that AI isn’t going to take your job, someone using AI is going to take your job. You should be the person using AI!

AI Builder and Copilot in Power AutomateThis month in Power Automate, we have been using the AI Builder and Copilot. AI builder is a non-premium feature that is already available. While there are a limited number of connectors that are currently usable, it is a very nice tool to help any user create a flow and significantly cut down on the amount of time required to do it. Stand by for more enhancements to make Power Automate more and more user-friendly through the help of AI.

Copilot in Microsoft Power Virtual AgentsCopilot has also taken off in Power Virtual Agents. Hopefully, you’re seeing this trend that we’re noticing where Copilot drafts the work for you to adjust and correct.

Copilot is making it so easy to explain in natural language what you want the interaction with a user to look like and produce a working dialog within seconds. It’s so easy even Buddy the dog could do it!

Copilot in Power Virtual Agents (Image credit: Microsoft)Modern controls for Power Apps canvas appsWe’ve had a very late addition last month regarding Modern controls for Power Apps canvas apps. Many of these are already available in model-driven apps, so this is an attempt to share those with canvas apps.

Microsoft tells us to expect lots of updates to these controls in the coming months, but for now, if you adjust your app settings in the Upcoming features to include these controls, you’ll be able to employ 13 Modern controls in canvas apps. Pro tip: do not include these in any customer solutions yet, but have fun trying them out. You can also watch a deep dive here.

You can now enable modern controls in canvas apps (Image credit: Microsoft)New Power BI featuresFor our data scientists out there, who dwell in the Power BI bailiwick, there was a new update pushed in March 2023. One significant add includes a preview of On-Object interactions, allowing you to right-click your visual and gain instant access to formatting, data, and many other customizations without leaving the visual (including changes directly to items inside of the visual). Very cool!

Another update that’s not in preview that you might appreciate is a new ‘Apply all slicers’ button, which allows a user to select various slicers in your report, then apply them all at once. Conversely, you can then ‘Clear all slicers’ too.

Another new Power BI feature is the Multiple Audiences feature: This one allows you to set different views for the same organization, based on group permissions. Finally, the new Storytelling Power BI feature allows you to add live and up-to-date reports or (now) visuals directly to your PowerPoint presentation.

Stay tuned in the coming months to see how your ability to automate via the Power Platform is being enhanced on a regular basis!

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Microsoft introduced yesterday its latest Surface Dock with Thunderbolt 4, which now uses a USB-C port to connect to Surface devices instead of Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port. The Surface Thunderbolt 4 dock should be a good companion device for the latest Surface devices that also support Thunderbolt 4, and it’s also compatible with Windows OEM devices and Apple Macs.

The new Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is already available for purchase at the Microsoft Store where it’s priced at $299.99. It allows users to connect up to two 4K monitors at up to 60Hz, transfer data with up to 40Gbps speeds, and charge laptops using up to 96W of power.

Thanks to Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 support, this new Surface Dock supports higher data transfer speeds and there are also built-in management and security features for enterprise users.

Surface Thunderbolt 4 dock portsMicrosoft’s latest Surface Dock is slightly slimmer than previous models, and it also features a more inclusive design with raised tactile indicators above the rear ports. In addition to the main USB4/Thunderbolt 4 USB-C cable that supports up to 96 watts of power passthrough, there is one USB-C port and one USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 on the front of the dock.

The front ports on the Surface Thunderbolt 4 dock (Image credit: Microsoft)On the back, there are 2 USB-C ports, 2 USB-A ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, and a DC power port. All USB-C ports on the dock support high-speed USB4/Thunderbolt 4, and all USB-A ports are USB 3.1 Gen 2.

The rear ports on the Surface Thunderbolt 4 dock (Image credit: Microsoft)Cable Matters will also offer a desk mount that’s certified for the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, which can help to save desk space and provides easier access to the various ports. However, pricing and availability details for this third-party accessory are still unknown

The Cable Matters mount for the new Surface dock (Image credit: Microsoft)Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock has built-in management featuresJust like previous Surface Dock models, the Surface Dock with Thunderbolt 4 will support automatic firmware updates via Windows Update or the Surface app. Driver and firmware updates will also be available to download from the Microsoft Download Center.

The Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock supports MAC address passthrough for maintaining device network identity across docks. It also supports Wake on LAN from Modern Standby, which allows devices to stay connected while in a low-power state.

IT pros can also use Surface Enterprise Management Mode (SEMM) to lock down specific ports on the dock, and they can also use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to manage firmware updates, policy state, and related data remotely. These enterprise management and security features are only available with Surface devices.

Microsoft will continue to sell its existing Surface Dock and Surface Dock 2 for customers who need a dock that’s compatible with Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port. However, the move to USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 on the latest model should be very welcome.

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Microsoft has recently unveiled several updates to improve threat intelligence in its existing products and services. The company has introduced a new Defender TI integration in Microsoft 365 Defender to protect enterprise customers against sophisticated cyberattacks.

Microsoft explained that Defender TI capabilities are now directly available to licensed customers within the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. It provides detailed insights about emerging security threats to facilitate the investigation process. Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence now offers a new Intel Profiles feature that provides contextual information about threat actors, infrastructure, and exploits used in cyberattacks.

“Intel profiles combine 65 trillion threat signals with the expertise of over 8,500 dedicated security professionals to translate that global threat landscape into immediately actionable insights. By comprehending their tactics, infrastructure, and methods of operation, security teams can take proactive steps to prevent threat actors from breaching their organization’s defenses,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft Defender TI API is now available to respond to threats at scaleAdditionally, Microsoft has released a new Defender Threat Intelligence (TI) API that provides insights gathered from various tools, threat actors, and vulnerabilities. The API enables security teams to understand entities involved in an incident, automate triage efforts, and integrate with security tools like Microsoft Sentinel. Microsoft Sentinel playbooks can also use the API to find indicators of compromise in a security incident.

Microsoft highlights that IT admins can leverage Microsoft Sentinel Data Connector and Microsoft Threat Intelligence analytics rule to protect their users against the latest threats. Customers will get free access to indicators of compromise (IOCs) directly from the Microsoft Sentinel TI blade.

Finally, the built-in Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence Analytics rule makes it easier to check IPs, domains, and URLs against known IOCs. If you’re interested, you can learn more about Microsoft Defender TI on this support page.

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Microsoft announced some changes yesterday to its release schedule for Microsoft Configuration Manager updates. The company is switching the product from its usual tri-annual updates to a bi-annual release cycle.

Microsoft Configuration Manager is a tool that enables IT admins to manage large groups of Windows machines. It helps to deploy applications, automate patch management and software updates, and monitor system health. Microsoft Configuration Manager lets administrators generate reports on software and hardware inventory and system compliance.

Going forward, Microsoft plans to release Configuration Manager updates in the Spring and Fall of every year. The company explained that this change aims to better align with the release schedule of Windows updates that arrive once per year. The new update cycle should make it easier to prioritize top customer feature requests. Moreover, IT admins will now need to manage fewer deployments annually.

“With this change and the longer development cycle, the Configuration Manager 2309 update will be able to address key customer asks around policy sync, software update troubleshooting, improved alerts, dashboarding, and more. Hotfix rollups and security updates will continue to be made available as necessary to address any critical bugs,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft Configuration Manager to get four technical previews annuallyMicrosoft plans to roll out the change with the release of baseline version 2303 of Microsoft Configuration Manager later this year. The company will roll out four technical previews per year through an “in-console update and servicing process.”

It’s important to note that Microsoft isn’t making any changes to the support lifecycle of the current branch. The company has confirmed that the technical preview releases of Microsoft Configuration Manager will be supported for 18 months.

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Microsoft has announced several new features coming to Windows Autopatch next month. These enhancements will notify IT admins about expiring licenses and access issues related to Windows Autopatch.

Windows Autopatch is a new cloud service that enables customers to automate the patching of Windows, Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Teams. The managed service eliminates the need for IT admins to plan and operate the Windows update process. The service is designed to minimize disruptions and improve security across an organization.

With this release, the Tenant management blade will alert IT admins that the expired licenses should be renewed/replaced to continue using Windows Autopatch. It will also inform administrators to resolve access-related issues with the service. Microsoft advises organizations to take action immediately for potential issues to avoid any disruptions in the workflows.

“We are also introducing the ability to mark the Windows Autopatch section of your tenant as “inactive” if there are any actions that need to be taken. To know if action is required, visit the Tenant management section and select the banner displayed within the Windows Autopatch Devices blade that alerts you to take action,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft adds support for Windows Autopatch GroupsMicrosoft has also introduced several new features to help customers better manage their Windows environments. The Windows Autopatch Groups feature will let IT admins set up their own deployment rings and release frequency. Microsoft is updating the existing reporting experience with details about deployment status, update failures, and update compliance.

Lastly, Microsoft says that a new feature will allow IT Pros to leverage deployment rings and Windows Autopatch groups while creating Windows feature update deployments. Moreover, the policy health and remediation capabilities should make it easier to restore policies and deployment rings.

The new Window Autopatch capabilities are available in preview for select customers that opt-in in the Microsoft Intune admin center. Microsoft plans to roll out these changes to all organizations in May 2023.

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Last month, Microsoft unveiled that it’s adding green screen background support to improve Teams meetings. The company announced this morning that the new feature is now available in the Microsoft Teams desktop app for Windows and macOS.

“Microsoft Teams now supports a green screen feature which provides an enhanced virtual background effect. Green screen improves the sharpness and definition of the virtual background effect around your face, head, ears, and hair. It also allows you to show a prop or other object in your hand to be more visible to other meeting participants,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft explains that the meeting attendees should have a flat screen or a clean background behind them. The participants should also ensure that the screen or wall doesn’t have stains or imperfections. Moreover, the background color should not match their clothing or props.

How to enable the green screen effect in Microsoft Teams meetingsTo enable the green screen feature, Microsoft Teams desktop users will need to follow the steps mentioned below:

• Navigate to the meeting toolbar, click the More icon, and then select video effects.
• Click the Green Screen Settings link available under the Backgrounds section.
• Go to the Settings page and turn on the Green Screen toggle button.
• Click the backdrop icon to manually select a background color and return to the meeting.

Microsoft notes that the green screen effect is available for Teams meeting on Windows and macOS with Intel CPUs. The feature uses Advanced Vector Extension (AVX), and it doesn’t support Apple’s M1 and M2 chips. Microsoft also acknowledged that the green screen effect may not properly detect transparent and thin objects.

The green screen effect is available for commercial and GCC tenants enrolled in the Microsoft Teams public preview program. It supports PowerPoint Live Standout, Presenter modes (such as Reporter, Standout, and Side-by-side mode), and background replacement.

Last week, Microsoft announced a significant revamp for Microsoft Teams. The company has improved the performance of the app to make it faster and less resource intensive. The new version of Microsoft Teams comes with a simplified UI, a new channel experience, AI-powered features, and multi-account support.

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Microsoft has introduced a new Incident Response Retainer service for enterprise customers. The new service provides flexible pre-paid hours for specialized incident response and recovery before, during, and after a security attack.

Microsoft Incident Response is a process that enables organizations to identify and respond to security incidents in their network. It aims to streamline incident management with various tools and technologies, including security information and event management (SIEM).

Microsoft Incident Response Retainer offers several AI-powered investigation capabilities. These include malware analysis support, threat investigation, log analysis, attacker containment, and digital forensics. Moreover, an assigned security delivery manager will be responsible for proactively scheduling services throughout the year.

Additionally, Microsoft Incident Response Retainer assists in the recovery and remediation of critical systems. It enables IT admins to restore full administrative control and improve security posture to prevent security breaches.

“It’s contracted on an annual basis and the retainer hours can be used in any combination of proactive and reactive services. If additional hours are needed, customers can easily uplift extra hours as requirements change. This service provides our fastest response times and direct access to our global team of experts. It was designed to work with cyber insurance vendors and has flexible delivery options that meet the unique needs of each customer,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft Incident Response Retainer provides quarterly threat briefingsMicrosoft incident response experts help customers to mitigate an active security incident. The service also delivers quarterly threat intelligence briefings with insights on the latest threats and analysis/validation of security alerts.

Finally, Microsoft has announced a new partnership with an incident response provider Kivu. The companies plan to leverage existing relationships with cyber insurance providers to better respond to security attacks. We invite you to check out the official website to learn more about the Microsoft Incident Response Retainer.

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Microsoft Stream, which is part of Microsoft 365, is a video creation and collaboration service available with nearly all license and pricing plans. Learn about its noteworthy features including the ability to record your screen and yourself, catch up on your company’s Teams meeting recordings, and distribute your videos across your Microsoft 365 tenant.

What is Microsoft Stream?The Microsoft Stream service is the video recording and sharing tool available to all Microsoft 365 colleagues in the enterprise. When your organization utilizes the full breadth of key features, you and your users will be able to upload videos to the service and use the following features:

• Search: Find the content you need with video search across your organization
• Watch: Users can view videos from across the org using the latest accessibility features including transcription, closed captions, noise suppression, chapters, and speed controls.
• Manage: As an IT Pro, you can manage online videos in your tenant just like documents. Your benefits include security, administration controls, retention, and compliance across Microsoft 365.

Originally built on a legacy video platform (Classic), the newer Stream is built on SharePoint and allows for a richer video viewing experience and rich media experiences for files stored on SharePoint and OneDrive for Business. The Microsoft Learn website has a detailed article about the differences between the old and new Stream.

Why use Microsoft Stream?Why should be using Microsoft Stream instead of Loom or YouTube to share videos across your enterprise? Well, the strongest reason to use it is that it is heavily integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

• The recordings of Microsoft Teams meetings will automatically appear on users’ office.com homepages.
• Sharing newly-recorded Stream videos is as easy as sharing OneDrive documents.
• The app is efficient, integrated, secure, and robust.

How to access Microsoft StreamWe are blessed with the ability to access many Microsoft 365 features in a variety of ways. Microsoft Stream is no different. The two easiest methods are the website and the mobile app.

The Microsoft Stream websiteNavigate to office.com, log in with your Microsoft 365 credentials, click the App Launcher in the upper-left corner, and click Stream!

The Microsoft Stream website (Image credit: Microsoft.com)You can use all of the app’s features on the web. And, no matter what device you switch to, the switch provides you seamless access allowing you to continue working where you left off without disrupting your workflow.

The Microsoft Stream mobile appMicrosoft has a Stream mobile app for both Android and Apple devices. Browse this link on your mobile device to download the app!

The Microsoft Stream mobile app homepage (Image credit: Microsoft.com)If you need more information about the revamping of the mobile app to the new Stream (on SharePoint) service, Microsoft has a support article dedicated to that.

Using Microsoft Stream’s FeaturesAs this is an overview article, let me go through the basics of how Microsoft Stream can offer strong value for your organization.

How to start: The Microsoft 365 App LauncherThe best place to start is to launch the app on the web:

• First, navigate to office.com and click the App Launcher in the upper-left corner of the page.
• Click the Stream icon. If you do not see it in your ‘most-used’ list, click the All Apps link and select it there.

Using the app picker on office.com (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)As I am using my Microsoft 365 (Developer) tenant, there isn’t much to see here yet. No worries, we’re just getting started.

The app’s homepage is currently empty (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Record your screen and yourselfRegardless of your device’s capabilities, you will be able, at a minimum, to record your screen using the ‘+ New recording‘ button towards the top of the homepage. If your device is equipped with a camera and/or microphone (like a laptop), you can also record yourself and your voice to accompany your screen recording. This offers great value for your videos, especially when creating training sessions or recordings of classes for your users.

Starting a new Screen recording (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)After you click Start screen recording, you are offered some choices on what exactly you want to capture. You can choose:

• Entire Screen: This will capture everything on your device.
• Window: This allows you to choose only one specific app, like Word, NotePad, Outlook, etc.
• Microsoft Edge tab: this gives you helpful granularity to pick one specific Edge browser tab (very useful!)

Choosing what exactly you want to capture (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)After you stop the recording, a preview window shows the video you just recorded. At the tap of a button, you can click Publish in the lower-right corner.

Reviewing the newly recorded video before publishing it (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)You now have a plethora of options including changing the video thumbnail, generating transcriptions, comments, analytics, and video language. You can also review the video and add a description for it. Very easy I would say!

Post-recording options galore! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Catch up with Teams meeting recordingsMicrosoft Stream is where Microsoft Teams meeting recordings are accessed after they are created. Remember, the app is the repository for both OneDrive for Business and SharePoint.

After you attend a Teams Meeting that was recorded, you can use Microsoft Stream to access those videos and view transcription and closed captions for them.

Share and collaborateNow that we have some content (ok, just one video…), let’s see how we can share and collaborate with colleagues using Microsoft 365’s enterprise-level security.

• I just opened a new browser tab and logged in as Megan Bowen, the colleague I shared my video recording with.
• As you can see, the Quick access section below shows the recording – ‘Michael Reinders shared this with you.’

Logging in as Megan Bowen to see the new video shared with her (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) I click on it and the recording starts. She can click the Comments* tab on the right side and see the comment where I asked Megan to review the file.

Megan browsing my screen recording at her leisure (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* There, she can then reply and tag others to review or for further tasks. She can also work on the file later using offline download. She’ll be able to keep it and review it in case she loses Internet connectivity for any reason.

Adding Comments to an existing video – collaboration boost! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Distribute your videos across Microsoft 365Because the more modern Microsoft Stream is another cog in the Microsoft 365 experience, videos can easily be shared across other apps such as Teams channels, SharePoint sites, Viva Engage (previously Yammer), and office.com to name a few.

• Back on office.com on the Stream website, I can click the ‘…’ link for my recording, click the Share menu, and then pick up Teams.
• You can specify the Team and channel name here – this allows me to post this right inside a Team!

Sharing a Stream video to a Teams channel… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* The link to the recording has now been posted in the Teams channel I chose.

Tight integration with Microsoft Teams! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)ConclusionOverall, Microsoft Stream allows your users to collaborate and be productive with minimal effort – they won’t need to learn a whole new app as it’s part of Microsoft 365. The service is quite easy to use, and it’s a handy cloud-based solution for recording your screen. The various integrations with other Microsoft 365 services including Teams are also really welcome.

As usual, thanks for reading and let me know in the comments if you have any questions about this app!

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MC535703 – Microsoft Feed items will soon show a Viva Topic pill when it is relevant for SharePoint content. This allows the user to easily learn more about the topic and get to the people and content related to the topic for that item.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 118063

When this will happen:

Targeted Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out in late March and expect to complete rollout by early April.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out in early April and expect to complete rollout by mid-April.

How this will affect your organization:

Licensed Viva Topics users in your organization will begin to see Topic pills alongside their feed items. This allows them to discover and engage with more knowledge for the content around these topics.

What you need to do to prepare:

There is nothing needed to prepare for this. You may want to notify users of this update.

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MC535702 – With the deployment of the Tenant Allow/Block List, as being the single source of truth for Tenant Allows, other mechanisms for Tenant Allows are being removed. This will give SecOps teams one place to manage all Tenant Allows.

Today, the “DoNotRewrite” list is used to Skip:

• Wrapping URLs
• Detonation
• Verdicts

The intended purpose of “DoNotRewrite” is to give tenants the ability to skip the wrapping of URLs. With the deployment of the Tenant Allow Block List, it is expected that all tenant allows (ex Detonation and Verdicts) shall be managed there.

When this will happen:

In late April the entries on the Do Not Rewrite list will only skip Safe Links wrapping. After this change is made, entries on the Do Not Rewrite list will no longer skip Detonations or Verdicts in mailflow or at Time of Click.

In late April the following capabilities will be removed from the DNR list:

• Skip Detonation
• Skip Verdicts

How this will affect your organization:

With this change, the “DoNotRewrite” list behavior will be changed back to its intended purpose to skip the wrapping of URLs: Learn More here.

What you need to do to prepare:

Review your “DoNotRewrite” URLs list(s) and ensure you have not added entries to it for uses other than to skip wrapping of URLs.

Additional information

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MC411463 – Updated March 31, 2023: The general availability of PowerShell script to deactivate user request in the tenant is now April 2023. We apologize for inconveniences caused by the delay.

Microsoft Teams apps help facilitate collaboration and enhance team productivity. Some organizations choose to control which apps their users can use, blocking apps from use until IT has reviewed and approved them. For these organizations, the recent app discovery update (MC350372) enables users to indicate which blocked apps they want to use, allowing IT to focus their attention on the apps their users want. As always, IT retains control over which apps their users can use.

Microsoft heard from some IT organizations that they have existing processes to manage how users should request access to apps, and they want to use these same processes for approving Teams apps as well. In response, Microsoft is adding optional organizational settings to enable Teams admins to customize the experience for their users to request access to apps that are blocked from use. These settings include:

1. A customizable instructional message shown to users when they find an app that’s blocked from use. The default message is “This app requires approval from your IT admin to make it available for you to add.”
2. An IT provided URL that will open in a browser when users click the “Request approval” button to request access to an app (e.g., IT support ticketing systems, user education pages, or corporate policy pages).

In the Teams app store, users who discover apps that are blocked from use will see the customized instructional message (if provided) on the app details page and be redirected to the URL (if provided) when the “Request approval” button is clicked.

Example scenario: Contoso’s IT department has configured Teams to block all third-party apps by default. They have enabled access only to specific third-party apps that they have evaluated and determined to be acceptable. For the user request feature, the Teams admin for Contoso configures the instructional message to say “This app is not allowed by Contoso IT. If you have a business need for this app, please submit your request in the Contoso helpdesk portal.” This makes clear (i) that the app cannot be used, and (ii) instructions to submit a request. They then configure the “Request approval” button to point to their internal portal where users can submit IT helpdesk requests: https://intranet.contoso.com/helpdesk. This experience drives awareness of corporate policy and the existing Contoso request process.

This feature is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 89288.

Note: As an administrator, if you prefer to deactivate the ability for users to see and request apps that are blocked from use, you will be able to do so via PowerShell that is expected to be delivered in January 2023. Microsoft will update this message once the PowerShell script is available.

When this will happen:

This feature will be available in April 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

If you have an existing process for user requests, it can be linked directly from the Teams app store.

1. In the Teams app store the default configuration shows as follows:
   • The configurable message defaults to “This app requires approval from your IT admin to make it available for you to add.”
   • By clicking ‘Request approval’ the request appears in Teams admin center as an aggregated count.
2. Customizations can be done in Teams admin center:
   • A new ‘User requests configuration’ section is added to the Org-wide app settings.
   • The instructional message can be customized.
   • Redirect is activated by flipping the switch to ON and entering the URL.
3. The customizations show in the Teams app store like this:
   • The admin configured instructional message will appear as seen below.
   • If a redirect is configured, clicking ‘Request approval’ opens a browser window to the URL.
   • The request still appears in Teams admin center as an aggregated count, even if a redirect is configured.
4. After the user clicks the ‘Request approval’ button, the Teams app store looks like this:
   • The ‘Request approval’ button will be grayed out.
   • The admin configured instructional message is still present.
   • The URL can still be reached from ‘Get details’.

What you need to do to prepare:

Configure the User requests section when it becomes available with the link to the in-house user request systems and/or customize the instructional message.

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Are you using Microsoft Teams? Try the Microsoft Teams 2.0 preview and experience the future of team collaboration! This Week in IT, I’ll give you 5 reasons why you should try Microsoft Teams 2.0 today. From new features to improved performance, I’ll show you why Microsoft Teams 2.0 is a great collaboration tool for your team.

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Amazon Web Services has announced the general availability of AWS Chatbot for Microsoft Teams. The new integration allows customers to securely monitor and troubleshoot their AWS infrastructure directly from Microsoft Teams channels.

AWS Chatbot was first announced back in 2019. The service enables IT admins to receive real-time alerts about their AWS resources within the chat applications. AWS Chatbot is a powerful tool that helps to streamline workflows, improve collaboration and manage AWS infrastructure.

With this release, enterprise customers can implement ChatOps for AWS within their Microsoft Teams channels. The integration between Amazon CloudWatch and Amazon Simple Notification Service lets users receive notifications from more than 200 AWS services within Teams channels. Amazon EventBridge also integrates with Amazon Simple Notification Service to send event-related information.

“AWS Chatbot allows you to receive predefined CloudWatch dashboards interactively and retrieve Logs Insights logs to troubleshoot issues directly from the chat thread. You can also directly type in the chat channel most AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) commands to retrieve additional telemetry data or resource information or to run runbooks to remediate the issues,” AWS explained.

AWS Chatbot for Microsoft Teams lets users ask questions in natural languageAdditionally, AWS Chatbot for Microsoft Teams enables users to ask questions using natural language commands. It scans AWS documentation and support articles to provide relevant answers directly within Teams channels.

If you’re interested, you can download AWS Chatbot from the Microsoft Teams app at no additional cost. You can find the step-by-step guide about configuring the integration between AWS Chatbot and Microsoft Teams on this support page.

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If you’re working as Linux administrator or just started learning the basics of Linux, then it’s essential to understand how Linux file permissions work. In this article, I will detail everything you need to know about file permissions on Linux, including how to change file permissions and file ownership using the chmod and chown commands.

How do Linux file permissions work?On Linux, file permissions allow Linux admins to control the access level and ownership of files on the system. For this tutorial, I’ve been using a device running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with sudo privileges.

The different permission types on LinuxUnderstanding how permissions groups work on Linux is important when you need to check the permissions of a file or a directory. To start this tutorial, create a directory named Documents in the home directory:

• I’ll first login to my Ubuntu machine using my favorite SSH client, PuTTY.
• In the home directory, create a directory named ‘Documents’ by running the command below.

mkdir Documents * After you’ve created the directory, run the following chmod command to change its access permissions. I’ll explain what the chmod 755 command does below

chmod 755 Documents/ * Next, you can list permissions for this directory and get other details about it using the ls -lh command.

ls -lh We get details about file permissions using the ls -lh command (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)Now, let’s analyze the attributes of the Documents directory (drwxr-xr-x)

• The first character (d) is a file type (directory). However it can also have a ‘-‘ which represents a regular file, or a ‘c’ that represents a character device, or a ‘b’ that represents a block device.
• After the directory (d), there are three triplets of permissions (rwx, r-x and r-x) which are associated to the owner of the file or directory, the group that has access to it, and the ‘others’ group, which designates everyone who isn’t the owner or a member of the group. Moreover, (-) indicates the absence of permissions.
• Here, the owner of the file has read, write and execute permissions (‘rwx’), the group has read and execute (‘r-x’) permissions, and the ‘others’ group also has read and execute (‘r-x’) permissions.
• ‘ec2-user’ is the owner of the documents directory, and the group name is also ec2-user, which is the primary group of the owner of the directory.

On Linux, the permissions for the owner, group, and ‘others’ can be constructed using r, w, x, or – where:

• r indicates the read permission, and it means that the file/directory is readable.
• w indicates the write permission, and it means that the file can be modified.
• x indicates the execute permission, and it means that the file can be executed.
• – indicates the absence of permissions

Checking file permissions on Linux with the ls commandReading and understanding file permissions is important because if a file is assigned the wrong permissions, it may allow attackers to access it and potentially corrupt the entire operating system. In this section, I’ll create a new file in the home directory:

• On the Ubuntu terminal in the home directory, run the command below to create and switch to the my_file directory.

mkdir my\_file * Next, create an empty text file named new_file using the touch command.

touch new\_file * Finally, run the ls -lh or ls -l command to check the permissions for the file that you’ve just created.

ls -lh There are three triplets of permissions for our file (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)Let’s analyze the results of this command:

• Here, ‘new_file’ is the file name that exists under the home directory of the (ec2-user) user.
• The first character (-) indicates that it’s a regular file.
• After the first character (-), there are three triplets of permissions (‘rw-‘,’r–‘, and ‘r–‘) which belong to the owner, the group which has access to the file, and the ‘others’ group, respectively.
• The owner has read and write permissions, while the group and ‘others’ are only allowed to read the file.
• ‘ec2-user’ is the owner of the file, and the ec2-user is also the name of their primary group.
• ‘0’ is the size of the file. The size is 0 because contents of the file is empty.

How to change file permissions on Linux with the chmod commandOn Linux, the chmod command can be used to change file permissions, and there are two different ways to do that: The symbolic (text) method and the numeric method. We’ve already used the symbolic method before, but let’s dive into details.

Symbolic (text) methodTo show you how to change file permissions with the symbolic method, let’s first create a file named file.txt in the home directory using the touch command.

touch file.txt * Next, we’ll review the permissions of the file.txt using the ls -lh command.

ls -lh We’re about to change permissions for this file with the chmod command (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)* Now, we’ll use the following chmod a-w command to remove the write permission from all the three permission groups (user, group and others).

chmod a-w file.txt * Now again, we’ll review the permissions of file.txt using the ls -lh command.

We’ve removed the write permission from all permission groups (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)This time, you can see that the write permission (w) has been removed from the user group, which is why we’re seeing ‘-r-‘ instead of ‘-rw’. The group and ‘others’ permission groups didn’t have the write permissions initially, so there’s no change on that front.

If we want to add the read, write and execute permissions to the user group, we can once again use the chmod command with ‘rwx’. The ‘u+’ in the command below indicates that we’re only changing permissions for the user group.

chmod u+rwx file.txt ls -lh Using the chmod command to add read, write and execute permissions (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)Similarly, If you need to subtract the read permission from the group that has access to the file, then consider running the command below where ‘g-‘ indicates that the permission is only removed from the group.

chmod g-r file.txtls -lh We used the chmod command to remove the read permission from the group (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)Numeric methodThe other way to use the chmod command to change file permissions is the numeric method. Here’s how the syntax works:

As I previously explained, ‘r’ represents the read permission and it has a 4 octal value. Moreover, ‘w’ stands for write and has a 2 octal value, while ‘e’ stands for execute and has a 1 octal value. So, if you use r+w+x in a command, the read, write, and execute permissions have an octal value of 7.

Let’s dive into an example and see how to change permissions for the file.txt file we’ve created earlier using the numeric method.

• First, let’s verify again the permissions of the file.txt that we created earlier using the ls -lh command.

No changes to file permissions… yet (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)* Now, run the following chmod command will change the permission set of the file.

chmod 714 file.txtls -lh The chmod 714 command grants the read, write and execute permissions (7) to the owner of the file, the execute permission (1) to the group, and the ‘others’ group is granted both read and write access (4).

What are chmod 777, chmod 775 and chmod 755?As we learned earlier, using ‘7’ with the numeric method will assign all permissions (read, write, and execute) to a user group, whereas ‘5’ will only assign read and write permissions. The chmod 777, 775, and 755 commands are used quite often, and here’s what they do:

• chmod 777 changes the permission of the file by granting the read, write, and execute permissions to the owner, group and others.
• chmod 775 changes the permission of the file by granting the read, write, and execute permissions to the owner and the group that has access to the file, while the ‘others’ group is granted both read and write access.
• chmod 755 changes the permission of the file by granting read, write and execute permissions to the owner, while the group and ‘others’ are granted both read and write access.

How to change file ownership in Linux with the chown commandIn the previous sections, we learned how to change the permissions of a file. However, if you need to change the ownership of a file or directory, then you should use the chown command.

To see how the chown command works, let’s run it on file.txt and follow up with the ls -lh command.

sudo chown -R root:root file.txt ls -lh Using the chown command to change ownership of a file (Image credit: Petri/Sagar).

After running this command, we can see that ‘root’ is the new owner of the file and the name of its primary group.

How to change groups ownership with the chgrp commandI just explained how to change the ownership of a file or directory using the chown command. However, if we want to just change the group membership of a file or directory, then we can use the chgrp command.

In the command below, we are changing the ownership of file.txt and transfer it from ‘root’ to ‘ec2-user’.

sudo chgrp ec2-user file.txt ls -lh We used the chrgp command to change the group ownership of the file (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

Note: The chown and chgrp commands just change the permissions of files or directories, but they dont change any of the directory’s content.

ConclusionIn this tutorial, I explained everything you need to know about the different permission types on Linux. I also detailed how to use the chmod command to add and remove permissions from the different user groups, and how to use the chown and chgrp to change the group and ownership of files and directories. I hope that this knowledge will help you become a better Linux administrator.

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Security researchers have discovered a new vulnerability in Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). The security flaw allowed users to modify Bing search results and access users’ private data, including Outlook emails, calendars, and Microsoft Teams messages.

Dubbed BingBang, the misconfiguration in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) was first discovered by Wiz researchers back in January. It was caused due to an authorization misconfiguration in Microsoft’s multi-tenant apps in Azure AD. These applications allow logins from potentially any Azure user, and it’s the developers’ responsibility to perform additional authorization checks.

Wiz researchers have found that approximately 25 percent of multi-tenant applications they scanned lacked proper validation. Specifically, the researchers created a new account and signed in to the Bing Trivia application. They accessed the Content Management System (CMS) and manipulated the Bing search results.

Security researchers have also discovered that the flaw could be exploited to initiate cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Moreover, Bing’s Work section allows users to search Office 365 data of other employees. These include emails, calendars, Teams messages, OneDrive files, and SharePoint documents.

“A malicious actor with the same access could’ve hijacked the most popular search results with the same payload and leak sensitive data from millions of users. According to SimilarWeb, Bing is the 27th most visited website in the world, with over a billion pageviews per month – in other words, millions of users could’ve been exposed to malicious search results and Office 365 data theft,” Wiz researchers explained.

Microsoft releases fix for a flaw affecting Bing and Office 365According to Wiz researchers, the vulnerability is present in more than 1,000 cloud-based applications and websites. These include Mag News, Power Automate Blog, Contact Center, the PoliCheck tool, and the Cosmos file management system.

The security researchers reported the Bing flaw to Microsoft’s Security Response Center on January 31, 2023. Microsoft has already released updates to patch the vulnerability in all affected applications. Fortunately, there is no evidence that the flaw has been exploited by attackers in the wild.

Nevertheless, Microsoft has made some changes to prevent future misconfigurations in Azure Active Directory applications. The Wiz team advises IT admins to check app logs to track any suspicious activities and potential security breaches.

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Cloud Conversations is a regular podcast that we’ll be featuring here on Petri. It’s about everything connected to cloud computing, including technologies like Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM), Microsoft Defender, Windows, Intune, and much more!

Cloud Conversations: Iain Smith on Unified Communications & The Pace of AIIain Smith is a 9-time Microsoft MVP and a much-respected figure in the field of Unified Communications. Iain joins Azure and Peter on the show this week to discuss:

• The history of Unified Communications, from MSN Messenger & Sync to MS Teams
• The current state of play with Teams from a UC viewpoint
• His thoughts on what’s next
• AI: Is the current pace of progress appropriate or concerning?
• And much more!

More on Cloud ConversationsThe podcast is hosted by Peter Rising, Ru Campbell, and Kat Beedim, all Petri contributors. They’re joined by Azure McFarlane, a Microsoft MVP, Data Analyst, and Power Platform Consultant, and Femke Cornelissen, an Adoption and Modern Workplace Team Leader and Microsoft 365 blogger. Each week, Peter, Ru, Kat, Azure, and Femke speak to a guest who shares their industry insights and technical experience.

Cloud Conversations doesn’t only focus on the technical. Each episode covers topics like career progression, community, productivity to get the most out of your day as an IT pro, equality and diversity in IT, and much more to help IT pros survive and thrive out in the wild!

Previous guests on Cloud Conversations include a list of well-known industry experts and technologists, including Stephen Rose, who is a Microsoft Teams Senior Product Marketing Manager, Petri’s Steve Goodman, who is an MVP in Microsoft Office Apps and Service, and Andy Malone, who is an MVP in Enterprise Mobility and a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

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MC514084 – Updated March 30, 2023: Microsoft has updated the rollout timing below. Thank you for your patience.

The Advanced deployment guides & assistance page in the Microsoft 365 admin center and the setup.microsoft.com website will have a new guide to help admins plan, deploy, and scale Windows 365 Enterprise in their organization. Windows 365 is a cloud-based service that provisions and hosts Cloud PCs as virtual machines for users. The guide includes a checklist with Cloud PC configuration tasks, best practices, tools, and recommendations based on a tenant’s configuration.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 102406

When this will happen:

This guide will be available to Targeted Release in April 2023 and Standard Release in May 2023 (previously March). It can be found on the Advanced deployment guides & assistance page, and shortly after, on setup.microsoft.com.

How this will affect your organization:

Admins will use the Windows 365 Cloud PC advanced deployment guide for recommendations on how to make key decisions and identify prerequisites and tasks needed to deploy Cloud PCs in accordance with their org’s requirements. The guide is organized by IT area (Azure, networking, identity, management, security, and applications) to help admins work with multiple groups and staff members. Admins can track the status of each task within the guide and share tasks with others via email.

What you need to do to prepare:

You don’t need to do anything to prepare for this change.

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Microsoft has released a new update for its Windows 365 Cloud PC service this week. The company announced that this release brings a new pinning experience for the Windows 365 app, security enhancements, and much more.

Windows 365 is a cloud-based PC solution that allows users to access a virtual Windows desktop from a web browser on any device. The service is intended to make it easier for enterprise customers to manage their desktop environments. The service is designed to meet the needs of temporary and seasonal workers like contractors and interns. Windows 365 Cloud PC is available on all devices, including Android, iPads, and Macs.

What’s new in Windows 365 Enterprise?Microsoft has introduced a new feature that enables users to create templates that automatically generate unique names for new Windows 365 Cloud PCs. The Windows 365 app now allows users to pin their Cloud PC to the taskbar on Windows 11 machines. It should help users quickly launch the Cloud PC directly from the taskbar.

Additionally, Microsoft introduced support for FQDN tags to help IT admins secure Windows 365 environments. It’s designed to streamline the process of configuring and maintaining the rules for Azure Firewall.

Windows 365 Gov now supports higher Cloud PC screen resolutionLastly, Microsoft has started rolling out two new features for Windows 365 Government. It’s a specialized version of the service that is designed to meet the needs of Government Community Cloud (GCC) and GCC-High customers.

Microsoft notes that government customers can now transfer files to and from a Cloud PC with the Windows 365 web client. Moreover, it’s now possible to select a higher screen resolution while connecting to the Windows 365 Cloud PC.

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Amazon has announced some important updates for its Application Migration Service. The latest release includes a new server migration metrics dashboard, import and export features, and additional post-launch modernization actions.

AWS Application Migration Service is a fully managed service that enables IT admins to migrate their on-premises applications to the cloud. It supports automated application discovery, application testing, and server migration. Application Migration Service is designed to reduce the time and effort required to migrate on-premises applications to the cloud.

Amazon has introduced a new import feature that enables customers to import their inventory list into Application Migration Service with a CSV file. It’s also possible to export source server inventory for scenarios such as offline reviews and updates, reporting purposes, and bulk configuration changes.

Additionally, the new Server migration metrics dashboard provides a central hub to view the migration lifecycle status of the source server. It also allows customers to view associated alerts and get a quick overview of the data replication status.

Application Migration Service now supports additional post-launch actionsFinally, Application Migration Service added support for eight new predefined post-launch actions. IT admins can apply the actions after launching the migrated applications on AWS. The list of new actions includes convert MS-SQL license, create AMI from instance, upgrade Windows version, conduct EC2 connectivity checks, validate volume integrity, validate volume integrity, CloudWatch agent installation, and join Directory Service domain.

Amazon says that the new features are available for all customers in all Application Migration Service-supported regions worldwide. The service supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.5 (or later) as well as CentOS 5.5 and later. You can learn more about Application Migration Service pricing on the AWS website.

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Cybersecurity vendor Logpoint detailed this week a new update for Converged SIEM, the company’s new platform that combines SIEM (Security information and event management), SOAR (Security orchestration, automation and response), User Entity and Behavior Analytics (UEBA), and business-critical security in a single offering.

Logpoint Converged SIEM became generally available back in March 2022 as a SaaS-delivered service or on-premises. The cloud-based solution offers organizations an all-in-one platform with threat detection, advanced security analytics, automated investigation, and response across different endpoints.

“With the latest update of Logpoint’s Converged SIEM security analysts receive a wide set of new and improved features that provide enhanced observability and the added advantage of decreasing the time to respond to threats,” the company explained yesterday.

New Case Management interface for Logpoint’s Converged SIEM platformThe new Case Management interface in Logpoint Converged SIEM will allow security teams to quickly get an overview of ongoing cases. Related incidents are intelligently grouped into the same case, which allows analysts to implement more efficient actions within a case.

“These capabilities make it easier for SOC teams of all sizes to efficiently manage cases and resolve incidents faster,” Logpoint said about its new Case Management interface.

The new Case Management interface on Logpoint Converged SIEM (Image credit: Logpoint)New AgentX endpoint security agent and other updatesLogpoint’s Converged SIEM platform is also adding AgentX, a new endpoint security agent. AgentX can collect logs and telemetry from various endpoints, bring them to the SIEM, and investigate and find remedies to potential threats in real-time.

Logpoint is also adding various new features to improve security within an organization, including:

• More reliable alerts in case of a delay in log collection.
• Users can now add devices by their hostname, making them easier to track compared to using IP addresses that can change.
• Backing up and restoring all playbook and actions is now possible
• Azure Active Directory-related detectors have also been added for UEBA.

The latest version of Logpoint’s Converged SIEM platform is now available to download from the company’s website. Logpoint will also demo all these new features during a webinar on April 19, and you can register for it on this page.

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MC534742 – OneNote is making an important change to how it treats embedded files that have dangerous extensions. Previously, OneNote would show users a warning dialog when users tried to open an embedded file with a dangerous extension; users could open the file by choosing OK in the dialog.

With this update, OneNote will show users a dialog that will let them know that their administrator has blocked them from opening the embedded file that has a dangerous extension, to also align with the same extensions that Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint currently block. For a list of extensions, please visit Blocked attachments in Outlook.

If the user trusts the person that sent the embedded file and they need to open the embedded file, they can save the file to their local device and open the file from there.

This post is associated with Microsoft Roadmap ID 122277

When will this happen:

This change will begin rolling out in Version 2304 in Current Channel (Preview) in late April 2023 and is expected to be complete by late May 2023.

For more information about the release schedule, see OneNote will block embedded files that have dangerous extensions.

How this will affect your organization:

This change only affects OneNote for Microsoft 365 on devices running Windows.

The change does not affect OneNote on a Mac, OneNote on Android or iOS devices, OneNote on the web, or OneNote for Windows 10.

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What you need to do to prepare:

You should make users and your support organization aware of this upcoming change and update any relevant training documentation.

You can also use a Group Policy setting to block additional extensions that you deem to be dangerous. For more information, see OneNote will block embedded files that have dangerous extensions.

Additional information

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MC534739 – When using Microsoft 365 Apps on the web for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, files that have a sensitivity label will also apply those labels to PDFs created in those apps. Documents that also have encryption cannot be converted to PDF without first removing protection.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 117594

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out early May 2023 and expect to complete by early June 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

Users who are already configured for sensitivity labels will automatically persist their document’s label to PDFs they create in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for the web. If a document is protected with encryption, the PDF functionality is not available. Users who try to convert a protected Office document to PDF are prevented from completing the scenario without removing protection if they have the rights to do so.

What you need to do to prepare:

No action is required by admins or users to enable this functionality.

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MC534738 – The Viva Engage admin experience currently available within the Teams application will soon be available within the Yammer web surface (being renamed to Viva Engage) for Microsoft Viva customers.

This web Viva Engage admin center is accessible from web.yammer.com and provides an additional entry point for admins (especially users who don’t have access to Teams due to licensing constraints) to setup, configure and manage the various features for their organization.

When this will happen:

This feature will begin rollout in late April and is expected to be complete by late May.

How this will affect your organization:

All functionalities that are currently available within the Viva Engage admin center in the Teams application will be released in the web version, and access to these admin experiences will continue to honor the role permissions in place.

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What you need to do to prepare:

There is no action required from you at this time as this update will be enabled automatically. Resources to learn more about the Viva Engage admin center and all the functionalities offered can be found here. For an overview on the entire new admin experience that was released in February, check out this blog.

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MC534736 – Viva Engage will soon have an improved @mentioning behavior available. Users will be able to @mention someone just using their first name/last name. This change would be available on web, and on mobile. 

Admins will also have the ability to turn off this feature through their admin portal.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 108071

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-April 2023, and will complete the rollout by late April. 

How this will affect your organization:

Users will be able to @mention someone just using their first name/last name. This change would be available on web, and on mobile.

Admins will also have the ability to turn off this feature through their admin portal.

What you need to do to prepare:

Raising awareness that this feature is now available within Engage might be helpful for existing users. but outside of that, since this is a long asked for improvement on an existing feature, you will not need to do much to prepare. 

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MC534735 – Teams Video Clip was released last November, Microsoft is updating the feature with auto-generated captions support. 

When this will happen:

Targeted Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out late March and expect to complete by early April.

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out early April and expect to complete by mid-April.

How this will affect your organization:

This is closing the accessibility gap for Teams Video Clip. The captions will be auto-generated once the video is uploaded. User now can watch Teams Video Clip without audio with auto-generated captions on.

1. Only creator of the TVC can download the captions/transcript of the TVC.
2. User can delete the captions by delete the video clip.

What you need to do to prepare:

There is no action needed to prepare for this change. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate.

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MC534356 – Microsoft has released updates to the following update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps:

• Current Channel

When this will happen:

We’ll be gradually rolling out this update of Microsoft 365 Apps to users on that update channel starting March 28th, 2023 (PST).

How this will affect your organization:

If your Microsoft 365 Apps clients are configured to automatically update from the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN), then no action is required.

If you manage updates directly you can now download this latest update and begin deployment.

What you need to do to prepare:

To get more details about this update view the following release notes:

• Current Channel

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Last year, Microsoft announced its plans to deprecate Remote PowerShell (RPS) in Exchange Online in June 2023. Now, the company has decided to delay the deprecation of the RPS protocol until October this year.

Remote PowerShell is a feature that allows IT admins to connect to their Exchange Online through PowerShell commands. It lets administrators perform various tasks, including managing distribution groups, mailboxes, public folders, and contacts. Remote PowerShell depends on Basic Authentication which makes it vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Microsoft is killing off the Remote PowerShell connections for all existing Exchange Online customers in May this year. However, the company will still let IT admins re-enable RPS in these tenants until September. Microsoft says that all new tenants created on April 1 will also be able to re-enable the protocol until June 2023. This capability will not be available for new subscribers coming on board after July 1.

Microsoft releases the RPS self-service tool for Exchange Online Microsoft has made this decision based on the initial feedback received from organizations. It should give customers sufficient time to migrate to the REST-based PowerShell v3 module that launched in September 2022. The latest v3 module is more secure because it supports certificate-based authentication.

“We have released a self-service tool in the Microsoft 365 admin center and the Exchange admin center that admins can use to request an extension or re-enablement of RPS. We are adding this tool to help you minimize disruptions as you transition away from using RPS. We want you to use the tool only if you really need to use RPS, and not just because you think you might need to,” the Exchange team explained.

Keep in mind that Microsoft will remove the option to re-enable RPS connections in September. This means Remote PowerShell for Exchange Online will get completely blocked for all customers in October 2023. Microsoft recommends IT Pros to plan migrations before the final cut-off date to protect their end users against cyberattacks.

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Microsoft has announced a new Collaboration Security feature for Microsoft Teams. The new set of capabilities provides preventive, detective, and protective features that ensure end-to-end security for select Microsoft Teams customers.

“With 71% of companies admitting that sensitive and business-critical data is regularly shared via collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, organizations are increasingly realizing the need to make collaboration security an integral part of their overall SOC strategy. That’s why we are bringing the full feature set that customers use to protect their email environments across prevention, detection, and response to Microsoft Teams,” Microsoft explained.

First up, the Collaboration Security feature allows users to report suspicious messages and files directly within Microsoft Teams. Microsoft says that security teams can review the reported messages for further investigation within the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.

Additionally, Microsoft has introduced Zero-Hour Auto Purge (ZAP) support to its Teams collaboration platform. The security feature scans all delivered messages to detect and quarantine phishing or malicious messages. IT admins can review and manage these quarantined messages in Microsoft 365 Defender. It’s also possible to release messages that are deemed safe for sharing in Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams adds support for advanced hunting Microsoft is also bringing advanced hunting capabilities that should make it easier to proactively identify security threats. It’s a query-based threat-hunting tool that lets security teams explore 30 days of data to locate indicators of threat across email, endpoints, identities, SaaS apps, and DLP.

Last but not least, Microsoft notes that IT admins can configure phishing simulations to protect users against phishing attacks in Microsoft Teams. Some training tools provide advanced analytics and insights about the most common threat vectors within Microsoft Teams.

Collaboration Security for Microsoft Teams is available in public preview for customers with Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Microsoft E5, and Microsoft E5 Security licenses. Microsoft has yet to announce when this feature will become generally available for all businesses worldwide.

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Tables are one of the core components of every relational database system and SQL Server is no different. Tables store the data that the relational database engine uses for queries, reports, and other operations. In this article, I’ll show you how to modify data from a SQL Server table using T-SQL INSERT, T-SQL UPDATE, T-SQL DELETE and TRUNCATE.

In my previous article, Essential SQL Server: Creating Databases and Tables, I showed how you can create basic SQL Server databases and tables. In this article, we’ll take a look at how you populate those tables by adding, updating, and deleting rows.

I created the following table in my previous article. The syntax from this simple example DDL command shows that the table has three columns and each of them uses a different data type:

CREATE TABLE dbo.myLogins ( id INT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY, name VARCHAR (20), login\_date DATETIME ); In this article, we’ll look at adding data to a table using the INSERT statement, modifying data in a table using the UPDATE statement, and deleting data using the DELETE statement. Data in a table can be deleted in a couple of different ways, so we’ll also cover the difference between using the DELETE statement and the TRUNCATE statement.

Adding rows using T-SQL INSERTYou can add data to a SQL Server table in a number of ways:

• You can use SQL Server Management Studio’s (SSMS) interactive Query Designer to add rows to a table
• You can use PowerShell
• You can use the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard or Integration Services to import data into a table
• You can use the command line tool bcp utility.

That said, the most common way that data is added to a SQL Server table is by using the SQL INSERT statement. The T-SQL INSERT statement adds one or more rows to a SQL Server table.

The following example shows how to add a row to the example table that you saw earlier:

INSERT INTO myLogins (id, name, login\_date) VALUES (2, 'John Smith', '3-12-2023') Here, the INSERT INTO statement identifies the table that will contain the inserted rows. Next, within the parenthesis, you can see a list of the columns that will be used. This list uses all of the columns in the table, but you don’t have to do that.

Finally, the VALUES clause provides the actual values that will be inserted into the table. As a shortcut, you can omit the column list in an INSERT statement. For example, the following INSERT statement performs exactly the same function as the previous example:

INSERT INTO myLogins VALUES (2, 'John Smith', '3-12-2023') As a shortcut, you can omit the column list in an INSERT statement (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Unless the column is defined using the NOT NULL keywords, you can also explicitly specify NULL in the values list of an INSERT statement. Alternatively, when you do not wish to specify a value for a column, you can leave that column out of your column and values lists which will cause it to contain a NULL value.

Inserting table rows from the results of a queryIn addition to using a standard T-SQL INSERT statement with a VALUES clause, you can also add rows to a table as a result of a SQL query. The query can be simple or complex, and the results can be inserted into the target table.

For example, to copy rows from the myLogins2 table to the myLogins table you can use a query like the one you can see below:

INSERT INTO myLogins (id, name, login\_date) SELECT id, name, login\_date FROM myLogins2 where id > 50. This example uses the results of the subquery from the myLogins2 table to insert rows into the myLogins table. The INSERT statement inserts data into the three columns in the table. The subquery uses a SELECT statement to select the same three columns from a second table named myLogins2.

However, in this example, only those rows with an id value greater than 50 will be returned and added to the myLogins table. In this simple example, the column names are the same, but that is not a requirement. For this to work, you need one or more rows in the myLogins2 table that have an id value greater than 50 that are not present in the myLogins table.

Updating rows using T-SQL UPDATELike adding rows to a table, there are a number of ways you can modify the rows in a table. SSMS’s Query Designer enables you to interactively update rows, but you can also use PowerShell or Integration Services.

However, the most common way to modify existing rows in a database table is to use the SQL UPDATE statement. The T-SQL UPDATE statement modifies the values in one or more rows in a SQL Server table.

Typically, you would want to use the UPDATE statement along with a WHERE clause to specify which rows to update. If you do not use the WHERE clause then all the rows in the table will be updated. The following listing shows a simple example of using the T-SQL UPDATE statement to modify the values in one row of the myLogins table.

UPDATE myLogins SET name = ‘John Smith’ WHERE id = 1 As I mentioned, if you were to omit the WHERE clause, the name column of every row would be set to the new value. Likewise, if the WHERE clause includes multiple rows as it might if you used the < or > operators, then multiple matching rows would be updated.

Updating table rows for the results of a queryJust like with the INSERT statement, you can also update rows in one table using values from another table. In the following listing, you can see how to use a SQL update from another table.

UPDATE myLogins SET myLogins.name = myLogins2.name FROM myLogins2 WHERE myLogins.id = myLogins2.id Here, you can see the UPDATE statement will be acting on the myLogins table, and that the name column will be updated using the values from the myLogins2 table where the value in the id columns of the two tables match.

The UPDATE statement lets you update rows in one table using values from another table (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)As you might guess, there are a lot more options for using the UPDATE statement. Your query can update multiple rows, it can be more complex using joins, and you can use the TOP clause, the ORDER BY clause, Common Table Expressions (CTEs) and more to build your update queries.

Deleting rows with T-SQL DELETE and TRUNCATEAs you might expect, you can delete rows from a table using the interactive SSMS Query Designer, PowerShell, or Integration Services. However, the most common method is using the SQL DELETE statement.

The T-SQL DELETE statement removes one or more rows from a SQL Server table. It goes without saying, but you should use the SQL DELETE statement carefully as it permanently deletes data from your tables. If you make a mistake, you might need to restore the data from a snapshot, the transaction log, or a backup.

The following example shows how to delete one row from the myLogins table:

DELETE FROM myLogins WHERE id = 1 Here, you can see that one row in the myLogins table will be deleted where the value of the id column equals 1. You can also delete multiple rows by changing the WHERE clause as in the following statement, which deletes all of the rows where the id value is greater than 50.

DELETE FROM myLogins WHERE id > 50 You can delete multiple rows by changing the WHERE clause (Image credit: Petri/Michael Otey)Like the UPDATE state, if you omit the WHERE clause all of the rows in the table will be deleted. For instance, the following example deletes all of the rows in the myLogins table:

DELETE FROM myLogins Deleting rows from the results of a queryLike the INSERT and UPDATE statements, the DELETE statement is also capable of acting from the results of a query. The following example shows how you can delete rows based on a query:

DELETE FROM myLogins WHERE login\_date < '12-31-2022' Here, all the rows in the myLogins table that have a date that is less than 12/31/22 in the login_date column will be deleted.

I’ve been using simple examples throughout this article, but like the INSERT and UPDATE statements, your queries can be much more complex. You could use JOINs and multiple tables in the DELETE statement’s subquery, use clauses like TOP and ORDER BY, and more.

DELETE vs TRUNCATEThe T-SQL DELETE command is capable of removing one or more rows from a table. However, it is not the only way to delete rows from a table. You can delete all of the rows in a SQL Server table using the T-SQL TRUNCATE TABLE statement.

The DELETE statement is a fully logged action. On the other hand, the TRUNCATE TABLE statement is a minimally logged action. This means that the TRUNCATE command will perform slightly better and fewer entries will be added to the transaction log. You can see an example of using TRUNCATE in the following listing.

TRUNCATE TABLE myLogins This will delete all of the data in the myLogins table.

SummaryIn this tutorial, you saw how to add, modify and delete rows in a SQL Server table using the T-SQL INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements. In each case, I explained how to work with single-row values and how to work with multiple rows as a result of a subquery. In addition, you saw how the DELETE and TRUNCATE statements are different, even though they can both essentially delete rows from a table.

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Microsoft announced yesterday a second-generation Surface Hub 2S digital whiteboard that will be available later this year. The new digital whiteboard will be running a new Teams Rooms experience that will differ from the existing Windows 10 Team Edition that powers the existing Surface Hub 2S.

The Surface Hub 2S was originally released back in 2019, and it’s currently available in 50-inch and 85-inch sizes. The device is designed for meeting rooms and its large multitouch screen allows multiple people to brainstorm using Microsoft Whiteboard and other apps. The Surface Hub 2S is also certified for Microsoft Teams and can be coupled with Teams Rooms devices, but the second-gen version coming later this year will make it a Teams Rooms device on its own.

“The future of Surface Hub will meet the realities of modern work, combining the latest Teams Rooms features with the iconic Surface Hub 2S design and premium hardware – a thin edge and bezel, dual active inking, and 20-point multi-touch – and providing users with a natural experience for enhanced collaboration,” Microsoft explained.

New Surface Hub 2S will run Teams Rooms on WindowsThe new Teams Rooms on Windows experience on the upcoming Surface Hub 2S will add support for the latest Teams Rooms features including Front Row. Microsoft promises feature parity with other Teams Rooms on Windows devices, as well as a “best-in-class” Whiteboard experience.

In addition to the built-in Teams Rooms features, the second-gen Surface Hub 2S will make it just as easy to join Zoom and Webex meetings. Microsoft didn’t share a lot of details about the new Teams Rooms on Windows experience yesterday, but the software change also means that IT pros will be able to manage Surface Hub 2S devices more easily in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center and Pro Management Portal.

Microsoft Whiteboard being used during a Teams meeting on the Surface Hub 2S (Image credit: Microsoft)Existing Surface Hub 2S models will be supported until October 14, 2025Microsoft also said yesterday that existing Surface Hub 2S devices running Windows 10 Team Edition will continue to receive software support until October 14, 2025. It won’t be possible to upgrade these devices to the new Teams Rooms experience, which will be exclusive to the second-gen Surface Hub 2S launching later this year.

While this is unfortunate for a device starting at $8,999 (the 85-inch version is priced at $21,999), Microsoft has made it possible to install Windows 10 or Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise on existing Surface Hub 2S models. This basically turns the digital whiteboards into full-fledged Windows PCs and removes the Windows 10 Team limitation that restricts Surface Hub 2S devices from running apps that haven’t been published to and signed by the Microsoft Store.

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Microsoft announced the release of a new Security Copilot tool for cyber security professionals. The AI-powered chat assistant is designed to help analysts better understand potential threats and assess risk exposure to prevent security breaches in their environments.

Microsoft’s Security Copilot feature is based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 generative AI and its own proprietary security models. The service integrates with other security products (such as Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel) to create a summary of potentially malicious activities in natural language. It also provides step-by-step incident remediation guidance to quickly respond to threats.

“Our cyber-trained model adds a learning system to create and tune new skills. Security Copilot then can help catch what other approaches might miss and augment an analyst’s work. In a typical incident, this boost translates into gains in the quality of detection, speed of response and ability to strengthen security posture,” said Vasu Jakkal, CVP, Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management.

How does Security Copilot work to provide end-to-end protection?Microsoft highlighted that Security Copilot can help to reverse engineer security vulnerabilities. The AI-powered tool can also surface potential threats in real time, predict the next move of attackers, and answer security questions. Microsoft Security Copilot can also provide recommendations to help researchers improve their skills.

Microsoft acknowledged that its new Security Copilot solution could potentially make mistakes. However, the company emphasized that customer data would be protected by enterprise compliance controls. Microsoft also promised that user data or business processes won’t be used to train its AI models.

“Security Copilot is a closed-loop learning system, which means it’s continually learning from users and giving them the opportunity to give explicit feedback with the feedback feature that is built directly into the tool,” Jakkal added.

Microsoft Security Copilot availabilityMicrosoft Security Copilot is currently available in preview for enterprise customers. However, there is no word on when it will become generally available for all businesses. At launch, the AI tool only supports Microsoft security solutions, but Microsoft plans to add support for third-party products in the future.

Recently, Orca Security, a cloud security provider, announced its ChatGPT extension that provides step-by-step remediations to help security teams mitigate the impact of breaches. It’s great to see Microsoft catching up to grow its market share in enterprise security.

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Microsoft has started rolling out a new Authenticator Lite feature in preview for its Outlook mobile app. The company announced on the Microsoft 365 admin center that it allows users to sign into their work or school accounts where MFA is enabled via the Outlook app on iOS and Android devices.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security feature that allows customers to use multiple forms of authentication (such as a PIN or one-time code) to access a service. It adds an extra layer of security and makes it difficult for unauthorized users to access sensitive data.

The Microsoft Authenticator app already allows users to verify their sign-in for Microsoft 365 apps on mobile devices. The app generates a unique 6-digit code that can be used to approve authentication requests for Microsoft accounts and third-party services.

Microsoft explained that Authenticator Lite is designed to boost security for users who have not installed the Microsoft Authenticator app on their mobile devices. The feature lets users get code directly within the Outlook app on both Android and iOS. For now, it only supports push notifications with number matching and one-time codes.

“Microsoft Authenticator Lite is another surface for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) users to complete multifactor authentication by using push notifications or time-based one-time passcodes (TOTP) on their Android or iOS device. With Authenticator Lite, users can satisfy a multifactor authentication requirement from the convenience of a familiar app,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft Authenticator Lite to hit general availability next monthMicrosoft notes that the Authenticator Lite is available in public preview for select Outlook users. This means IT admins can use the Authentication Methods policy in Azure Active Directory to enable the feature for end users in their tenant. Microsoft expects to make the feature generally available in late April.

Microsoft has announced that it will enable Authenticator Lite by default for all enterprise customers on May 26th. However, IT admins will have the option to disable the feature or include/exclude users or groups before that date.

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Microsoft has announced the public preview of a new custom claims provider feature for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). The custom extension allows organizations to call an API and map custom claims into the security token during the authentication process.

The custom extensions feature enables Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) users to interact with external systems. It provides a way to store additional data in Azure AD on user objects, groups, tenant details, service principles, and other directory objects. Custom extensions let users build custom solutions to meet their unique business requirements.

“A custom claims provider lets you call an API and map custom claims into the token during the authentication flow. The API call is made after the user has completed all their authentication challenges, and a token is about to be issued to the app. We heard from many of you that you need to return additional claims into the tokens sent to your apps so that they could function as intended,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft explained that organizations often store user data (such as sensitive information and billing details) in external systems. It’s possible that some IT admins might want to configure custom claim providers to keep identity data in on-premises environments. The new feature eliminates the need to use legacy identity systems, including Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) and LDAP directory.

Azure AD custom claims provider integrates with other data storesCurrently, it’s not possible to synchronize attributes to Azure AD due to data residency or regulatory requirements. The custom claims provider feature provides integration with third-party systems and other data sources that can’t be synced to the Azure AD directory. You can see how the Azure AD custom extensions and custom claims providers work in the video below:

Microsoft plans to add support for more customization options for authentication flow in the future. “Custom claims providers is just the first use of a custom extension. We’ll continue to release additional custom extension events, so you can customize your authentication flows even more,” Microsoft added. You can learn more about configuring custom claims providers on this support page.

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MC533687 – Today we’re starting to roll out the preview of the new Microsoft Teams desktop app for Windows. The new Microsoft Teams desktop app is built on a foundation of speed, performance, and flexibility—saving you time and helping your organization work together more efficiently.

How will this benefit my organization:

Our goal for the new Teams app is to make it twice as fast while using half the system resources. Microsoft hasn’t done optimizing the performance of new Teams, but Microsoft is already seeing common scenarios such as app load and meeting join hit that goal, as well as a 50% reduction in memory. Microsoft has also observed significant gains in installation time, disk space used, chat and channel switch time, search, and more.

The new Teams app also adds support for organizations that have multiple tenants and users who must manage multiple accounts. Users can be signed into multiple tenants and accounts simultaneously and receive notifications no matter which one is currently in use.

Note: Not all customer segments (Education, Special Cloud, GCC, GCC-High and DoD) and platforms (Mac, VDI, and Web) will receive this update at this time. While the new Teams preview includes much of the same functionality as classic Teams, there are a few features which are not yet available. Visit this page to learn more about what’s currently available and what’s coming up.

How will I preview the new Teams experience:

• If you are in the public preview program, you will have access to the Try the new Teams toggle. Our preview roll out will begin on March 27, 2023 and expected to complete over the following week.
• If you are in the Targeted release program, you will have access to the preview of new Teams starting mid-April. Please refer to MC post MC510331 for Targeted release rollout timelines. Prior to this announcement, the Targeted release provided early access to OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online, Office for the web, Microsoft 365 admin center, and some components of Exchange Online. Admins and select users in the Targeted release program can be among the first to see the latest Teams innovations.
• If you are in production, as an admin you will have the option to opt-in your users by using the Teams update management policy to select which users in your organization can see the toggle and get access to new Teams. Users can use the new Teams and switch back to classic Teams anytime. Our goal is to ensure you are fully empowered to try new Teams in a manner that’s right for you as early as possible.

Visit the admin page, support article or download resources to learn how to get started with previewing the new Teams experience.

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MC533652 – Avatars for Microsoft Teams gives you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively. You can add a new layer of choice to your meetings and represent yourself the way you want with customizable avatars and reactions.

Represent yourself the way you want with customizable avatars and reactions. Save up to three avatars for different meeting types, such as casual, professional, and day to day. Note that Avatars for Microsoft Teams is designed for users 18+.

This release is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 107969

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When this will happen:

• Targeted Release (Public Preview): Microsoft expect to begin rolling out late March and expects to be complete by early-April.
• Standard Release: Microsoft is working hard to begin rolling this out in May and will communicate any changes via Message Center

How this affects your organization:

You can create your avatar for Microsoft Teams from the Avatars app and select your avatar from the pre-join and in-meeting scenarios.

Create your avatar: You can create your avatar for Microsoft Teams through the Avatars app. To access the Avatars app, you can search and install from the Teams App store, through the pre-join screen by clicking the button ‘Create your avatar’ and in-meeting through the More menu under Effects and avatars.

Select from hundreds of combinations to customize an avatar that represents your physical attributes, wardrobe, accessories, and more. Save up to three avatars for different meeting types.

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Before joining a Teams meeting, you can access Avatars from the quick tray when your camera is disabled.

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After joining a meeting, you will be able to apply your avatar from selecting Effects and avatars on the side pane under the More menu. Additional settings are provided to express yourself through avatar reactions, update your background, change your camera position and more!

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What you can do to prepare:

Since Avatars are based on apps in Teams, you can manage these apps just as you would any others. See this page to learn more about how to manage apps in the Microsoft Teams admin center. Find out more at Manage your apps in the Microsoft Teams admin center – Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

Got feedback on features in the public preview or other areas of Teams? Let us know straight from Teams via Help > Give feedback. This is on the bottom left of your client.

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As Microsoft is kicking off its Enterprise Connect conference this morning, the company announced a new Teams desktop client that brings big performance improvements for Windows users. Microsoft has also unveiled several new features and capabilities coming to Microsoft Teams this month.

The new version of Microsoft Teams has been built from the ground up, and it consumes 50 percent less memory and 70 percent less storage space. Microsoft claims that launching the app or joining meetings should now be two times faster. Users should experience 1.7 times faster performance while switching between chats and channels.

The Microsoft Teams desktop client brings multi-account support for enterprise customers. The app supports AI-powered experiences such as Copilot for Microsoft Teams and intelligent recaps for meetings. Microsoft has introduced customizable group chats, threaded conversations, and interactive emojis. Other capabilities include an updated gallery view, screen-sharing support, and a pre-join experience.

Mesh Avatars for Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft has released a new update that allows users to create animated Mesh Avatars for Teams meetings. The feature is similar to the existing 3D avatars available in Zoom, Apple Facetime, and Meta’s Horizon Worlds platform. Microsoft has been testing Mesh Avatars since October 2022, and the feature is finally available in public preview.

Microsoft Teams gets a new Channel experienceMicrosoft has introduced a new channel experience that’s designed to be a bit more intuitive and modern to drive engagement. This release moves the compose box and recent posts to the top of the window to help users catch up on important conversations. There is also a new information pane that makes it easier to keep track of pinned posts, new channel members, and other contextual information. Microsoft has added the ability to pop out channel conversations like 1:1 chats.

New Files App in Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams is getting a new Files app that should make it easier to find, access, and share documents in chats, channels, and meetings. It features dedicated sections in the sidebar, such as Home, My files, Shared, Downloads, and Quick access.

Microsoft is adding an expanded view of the profile card in Microsoft Teams. The feature enables users to view contact information, job title, organizational chart, and LinkedIn profiles of colleagues. The profile card can now show Insights such as suggested tasks, birthdays, and career updates to help users celebrate important milestones. It’s now possible for users to add pronouns to profile cards and view LinkedIn profiles of external users.

Lastly, Microsoft announced a new feature that lets administrators view users and groups assigned to a specific policy. Moreover, IT Pros can now export Teams list as a CSV file directly from the Teams admin center. The company has also announced some new Teams devices, and we invite you to check out the blog post for more details.

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This week, March 30th at 9.20am ET, Petri is hosting its first free virtual 1-day conference of the year on identity management and privileged access management (PAM). In our 2023 audience survey, IT Pros cited security as their number one concern. And because identity and privilege management form the basis of good security and a zero-trust security model, it’s essential that you and your organization is on top of how to properly manage user identities and manage the level of access users have once they have access.

Join me and our experts as we navigate the topic. Plus, we’ll be taking a first look at Microsoft Intune Elevation Rules for the first time as they enter public preview. You can register for free to get access to the sessions live on the day or on-demand for three months after conference day. Registrants will also be able to download an exclusive eBook that contains the most important information from each session.

How to implement and manage hybrid identities with Azure AD Connect – Michael Reinders

Michael Reinders, a regular contributor at Petri, kicks off the sessions at 9.30am ET with a look at how to manage hybrid cloud identities using Windows Server Active Directory, Azure AD, and Azure AD Connect. Michael explains how these technologies work together for easy identity management and a single sign-on experience for end users. Michael will walk through how to configure Azure AD Connect so you can also get your on-premises identities synchronizing to the cloud.

Roundtable – Your Identity Management and PAM Questions Answered – Russell Smith and guests

At 10.30am ET, I host a roundtable with Dean Ellerby, Chris Hills, and Michael Reinders. We will answer the top questions IT Pros have about implementing PAM, identity management, and achieving zero-trust security. So, don’t miss out!

Setting Up Windows Hello for Business and Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) – Sander Berkouwer

Sander Berkouwer introduces a session on passwordless authentication at 11.00am ET. Sander looks at the different ways Windows Hello for Business can be implemented and walks through how to set it up using a cloud trust model.

Negate Ransomware at the Point of First Contact: Here’s How Ransomware poses an imminent threat to all organizations – Chris Hills

Conference sponsor, BeyondTrust, give a session at 12pm ET on how to stop ransomware in its tracks before it infects endpoints and moves laterally across your network. Chris Hills, Chief Security Strategist at BeyondTrust, outlines how ransomware is a real and present danger for organizations of all shapes and sizes. And how PAM can be used to stop ransomware and limit any potential damage it might do.

Implement Access Controls Using Microsoft Intune – Dean Ellerby

If you’re interested in Microsoft’s soon to be released PAM solution, be sure not to miss Dean Ellerby’s session on implementing access controls using Microsoft Intune. Dean demos the new Elevation Rules feature in Intune and how it can be used to provide access to elevated privileges for apps and processes sanctioned by IT.

Configure Azure AD User Authentication for Cloud-Native Apps – Andy Schneider

The day rounds up with a session that takes a deep dive into how authentication works for cloud-native apps with Azure AD. Andy Schneider, IT systems engineer and architect at Ravenswood Technology Group, takes us through how to work with protocols like OAUTH and SAML to enable authentication in your cloud-native apps.

Register now for the conference so you don’t miss out on this exclusive content from Petri.com!

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It’s been a long time coming for long-suffering Microsoft Teams users. Today, Microsoft is launching access to a public preview of its new client software for Teams on Windows. The new client, which is officially version 2.1, will bring x2 faster performance while using 50% less memory.

The current Teams client is Electron based, a cross-platform programming framework, which while bringing an easy way for Microsoft to code once and have it run on multiple platforms, Electron apps are notorious for poor performance and resource utilization. So, if you are running the current Teams client on a notebook or poorly-spec’d device, then interacting with the app is likely a painful experience that drains the battery quickly. That’s all set to change.

Microsoft says about the updated client:

We have been listening to your feedback which has culminated in a reimagining of Teams from the ground up. The new app is built on a foundation of speed, performance, flexibility, and intelligence — delivering up to 2x faster performance while using 50% less memory so you can save time and collaborate more efficiently. We have also streamlined the user experience so that it is simpler to use and easier to find everything in one place. These enhancements also provide the foundation for game changing new AI-powered experiences such as Copilot for Microsoft Teams, announced earlier this month.

New Microsoft Teams 2.0 client based on WebView2The new Teams client is based on Microsoft’s WebView2 technology, which itself is based on Chromium and Microsoft Edge. Work has been undertaken to improve data, network, chat, and video speed and performance. Although, Microsoft notes this is just the start and it’s not done optimizing performance. Microsoft claims, using data from benchmarking company GigaOm, that app launch and meeting joins are already twice faster.

User experiences have also been updated in the new app. Including making it easier to track notifications, search for information, manage messages, and organize Teams channels.

Usability improvements in Microsoft Teams 2.0The authentication model has been updated so that it’s easier to switch tenants, much like it has been in the mobile version of the Teams app for some time. There’s no need to log in and out of different tenants using the new desktop client. And, regardless of which tenant you are signed in to, you will receive notifications from all of them.

New authentication experience allows you to switch tenants easily in the new Teams clientMicrosoft is building in new artificial intelligence (A.I.) features, like intelligent recap and Copilot for Teams into the new app.

When will the new Teams 2.0 client be available?Users in the Microsoft 365 Public Preview program get access to the new Teams app today. Microsoft is aiming to release the new client more generally later in 2023 and extend access to Mac users.

Commercial customers will need an admin to opt-in for the Preview Program before end users can access the updated client app. Users who choose to use the new client will be able to switch back to the classic Teams app any time using a toggle switch.

90+ new features coming to Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft also announced today that it is bringing ninety new features to Teams. More details will be available later this week as part of its Enterprise Connect event. One new feature we do know about is the new Files app experience, which will be available in preview this week and generally available mid-April.

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Microsoft unveiled its plans to increase the price of its cloud services in the European Union (EU) in January 2023. Indeed, Microsoft’s cloud offerings (including Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure) will become up to 15 percent more expensive for European commercial customers on April 1, 2023.

Microsoft explained that it’s working to standardize the prices of its cloud services worldwide. Starting next month, all new or renewed product subscriptions (whether monthly, annual, or tri-annual) will be charged at a higher price in certain regions.

As a result, the new price for Microsoft cloud services will be increased by 15 percent for customers in Sweden. Moreover, Norway, Denmark, and other European countries will experience a price hike of 11 percent. Microsoft says that UK-based customers will need to pay 9 percent more for these services.

Microsoft announces bi-annual pricing reviews for cloud servicesGoing forwards, Microsoft plans to review the prices of Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Exchange Online, and other cloud services in local currency twice a year. The company will take into account exchange rate fluctuations against the US dollar to adjust the prices accordingly. This change should help to increase transparency and predictability for commercial customers.

“The Microsoft Cloud continues to be priced competitively, and Microsoft remains deeply committed to the success of its customers and partners. We will continue to invest to enable customers to innovate, consolidate and eliminate operating costs, optimize business performance and efficiency and provide the foundation for a strong security strategy that customers around the world have come to rely on,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft says that the new pricing will only impact European businesses. However, existing customers will see changes at the end of their current billing period. For now, there will be no adjustments to the pricing for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions.

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Many of you have been using Azure Active Directory Connect to manage your hybrid identities and synchronization of users from Active Directory to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). This modern technology is called Azure AD Connect cloud sync. In this article, I’ll walk you through the installation and basic configuration of Azure AD Connect cloud sync and explain how to implement it into your Active Directory/Azure AD infrastructure.

What is Azure Active Directory Connect cloud sync?Many IT Pros are familiar with Azure AD Connect – the syncing software you use to sync your identities from your on-premises Active Directory to Azure Active Directory and offer seamless single sign-on. The next evolution is to bring everything to the cloud.

So, Microsoft has moved from a software application installed on a domain-joined server in your on-premises environment to a simple provisioning agent. A much lighter footprint as all the ‘heavy lifting’ is now done in Azure. No more need for a database on-premises – this is all done in the cloud.

Lightweight agents have been the way to go recently. This is a boon if you have gone through a merger or an acquisition recently or are planning for one.

Azure AD Connect cloud sync is designed to meet and accomplish your hybrid identity goals by syncing your users, contacts, groups, devices, and more to Azure AD. An important note – you can use Azure AD Connect side-by-side with the cloud sync provisioning agent!

What are the differences between Azure AD Connect sync and Azure AD Connect cloud sync?Great question! Here is a table from Microsoft that shows the feature comparisons between the two products.

| Feature | Azure AD Connect sync | Azure AD Connect cloud sync | | --- | --- | --- | | Connect to a single on-premises AD forest | ● | ● | | Connect to multiple on-premises AD forests | ● | ● | | Connect to multiple disconnected on-premises AD forests | ● | | Lightweight agent installation model | ● | | Multiple active agents for high availability | ● | | Connect to LDAP directories | ● | | Support for user objects | ● | ● | | Support for group objects | ● | ● | | Support for contact objects | ● | ● | | Support for device objects | ● | | Allow basic customization for attribute flows | ● | ● | | Synchronize Exchange online attributes | ● | ● | | Synchronize extension attributes 1-15 | ● | ● | | Synchronize customer-defined AD attributes (directory extensions) | ● | ● | | Support for Password Hash Sync | ● | ● | | Support for Pass-Through Authentication | ● | | Support for federation | ● | ● | | Seamless Single Sign-on | ● | ● | | Supports installation on a Domain Controller | ● | ● | | Support for Windows Server 2016 | ● | ● | | Filter on Domains/OUs/groups | ● | ● | | Filter on objects’ attribute values | ● | | Allow a minimal set of attributes to be synchronized (MinSync) | ● | ● | | Allow removing attributes from flowing from AD to Azure AD | ● | ● | | Allow advanced customization for attribute flows | ● | | Support for password writeback | ● | ● | | Support for device writeback | ● | Customers should use Cloud Kerberos trust for this moving forward | | Support for group writeback | ● | | Support for merging user attributes from multiple domains | ● | | Azure AD Domain Services support | ● | | Exchange hybrid writeback | ● | | Unlimited number of objects per AD domain | ● | | Support for up to 150,000 objects per AD domain | ● | ● | | Groups with up to 50,000 members | ● | ● | | Large groups with up to 250,000 members | ● | | Cross-domain references | ● | ● | | On-demand provisioning | ● | | Support for US Government | ● | ● |

Azure AD Connect sync vs. Azure AD Connect cloud sync (source: Microsoft)There is one major and prevalent scenario that is currently not supported with the newer Azure AD Connect cloud sync feature, and that’s Exchange hybrid. Here is the current answer from Microsoft’s documentation:

The Exchange Hybrid Deployment feature allows for the co-existence of Exchange mailboxes both on-premises and in Microsoft 365. Azure AD Connect is synchronizing a specific set of attributes from Azure AD back into your on-premises directory. The cloud provisioning agent currently does not synchronize these attributes back into your on-premises directory and thus it is not supported as a replacement for Azure AD Connect.

Prerequisites for installing Azure Active Directory Connect cloud syncMicrosoft mentions a few prerequisites to take note of before starting the installation. Let’s go over those here.

• In the Azure portal:
  • You need to have access to a cloud-only Global Administrator account.
  • You will need a custom domain name in place in Azure to match the UPN domain name in your Active Directory. If you are migrating from Azure AD Connect this should already be in place, but it is worth nothing.
• In your on-premises environment
  • You will need a domain-joined machine running Windows Server 2016 or newer. You need at least 4 GB of ram and .NET Framework 4.7.1 or greater. The server simply needs network access to at least one domain controller in your on-premises AD forest.
  • Your edge firewall will need to allow outbound ports 80 and 443 to be made from your server here to Azure AD.

The only other (optional) step is to first uninstall Azure AD Connect if you have it installed. This is not required, but for the purposes of this article, I will walk through the simple steps next.

Oh, and it is very easy to take advantage of high availability with this setup. Simply install the provisioning agent on more than one server in your network. You’ll see the steps below.

Uninstalling Azure AD Connect (optional) Log into your Azure AD Connect server and open Control Panel. * Open the ‘Uninstall a program*‘ menu.

Using Control Panel – Programs and Features to uninstall the older Azure AD Connect software (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Click the Microsoft Azure AD Connect entry and click the Uninstall* toolbar button.

Uninstalling Azure AD Connect (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)My suggestion here is to make sure the checkbox is checked to remove everything. I always like to uninstall software as cleanly as possible, doing my best to not leave any remnants lying around.

• Click Remove and allow it to finish.

It is gone. Out with the old, in with the new… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)There, all gone. Now, we can move on to the new installation steps.

How to implement Azure AD Connect cloud sync into your AD / AAD infrastructureAs I have said, you can install an Azure AD Connect cloud sync agent with or without an existing Azure AD Connect installation in your environment. In this case, I just removed my existing Azure AD Connect software, so we have a clean slate. Let’s get started!

InstallationWe will start on my Windows Server 2022 domain-joined server, WS22-FS02.

• First, log in to the Azure Portal and access the Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) site.

The Azure Active Directory portal (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) On the navigation menu on the left, scroll down and click on Azure AD Connect. Then, click Cloud sync* on the left again.

The Azure AD Connect Cloud Sync overview (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) It’s not surprising that we have a nice clean slate. Click on the Agents‘ menu on the left, then click Download on-premises agent*.

Downloading the agent to install on our on-premises server (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* After you’ve downloaded the agent, go ahead and double-click on the MSI file. The installation will start.

Installing the bits for the provisioning agent (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Check the box and click Install*!

Installing…and waiting… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Next, we move on to Configuration.

Active Directory ConfigurationAfter the initial agent is installed, the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect Provisioning Agent Configuration wizard will start. Say that 5 times fast. Yikes, Microsoft. Always hitting home runs with product names!

• On the Welcome screen, click Next.

Starting the very-long-titled wizard (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) On the ‘Select Extension‘ screen, choose HR-driven provisioning (Workday and SuccessFactors) / Azure AD Connect Cloud Sync. This is the most likely scenario. Only if you’re planning to provision on-premises applications to Azure would you choose the 2nd option. * Click Next*.

On the ‘Select Extension’ screen (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Next, the Connect Azure AD screen comes up, asking for the credentials for your Azure AD Global Administrator. Enter those, and be ready for MFA! * Next up, the Configure Service Account screen. Here, we will accept the default, Create gMSA. Because we are asking it to create a gMSA account to manage the synchronization from AD to Azure AD, we need to enter an account with Domain Admin privileges. Enter that and click Next*.

Configuring the Service Account (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Continuing, we come to the ‘Connect Active Directory*‘ screen. Yes, you are right. This is rather similar to the installation wizard for installing Azure AD Connect.

Connecting to Active Directory (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Anyway, verify that the correct Active Directory domain is set. If you see any errors, you may have mistyped your credentials. Go ahead and correct if necessary and click Next*.

We are done. We’re on the Confirm screen (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) We have come to the final Confirm screen. Verify all looks good and click that Confirm* button.

We’re done! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Azure AD configurationWe now move to Azure Active Directory. To manage Azure AD cloud sync, browse again to the Azure Portal.

• Click on Azure AD Connect, and click Cloud sync.
• Click the ‘New configuration‘ button on the top to start the configuration process in the cloud.

Back at the Cloud Sync configuration page (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Here we have the New cloud sync configuration. The defaults should be OK assuming you only are syncing the one AD domain – in my case ‘reinders.local.’ We’ll keep ‘Enable password hash sync*‘ checked to allow for automatic password management.

Our new configuration is all ready and verified. (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Click Create* at the bottom.

Well, check this out! We are done. I don’t know about you, but I almost ALWAYS prefer cloud-based configurations vs. traditional ‘thick’ client software. It’s cleaner. Plus, they can iterate on the UI and add features much faster. And, because it is cloud-based, you don’t need to worry about upgrades to the software, servers going down, etc. It just works. The cloud, 100% of the time, right?

Testing – VerificationLet’s go and simply enable the configuration. We can address the scoping filters, attribute mapping, etc. a little later.

• Click the Review and enable configuration button at the top, then click Enable Configuration.
• After that is complete, wait about 2 minutes, then refresh your browser, and click the Overview tab on top.
• First off, you’ll want to enter a notification email address. Click the Properties tab and click the pencil (Edit) icon next to Basics.
• Enter an administrator email to receive alerts about the syncing infrastructure. Click Apply at the bottom.

Setting up a notification email address (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Now, regarding validation and advanced customization, click back to the Users view in the Azure AD portal to view all of your users. I took note that the number of users went from 31 to 32. So, I know SOMETHING happened. And, if you really are paying attention, you may have remembered that I filtered out a user in a specific OU when I configured Azure AD Connect. So, because I have not done any filtering yet, a new user has been synced – John Reinders.

Let me go through the three core configuration screens you’ll use to maintain and adjust your synchronization settings. The first is Scoping filters.

Scoping Filters (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)The default is to sync all the users in your Active Directory. You can choose to sync only select security groups OR select organization units (OUs). And yes, this is one example of cloud software being, for the moment, less configurable than on-premise software. But, this is continually changing. Eventually, they will incorporate ALL the features and options into Azure AD Connect cloud sync.

Attribute Mapping Screen (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Next, let’s look at Attribute mapping. Here we can choose to edit the default list of attributes and how they are synced from Active Directory to Azure AD, and even add additional items by clicking ‘+ Add attribute mapping.’

Adding a new attribute mapping (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Rest assured there are a lot of options here. As I said, Microsoft is continually adding more features to this functionality. So, don’t be surprised if you notice some of these screens change around or add/remove bits. This is the cloud, folks!

Finally, let’s look at the Expression builder. This is where you can really add some customization to how certain attributes get synced, and how to use expressions to match specific user attributes from one Active Directory domain and other attributes from another AD domain to produce the best single object in Azure AD. Again, there is a lot of power here, and you’ll be familiar with the general setup if you’ve used custom features like synchronization rules in the Azure AD Connect software.

ConclusionWell, that is a lot of information. And, I do want to point out the biggest disadvantage to Azure AD Connect cloud sync – it does have fewer features and can support fewer scenarios than Azure AD Connect.

This is normal and by design. Azure AD Connect has been around for years and Azure AD Connect cloud sync was released about a year ago. So, naturally, there is more functionality in the older software.

My advice: As soon as the supported scenarios with Azure AD Connect cloud sync match your environment, take the steps to migrate to it. After using Azure AD Connect for quite a few years in my ‘day jobs’, the cloud functionality looks very nice – and MUCH less to administer and keep tabs on.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question below and thank you for reading!

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Microsoft Loop is here! Are you ready to take your productivity to the next level? With its new features and capabilities, Loop is set to change the way you work in Microsoft 365. In this video, I’ll take a closer look at what Loop has to offer and how it compares to Notion.

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The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a new open-source incident response tool. The Python-based utility is designed to help organizations track vulnerabilities in Microsoft cloud environments.

Specifically, CISA has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories to develop the Untitled Goose Tool. It utilizes different sophisticated hunting queries to detect the signs of exploitation in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, and Azure Active Directory (AAD). The utility can also be used with other Microsoft security solutions to identify and mitigate security threats.

CISA detailed that the Untitled Goose Tool allows IT admins to perform the following operations:

• Export and review AAD sign-in and audit logs, M365 unified audit log (UAL), Azure activity logs, Microsoft Defender for IoT (internet of things) alerts, and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) data for suspicious activity.
• Query, export, and investigate AAD, M365, and Azure configurations.
• Extract cloud artifacts from Microsoft’s AAD, Azure, and M365 environments without performing additional analytics.
• Perform time bounding of the UAL.
• Extract data within those time bounds.
• Collect and review data using similar time bounding capabilities for MDE data.

Getting started with the Untitled Goose ToolCISA says that customers can download and install the Untitled Goose Tool on Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. However, it requires users to install Python version 3.7, 3.8, or 3.9 to run on their systems.

Earlier this month, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a free tool called Decider. Its purpose is to help security teams map attackers’ behavior to the Mitre ATT&CK framework. Decider comes with intuitive search and filtering capabilities, making it easy for users to find the information they need. It also allows users to export results to commonly used formats for further analysis.

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Microsoft is introducing a transport-based enforcement system in Exchange Online that will throttle and block emails from old Exchange Servers. The company explained that this change aims to encourage organizations to upgrade to a supported version of Exchange Server.

Microsoft has found that thousands of on-premises customers are running outdated versions of Exchange Servers. The list includes Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, and Exchange 2013 which will become unsupported next month. Moreover, unpatched Exchange 2016 and Exchange 2019 servers are also persistently vulnerable to known attack vectors, including the Hafnium hacks that started in March 2021.

Microsoft plans to address the problem by implementing a transport-based enforcement system in Exchange Online on June 26, 2023. Initially, it will report, throttle, and block messages sent from Exchange 2007 Servers over an inbound OnPremises type of connector. However, the change will not impact emails coming from unsupported servers via a different pathway.

“The system is designed to alert an admin about unsupported or unpatched Exchange servers in their on-premises environment that need remediation (upgrading or patching). The system also has throttling and blocking capabilities, so if a server is not remediated, mail flow from that server will be throttled (delayed) and eventually blocked,” the Exchange team explained.

What are the throttling-blocking enforcement stages?Microsoft plans to implement the enforcement in a progressive manner to include other Exchange Server versions. The company will begin notifying all customers with vulnerable servers that they will be subject to throttling within 60 days. The enforcement process will be divided into 30-day chunks that involve reporting, throttling, and blocking.

Microsoft will be implementing a progressive enforcement plan to cover other versions of Exchange Server. All customers with vulnerable servers will receive a notification that throttling will be applied within 60 days. This enforcement process will be divided into 30-day chunks, involving reporting, throttling, and blocking.

The stages of progressive enforcementMicrosoft advises patching vulnerable on-premises Exchange ServersMicrosoft urges organizations to upgrade/patch their vulnerable on-premises servers. However, the company is aware that this change may cause disruptions in business workflows. It will allow IT admins to request a temporary enforcement pause for up to 90 days per calendar year. For customers who continue to use outdated on-premises Exchange Servers, the blocking process will resume from the same point where it was paused.

Microsoft plans to hold an AMA session to inform customers about these changes on May 10, 2023, at 9 AM PT. If you’re interested, you can register for the event on the Exchange Events website.

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As a Linux administrator or DevOps engineer, it’s important to understand how Linux groups work as each folder, directory, or file is linked to specific users and groups. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to list all groups on a Linux machine, how to list all users, and how to see the groups they belong to.

How to list all groups on LinuxThere are multiple commands you can use to find all the groups that are present on Linux. But first of all, let’s start with an explainer about Linux groups.

What are groups on Linux?Groups on Linux-based operating systems are used to assign a set of privileges to a group of users. There are mainly two types of groups in the Linux distribution operating systems.

Whenever a Linux user creates a file or directory, then the files within it are allocated to a primary group, which has the same name as the one of the current user. Every user has at least one primary group associated with them. Whenever a new user is created, it is allocated within a primary group. Apart from their primary group, Linux users can also belong to other groups known as secondary groups.

Listing all groups with the groups commandBy using the groups command, we will see all the primary groups that are present on a Linux machine.

groups The groups command shows all primary groups on Linux (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

Listing all groups with the /etc/groups fileAnother way to see all groups is to navigate to the /etc/groups directory using the cat utility. By navigating to the /etc/groups directory, you can see all the groups with their associated group identifier (GID).

In the image below, you can see that the GID for the root group is 0, the GID for the bin group is 2, and so on.

cat /ect/group The cat utility let us list all Linux groups with their group identifier (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

Listing all group names with the cut commandWe can also use the cut command to see all group names. When we run this command, it retrieves all the details about groups in different columns, so we’ll be using the (-d) flag as delimiter as well as the (-f) option to select the column we want.

cut -d: -f1,6 /etc/passwd Using the cut command to list all group names on Linux (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

Listing all groups with the getent commandThe getent command is another way to find groups. Using this command, you can fetch various information such as user accounts, their creation date, their group information, etc.

You can use the simple command below:

getent group The getent command is another way to list groups on Linux (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

How to list all users on LinuxAs a Linux administrator, you may need at times to fetch the list of all users to perform some actions on them such as checking the groups they are attached to, the permissions they have, etc. I’ll now show you different ways to list all users on Linux.

Listing all users with the cat command on the ‘/etc/passwd” fileThe cat command can once again be used to check the users of a file or the groups attached to it. The /etc/passwd file contains information about all Linux users including their user identifier (UID), group identifier (GID), and more.

In the command below, the first line shows details about the ‘root’ user: It has 0 as its UID and GID, and we can also see that it can log into the Bash terminal.

cat /etc/passwd Using the cat command on the ‘/etc/passwd” file (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

(Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

Listing users with the “who” and “users” commandsThe who command provides details about users who are logged into the Linux machine. The users command is another way to check who is currently logged into Linux.

The who and users commands can be used to list users connected to Linux (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

How to list the groups of a specific userAfter I explained how to list all groups on Linux, I’ll now show you various ways to check the groups of a specific user.

With LibuserTo check the groups of a specific user, we can use a tool named libuser, which stands for “library of users.” You can use the command below to install libuser:

sudo apt install libuser Now, to check the list of groups of a specific user, you can run the commands below.

sudo libuser-lidsudo libuser-lid ubuntusudo libuser-lid sudosudo libuser-lid root Checking the list of groups of a specific user with libuser (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

A couple of notes about these commands:

• In the first command, we are not declaring any user so the command automatically picks ‘root’ as the user.
• In the second command, we used ‘ubuntu’ as the user and we can see all the groups associated with this user.
• In the third command, ‘sudo’ isn’t a correct user, that’s why the command doesn’t show any groups.
• The last command shows the ‘root’ user, which has only one group.

With the /etc/group file.We can also use the cat command on the /etc/group file to see the groups of a specific user. In the command example below, we are extracting all the groups of the user ‘ubuntu’ from the /etc/group file by running the cat command followed by the grep command to filter the ubuntu user.

cat /etc/group | grep ubuntu Checking the list of groups of a specific user with the cat command (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

With the id commandFinally; we can use the id command to list the groups of a specific user. In the example below, we can see that the ‘ubuntu’ user has ‘ubuntu’ as its primary group with 1000 as the GID, and the rest of the groups such as dialout, adm, etc. are all secondary groups.

id ubuntu The id command shows all groups for a specific user (Image credit: Petri/Sagar)

ConclusionYou should now have a good understanding of the different types of groups and Linux and the different ways to get more information about them. I hope that this knowledge will help you be more efficient when working with different file systems and disk permissions, which are quite important from a Linux administrator point of view.

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Intel introduced yesterday its 13th gen vPro CPUs for business PCs. Intel’s vPro platform offers advanced security and management features for organizations, and the company’s 13th gen Core CPUs bring an improved hybrid architecture with a combination of Performance and Efficient cores.

“With our new 13th Gen Intel Core processors, the Intel vPro platform remains the premier business computing foundation, providing the best in security, business management and performance for organizations of all sizes,” said Stephanie Hallford, Intel vice president and general manager of the Commercial Client Division.

Intel’s 13th gen vPro CPUs: Performance updatesIntel’s 13th Gen vPro CPUs use a new process technology with redesigned Performance cores and an increased number of Efficient cores on select models. As an example, the top-of-the-line Core i9-13900 CPU now comes with 8 Performance cores and 16 Efficient cores, while the 12th gen Core i9-12900 had 8 Performance Core and only 8 Efficient Cores.

On the performance front, Intel’s Thread Director technology also does a better job at assigning tasks to the right type of cores. The Intel Dynamic Tuning technology should also provide better energy efficiency. Overall, Intel promises up to 65% faster Windows application performance with its Core i9-13900 CPU compared to a PC with a 3-year-old Core i9-10900 CPU.

Intel 13th Gen vPro CPUs offers lots of benefits for business PCs (Image credit: Intel)Intel’s 13th Gen vPro CPUs also include the Intel Connectivy Performance suite, which can optimize wireless performance and improve video and sound quality on a busy network. These CPUs also support the latest connectivity standards including Wi-Fi 6E and Thunderbolt 4.

Intel’s 13th gen vPro CPUs: Security and Management featuresIntel’s latest vPro CPUs offer better security features with silicon-based virtualization security on Windows 11. Moreover, security vendors are now enabled with Intel’s Threat Detection technology. Overall, Intel promises an attack surface reduced by 70% compared to 4-year-old Intel-based PCs.

On the management front, the Intel Endpoint Management Assistant console allows organizations to efficiently maintain PCs with Intel vPro CPUs from deployment to retirement. The new Intel Platform Service Record also introduces tamper-resistant ledgers for collecting system wear and tear data reliably.

Intel expects to see over 170 notebooks, desktops, and entry workstations use its latest 13th Gen vPro CPUs this year. Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu, Panasonic, and Samsung will be among the first PC OEMs to use these new CPUs in their business PCs.

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MC505088 – Updated March 22, 2023: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Microsoft is updating the recommended quarantine notification policy in the Standard and Strict preset security policies.

| Policy | Quarantine Policy | Standard | Strict | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Anti-Spam | SpamQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessPolicy | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | | Anti-Spam | HighConfidenceSpamQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | | Anti-Spam | PhishQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | | Anti-Spam | HighConfidencePhishQuarantineTag | AdminOnlyAccessPolicy | AdminOnlyAccessPolicy | | Anti-Spam | BulkQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessPolicy | DefaultFullAccessPolicy | | Anti-Phish | TargetedUserQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | | Anti-Phish | TargetedDomainQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy | | Anti-Phish | MailboxIntelligenceQuarantineTag | DefaultFullAccessPolicy | DefaultFullAccessPolicy | | Anti-malware | QuarantineTag | AdminOnlyAccessPolicy | AdminOnlyAccessPolicy | | Safe Attachments | QuarantineTag | AdminOnlyAccessPolicy | AdminOnlyAccessPolicy |

With the DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy, Users will receive quarantine notifications for emails quarantined due to the corresponding threat policy.

Here is what the quarantine notification looks like:

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When this will happen:

Microsoft will begin rolling this out in mid-February 2023 and complete rolling out by mid-April 2023 (previously mid-March).

How this will affect your organization:

If your organization has enabled preset security policies, these will be automatically updated to include the quarantine notification policies (DefaultFullAccessWithNotificationPolicy) as listed in the above table for the standard and strict protection preset profiles.

What you need to do to prepare:

No action required. Please review the following links to learn more:

• What are quarantine notifications? Quarantine notifications (end-user spam notifications) in Microsoft 365 – Office 365 | Microsoft Learn
• Specific controls set in Preset Security Policies: Microsoft recommendations for EOP and Defender for Office 365 security settings – Office 365 | Microsoft Learn
• Microsoft recommends enabling preset security policies for your organization: Steps to quickly set up the Standard or Strict preset security policies for Microsoft Defender for Office 365 – Office 365 | Microsoft Learn

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The Microsoft Teams desktop client is about to get a new Files app on Windows and macOS. The new experience will replace the existing Files app, and it will make it easier to find and organize content across chats, channels, meetings, and other Microsoft 365 apps.

“Securely store, organize, and collaborate on all your files anytime, from anywhere and across all of your devices with the new files app experience in Teams. The new files app brings a modern experience to all of your content from your chats, channels or meetings including any location from OneDrive or SharePoint,” Microsoft explained in a message on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

Microsoft will introduce an updated menu bar that will help users quickly navigate to the desired content. The Home and My files tabs will let users view recently opened files and access personal documents stored on OneDrive. There is also a dedicated tab that should make it easier to find shared content. The new Files app will include a Quick Access pane to access channel files and pinned document libraries.

New Files app coming to Microsoft Teams in previewAccording to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the new Files app is currently in development, and it’s expected to be released in preview later this month. Microsoft plans to make it generally available for all enterprise customers in mid-April.

Microsoft Teams is also getting a new green screen feature that will provide an improved virtual background effect in meetings. It will work on Intel-based Windows and macOS devices and lack support for Apple’s M1 and M2 chips.

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Security researchers have found a new vulnerability in the Snipping Tool app available in Windows 11. The security flaw dubbed aCropalypse could allow threat actors to reveal sensitive information blurred or cropped out in screenshots.

Snipping Tool is a built-in screenshot-capturing tool that comes with the Windows operating system. In Windows 11, Microsoft introduced a new version that replaced the legacy Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch apps. The new Snipping Tool app provides more features and options for taking and editing screenshots without using third-party software.

The aCropalypse vulnerability was first discovered by software engineers Chris Blume and David Buchannan in the Windows 11 Snipping Tool. As it turns out, the Snipping Tool doesn’t delete the original information from the edited file. Typically, the data is appended at the end of the edited screenshots in such a way that it remains invisible to Windows 11 users. However, any threat actor could exploit the vulnerability to retrieve the hidden information.

Microsoft to fix the Windows 11 Snipping Tool vulnerabilityFortunately, Microsoft’s engineers are investigating the security flaw and a fix should be available soon. “We are aware of these reports and are investigating. We will take action as needed to help keep customers protected,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to BleepingComputer.

In the meantime, it’s highly recommended to use alternative image editing tools (such as Adobe Photoshop) on Windows 11 PCs. It’s also important to implement access controls and encryption measures to block unauthorized access to sensitive information. It should significantly reduce the risk of data breaches that could potentially reveal personal data, including credit card information and phone numbers.

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After years of development, Microsoft Loop is finally available in public preview starting today. But what is Loop for? And can it compete with productivity incumbent Notion? Let’s find out more.

What is Microsoft Loop?Microsoft Loop is a feature and app in Microsoft 365. Based on the Fluid Framework, Loop components can be created across Microsoft 365 apps, like Teams and Outlook. Loop components blur the lines between apps and content. For instance, if you want to insert a table into an email, instead of opening Excel, creating a table, and then pasting it into your email, you can create a table using the Loop Table component right in Outlook.

That might not sound very exciting on its own. But Loop components can be edited after the fact by you or team members you choose to share the component with. And unlike content that is simply copied and pasted between apps, Loop components support co-authoring.

Jumpstart a Microsoft Loop workspaceComponents are saved separately as a .fluid file (soon to be renamed .loop) and they can also be inserted into other documents. Loop components are portable pieces of content that stay synchronized across all the places that they have been shared. In addition to sharing individual components, you can share whole pages as a link or live page.

Currently Microsoft Loop supports the following components:

• Bulleted list
• Checklist
• Numbered list
• Paragraph
• Table
• Task list

Which Microsoft 365 apps support Loop components?Loop components are currently supported across these Microsoft 365 apps:

• Microsoft Loop
• Teams (chat only but coming soon to channels)
• Outlook
• Whiteboard
• Word for the Web

Loop components are stored in the creator’s OneDrive. So, in Teams chat, only users that have access to OneDrive in the Microsoft 365 tenant can create Loop components.

But what about the Microsoft Loop app?The Microsoft Loop app lets you create shared workspaces that contain pages where you can create or collect existing Loop components in one place. So, instead of switching between different apps to view, create, and collaborate with team members, the Microsoft Loop app provides a single workspace where you can work on all the components associated with your project.

The app goes further by allowing you to collate documents across Microsoft 365 that are related to your project. To help you get started, you can enter a few keywords and have Loop suggest which documents might be connected to your project so that you can add them to your new workspace.

Loop does the searching for you to start a workspaceWorkspaces and pages are flexible in that you can organize documents and components in the way you want. You can comment and react, just like you might in a document or Teams. Microsoft describes Loop pages as ‘flexible canvases’. The app also supports notifications you can keep pace with changes.

Loop progress tracker, labels, and nudgesIs Microsoft 365 Copilot integrated with Loop?Microsoft 365 Copilot, the artificial intelligence system Microsoft is building into its productivity apps, will be fully integrated into the Loop app to help you generate content. Copilot for Loop is currently in private preview but when it becomes available, will allow you to create, brainstorm, blueprint, and describe along with your teammates. You or your coworkers will be able to go back to earlier prompts and modify them to refine the output.

Microsoft 365 Copilot in LoopUnderstand essential information quickly with summarizationNot available in the current public preview, Microsoft will be rolling out summarization over the next few months. The summarization pane allows users to quickly establish what’s important on a Loop page and understand the context of documents linked to the workspace. It will be possible to edit summaries so that you can correct mistakes and add more context.

SummarizationNotion vs Microsoft LoopClearly the Microsoft Loop app is inspired by Notion. Even down to typing ‘/’ to add a new component in the Loop app. Just like in Loop, you can create a Notion workspace where your team will work on a project. The workspace can be used to store all the documentation related to the project. And team members can update the documents in real-time together.

Insert menuNotion is often used by small and medium-sized organizations as a self-contained project management and collaboration solution. It’s a mature product that has carved out a place in the market with a strong, even devoted following.

Notion blocks vs Microsoft Loop componentsLoop components, while similar to Notion blocks, are limited at this stage. Notion blocks support more sophisticated content like databases (similar to Microsoft Lists), and all the different views that go with a database like table, board, gallery, calendar, and timeline views.

Loop Microsoft 365 integrationThe big selling point for Microsoft Loop is its integration with Microsoft 365. Overall, Notion isn’t as feature rich as Microsoft 365. And integrating Loop with all your documents, email, and collaboration and chat in Teams, means that Loop meets you where you are likely already at as an organization.

Is there a Microsoft Loop mobile app?The Microsoft Loop mobile app lets you access project content on your phone. You can easily move around different workspaces and pages. Or add ideas by typing text or adding photos to a workspace.

Loop mobile appCompliance, eDiscovery, and sharing Microsoft Loop componentsContent you create in the Microsoft Loop app can be quickly turned into Loop components that you can share with specific people outside your team. For example, there might be information you want to share with people who don’t have access to your Loop workspace. So, you can turn content into a Loop component and share it with certain people.

Loop helps you stay in control by quickly showing you were components have been shared and who has access. And access permissions are set on Loop components just like on any other document in Microsoft 365.

Loop control (where a component has been shared and people it has been shared with)As Loop components are stored in OneDrive and can be searched like any other Microsoft 365 document, Loop components can be searched and collected for eDiscovery purposes in eDiscovery Standard and Premium. Components are discoverable and have eDiscovery workflow support in the Microsoft Purview tool providing they stay within Microsoft 365 online storage. Microsoft says that it is working on a third-party export API for Loop components.

Access policy for Microsoft Loop app and componentsIT admins can control who has access to Microsoft Loop components and where, and the Loop app. Access to Loop components are managed using Cloud Policy and the SharePoint PowerShell command. You can configure Loop Cloud Policy for your Microsoft 365 tenant using the following settings:

• Create and view Loop files in Microsoft apps that support Loop
• Create and view Loop files in Outlook
• Create and view Loop files in Loop

Before applying the settings, you must create a security group that contains the users to which the policy will apply. You can find more information about how to control access to Microsoft Loop components on Microsoft’s website.

Microsoft Loop isn’t as powerful as Notion, yet…Microsoft Loop can’t match Notion just yet. The missing piece is Notion databases. Microsoft Lists are like Notion databases. But at least right now, Microsoft hasn’t enabled Lists as a Loop component. And it’s not clear whether that’s on the roadmap.

Nevertheless, after years of waiting, Loop is getting off to a promising start. Albeit one that doesn’t include what I believe is the killer feature of Notion: databases. But Microsoft Loop, and its integration with Microsoft 365, is a selling point that will enamor it to organizations already invested in Microsoft 365.

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Microsoft has announced that it’s adding OpenAI’s GPT-4 to its Azure OpenAI Service. The new integration will enable organizations to utilize the large language model for building AI applications and services.

Microsoft launched the Azure OpenAI service back in January 2023. It’s designed to provide access to OpenAI’s powerful language models, such as GPT-3, Codex, and DALL-E. The models can be used to build applications that perform specific tasks, including text summarization, content generation, semantic search, and more.

GPT-4 is a large multimodal model that has been improved over its predecessor to accept both text and image-based inputs. It can handle more than 25,000 words and understand content in multiple languages. The GPT-4 model provides more accurate responses that are natural and contextual.

“GPT-4 has the potential to take this experience to a whole new level using its broader knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and domain expertise. With GPT-4 in Azure OpenAI Service, businesses can streamline communications internally as well as with their customers, using a model with additional safety investments to reduce harmful outputs,” Microsoft explained.

How to get started with GPT-4 in Azure OpenAI ServiceMicrosoft highlights that some companies are already using the Azure OpenAI GPT-4 model to improve their apps and services. For instance, Coursera has used it to create personalized learning experiences for end users. It helped Epic Healthcare’s physicians and nurses to investigate medical data.

Microsoft says that GPT-4 support is currently available in preview, and existing Azure OpenAI customers can signup to join the waitlist on this page. The billing for GPT-4 usage will begin on April 1, 2023, with pricing based on per 1,000 tokens used in prompts and query completions. Microsoft is holding an Azure AI Bootcamp event from March 28 to 30 for developers and data scientists interested to learn more about Azure AI services.

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Failover clustering in Windows Server and Azure Stack HCI can help to reduce disruptions in service within an organization. In this article, I’m going to explain why you need to have a Windows Server Active Directory domain controller outside of your Azure Stack HCI cluster. I will also detail how to deploy this domain controller in an edge scenario.

Why do you need a domain controller outside of your Azure Stack HCI cluster?If you’re using Azure Stack HCI and cluster accounts in Active Directory, there is still a legacy requirement for organizations to have DNS and sometimes Active Directory available to start the failover cluster service. Active Directory computer accounts are later used to manage cluster ownership and permissions.

Without the required Active Directory computer accounts, your cluster will not start. If you’re using Azure Stack HCI, that’s a hard condition as storage with the Storage Spaces Direct feature heavily depends on the failover cluster service to operate.

Without Storage Spaces Direct running, Hyper-V will not be able to start any virtual machine. So, if your only domain controllers are deployed on the Azure Stack HCI clustered stage, you have a chicken-and-egg problem: You cannot start the clustered storage service to start your domain controllers because they are stored on storage that cannot be used.

You may want to start or restart a complete cluster after deployment for a couple of reasons, such as the maintenance of power grids or power outages forcing you to shut down your workloads. In any case, you should prepare for this scenario.

Setting up a domain controller and DNS server outside of your Azure Stack HCI clusterThe only way to solve the aforementioned issue is to set up a domain controller and DNS server outside of your Azure Stack HCI Cluster.

Setting up a domain controller outside of your Azure Stack HCI cluster (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)There are several ways to put a domain controller outside your Azure Stack HCI cluster. The most common practice is to have a domain controller on another server. In that case, the server can be virtualized or physically deployed.

For edge or limited-budget scenarios, putting additional systems into a location is often not an option. Therefore, there is another way to deploy a domain controller, and the only requirement is to have a Virtual Private Network connection to a remote location nearby. The remote location could be another office, data center, or cloud service such as Microsoft Azure where a domain controller is available.

You can have your domain controller set up in a remote location and connected via VPN (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)After your cluster is kickstarted, you can also start virtual domain controllers within your Azure Stack HCI cluster to support your users.

You can set virtual domain controllers within your Azure Stack HCI cluster (Image credit: Petri/Flo Fox)With these external domain controllers set up, you should be able to restart your Azure Stack HCI clusters after any disaster or planned shutdown.

Closing NoteAs I explained in this article, you cannot start Windows Server or an Azure Stack HCI cluster without having Windows Server Active Directory deployed first. In an enterprise scenario, you also need to be a supported solution. Depending on your environment, it may be a good choice to have a remote domain controller to kickstart your Azure Stack HCI cluster. That can also help to reduce costs and overload in a branch or edge scenario.

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Microsoft announced some changes yesterday regarding its release schedule for Windows monthly updates. While nothing changes for the “Patch Tuesday” updates released on the second Tuesday of each month, the company announced a new release window for optional non-security preview patches released later in the month.

Starting next month, Microsoft will now target the fourth week of the month to release these optional non-security preview patches for Windows 11 and Windows 10. These optional patches used to be called either “C” or “D” releases, and they include all fixes coming in the following monthly security update release. In some cases, these optional non-security preview releases also include new Windows features, as was the case with File Explorer tabs or Search highlights.

Why Microsoft is changing its release schedule for optional non-security updates“We have found this to be the optimal time for us to publish and for you to consume these updates,” Microsoft said about the new release schedule on the Windows IT Pro blog. “That’s two weeks after your latest monthly security update and about two weeks before you’ll see these features become part of the next mandatory cumulative update. We’re excited for this improvement as it is meant to optimize the validation of payloads, improve consistency, and enhance the predictability of your testing, update, and upgrade experience.”

In practice, this isn’t going to be much of a change. In recent months, these optional Windows patches have been released either in the third week of the month (as was the case in January), or the fourth one (as was the case in February). Anyway, going forward, Microsoft will now make things more predictable for Windows users and IT Pros as these optional updates will now be released in the fourth week of the month.

No more optional updates for Windows 10 versions 20H2 and 21H2In addition to this new release schedule for optional non-security preview updates, Microsoft also announced yesterday that Windows 10 versions 20H2 and 21H2 will no longer receive such updates starting next month. While monthly security (Patch Tuesday) updates will continue to be released as expected, Windows 10 version 22H2 will now be the only version of the OS to receive optional updates at the end of every month.

The March 2023 non-security preview patch released yesterday for Windows 10 versions 20H2, 21H2, and 22H2 includes several bug fixes. It also addresses an issue causing USB printers to be classified as multimedia devices even though they are not. The preview updates for Windows 11 versions 21H2 and 22H2 should be available very soon.

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Microsoft Teams is set to introduce a new green screen feature on Windows and macOS. The company has announced on the Microsoft 365 Admin center that the green screen technology will allow desktop users to replace their backgrounds with custom images in Teams meetings.

“Green screen improves the sharpness and definition of the virtual background effect around your face, head, ears, and hair. It also allows you to show a prop or other object in your hand to be more visible to other participants in a call. The virtual background with a green screen provides the best virtual background effect, consuming fewer system resources, allowing your Teams to run smoother,” Microsoft explained.

To get started, participants will first need to enable the feature in Settings and place a solid-colored screen or a clean background wall behind them. Users will be able to select a specific background effect and a backdrop color to experience better video quality.

Microsoft Teams green screen technology won’t support Mac M1/M2 devicesMicrosoft notes that the green screen feature is compatible with existing Teams features such as background effects, Presenter modes, and PowerPoint Live Standout. It will automatically disable Together Mode and background blur in Teams meetings. Keep in mind that the feature will only support Windows and macOS devices with Intel processors. However, it won’t be available for Mac machines with M1 and M2 chips.

Microsoft plans to release the green screen feature for Teams meetings in public preview later this month. The company plans to make it generally available for all commercial and government tenants in late April.

Overall, the green screen feature would be a welcome addition that should help desktop users to personalize their meeting experience without using third-party plug-ins. Let us know in the comments below if you think that the feature will help to make meetings more professional and engaging for virtual attendees.

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Microsoft has announced that its Microsoft Defender for IoT solution is now generally available for enterprise customers. The new cloud-powered solution helps IT Pros manage network assets, monitor security threats, and control risks across their organization.

“With Microsoft Defender for IoT, you can achieve faster time-to-value, improve agility and scalability, increase visibility, and strengthen the resiliency of your network and infrastructure without making significant changes. The Defender for IoT cloud is designed to augment your on-premises processing power while providing a source of centralized management for global security teams—raising the bar for OT defense,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft explained that cloud-powered IoT and OT security tools provide several advantages over traditional solutions. It supports the end-to-end discovery of assets and reduces the time required for detecting and responding to security threats. The solution utilizes AI to detect threats in real time, provide recommendations and safeguard against known and unknown security threats.

Microsoft Defender for IoT allows customers to create and manage tailored compliance reports. The service also provides cloud-to-cloud integrations that make it easier for users to access data from different sources.

Microsoft Defender for IoT provides simplified integration for end-to-end protectionMicrosoft has introduced Device inventory support that lets IT admins manage OT devices via the Microsoft Azure Portal. It provides a comprehensive view of assets to proactively mitigate security vulnerabilities.

Device inventoryMicrosoft Defender for IoT works in conjunction with Microsoft Sentinel to deliver security information and Event Management (SIEM) for OT and IT environments. The solution also shares threat data with Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft 365 Defender, ServiceNow, IBM QRadar, Splunk, and other third-party products.

As businesses increasingly integrate existing OT platforms with their broader IT infrastructure, the importance of safeguarding enterprise networks against emerging cyber threats continues to grow. Security tools like Microsoft Defender for IoT can provide IT admins with valuable insights and early detection capabilities to address potential issues within their networks.

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Microsoft will start offering on-prem Unified Update Platform (UUP) updates to Windows 11 PCs on March 28. The company is recommending organizations to prepare for a one-time 10GB download to receive future updates via UUP.

Microsoft’s Unified Update Platform (UUP) technology is designed to reduce the size of Windows updates. The on-prem UUP interoperates with management tools such as Windows Service Update Services (WSUS) and Microsoft Configuration Manager.

Microsoft touts that the servicing change should bring several benefits for organizations managing Windows 11 version 22H2. The UUP mechanism promises 30 percent smaller and faster client update downloads for enterprises. The on-prem UUP also integrates cumulative updates with feature updates. It should enable organizations to get both in a single reboot.

Microsoft highlighted that Features on Demand and Language Packs will be retained during feature updates. Moreover, the operating system will be automatically healed during the update process without any need for manual intervention.

Microsoft’s on-premises Unified Update Platform (UUP) to hit GA on March 28On March 28, Microsoft will release a security update (KB5023706) to enable future UUP updates on all eligible Windows 11 devices. However, this update will not be available for users who have already installed the KB5023706 update released on March 14.

“To summarize, UUP is the future of Windows 11, version 22H2 updates. If your WSUS or Microsoft Configuration Manager is configured to sync, your organization will start syncing the extra 10GB download after March 28th. It’s just a one-time download to distribution points. Thereafter, all Windows 11, version 22H2 updates will be UUP on-premises updates, and downloads to distribution points will be the same size as pre-UUP updates,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft advises administrators to use a supported version of Windows Service Update Services (WSUS) and configure their firewall to receive WSUS updates. Moreover, IT Pros should also ensure that they have the correct MIME type configuration, and you can check out the FAQs document for more details.

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The March Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 version 22H2 may be causing some new SSD performance issues, according to various user reports. This is the “Moment 2” update that introduced various new features to Windows 11 including a search box in the taskbar as well as AI-powered recommendations in the Start Menu.

Since the release of Windows 11 version 22H2 last fall, Microsoft has acknowledged a known issue causing slowdowns when copying files on devices running the latest version of Windows 11. Microsoft is still working on a fix for this bug that affects both local copies and network share via the SMB protocol.

However, the SSD performance issues reported by users since the release of this month’s Patch Tuesday update appear to be unrelated to this already-known bug.

Windows 11 users point out SSD speeds and longer boot times after installing this month’s Patch TuesdayIn the Reddit thread related to this month’s Patch Tuesday updates, the top comment from user mesp1 mentions an SSD performance degradation issue after installing this month’s KB5017389 patch for Windows 11 version 22H2.

“Tanked my SSD nvme reading and writing speeds, like A LOT. Went from 7000 to 3000, sometimes 1000 using the balance energy profile in my Legion 5 2021.” The Reddit user also mentioned that his SSD speeds went back to normal after uninstalling the update.

In the same Reddit thread, another popular comment from user sebascq also pointed out a similar issue on their device after installing this month’s Patch Tuesday update.

“I updated my laptop to the 22H2 SO 22621.1344 and noticed that the boot up time increased by a lot it went from around 14 seconds to 31 seconds which is weird because I have 0 programs or apps on startup or background when I boot up the pc with the exception of Nvidia Config,” the post reads.

As of this writing, it appears that Microsoft has yet to comment on this new issue affecting SSD performance on Windows 11 version 22H2. It’s not clear if this is a widespread problem, but if SSD read and write speeds are really critical to your workload, you may want to hold on before installing this update.

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MC530354 – Microsoft is reaching out to inform you that it’s disabling the Monitor for model-driven apps while the company works on making improvements. You may continue to use Monitor for canvas apps.

When will this change happen?
This change will go into effect following the usual deployment schedule. Microsoft will notify you when Monitor is available again for model-driven apps.

If you require assistance, please contact Microsoft Support.

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Microsoft has recently announced the general availability of Amazon Linux 2023. The latest cloud-optimized Linux distribution is designed to improve security and delivers a predictable lifecycle as well as deterministic updates.

Amazon Linux 2023 introduces new pre-configured security policies to help customers adhere to industry standards. IT administrators can configure these policies at launch or runtime for end users in their organizations. Amazon has also turned on several Linux kernel hardening features by default to boost security.

Additionally, Amazon has announced its plans to release major updates to its operating system every two years. The bi-annual updates should include security and performance enhancements for customers. The company also expects to release significant changes to the kernel, OpenSSL, toolchain, GLib C, and other utilities and system libraries.

Amazon has also promised to release quarterly updates with new capabilities, security updates, and bug fixes. The quarterly updates might bring software packages like Docker/Ansible and language runtimes such as Java or Python.

“Each major version, including 2023, will come with five years of long-term support. After the initial two-year period, each major version enters a three-year maintenance period. During the maintenance period, it will continue to receive security bug fixes and patches as soon as they are available. This support commitment gives you the stability you need to manage long project lifecycles,” Amazon explained.

The lifecycle of Amazon Linux distributionsLastly, Amazon Linux 2023 uses versioned repositories to provide deterministic updates. The company has used Fedora’s dnf instead of yum to implement the change. It should make it easier for IT admins to ensure that the package versions are consistent across all systems.

How to get started with Amazon Linux 2023To get started with Amazon Linux 2023, customers can use the AWS Management Console, AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI), the EC2 run-instances API, and any of the four Amazon Linux 2023 AMIs. Amazon provides support for x86_64 and ARM machine architectures as well as standard and minimal sizes. The standard version comes with the basic applications and Amazon Linux 2023 AMIs include the basic utilities and tools.

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Microsoft released Edge version 111 on Windows, macOS, and Linux last week, and this update brought a noticeable UI change: There’s now a big Bing button at the right side of the Edge toolbar, which integrates the new Edge Copilot experience that leverages Microsoft’s Bing chatbot powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Clicking the Bing icon in the toolbar opens the new Edge Copilot experience within the Edge sidebar (if users have signed up for the Bing preview). From there, users can ask questions to the Bing Chatbot or use its “generative AI” capabilities to create content about any topic.

The new Edge Copilot experience in the sidebar (Image credit: Petri/Laurent Giret)The “Insights” tab of the Edge Copilot experience can also identify relevant information about the web page that’s currently open. At the bottom, users can also get more information about the website including traffic information.

Clicking on the Bing icon makes the Edge sidebar and the Edge Copilot experience stick, but you can also just hover your mouse over the Bing icon to make the sidebar appear. This new auto-hide feature is nice, though the new Bing icon may look slightly intrusive for Edge users.

IT admins can still customize the Edge sidebar experienceAs of today, IT Pros can use the HubsSidebarEnabled policy to allow or block the sidebar for Edge users. There are 3 options with this policy:

• Not configured: Edge users will have access to the Sidebar and Edge Copilot experience and be able to always show the sidebar or hide it automatically.
• Enabled: With this option, the sidebar will appear at all times in Edge, and clicking the Bing icon will just open the Edge Copilot experience.
• Disabled: This option will make the Sidebar and the Edge Copilot experience inaccessible for Edge users.

Microsoft noted that it’s currently not possible to enable the Edge sidebar while having the new Copilot experience disabled. However, the company said that additional customization options for the Bing button in the Edge toolbar are coming.

New policy to enable the built-in Adobe Acrobat PDF readerIn a new update for Microsoft Edge 111 released on March 15, Microsoft also made two new policies available for controlling the built-in PDF reader in Edge. The NewPDFReaderEnabled enables the new Adobe Acrobat PDF engine that Microsoft announced last month. This new PDG engine will provide higher fidelity, improved performance, and more accessibility features for Edge users.

Lastly, IT pros can use the ShowAcrobatSubscriptionButton policy to show a button in this new built-in PDF reader to allow users to sign up for an Adobe Acrobat subscription. Microsoft plans to roll out this Adobe Acrobat PDF engine to all organizations starting in September 2023, and the legacy PDF engine in Microsoft Edge will be retired in March 2024.

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Microsoft Lists is the evolution of the SharePoint List feature. Several years ago, the Microsoft brain trust set out to make this ultra-powerful tool more accessible to the masses. By removing ‘SharePoint’ from the marketing pages, and making it ‘an app’, they succeeded in surprisingly productive ways. In this article, I will explain what is Microsoft Lists and give you an overview of everything you can do with this new Microsoft 365 app.

What is Microsoft Lists?Microsoft Lists is a free Microsoft 365 app that helps you organize your workflows and track information across your enterprise. Lists are flexible, simple, and smart, so you are always in the know of what matters most to your team.

Using the robust feature set and templates available, you can track issues, contacts, assets, inventory, and more using customizable views and intelligent rules to alert you to changing and dynamic environments. Want to get an email when someone creates a new desktop asset? Piece of cake!

How to access Microsoft ListsIf you’ve read my other articles here on Petri demonstrating some of the main apps in Microsoft 365, you’ll know that the access methods for many of them are similar – making it easy for your users to utilize them with a minimal learning curve.

The Microsoft 365 App LauncherLet’s start at the beginning. We can log into office.com (or microsoft365.com) and access the App Launcher.

Using the App Launcher in Microsoft 365 to find Microsoft Lists (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)We can click on Lists if it’s been pinned or accessed recently. If not, click All apps and find it in the entire listing.

You can see below the homepage for Microsoft Lists which allows us to open existing lists, favorite a list to keep it pertinent, and click the ‘+ New list‘ button at the top to create a new list.

Our Microsoft Lists homepage (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Installing Microsoft Lists as an appWhen you first launch the Microsoft Lists website, you’ll probably see a fleeting tip to download the latest desktop app. If/when you see that, go ahead and download and install it. If you missed it, and you’re using Microsoft Edge, you can install the Progressive Web App by clicking the ‘App available. Install Microsoft Lists’ button in the address bar.

Adding Microsoft Lists as a Progressive Web App in Microsoft Edge (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Now, we essentially have our ‘desktop’ app that can be pinned to the Windows taskbar. Most important, we can launch it directly from the taskbar, the Start Menu, etc.

The Microsoft Lists mobile appLastly, there is a Microsoft Lists app for your mobile device in both the iOS and Android app stores. You can get the iPhone/iPad app with this link. You can get the Android app with this link!

Let’s now go through some of the core features of Microsoft Lists and I’ll be demonstrating them for you.

What can you do with Microsoft Lists?When Microsoft ventured to evolve and ‘reboot’ SharePoint Lists, they knew they needed the existing core feature set in addition to collaboration enhancements. This is apparent from the various methods you can use to create lists, edit them, collaborate with them, and share them across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem including the OneDrive for Business service I recently wrote about.

The main advantage of using Microsoft Lists instead of SharePoint Lists is the ease of use and accessibility of the app. Instead of needing to create a SharePoint site collection and manage that, you can free yourself of all that rigamarole and use the ‘Lists’ feature/app all on its own. Plus, it’s free!

Many companies struggle with the onboarding (and offboarding) of employees. Microsoft Lists has employee onboarding as the basis for one of their templates. Have no fear – when a new employee comes on board, you can keep track of everything. Human resources will thank you!

Create a list from a templateThanks to a wonderful set of ready-made templates, you can get a new List made in no time. Let’s create a new Asset tracking list to keep track of some assets.

• First, log into office.com with your Microsoft 365 credentials.
• Then, click the App Launcher in the upper-left corner, click All apps, then click Lists. (You can optionally click the three vertical dots when you hover over Lists and select Pin to launcher.)

Accessing the Lists app from office.com (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Here we are at the homepage. Let’s start by clicking the ‘+ New list*‘ button at the top.

The Microsoft Lists homepage (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* You have several options here including starting from scratch, creating a list based on an existing list, importing from Excel or CSV, or using a template.

The plethora of options to create a new List includes wonderful templates! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Before we proceed, let me explain the advantages of using Microsoft Lists vs. Microsoft Excel. The primary advantage here is that you can be unburdened by the Excel learning curve and focus solely on your list and data.

Plus, once you have your data in Microsoft Lists, you have a tool that makes it easier to add visual cues and highlights to your data. With the ready-made templates in Microsoft Lists, you can present and sell an idea/story to your supervisor or other colleagues in decision-making roles.

Let’s get back to creating our first list:

• Let’s choose the ‘Asset manager’ template.

Choosing the Asset Manager template (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Here we can name our list, enter a Description, choose a color for our List (icon), and choose where to save it. We can either save it to our own private list repository or a Teams channel. * Feel free to embellish your needs and click Create*.

We already created a new Asset managing List! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) As the courteous assistant says, let’s click the ‘+ New*‘ button in the upper-left corner to create an asset!

Adding an asset to our List… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)By now, you’ve probably noticed the similarities to working in a SharePoint List: That’s because that’s what we’re using. It’s just been given some fit-and-finish work to make accessing this powerful tool a little easier. Well, for that matter, a LOT easier.

• Let me go through and enter information in the various fields and click Save.

We’ve already created two assets! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)As you can see, this is pretty easy. And remember, if you happen to have an Excel file with all this info pre-populated, it is a breeze to import it into Lists. You can have your asset list in an easy-to-read system and share it effortlessly with colleagues.

Keep your team in sync in Microsoft TeamsBecause of the beautiful synergy and interoperability across Microsoft 365, we can use Microsoft Teams to access our lists.

• Once you’re in Microsoft Teams, click the Apps button on the left navigation/app bar and search for ‘Lists‘.

Using Microsoft Teams as our ‘Lists’ tool (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Select Lists and then click the ‘Add to a team*‘ button.

Here we can add the Lists infrastructure right into a team channel (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) I will choose the Design channel in my ‘Mark 8 Project’ team and click Set up a tab. Next, I will click Save. * After adding the Lists app to the channel, we can choose ‘Create a list‘ and select the ‘Issue tracker*‘ template.

Adding the Lists app to the navigation bar on top (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* I have filled out the Title and Description and added an icon.

Creating a new Issue tracker List in our Teams channel! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* Now, as you can see, we have a convenient tab right in the Team channel to keep track of all issues with the overall ‘Design’ of our project/team!

Our new Design Issues/Tracker list, is right in Teams (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Share your List with another colleagueAnother core feature in Microsoft Lists is the ability to share your list, like other items in Microsoft 365, with other colleagues.

• Back in my ‘Mark 8 – Assets List’, I can click the Share item on the top toolbar.
• Now, all I need to do is type in Grady’s name, add a quick note, then click the Send button to have an email sent to them.

Sharing our List with another colleague – Grady (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Let’s log in as Grady and access our new list. On Grady’s Microsoft 365 homepage, we can see in the ‘Quick access‘ section below the fact that I shared my list with him. Let’s click on it!

Logging into office.com as Grady – there’s our shared List! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)There it is! As you can see, Grady also has permission to make changes and additions to the list. And, a sneak peek at the next section – he can access it from anywhere!

Grady now has full access to our List! (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)I mentioned this earlier, but I wanted to point out the notifications you can set up. When working on a list, you can click the ‘…’ on the toolbar, and click Alert me.

Setting up Alerts on changes to your Lists (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)This allows you to be emailed (or texted) when specific changes are made to your list. There is a good deal of granularity here.

ConclusionA welcome addition to the Microsoft 365 feature list, Microsoft Lists can help many users organize various types of data. You can start quickly with ready-made templates, and you can also easily access recent and favorite lists. Moreover, you can also track and manage lists wherever you’re working, even on your smartphone! Being mobile and agile always assists your users in being more productive and efficient.

If you have any comments or questions, please let me know in the Comments section below. Thank you for reading!

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This Week in IT, Google one ups Microsoft ahead of its ‘Reinventing Productivity with A.I.’ event but it still doesn’t have a product to show. While Microsoft already has ChatGPT-like features integrated into Bing, Edge, and Windows 11.

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Microsoft has released new PowerShell scripts to address a BitLocker security vulnerability on Windows PCs. The PowerShell scripts are designed to automate the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) update process on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

BitLocker is a built-in security feature that helps users to protect data stored on their computers from unauthorized access. Once enabled, the feature requires a password or a smartcard to decrypt the entire disk or individual files or folders. BitLocker protection is particularly useful to protect sensitive data on portable devices like USB drives and Windows laptops.

Microsoft confirmed the BitLocker vulnerability (CVE-2022-41099) back in November 2022. It enables threat actors to bypass the BitLocker encryption protection to access sensitive information on vulnerable Windows devices. Microsoft released a security update to address the security flaw in January this year. However, IT admins had to manually install the update into the Windows Recovery Environment.

How to use the PowerShell scripts to address the BitLocker bypass vulnerabilityMicrosoft explained that the new PowerShell scripts should help administrators to automatically update WinRE images on both operating systems. The company says that IT Pros will need to run these scripts with administrative privileges to protect affected devices against cyberattacks.

Microsoft recommends enterprise admins to install the PatchWinREScript_2004plus.ps1 script on Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 2004 and newer. The company emphasized that it’s comparatively more robust than the second script.

Additionally, the PatchWinREScript_General.ps1 is designed mainly for Windows 10 version 1909 or earlier, but it can also run on Windows 11. If you’re interested, you can check out this support page to learn more about using the PowerShell scripts to update WinRE images on Windows PCs.

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Last month, Google unveiled some important pricing changes for Google Workspace customers. The company announced this week that it’s increasing the monthly cost of several Google Workspace offerings this week.

Steve Holt, Vice President for Google Workspace, penned a lengthy blog post to justify the price hike impacting multiple Workspace tiers. The pricing update follows the newly announced generative AI features coming to Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

“The updates range from improvements to our world-class security and reliability that are required by our largest customers, to tools that increase the simplicity and helpfulness desired by smaller teams. The power of our apps running in the cloud is that these enhancements are immediately available to all our customers, increasing the value we deliver,” Steve Holt explained.

Here are all the details about the pricing changes that will impact three main business editions of Google Workspace:

• Business Starter plans are going from $6 per account per month to $7.2
• Business Standard plans are going from $12 to $14.40
• Business Plus plans are going from $18 to $21.60

Google Workspace launches annual plansGoogle has (re)launched an annual billing option that will let customers commit to a year of Workspace at a fixed cost. Previously, organizations had to call a corporate sales representative to purchase an annual plan. However, IT admins can now sign up for an annual plan directly online. Google says that existing flexible plan customers can easily switch to the annual plan through the Admin Console.

Additionally, Google Workspace Enterprise Standard is getting a price hike this month. Unfortunately, the company did not disclose the new pricing, and customers will need to reach out to the sales department directly to get more information.

Google plans to begin rolling out the pricing changes for existing customers next month and will continue through 2024. The price hike will not impact organizations with less than 10 user licenses until January 2024. Google plans to provide advance notice of at least 30 days before making any changes to the pricing.

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In this post, I want to discuss a topic that is getting an increasing amount of attention in Europe: the impact of cloud computing on the energy sector. This was already a concern before the current energy crisis started, but the power consumption of cloud computing is rarely out of the news now.

First of all, my knowledge of this topic is skewed toward Microsoft’s data centers in Ireland. However, the issue is not restricted to Ireland or Microsoft; everything I’ll be discussing here includes all of the big cloud service providers and their data centers around the world.

The core issue: The power consumption of data centersCloud computing requires a lot of power. Did you know that the power consumption of data centers is measured by megawatts? A cloud data center is even bigger and denser, driving huge amounts of storage and power-intensive hardware such as GPUs which are required for graphics, machine learning, high-performance computing, and simulation workloads.

According to Ireland’s Central Statistics Office, data center power consumption in the country is greater than the one from the entirety of rural Ireland. Rural Ireland is approximately 1.8 million people or approximately 35% of the population of the country. Imagine that one industry consumes more power than 35% of the population of an entire country!

The cloud computing industry pays its wayIs that really a problem if the cloud computing industry is paying its fair share of taxation to cover the impact of energy consumption? Unfortunately, this is a rather complex equation.

According to a recent report from consulting firm Baringa, the information and communications technology industry is responsible for 15% of the economy in Ireland. Of that 15%, how much of it is sourced from the cloud?

The Irish subsidiary of Microsoft recorded a profit of €2.6 billion in its 2021 fiscal year. Meanwhile, a recent study from the Center for Corporate Tax Accountability and Research revealed that Microsoft is paying no direct taxes in Ireland by claiming a tax residency in Bermuda.

Some will argue that these data centers announce huge employee counts and those employees are paying taxes – so maybe the big 3 clouds (Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform) are paying indirect taxes?

Microsoft, Amazon, and Google keep building more and more data centersWhen the construction of a new data center build is announced, it usually results in the creation of hundreds of new jobs. Those jobs are short-term contract workers hired to build the data center. However, most of the long-term local employees are lower-paid security and operator staff, while most of the high-skilled workers are already employed in a few globally dispersed locations.

Ultimately, all these data centers need to operate is people to guard the doors and swap out any failed disks. If you want evidence of that, go ahead and use the satellite view in your favorite mapping tool and search for the data centers of the big 3. You will not see many car parking spaces – and the locations are remote enough to preclude the use of public transport.

Anyway, Microsoft (and probably the other big two cloud providers) are using 35% of the power from Ireland while paying no taxes. Is that really fair and sustainable?

The electricity is paid forLet’s say that company X consumes Y megawatts from the grid. All is legal and cool if they pay for those Y megawatts.

As winter descended upon us last year, the company that runs the national grid in Ireland was constantly in the news, warning us that blackouts were a possibility because of the increased power consumption during that time of year. Recently, we have been told to avoid using electricity between 5 PM and 8 PM… which is when you usually cook dinner or do your laundry after a day of work.

Microsoft has since realized that it cannot get enough electricity from Ireland’s grid. The Business Post reported in December that Microsoft was planning to build a €900 million diesel-powered power station in Dublin producing 170 megawatts to power their “North Europe” region of data centers for Azure, Microsoft 365, and other cloud services.

The impact of cloud computing on power consumption in Ireland has led Eirgrid, the national electric power transmission operator to issue a moratorium on data center builds in the greater Dublin region until at least 2028. However, 21 new data centers are already planned outside the city according to The Business Post.

The impact of renewable energyThis isn’t the place to discuss whether climate change is artificial, natural, or a woke attack on orange ex-presidents. However, the truth is that supplies of carbon-based fuels are finite and costs have sky-rocketed following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Renewable energy must play a larger role in providing more power to countries around the world.

Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are snapping up the entire production of renewable power farms as they are built. These power farms are installations that take up swathes of land, and they probably received planning permission on the premise that they would power a certain number of homes. However, instead of powering the homes of tax-paying citizens, these power farms are sending all of the electricity they produce straight to the biggest cloud computing providers.

In 2017, Microsoft signed a 15-year exclusive contract with General Electric to consume power from a wind farm in the southwest of Ireland – 15 years of production that could have reduced the carbon footprint of domestic users and businesses that pay taxes in Ireland. Last November, the Redmond giant also signed an agreement to switch to 100% renewable power by 2030 in Ireland, creating further competition against citizens and businesses paying Irish taxes for power resources that still have not been built.

Isn’t the cloud green already?There is an argument that migrating workloads to the cloud will reduce power consumption, and therefore, pressure on a national grid. However, it’s hard to verify that in practice.

I’m not so sure that the levels of density in an Azure data center are impressive. In the early days of Azure with just A-Series virtual machines (remember – all Platform as a Service offerings hide a virtual machine under the covers), there were only a handful of machines per physical host. Meanwhile, those of us using on-premises Hyper-V or VMware were getting much higher levels of VM density.

Cloud regions are like gravity wells, sucking compute and storage into central locations. For example, the Microsoft West Europe region in the northwest Netherlands is providing compute and storage for customers in many countries all over Europe. The power grids for those customers are under less pressure, but the power grid in the Netherlands is put under more pressure.

Sea-powered cloudYou might remember Microsoft’s Project Natick, an experiment to run a mini-cloud data center in a deep sea tank. Uninformed persons might assume that Project Natick has inspired a broad industry change – no it has not. This was an interesting project, but there are many obstacles that I (not a deep sea expert) can think of.

Microsoft tested underwater data centers with Project Natick (Photography by Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures)The submersible tank in the photos and video was tiny. How many of those tanks would be required to replace a building that is hundreds of meters long? And that’s assuming that these tanks are even feasible:

• Won’t there be huge protests against a data center installation that will replace precious sea floor life with concrete beds?
• Placement in international waters will be too complex and expensive, not to mention the threat of an unfriendly nation tapping wires insidethe cloud network.
• The cost of the tanks will be crazy – underwater data centers would need to be highly resilient to survive years without needing to be raised to be repaired. And what happens if one of those things leaks and the customer hasn’t used availability zones?

Ultimately, sea-located data centers are a nice story, but they seem to be far from practical.

Using data centers as power generatorsAn Amazon data center in Dublin, which was once a biscuit factory that teased my olfactory senses as a child, is set to use its excess heat to warm an educational facility, government buildings, and 133 apartments. At first sight, this seems like a nice feel-good story, but sit back and think for a moment: How much power is this data center consuming? Now, compare that to the power required to heat 133 homes, a school, and an office building for 6-8 months per year.

Microsoft recently announced a plan to become a UPS for the national grid. The concept is that a cloud data center has huge amounts of battery power. Should a national grid be reaching low levels of supply capacity, if a data center is in a healthy state, it could output power to the grid to power other businesses and homes.

One could see this as the data center acting as a battery for the grid. For example, Ireland’s renewable energy sources are heavily skewed towards wind power, which is not reliable. Wind farms could charge the battery (the data center) and if the wind stops blowing, the battery could feed consumers. This is an interesting concept, but it will be necessary to see how it might work out.

ConclusionIt’s clear by my career choice (I’m a cloud consultant) that I’m in favor of cloud computing. However, I think there needs to be a reasonable conversation about how the cloud consumes power from a country and provides a contribution back to that country.

This isn’t to be mistaken with what some call “socialism”, it’s a hard reality that these companies are making huge impacts on economies and are not contributing back to those economies, breaking some of the concepts of capitalism. Technology innovation is interesting, but precious and expensive power is being devoured by cloud data centers in small areas, and something needs to be done to balance the equation.

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MC516348 – Updated March 16, 2023: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

As part of the DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting & Conformance) standard, the owner of the domain whose MX is pointed to Office 365 can request DMARC aggregate reports through the RUA of the DMARC record. This will help the domain owner to monitor their domain’s traffic passing through Office 365 and adjust their sender authentication configurations to reach an actionable DMARC policy.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 109535

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-March (previously mid-February) and expect to complete by late March.

How this will affect your organization:

Domain owners will receive DMARC reports to RUA email addresses.

What you need to do to prepare:

DMARC reports are only sent to domains whose MX is pointed to O365. In order to obtain DMARC aggregate reports for your domain, it must have a valid DMARC record that includes a valid RUA email address.

You can learn more about DMARC here

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MC469578 – Updated March 16, 2023: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Microsoft is excited to announce the OneNote viewer feature within Teams mobile apps.

Through this new feature, users will be able to open and view OneNote notebooks right within their Teams mobile apps. Users interested in editing the content will be directed to the standalone OneNote mobile app. The experience will be available as part of the Teams mobile apps on Android and iOS (including iPads) starting with English language users, followed by international languages.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 103097

When this will happen:

Standard Release: Microsoft expects to begin rolling out the OneNote viewer starting early December 2022 and complete the rollout by late March (previously late February). 

Rollout for Android has completed.

What you need to do to prepare:

No admin action is needed to support these changes.

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MC455520 – Updated March 16, 2023: Microsoft apologizes for the delay and have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

SharePoint is updating the site detail panel to include Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 Groups information.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 100053

Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-November 2022 and expect to complete by late April (previously late February).

How this will affect your organization:

Admins that have permissions to SharePoint, Teams and Groups admin centers can now manage all related attributes (membership, group name, description, etc.) from a single site detail panel in the SharePoint admin center ‘Active Sites’ tab. SharePoint admins with SharePoint only permissions will have read-only access to the new attributes.

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What you need to do to prepare:

No preparation is required

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MC504326 – Updated March 16, 2023: Microsoft has updated the content below to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

Microsoft is pleased to announce that the configuration of Private CDN is no longer required. It is now automatically managed within the SharePoint online service.

Public CDN should however be configured as recommended. Please contact Microsoft support should you have any further questions.

When this will happen:

The change will start rolling out to customers starting early March 2023, and we expect to complete by end of March 2023.

How this will affect your organization:

You no longer have to configure private CDN for your SharePoint online environment for all image file types. If you are using private CDN for other files (like JS and CSS) please reconfigure to use public CDN. Public CDN can be configured as recommended. Please contact Microsoft support should you have any further questions.

Additional information

Help and support

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MC528800 – Today Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Copilot – new experience that combines the power of large language models with your data in the Microsoft Graph and the Microsoft 365 apps. Copilot is integrated into Microsoft 365 in two ways. First, it works alongside the user, embedded in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. Second, we’ve also introduced Business Chat that works across all Microsoft 365 apps and data in real-time: user’s calendar, emails, chats, documents, meetings, and contacts.

How this will affect your organization:

Integrated into Microsoft 365, Copilot automatically inherits all of your company’s security, compliance, identity, and privacy policies and processes. Two-factor authentication, compliance boundaries, privacy protections, and more make Copilot the AI solution you can trust. Copilot works only with content to which your users already have permission to access.

Today’s announcement does not impact any Azure Active Directory (AAD) users in your organization, as the new features are currently only available to a limited set of commercial customers through a Private Preview program.

As these services become more broadly available, Microsoft will be providing admins with an advance notice and technical documentation about available controls and policies.

What you need to do to prepare:

There is nothing you need to do at this time. As soon as the additional roll out dates are ready to be announced, Microsoft will inform you through the Message Center in the Microsoft 365 admin center. You can also follow these features on Microsoft 365 public roadmap website.

Learn more about other technical details in this blog.

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Thursday 16, March, at its Reinventing Productivity with A.I. event, Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Copilot, a new set of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) integrations in its suite of Office applications, powered by ChatGPT and technology it has developed using the Microsoft Graph and large language models (LLMs).

Introducing Microsoft 365 CopilotOffice apps already have A.I. features today, like PowerPoint’s Designer, where it suggests design layouts for your slides. But Copilot takes A.I. integration a step further by allowing you to interact with apps using natural language. And Copilot is able to analyze information not only in the current document, but also other relevant documents stored in your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Microsoft 365 Copilot for PowerPoint (Image Credit: Microsoft)The Copilot system is an orchestration engine that harnesses the power of information via the Microsoft Graph and large language models (LLMs). It’s not just ChatGPT bolted on to Microsoft 365 apps. Microsoft demonstrated how Copilot can analyze sales information in an Excel spreadsheet and identify key trends. And dig deeper to surface more detailed information in a table and graph on a new sheet.

That’s not trivial. Especially if your Excel skills are limited. Microsoft said during the presentation: ‘Most people use no more than ten percent of what PowerPoint can do. Copilot unlocks the other ninety percent.’ And that applies across the board with Microsoft’s productivity apps.

OutlookCopilot will help you separate important information from noise by triaging your inbox. And on mobile, it can summarize long email threads, draft replies, integrate data from other sources like Excel. And it can make your email replies more concise, add more context, or change the writing style.

Microsoft 365 Copilot for Outlook (Image Credit: Microsoft)TeamsIf you are unable to attend a meeting, you can let Copilot follow it and produce a summary of what you missed. The recap will arrive as a notification in Teams and include content shared during the meeting, summarize notes, and provide a list of any action items that were assigned to you and others.

When information provided by the summary isn’t enough, you can use Copilot and natural language to ask for more details or why certain decisions were made. And if you want to understand more, Copilot can surface what other solutions were considered. Much like in Bing Prometheus, Copilot will provide citations from the meeting transcript to back up its conclusions.

PowerPointCopilot lets you generate a slide deck just from just words and using natural language. You can provide as much context as required and documents that contain relevant information. You can hone the results manually or ask Copilot to do it. Imagine you have a slide that just has words. You can ask Copilot to make it more visual. Or you could ask Copilot to animate a slide and even add speaker notes.

‘What if the tools could learn how you work, rather than the other way round?’

Microsoft also demonstrated how more people will be able to use tools like Power Automate using natural language. Power Automate is a no-code solution for developing apps. But it’s not always easy to build more than very simple workflows without experience. Copilot will help Power Automate become an app that you use every day, just like Word and PowerPoint.

Copilot Business ChatDo you struggle to find the information you need for a project? Copilot Business Chat is a bot that pulls all the information you are looking for in a single place using natural language. Business Chat brings many of the Copilot features found in the individual apps into a single place. Once you’ve surfaced the information you require, you can ask it to produce a slide deck or email.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Business Chat (Image Credit: Microsoft)Copilot and Microsoft LoopLoop is still in private preview at the time of writing but it hasn’t been left out. Copilot also works with Loop components to help you organize and generate content.

Copilot for the enterpriseMicrosoft emphasized during the event that Copilot is grounded in your organization’s data and that it works securely while respecting compliance rules and privacy. So, you don’t need to worry about Copilot surfacing private information when it is used to query data across your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Microsoft 365 Copilot for Word (Image Credit: Microsoft)The content Copilot generates is intended to be used as a draft to get you started. Microsoft admitted that sometimes Copilot gets it wrong and that engineers are working with customers to improve the results over time.

Microsoft 365 Copilot availabilityThere was no exact date given as to when Copilot would be made available. But Microsoft has said that Copilot will be released in Microsoft 365 apps during the months ahead. Starting with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Viva, Power Platform, and more.

Earlier in March, Microsoft announced Dynamics 365 Copilot, which it claims is the world’s first A.I. Copilot in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

Is Copilot the answer to managing information overload and faster content generation?Google managed to one up Microsoft this week with an event on Tuesday where it announced similar A.I. integrations in Google Workspace. But Google still doesn’t have a product to show. Although, a preview was promised by the end of the month.

The Microsoft demos we saw today, to be honest, were mind blowing. But the proof is in the pudding. It remains to be seen whether similar results can be reproduced with real-world data and scenarios. And what the additional cost, if any, will be for Copilot.

Having seen what Microsoft has achieved with Bing Prometheus, it’s A.I. powered search feature that uses technology from OpenAI, including ChatGPT, I’m confident that we will eventually be able to experience similar results to what was shown today. But like Prometheus, it’s early days and I would expect Copilot to be far from perfect out of the gate.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of Azure Firewall Basic. The affordable SKU launched in preview in October 2022 to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) protect their Azure cloud environments.

Azure Firewall is a cloud-based solution that provides an additional layer of security to protect Azure Virtual Network resources from external and internal threats. Microsoft says that customers have widely adopted Azure Firewall Basic since its launch in public preview. The company has now added a new feature that lets users deploy Azure Firewall within a virtual hub.

“Deploying Azure Firewall in a virtual network is recommended for customers who plan to use traditional hub-and-spoke network topology with a Firewall on the hub. Whereas, deploying on a virtual hub is recommended for customers with large or global network deployments in Azure where global transit connectivity across Azure regions and on-premises locations is needed,” explained Mark Gakman, Senior Product Manager for Azure Networking.

In addition to the Basic plan, Azure Firewall is available in two other SKUs to meet the specific needs of businesses. Azure Firewall Standard is designed for customers that need Layer 3–Layer 7 firewall protection with threat intelligence, custom DNS, Domain Name System (DNS) proxy, and other features. Moreover, Azure Firewall Premium helps organizations protect highly sensitive workloads.

Azure Firewall Basic: A cloud-native network firewall security solutionMicrosoft has highlighted several key capabilities included in Azure Firewall Basic. It provides built-in high availability, network and application traffic filtering, as well as threat intelligence features to detect malicious traffic.

Additionally, IT admins can use templates to easily deploy Azure Firewall Basic in their Azure environments. Other features include automatic updates, centralized management, and support for Infrastructure as Code (IaC).

Microsoft has acknowledged a couple of limitations in Azure Firewall Basic. Currently, the new SKU supports Threat Intel alert-only mode. Secondly, Azure Firewall Basic is ideal for environments that have an approximate data transfer rate of 250 Mbps. Microsoft says that it has a fixed scale unit to run the service on backend virtual machine instances. We invite you to check out the Azure Firewall website for pricing details.

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Microsoft has released patches to address a critical security flaw in Outlook for Windows. The company confirmed that a Russian hacking group exploited the NTLM vulnerability to target several European and military organizations in 2022.

The zero-day flaw (CVE-2023-23397) was first reported discovered by Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA). It’s a privilege escalation vulnerability with a 9.8 CVSS score affecting all supported versions of Outlook for Windows.

Essentially, the vulnerability lets remote attackers send a specially crafted email to a vulnerable system to access the victim’s NTLM password hash. Windows New technology LAN Manager (NTLM) is a suite of security protocols that use hashed login credentials for authentication in Windows domains. Once stolen, the NTLM password hash can be used for authentication purposes.

“CVE-2023-23397 is a critical EoP vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook that is triggered when an attacker sends a message with an extended MAPI property with a UNC path to an SMB (TCP 445) share on a threat actor-controlled server,” Microsoft explained. “The connection to the remote SMB server sends the user’s NTLM negotiation message, which the attacker can then relay for authentication against other systems that support NTLM authentication.”

It is important to note that the Outlook Web app doesn’t use NTLM to authenticate users. Microsoft has confirmed that the NTLM vulnerability only impacts customers running Outlook for Windows clients.

Microsoft details mitigation strategies to block Outlook NTLM attacksMicrosoft recommends its customers to install the latest security updates available for Outlook for Windows to address the NTLM vulnerability. Additionally, IT admins can block TCP 445/SMB outbound from their networks.

Microsoft also advises administrators to add on-premises accounts to the Protected Users Security Group. The company has also developed a PowerShell script to find and remove suspicious items in on-premises and cloud environments.

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MC527924 – Microsoft is making some changes to the location of Teams meeting add-in log files.

When this will happen:

Microsoft will begin rolling out to Standard tenants in mid-March and expect to complete rollout by mid-April.

GCC, GCCH, and DoD will begin rollout in mid-April and expect to complete by mid-May.

How this affects your organization:

Teams meeting add-in log files will be stored in %localappdata%\Temp\Microsoft\Teams\meeting-addin. Administrators will need to look at the new location when verifying issues with Teams meeting add-in from the log files, when this change is implemented.

What you can do to prepare:

When this change takes effect, IT Admins will need to update any scripts or tooling that is looking for Teams meeting add-in logs from the previous location.

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Microsoft has announced the general availability of AWS Application composer. First introduced in December 2022, the new low-code tool enables developers to visually design and build serverless applications from multiple AWS services.

“You can drag, drop, and connect AWS services into an application architecture by using AWS Application Composer’s browser-based visual canvas. AWS Application Composer helps you focus on building by maintaining deployment-ready infrastructure as code (IaC) definitions, complete with integration configuration for each service,” the company explained.

AWS has also made some improvements to the Application Composer tool based on customer feedback. The service now provides better integration with Amazon SQS (Simple Queue Service). AWS Application Composer also introduced zoom controls and smaller resource cards that let users view more details on a single screen. A new change inspector feature helps to track changes when resources are connected.

How to get started with AWS Application ComposerTo get started, users will need to head to the AWS Management Console and select the Open demo option. They will see a simple cart app with various resources such as AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon API Gateway. Users can drag and drop AWS services from the left Resources panel onto the canvas to expand their architecture. It’s possible to connect resources in the middle Canvas panel.

AWS highlighted that AWS Applicatio be useful in various scenarios. For instance, developers can use the tool to build a prototype of serverless applications. It also helps to create diagrams for documentation or onboard new team members. AWS Application Composer can be used to improve existing serverless projects.

AWS Application Composer is available in the US East (N. Virginia), US East (Ohio), US West (Oregon), Asia Pacific (Sydney), Asia Pacific (Singapore), Asia Pacific (Tokyo), Europe (Stockholm), Europe (Frankfurt), and Europe (Ireland) regions. You can refer to the AWS Application Composer developer guide for details.

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Microsoft has warned customers about Adversary-in-the-Middle (AiTM) phishing kit available for sale on a popular cybercrime forum. The software is designed to make it easier for attackers to deploy phishing campaigns to target enterprise accounts.

According to the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team, this phishing kit is an open-source tool that is developed by a hacking group called DEV-1101. Last year, cybercriminals started selling the Adversary-in-the-Middle (AiTM) phishing kit for $300 for a standard version and VIP licenses for $1,000.

Microsoft explained that the tool provides various advanced features that support the deployment of phishing campaigns in enterprise environments. Specifically, it gives threat actors the ability to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA). The security feature requires users to provide one or more forms of authentication to access a service. It makes it difficult for hackers to gain unauthorized access to users’ accounts.

Interestingly, the AiTM kit leverages different techniques to avoid detection. First up, it enables threat actors to insert a CAPTCHA into the phishing process, which lets humans access the final phishing page. There is also a feature that uses antibot functionality that triggers an href redirection to a benign page. It makes it easier to bypass blocklists maintained for malicious URLs.

“These attributes make the kit attractive to many different actors who have continually put it to use since it became available in May 2022. Actors using this kit have varying motivations and targeting and might target any industry or sector,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team explained.

The AiTM phishing attack chainHow to mitigate AiTM phishing attacks?Microsoft detailed several security measures that help organizations to block AiTM phishing attacks. The company suggests using certificate-based authentication (CBA), Microsoft Authenticator, FIDO2 security keys, and other methods to implement MFA in Azure AD.

Microsoft also recommends customers to use security defaults, continuous access evaluation, and use advanced anti-phishing solutions. Moreover, IT admins should continuously monitor suspicious activities to protect their users against AiTM attacks.

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In this article, I will explain what are affinity and anti-affinity rules and how to use them with Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server Hyper-V. If you’ve been using other hypervisors, you may already be familiar with affinity and anti-affinity rules, which are used to define the relationship between virtual machines and hosts.

What are affinity and anti-affinity rules?Affinity and anti-affinity rules describe how virtual machines on a hypervisor are placed next to each other when deployed and in operation. Let’s dive into details about how they work.

Affinity RulesWhen configuring the relationship between two virtual machines with an affinity rule, you want to keep them as close as possible. In the best case, you want to keep them on the same hypervisor host.

You can use an affinity rule to keep two VMs as close as possible (Image credit: Flo Fox/Petri)Normally, you use affinity rules to keep systems close to each other. That is often required for virtual machines that need very fast and reliable communication with each other.

A good use case could be a high-performance compute cluster where very fast communication for calculations is more important than redundancy. Another example could be frontend and backend systems where the frontend needs very fast communication with the backend system.

An affinity rule can ensure very fast communication in a high-performance compute cluster (Image credit: Flo Fox/Petri)Anti-affinity rulesAnti-affinity rules are the direct opposite of affinity rules: Those rules are used to ensure that virtual machines are never running on the same hypervisor host.

Anti-affinity rules are used to ensure that VMs are never running on the same hypervisor host (Image credit: Flo Fox/Petri)You may want to use anti-affinity rules for virtual machines that are, for example, running as a cluster or hosting the same service and never should fail at the same time if the host fails. A good example of such a service would be a Windows Server Active Directory domain controller: You should normally have a minimum of two domain controllers, though you don’t want to have them running on the same host to prevent any outages of your directory service.

In any case, clustered systems are always a good use case for using anti-affinity rules.

Clustered systems are always a good use case for using anti-affinity rules (Image credit: Flo Fox/Petri)Why combine affinity and anti-affinity rules in Azure Stack HCIIn more complex environments with larger application systems depending on several frontend and backend application servers, you may want to combine affinity and anti-affinity rules to improve performance while keeping availability as high as possible.

In such a case, you would for example put frontend and backend application services in an affinity group and the backend systems in a separate anti-affinity group.

You may want to combine the two types of rules to improve performance in complex systems (Image credit: Flo Fox/Petri)In Azure Stack HCI, you can create server and site-based affinity and anti-affinity rules. You have the option to create those via PowerShell and the Windows Admin Center. To learn more, Microsoft created a great guide for creating server and site affinity rules for virtual machines.

What could impact the placement of virtual machines?Normally, an Azure Stack HCI cluster should be perfectly able to place your virtual machines using the affinity rules you defined. However, the following are factors that could negatively impact that placement:

• Maintenance: During maintenance, you may have not enough host resources or servers available. That could either result in virtual machines running in a not desired host combination, or your automated maintenance stopping because it cannot maintain the availability.
• Host outages: You may not have enough host resources or servers available. That could result in virtual machines running in a not desired host combination.
• Contradictory rules: There’s always the possibility that the rules you created are contradictory, and that could impact your placement. Every time you’re planning your rules, think them through a few more times to make sure you don’t miss anything.
• Virtual machine load balancing: This feature allowing you to optimize server utilization in your clusters may also impact the placement of virtual machines.

Depending on your Virtual machine load balancing configuration, your virtual machines could move around and may not run optimally for your application systems and services. It is normally a good thing to keep load balancing aggressiveness medium to low. That helps to prevent unpredicted moving around of virtual machines.

ConclusionAffinity and anti-affinity rules are very important tools in your toolset for Windows Server Hyper-V and Azure Stack HCI. It helps you increase your virtual machine performance and availably of critical workloads. In any case, you should always try to use them to optimize your environment.

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MC516263 – Updated March 14, 2023: Microsoft has updated this message to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

The Stream migration tool, which has been in preview since August of 2022, has now entered general availability. The tool is designed to help IT admins migrate video content from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint). Admins can access the tool by logging on to the Stream Admin Center and then navigating to Stream Migration > Migration tool.

As announced in January, Stream (Classic) will be retired on Feb 15, 2024 for all customers, except GCC customers. The successor service Stream (on SharePoint) is currently available for all customers. A critical step to begin adopting Stream (on SharePoint) is to migrate video content to it. The Stream migration tool has been designed to help admins move content from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) as there is no auto-migration within Stream (Classic).

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 93361

Note: This message center post does not apply to Government Commercial Cloud (GCC) customers. The migration tool is not yet available for GCC customers, and Microsoft has not yet set a retirement date for the GCC instance of Stream (Classic). Until those dates are announced, GCC customers can continue to use Stream (Classic) without interruption. When these dates are announced GCC customers will receive both access to the migration tool and one-year advance notice of retirement.

When this will happen:

GA: Microsoft will begin rolling out on February 15,2023 and expect to complete rollout by late February.

How this will affect your organization:

As part of the Stream (Classic) retirement process Microsoft is introducing two default date settings which admins can adjust using the Stream (Classic) admin center.

How to delay the change that will block users from uploading to Stream (Classic):

• Beginning May 15, 2023 users will be blocked from uploading content to Stream (Classic) unless you take action to delay this change. You can delay this change to as late as August 15, 2023, after which videos will start saving to Stream (on SharePoint) by default. You can access the setting by navigating to the Stream (Classic) Admin center > Stream Migration > Settings. Under “Save videos to Stream (on SharePoint)” change the “Scheduled for” to your desired date. For more information please visit this page.
• After the “scheduled for” date, users who attempt to upload to Stream (Classic) will see only the option to upload to Stream (on SharePoint). Users who click on this option will be redirected to the Stream start page (Stream.Office.com) where they can upload to Stream (on SharePoint).

How to delay the change that will block users from accessing Stream (Classic):

• Beginning October 15, 2023 users will no longer be able to access or use Stream (Classic) unless you take action to delay this change. You can delay this change until February 15, 2024, after which your users will not be able to access Stream (Classic). You can access this setting by navigating to the Stream (Classic) Admin center > Stream Migration > Settings. Under “Disable Stream (Classic) for users” change the “Scheduled for” date to your desired date.
• The date you enter in the “Scheduled for” box will be the date that end users lose access to Stream (Classic). Note: Admins will retain access Stream (Classic) and the migration tool until February 15, 2024. For more information, please visit this page.

What you need to do to prepare:

Microsoft recommends that you consider taking these actions:

1. Begin planning your video content migration. While Stream (Classic) will be available until February 15, 2024, Microsoft plans to retire some functionality sooner than 2024.
2. View the Stream (Classic) retirement timeline for the most current dates in the retirement process.
3. Delay default service retirement date settings if needed.

See the documentation below to familiarize yourself with the migration process:

• Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) migration tool
• Step-by step guide to run the Stream migration tool
• Stream migration tool settings
• Stream migration tool reports, permissions and embed support
• Migration strategies for moving from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint)
• Stream (Classic) retirement timeline

If you would like to provide feedback to the product team on any items that may be blocking you from using this migration tool in its current state, please provide your feedback here.

Additional information

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Microsoft has just released the March 2023 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10. For Windows 11 users, today marks the public rollout of the “Moment 2” feature update that brings a new search box to the taskbar and many other new features.

On the security front, this month’s Patch Tuesday updates include fixes for 74 vulnerabilities in Windows and other components. Two of them are currently being exploited by attackers, including an Outlook spoofing vulnerability.

74 vulnerabilities fixed in the March Patch Tuesday updatesHere are the most critical vulnerabilities fixed with this month’s Patch Tuesday updates:

• CVE-2023-23397: This Microsoft Outlook Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability is already being exploited by attackers sending specially crafted emails that are triggered automatically when they’re retrieved and processed by the email server.
• CVE-2023-24880: This Windows SmartScreen Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is also being exploited by attackers. It requires a malicious malicious file that would evade Mark of the Web (MOTW) defenses.
• CVE-2023-23392: This HTTP Protocol Stack Remote Code Execution Vulnerability could allow an unauthenticated attacker to send a specially crafted packet to a targeted server utilizing the HTTP Protocol Stack (http.sys) to process packets.
• CVE-2023-23415: This Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability could allow an attacker to send a low-level protocol error containing a fragmented IP packet inside another ICMP packet in its header to the target machine.
• CVE-2023-23411: This Windows Hyper-V Denial of Service Vulnerability could allow a Hyper-V guest to affect the functionality of the Hyper-V host.

You can find the full list of CVEs included in this month’s Patch Tuesday below:

| Product | Impact | Max Severity | Article | Download | Details | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Remote Code Execution | Critical | 5023706 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23392 | | Windows 10 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5023713 | Security Update | CVE-2023-1018 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-1018 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023765 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023764 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023756 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023752 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2012 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023756 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2012 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023752 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation) | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023697 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows Server 2016 | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023697 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023697 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24911 | | Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023697 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023713 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023706 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023698 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 11 version 21H2 for x64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023698 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for ARM64-based Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for 32-bit Systems | Information Disclosure | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24870 | | Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) | Security Feature Bypass | Moderate | 5023705 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24880 | | Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation) | Security Feature Bypass | Moderate | 5023786 | AzureHotpatch | CVE-2023-24880 | | Windows Server 2022 | Security Feature Bypass | Moderate | 5023705 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24880 | | Windows Server 2022 | Security Feature Bypass | Moderate | 5023786 | AzureHotpatch | CVE-2023-24880 | | Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023696 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24876 | | Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023702 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24876 | | Windows Server 2019 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023702 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24876 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023702 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24876 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5023702 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24910 | | Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Important | 5023702 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24910 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023765 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24909 | | Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023764 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24909 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.5 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23946 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.4 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23618 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.0 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23618 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11 (includes 16.0 – 16.10) | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23618 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.2 | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23618 | | Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9 (includes 15.0 – 15.8) | Remote Code Execution | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23618 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023769 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023759 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023769 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023759 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023755 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023754 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24869 | | Azure Service Fabric 9.1 for Ubuntu | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23383 | | Azure Service Fabric 9.1 for Windows | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23383 | | Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) version 9.0 | Spoofing | Important | 5023506 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24891 | | Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) version 9.1 | Spoofing | Important | 5023505 | Security Update | CVE-2023-24891 | | OneDrive for iOS | Security Feature Bypass | Important | App Store | Security Update | CVE-2023-24890 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023755 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023754 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24869 | | OneDrive for MacOS Installer | Elevation of Privilege | Important | App Store | Security Update | CVE-2023-24930 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023755 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023754 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023755 | Monthly Rollup | CVE-2023-24869 | | Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5023754 | Security Only | CVE-2023-24869 | | Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-24892 | | OneDrive for Android | Information Disclosure | Important | App Store | Security Update | CVE-2023-24882 | | Microsoft Office for Universal | Elevation of Privilege | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-24910 | | Microsoft Office for Android | Elevation of Privilege | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-24910 | | Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021 | Elevation of Privilege | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-24910 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac | Elevation of Privilege | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-24910 | | Azure HDInsights | Spoofing | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23408 | | Microsoft Outlook 2016 (64-bit edition) | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5002254 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Outlook 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions) | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5002265 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Outlook 2013 RT Service Pack 1 | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5002265 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Outlook 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions) | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5002265 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for 32-bit editions | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 32-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Office 2019 for 64-bit editions | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 64-bit Systems | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editions | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Outlook 2016 (32-bit edition) | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | 5002254 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editions | Elevation of Privilege | Critical | Click to Run | Security Update | CVE-2023-23397 | | Microsoft Office Web Apps Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002362 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002198 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002198 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Office 2013 RT Service Pack 1 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002198 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Excel 2013 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002348 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Excel 2013 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002348 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Excel 2013 RT Service Pack 1 | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002348 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Office 2016 (64-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002197 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Office 2016 (32-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002197 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Excel 2016 (64-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002351 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Excel 2016 (32-bit edition) | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002351 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft Office Online Server | Remote Code Execution | Important | 5002356 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23399 | | Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002367 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002168 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Server Subscription Edition | Spoofing | Important | 5002355 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019 | Spoofing | Important | 5002358 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002366 | Cumulative Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002367 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 Service Pack 1 | Spoofing | Important | 5002168 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 | Spoofing | Important | 5002368 | Security Update | CVE-2023-23395 | | Microsoft Malware Protection Engine | Elevation of Privilege | Important | Release Notes | Security Update | CVE-2023-23389 |

Quality and experience updatesI’ve previously detailed all the new features included in the “Moment 2” update for Windows 11 version 22H2 last month, but here’s a summary of all the new features in this update:

• There’s a new search box in the taskbar for using Windows Search
• The taskbar is now optimized for 2-in-1 devices with new “Expanded” and “Collapsed” states
• On Windows on ARM devices that support Windows Studio Effects, these options are now accessible from Quick Settings in the taskbar
• The Start Menu now displays recommended files on Azure AD joined devices
• Support for new Braille devices and Voice Access improvements.
• Task Manager now lets users filter processes
• The Quick Assist app is now accessible from the All Apps list in the Start Menu
• The Settings app has a new section with Energy Recommendations.

For IT pros managing Windows Updates via Windows Update or WSUS, a new client policy now allows them to control the availability of new features introduced via servicing. Moreover, Microsoft said that new features that may be disruptive such as the new touch-optimized taskbar are disabled by default on managed devices.

Windows Update testing and best practicesOrganizations looking to deploy this month’s patches should conduct thorough testing before deploying them widely on production systems. That said, applying the patches widely shouldn’t be delayed longer than necessary as hackers start to work out how to weaponize newly reported vulnerabilities.

A best practice is to make sure you have backed up systems before applying updates. Every month, users experience issues with Windows updates that lead to systems not booting, application and hardware compatibility issues, or even data loss in extreme cases.

There are backup tools built into Windows and Windows Server that you can use to restore systems in the event a patch causes a problem. The backup features in Windows can be used to restore an entire system, or files and folders on a granular basis.

If you have any problems with this month’s patches, please let us know in the comments below. Other readers might be able to share their experiences in how to roll back problematic updates or mitigate issues caused by patches that are important to have in place.

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Google announced this morning new ChatGPT-like generative AI capabilities for its Google Workspace productivity suite. The new AI-based features will begin rolling out in the Google Docs and Gmail apps for select users later this month.

In Google Docs, the new AI generative capabilities will enable users to create outlines for new documents. For instance, HR professionals will be able to create an outline for a job description with a brief prompt. Going forward, Google plans to introduce the ability to proofread, brainstorm, write, and rewrite text directly within documents.

Google has announced that new AI-powered features are coming to Gmail. Users will be able to draft and summarize emails, adjust the tone, and split the content into bullet lists. The feature will also let Gmail users create longer drafts based on short prompts. Additionally, Gmail is getting the “I am feeling lucky” feature that will generate email content based on existing information.

“We’re designing our products in accordance with Google’s AI Principles that keep the user in control, letting AI make suggestions that you’re able to accept, edit, and change. We’ll also deliver the corresponding administrative controls so that IT is able to set the right policies for their organization,” explained Johanna Voolich Wright, Vice President of Google Workspace.

Google teases generative AI features coming to other Google Workspace productsGoogle teased that AI-powered features can be integrated into other products such as the Sheets, Slides, Chat, and Meet apps. For example, Google Meet could automatically create meeting notes from a video call. The generative AI tools might also be used to auto-generate images, audio, and video in Google Slides.

Google plans to gradually roll out new generative AI features to Google Workspace customers. The AI tools will initially be available for users enrolled in the trusted tester program in the United States. The company plans to expand these capabilities to other regions in the coming months.

Last month, Microsoft has announced that it’s bringing OpenAI’s language AI technology to its Office productivity apps. It will be interesting to see if Google’s new AI features would be able to compete with ChatGPT-like tools coming to Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.

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Microsoft has introduced support for near real-time custom detections in its Microsoft 365 Defender solution. The new Continuous (NRT) feature enables customers to create custom detection rules that run in near real-time to block sophisticated attacks.

Microsoft 365 Defender allows customers to create custom detection rules to monitor specific threats, activities, and misconfigured endpoints. These rules are based on the specified conditions and can be used to trigger alerts, notifications, and response actions. Microsoft 365 Defender also provides a set of pre-defined detection rules that can be customized to meet specific requirements.

“These detections can be integrated with the broad set of Microsoft 365 Defender across email, endpoint, and identity, leading to faster response times and faster mitigation of threats. This means your custom logic will run and evaluate all available signals and alerts faster than ever before and will trigger your predefined response action immediately, once a match is detected,” the Microsoft 365 Defender team explained.

Microsoft 365 Defender can now monitor recent vulnerabilitiesMicrosoft has emphasized that enterprise customers are facing a growing number of online threats. Therefore, organizations must implement strong security measures to address these threats and protect sensitive data. These custom detections and automated response capabilities will help IT admins to monitor recent vulnerabilities. The feature also makes it easier for administrators to detect and remove unwanted emails.

Microsoft says that the near real-time detection capabilities are available in preview for all businesses. The company encourages customers to provide feedback to improve threat detection and response mechanisms in enterprise environments.

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Microsoft is set to release its long-awaited unified Outlook for Windows app for all users. The new web-based experience has been available for Office Insiders since May 2022, and it will begin rolling out to users on the Current Channel in early April.

Microsoft has confirmed that the new Outlook for Windows client will first be available for personal Microsoft accounts and Exchange Online accounts. However, the toggle button to switch to the web-based Outlook app will not show up for Microsoft 365 subscribers. Microsoft plans to add support for more account types in the coming months.

“With a wealth of feedback from these early adopters, we are excited to expand access to users in Current Channel. The experience is an option to try, and nothing will change without end users taking action. We will give notice before any required changes occur, after the preview has received sufficient usage and feedback,” the company explained on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

Microsoft’s new Outlook app for Windows features a simplified ribbon with quick actions to make navigation easier. It also supports dynamic calendar column widths to help users easily view details of all events on their schedule. The new Outlook experience offers better integration with Microsoft Teams.

What you should do to prepare for the release of the new Outlook for Windows clientMicrosoft notes that conditional access (CA) policies will also apply to the unified Outlook client for Windows. Moreover, the app won’t support COM/VSTO add-ins, and IT admins are advised to migrate to web-based add-ins. Microsoft says that administrators will be able to hide the toggle button with a registry key.

Eventually, Microsoft’s new Outlook app plans to replace the built-in Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs. However, this change could take months or even years to happen on both operating systems. Microsoft has recently announced that it’s making the Outlook for Mac app free to use on macOS. The free version of Outlook will be ad-supported, and work with Gmail, Outlook.com, iCloud, Yahoo, IMAP, and POP accounts.

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Cloud Conversations is a regular podcast that we’ll be featuring here on Petri. It’s about everything connected to cloud computing, including technologies like Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM), Microsoft Defender, Windows, Intune, and much more!

Cloud Conversations: Katie McMillan on Information Security vs. Legacy Technology and MentoringKatie McMillan is a rising star in the tech community and specialises in Information Security across all platforms, but with a more recent focus on Microsoft. In addition to being an inspiring mentor, Katie is also a passionate advocate for women in the tech industry and is a TechWomen100 Winner – 2021, and a Women In Tech Excellence Finalist – 2021.

Katie McMillan joins Kat and Peter on the show this week to discuss:

• Katie’s career journey
• How legacy technologies are the biggest challenge to implementing modern security principles
• Mentorship
• Women in tech
• And much more!

More on Cloud ConversationsThe podcast is hosted by Peter Rising, Ru Campbell, and Kat Beedim, all Petri contributors. They’re joined by Azure McFarlane, a Microsoft MVP, Data Analyst, and Power Platform Consultant, and Femke Cornelissen, an Adoption and Modern Workplace Team Leader and Microsoft 365 blogger. Each week, Peter, Ru, Kat, Azure, and Femke speak to a guest who shares their industry insights and technical experience.

Cloud Conversations doesn’t only focus on the technical. Each episode covers topics like career progression, community, productivity to get the most out of your day as an IT pro, equality and diversity in IT, and much more to help IT pros survive and thrive out in the wild!

Previous guests on Cloud Conversations include a list of well-known industry experts and technologists, including Stephen Rose, who is a Microsoft Teams Senior Product Marketing Manager, Petri’s Steve Goodman, who is an MVP in Microsoft Office Apps and Service, and Andy Malone, who is an MVP in Enterprise Mobility and a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

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Microsoft has made some changes to the way the AppLocker application control policies work on Windows PCs. The company has quietly removed the checks that were previously used to identify the specific edition of Windows 11 or 10 installed on a system

AppLocker is a security feature that enables IT Pros to enforce policies to manage applications that users can run on their systems. These policies can be configured to allow or block specific packaged apps, installers, scripts, EXE, and DLL files.

AppLocker policies can be configured to allow or block specific applications, scripts, installers, and DLLs. Administrators can create the policies with the Group Policy Editor or PowerShell. The AppLocker rules can be applied on a per-user or per-group basis.

AppLocker rule enforcementIT Admins can now apply AppLocker policies across all Windows editionsPreviously, AppLocker application control policies were enforced based on the Windows edition and the endpoint management method. “For instance, systems managed by mobile device management (MDM) enforced AppLocker policies on all editions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Also, systems managed by Group Policy only enforced AppLocker policies on Windows 10 and Windows 11 Enterprise or Education editions,” Microsoft explained.

According to Microsoft, IT admins can now deploy the policies across Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 21H2 as well as Windows 10 versions 2004, 20H2, and 21H1. The change allows administrators to enforce AppLocker policies on more managed Windows 10 and 11 PCs.

Moreover, it can help to free up some extra time to focus on other important tasks, including managing security updates and troubleshooting issues. You can check out this support page to learn more details about AppLocker deployment on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

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Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions contain a free virtualization software named Hyper-V. The underlying code works nearly the same as what’s provided in Windows Server. In this article, I will discuss how to enable Hyper-V on Windows 10, how to create your first virtual machine, and briefly talk about nested virtualization.

How to enable Hyper-V on Windows 10You can enable Hyper-V on Windows 10 by using PowerShell or the Windows GUI. PowerShell is probably the easiest way to do it, and here’s two proceed:

• Open a PowerShell console with elevated permissions.
• Run the following command:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V –All * Reboot your Windows 10 PC when prompted. * You can now access Hyper-V and create your first virtual machine!

Keep reading for more detailed instructions on how to enable Hyper-V using either PowerShell or the Windows GUI.

What is Hyper-V?Hyper-V is Microsoft’s free virtualization software in all editions and versions of Windows Server and Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education SKUs. Whether you’re an IT professional, a software developer, or a technology enthusiast, I imagine you would prefer to run multiple, independent operating systems on one computer instead of having to purchase a computer for each one. That can get expensive!

Virtual machines running in Hyper-V run on what’s called virtual hardware. Hard disks, switches, and DVD Drives are virtualized and presented to your guest OS. The guest VM doesn’t necessarily know it’s running as a virtual machine.

Hyper-V system requirementsThere are a few technical and specific requirements and prerequisites before enabling the Hyper-V feature in Windows 10. First, your host computer must meet these requirements:

• 64-bit CPU with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT).
• CPU support for VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-c on Intel CPUs).
• 4 GB Memory (you will want MORE, trust me)

There are additional requirements later on if you wish to run a virtual machine inside of a virtual machine – don’t worry, I’ll talk about nested virtualization soon enough.

Can you install Hyper-V on Windows 10 Home? Hyper-V requires Windows 10 (or 11) Enterprise, Pro, or Education editions, and it’s not available on Windows 10 Home. However, you can upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro on your PC by going into Settings > Update and Security > Activation.

How to enable Hyper-V with PowerShellInterestingly the steps required to enable the feature in Windows are relatively easy. I say interesting because being able to run another operating system ‘inside’ your current operating system is a very cool technology. And, thanks to the rather powerful and efficient tech behind Powershell, you’ll be up and running and creating virtual machines (VMs) in no time.

• Go ahead and open a new PowerShell console as Administrator.

Searching for and launching PowerShell (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)* Run the following command to enable Hyper-V:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All Enabling Hyper-V with PowerShell (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Go ahead and restart your computer when prompted. Then, click the Start button and search for ‘Hyper-V‘. * Click to open Hyper-V Manager*.

The Hyper-V Manager console (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Piece of cake! We are (sort of) all set to start creating VMs. Well, I discovered an ‘issue’ here. More on that very soon.

How to enable Hyper-V with the Windows Settings GUILet me show you how to perform the same steps using the legacy Control Panel GUI.

• First, click the Start button and search for ‘optional features.’ Select Manage optional features.
• Click the More Windows features link in the upper-right corner.

Managing optional features in Windows 10 (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Now, here’s where we hit a temporary block. If you scroll down to Hyper-V and expand it, you’ll see that the ‘Hyper-V Platform*‘ item is greyed out.

Looks like we can’t enable Hyper-V…yet… (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)When I hover over the Hyper-V Platform item, I see: “Hyper-V cannot be installed: The processor does not have the required virtualization capabilities.”

So, how about some background? Sure. I am utilizing my Hyper-V lab on my main desktop computer running Windows 11. I am using one of my Windows 10 VMs to demonstrate the topic. I am already one layer down in the virtual world if you will (think Inception).

However, what I am asking Windows to do is called nested virtualization. I will go over this in more detail below, but basically, I need to add a second layer. Run Hyper-V as a feature inside another Hyper-V VM. I know, I had to watch Inception 5 times to wrap my head around it!

Anyway, if you aren’t already running Windows 10 in a VM (as I am), Hyper-V won’t be greyed out in the list of optional Windows Features. You’ll be able to select it, click OK, then you’ll be prompted to reboot your Windows 10 PC.

Creating a virtual machine with Hyper-VSo, we have Hyper-V enabled and ready to go. Let’s go through the basics of creating a new Windows VM. In the Hyper-V Manager, we’ll first create a new Virtual Switch so we can pass the network/Internet connection on our host machine down to our new VM.

• Click Virtual Switch Manager… under the Actions menu on the right.
• Click the Create Virtual Switch button.

Creating a new Virtual Switch (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Let’s name it ‘Internet Switch.’ Then, the defaults should be good – we are using the External network and the Microsoft Hyper-V Network Adapter to pass thru whatever connection the VM host has down to the new VM. This will allow DHCP servers to give the new machine an IP Address.

• Click OK.
• Next, under Actions, click New -> Virtual machine…
• Click Next, and then enter a name for the new machine and click Next.

Creating a new Virtual Machine (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) On the Specify Generation screen, you’ll want to choose Generation 2. Click Next*

Specifying the Generation of our machine. Most likely you will be choosing ‘Generation 2’. (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) I will assign 4 GB of ram for our new machine and turn off Dynamic Memory for these demo purposes. My initial Hyper-V VM has 8 GB, so that should be fine. Click Next. * We will choose the ‘Internet Switch‘ from the Connection dropdown on the Configure Networking screen and click Next*.

Choosing our new Virtual Switch to provide network and Internet access to the VM (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) We can leave all the defaults for the virtual hard disk, click Next and choose the default to install the operating system later * Click Next again, and then Finish*!

There’s our new Virtual Machine – ‘Windows 10 Inception’ (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)There you have it!

Recommended configuration changes for your Hyper-V VMI will go through a few more common config changes I make when setting up a new VM and explain them to you.

• Right-click on your virtual machine and click Settings.
• In the Add Hardware default menu, SCSI Controller should be selected. Click the ‘Add‘ button, select ‘DVD Drive‘, and then click Add again.

Adding a DVD Drive so we can install an operating system (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders) Once you have an installation ISO file available, you can choose the ‘Image file:‘ option and browse to it. * After you have your ISO ready, you should click the Firmware menu on the left and move the DVD Drive to the top of the list so the VM boots to it when you power it on. * Then, click the Processor menu and verify how many virtual CPUs* (vCPUs) you want to assign to it. The more you add, the faster it will run. However, this will also negatively impact your host operating system, so you’ll need to tweak these settings over time.

Well, those are the salient points and should definitely get you headed in the right direction.

Hyper-V and nested virtualizationI’ve already briefly described the concept of nested virtualization. For the scope of this article, let me ask you to get more detail by checking out our previous post on how to enable nested virtualization on Windows 10 Hyper-V.

However, I want to address a few ‘issues’ I mentioned earlier in this article. The main issue is the fact that I can’t really use the Hyper-V software until I resolve the nested virtualization requirements. Personally, I find it odd that Windows allows you to run the PowerShell command to enable the Hyper-V platform without the required prerequisites!

Being able to turn on the Hyper-V feature in a VM requires a special PowerShell command to be run from your initial host computer. Before you proceed, make sure the VM you wish to modify is powered off. I will fire up a PowerShell console as Administrator and run a few commands.

First, I will run the Get-VM command:

Get-VM Running ‘Get-VM’ and then enabling the virtualization Features on my Windows 10 VM (Image credit: Petri/Michael Reinders)Yep, I do have a lovely assortment of machines, don’t I? The one I am working with is called ‘Windows 10 22H2 – MSA – ISO‘. So, I will run this command to enable the special CPU features for that specific VM.

Set-VMProcessor -VMName "Windows 10 22H2 - MSA - ISO" -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true Simply power up your VM and now you’ll be able to enable Hyper-V in it. You can refer to the steps above using PowerShell or the GUI.

ConclusionHyper-V is a free, easy-to-use virtualization solution built right into Windows. I have been using it ever since it became a part of Windows, back in the Windows 8 days!

I strongly encourage you, as IT Pros, to use it for your day-to-day testing needs. There is no need to buy another desktop or laptop just to see if an older version of Adobe Acrobat will work on Windows 11. Just fire up a new Windows 11 VM and give it a go!

Please leave any comments or questions below. I would love to assist you if you run into any configuration issues. Thanks for reading!

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Microsoft’s owned GitHub has recently announced that it will soon require two-factor authentication (2FA) for developers who contribute code on the platform. Starting today, the company will begin rolling out the 2FA requirement to all software developers worldwide.

GitHub first unveiled its plans to enroll all contributors in 2FA by the end of 2023. The company made the 2FA requirement mandatory for maintainers of the top 100 npm packages in February 2022. Then, GitHub expanded this policy to include all maintainers of popular packages with more than 500 dependents or over one million weekly downloads.

GitHub explains that this move is part of its efforts to improve account security to secure the software development process. These compromised accounts could be used to roll out malicious changes or steal private code.

“Our 2FA initiative is part of a platform-wide effort to secure software development by improving account security. Developers’ accounts are frequent targets for social engineering and account takeover (ATO). Protecting developers and consumers of the open source ecosystem from these types of attacks is the first and most critical step toward securing the supply chain,” GitHub explained.

GitHub to gradually expand 2FA requirement roll out to minimize disruptionGitHub plans to roll out the 2FA policy in a staggered manner to minimize disruption in the workflows. Initially, the company will begin notifying smaller developer groups, and it will scale the requirements to larger groups over the course of this year. GitHub has not detailed any specific criteria for inclusion in the 2FA cadence. However, the company indicated that these groups will be selected based on their impact on the broader ecosystem.

GitHub contributors selected for enrollment will get advance email notifications to enable 2FA around 45 days before the deadline. Users who miss the cut-off date will be prompted to turn on the feature the next time they access the GitHub website. They will be able to pause the prompt for up to one week. Once the deadline passes, users will be unable to access GitHub.com without configuring 2FA.

According to Microsoft, developers can choose between various 2FA methods to protect their accounts. These include SMS (Short Message Service), TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password), security keys, and GitHub Mobile 2FA. GitHub warns that SMS-based 2FA is less secure and urges contributors to use one-time passcodes and security keys as their preferred 2FA method.

Lastly, GitHub announced that it’s testing support for passkeys internally with employees. The company highlights that this security feature should provide better protection against sophisticated phishing attacks and other exploits.

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MC526130 – Microsoft is making some changes to the default configuration for new tenants for Azure B2B integration with SharePoint & OneDrive.

When this will happen:

Starting March 31, 2023, new tenants will have Azure B2B Integration with SharePoint & OneDrive enabled by default. 

How this will affect your organization:

This message is for your information and there is no impact to existing tenants or tenants created before March 31, 2023. 

What you need to do to prepare:

No change is needed for existing customers. New tenants can opt out of using Azure B2B Integration using the SharePoint Online Management Shell.

Please click Additional Information to learn more.

Additional information

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MC526129 – The Advanced deployment guides & assistance page is getting revamped to help you manage data in your tenant. We’ll differentiate deployment tasks based on your license: Office 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E3, Office 365 E5, and Microsoft 365 E5.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 117373

When this will happen:

Standard Release: This will begin rolling out in mid-March.

How this will affect your organization:

We’re updating this deployment guide to provide clarity on Microsoft 365 E3/E5 and Office 365 E3/E5 functionalities when managing an organization’s content, records, and governance strategies. The steps provided will allow you to manually or automatically apply governance to emails, files, messages, and content based on the settings chosen. The additional features will allow admins to upload file plans for current retention labels used in the organization, create an adaptive scope to identify locations where labels are applied, and proactively manage mailbox content with the relocation of the Exchange (Legacy) portal.

What you need to do to prepare:

If you’ve bookmarked sections of the Advanced deployment guides & assistance page, those links will redirect to the new Deployment guides’ section. You might need to make IT staff in your org aware of the new navigation. You don’t need to do anything to prepare for the changes on setup.microsoft.com.

Additional information