Posted by: kurtsh | July 18, 2024

HOWTO: Subscribe to Microsoft newsletters & updates

I consider myself to be the custodian of the Microsoft technologies my customers implement which keeps me busy. I get asked a lot how it is that I “stay plugged” in with Microsoft’s many different technologies.

MICROSOFT PUBLIC NEWSLETTERS
One way is by subscribing to the very newsletters that everyone else has access to publicly. Here’s a list of some of the newsletters that I subscribe to:

BLOGS ON MICROSOFT TECH COMMUNITIES
More selectively, I also subscribe to email notifications for product/technology blogs on the Microsoft Tech Community portal. This is where the product groups publish articles, updates & “newsletters” that they write monthly. If you are the caretaker of a particular Microsoft technology in your organization, you should be subscribing to email notifications for these as well.

To get email subscriptions for blog content for the 100s of Microsoft Tech Communities:

  1. Login to your Microsoft Account.
  2. Visit the blog page of your technology of choice from Blogs – Microsoft Community Hub.
  3. Click on the “Subscribe” button near the top of the screen.

Here’s just SOME examples of highly active official Microsoft blogs to subscribe to:

Microsoft 365 Apps:

Comments Off on HOWTO: Subscribe to Microsoft newsletters & updates

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: kurtsh | July 17, 2024

HOWTO: Obtain support for Power Apps

Did you know your Power Apps subscription entitles you to unlimited support incidents for break/fix issues? For people that need expert guidance around usage, architecture or “how to” accomplish an objective a.k.a. “proactive advisory services”, a paid support plan is required.

Here’s a table I created to help explain the levels of support for Power Apps administrators & developers.

Power Apps “Community & Forums“Power Apps “Subscription” SupportPower Apps “Professional Direct” SupportPower Apps support through “Unified Services”
Service descriptionConnect with peers & share ideas in this discussion forum where you can ask community experts for help & research previous conversations about issuesBreak/fix support included with your Power Apps paid license. Unlimited support tickets.

No advisory support. (“how to” or “usage guidance”)		Break/fix support with faster response times, and escalation management for business-critical incidents.

Proactive advisory support services for non-break/fix matters.		Comprehensive support for your entire org covering all Microsoft technologies.

Break/fix support, advisory support, training, onsite assistance, contract guidance & management, 911 cybersecurity incident response availability, & more
Service Level ObjectivesNone1 hour response for critical cases,
6 AM – 6 PM PT, Mon-Fri excluding weekends & holidays		1 hour response time for ALL technical support issues, 24/7 availabilityCritical Sev 1: 15-min for Azure/1-hour for all other products, 1-hour Sev A/2-hour Sev B/4-hour Sev C, 24/7 availability
CostFreeFree$9-$11/mo/user
(Minimum 20 users)		Contact total is variable annually depending on features enabled beyond base services
Support ticket creationQ&A only. No formal support.
Forums		Online only.
Power Platform Admin Center		Online & phone.
Professional Support
800-642-7676 (US)		Online & phone.
Services Hub
800-936-3100 (US)
More informationLinkLinkLink & Online PurchaseLink

Comments Off on HOWTO: Obtain support for Power Apps

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: ,

Posted by: kurtsh | July 16, 2024

RELEASE: Introducing “Dynamic Watermarking” for Microsoft Word, Excel & PowerPoint

Take a look at the image below: Notice the watermark imprinted on the opened document with the current user’s identity, “jholloway@contoso.com”?

That’s a “dynamic watermark”.

Explore the latest advancement in information protection: Dynamic Watermarking for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This innovative feature helps organizations mitigate the risk of data leaks via “analog loopholes” by deterring users from photographing their screens while displaying confidential information. Delve into our recent blog post for detailed insights into this new functionality.

If you work with sensitive or confidential documents, you know how vital it is to prevent any leaks of information from these documents. Sensitivity labels from Microsoft Purview Information Protection offer a highly effective way to limit access to sensitive files and prevent people from taking inappropriate actions with them, such as printing a document, while still allowing for full collaboration.

However, it’s still possible for someone to take a picture of a sensitive file on their screen or of a presentation being shared either online or in-person. (Some forms of screenshotting cannot be blocked with existing technology.) This loophole presents a simple way to bypass the protections that sensitivity labels place on a document. Dynamic watermarking can be a potent weapon in combatting these kinds of leaks.

Read more here:

Comments Off on RELEASE: Introducing “Dynamic Watermarking” for Microsoft Word, Excel & PowerPoint

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: kurtsh | July 16, 2024

RELEASE: “Migrate AD FS to Microsoft Entra ID” tool now generally available

Exciting news for folks trying to get off of AD FS! As announced on the Microsoft Entra blog:

“We’re excited to announce that the migration tool for Active Directory Federation Service (AD FS) customers to move their apps to Microsoft Entra ID is now generally available! Customers can begin updating their identity management with more extensive monitoring and security infrastructure by quickly identifying which applications are capable of being migrated and assessing all their AD FS applications for compatibility. “

In November we announced AD FS Application Migration would be moving to public preview, and the response from our partners and customers has been overwhelmingly positive. For some, transitioning to cloud-based security is a daunting task, but the tool has proven to dramatically streamline the process of moving to Microsoft Entra ID.

A simplified workflow, reduced need for manual intervention, and minimized downtime (for applications and end users) have reduced stress for hassle-free migrations. The tool not only checks the compatibility of your applications with Entra ID, but it can also suggest how to resolve any issues. It then monitors the migration progress and reflects the latest changes in your applications. Watch the demo to see the tool in action.”

Read more at:

Comments Off on RELEASE: “Migrate AD FS to Microsoft Entra ID” tool now generally available

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: kurtsh | July 15, 2024

EVENT: “Zero Trust with Unified Identity & Access” – Microsoft Entra Suite Tech Accelerator – Aug 14, 2024

Join us August 14th for a deeper dive into the Microsoft Entra Suite. Get to know the industry’s most comprehensive secure access solution for the workforce. Learn how you can unify identity and network access security–providing you with the ability to verify users, prevent overprivileged permissions, improve detection, and enforce granular access controls for all users and resources.

Microsoft Entra Suite Tech Accelerator – August 14, 2024

Start timeSession title
7:00 a.m. PTSecure access for your workforce with the Microsoft Entra Suite
7:30 a.m. PTAsk Microsoft Anything: Discover the Microsoft Entra Suite
8:00 a.m. PTA closer look at Microsoft Entra Internet Access
8:30 a.m. PTGet to know Microsoft Entra Private Access
9:00 a.m. PTAsk Microsoft Anything: Security Service Edge (SSE)

Why RSVP here and on the session pages?

RSVP to save your spot, receive event reminders, and post your questions—either in advance or during the event.
Note: You must be signed into the Tech Community to RSVP and participate in the live Q&A, but sessions can be viewed without signing in.

Date/Time:
Wednesday, Aug 14, 2024
07:00 AM – 09:30 AM (PDT)

Registration:
(This is mandatory to access & participate in Q&A)

  1. Visit this page.
    (https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/tech-community-live/microsoft-entra-suite-tech-accelerator/ev-p/4189272)
  2. Sign in in the upper right corner.
  3. Find the “RSVP to entire event” button
    (Note: This button will only be displayed if you are signed in.)
  4. Press either the “GOING” or “MAYBE” buttons from the dialog that appears.

  5. Add the event to your calendar via the button near the title.


 

Comments Off on EVENT: “Zero Trust with Unified Identity & Access” – Microsoft Entra Suite Tech Accelerator – Aug 14, 2024

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: kurtsh | July 12, 2024

NEWS: Deprecation of Office 365 Connectors for Teams – coming October 1st, 2024

Starting August 15, 2024, Microsoft will retire the Office 365 connectors feature in Teams, and all new Connector creation will be blocked within all clouds. (Clouds include Public, GCC, and GCCH).

Existing Office connectors need to be migrated to Workflows before October 1, 2024, when all connectors will stop functioning

Why?

As taken from the deprecation announcement: “We recommend Power Automate workflows as the solution to relay information into and out of Teams in a … secure way. Power Automate workflows… provide maximum security of your information. These changes are aligned to the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative, and our company-wide priority to safeguard our customers from cyber threats.“

FAQ

Comments Off on NEWS: Deprecation of Office 365 Connectors for Teams – coming October 1st, 2024

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: kurtsh | July 12, 2024

EVENT: “Zero Trust in the Age of AI” – A Microsoft Security Spotlight event – Online – Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Cybercriminals have embraced emerging technologies like AI as quickly as the rest of the world. In today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, your Zero Trust strategy has become more essential than ever.  Learn how to bolster your Zero Trust strategy with innovative solutions that’ll help you stay ready for changes to the threat landscape at the Zero Trust in the Age of AI spotlight on July 31.

Join us to learn how to:

  • Simplify your Zero Trust strategy and deployments with new solutions.
  • Unify identity and network access controls to proactively secure access to any application or resource from any location.
  • Extend Zero Trust requirements to all endpoints, apps, and data.

You’ll also hear about the latest end-to-end security innovations and get recommendations for advancing your Zero Trust strategy in a panel discussion with a Forrester analyst and a customer.

Speakers:

  • Vasu Jakkal – Corporate Vice President, Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management, Microsoft
  • Carlos Rivera – Senior Analyst, Forrester
  • Gary McLellan – Head of Engineering Frameworks & Core Mobile Apps, Virgin Money
  • Irina Nechaeva – General Manager, Identity Product Marketing, Microsoft
  • Scott Woodgate – General Manager, Threat Protection, Microsoft
  • Anupma Sharma – Principal Group Product Manager, Microsoft

Date/Time:
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 10:00 AM–11:00 AM Pacific Time 

Registration:
https://info.microsoft.com/ww-landing-zero-trust-in-the-age-of-ai.html?lcid=en-us/&ocid=cmmydx1q9zb

Comments Off on EVENT: “Zero Trust in the Age of AI” – A Microsoft Security Spotlight event – Online – Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: kurtsh | June 27, 2024

INFO: NTLM Deprecation in Windows coming H2 CY2024

Deprecating NT LAN Manager (NTLM) has been a huge ask from our security community as it will strengthen user authentication, and so we are announcing that deprecation of NTLM is planned in the 2nd half of 2024 in Windows.

Why?

  • No server authentication (read: can’t verify malicious authentication servers)
  • Legacy MD4 encryption used for hashing password (read: weak & guessable)
  • Password submitted not salted (read: offline crackable)
  • Only supports password-based authentication (read: no certs, biometrics, MFA, FIDO, etc.)
  • Bugs (read: vulnerabilities)

Read more at:

Comments Off on INFO: NTLM Deprecation in Windows coming H2 CY2024

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: kurtsh | June 27, 2024

RELEASE: “Comprehensive Document Translation Solution” from Microsoft

Government organizations have numerous requirements around document translation:

  • Intelligence and Security: Translating foreign documents and communications to monitor threats and understand global dynamics.
  • International Cooperation and Alliances: Translating treaties, agreements, and training materials in support of global military alliances.
  • Local Engagement and Stability Operations: Translation in support of humanitarian, disaster relief, and local engagement.
  • Technical and Equipment Manuals: Translation required to ensure correct use and maintenance of diverse technologies and equipment. While international support often includes financial and equipment aid, a significant challenge arises when equipment manuals are not in the recipient’s native language. This impedes the effective and timely use of the equipment, highlighting the critical need for document translation to ensure the success of missions.
  • Government Communications: Translating official communications, public service announcements, and information about public health, safety, and welfare ensures that all members of a diverse population have access to important information.
  • Immigration Services: Translating documents related to immigration, visas, and citizenship services helps streamline the process for both applicants and the authorities.

Microsoft’s open source Comprehensive Document Translation Solution offers the perfect balance between the accuracy of digital text-only documents and the completeness of scanned documents. The CDTS solves this problem through a “Hybrid Translation” approach. The Hybrid Translation process splits the digital PDF into two files. One file is a digital document that contains all the pages that are text-only. The other file is a scanned document that contains all the pages that have images, including images embedded with text. The solution then translates both files separately. By translating both, we get the most accurate translation and layout of text-only digital documents and the completeness of scanned documents.

After both versions are translated, the solution then “stitches” back together the complete document, in the correct page order, taking the best and most accurate translation of each page from either the digital or scanned document.

For more information, read the announcement page at:

Comments Off on RELEASE: “Comprehensive Document Translation Solution” from Microsoft

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: kurtsh | June 21, 2024

TRAINING: Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Pacific Time)

We are running an assortment of free-to-register events for end users & IT Professionals around Copilot for Microsoft 365. Take a look at these scheduled events to register for anything you’re interested in:

Event Experiences – Copilot for Microsoft 365

  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for Executives
  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for Sales
  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for Marketing Professionals
  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for IT Professionals
  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for HR
  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for Operations
  • Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Training for Finance

Virtual Briefings (Webinars) – Copilot for Microsoft 365

  • Unlocking AI-Powered Productivity: Exploring the Potential of Copilot
  • Ready, Set, Copilot: Preparing Your Tenant for Microsoft 365 Copilot
  • Navigating the Future of Work with Copilot for Microsoft 365
  • Data Security in the Era of Generative AI

Virtual Training Days – Copilot for Microsoft 365

  • Prepare Your Organization for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365
    (IT Decision Makers, Microsoft 365 Administrators, Search Administrators & IT Help Desk roles)

On Demand Instructor-led Training Series – Copilot for Microsoft 365

  • MS-4006 Copilot for Microsoft 365 for Administrators
  • MS-4007 Copilot for Microsoft 365 User Enablement Specialist
  • MS-4005 Craft effective prompts for Copilot for Microsoft 365
  • MS-4004 Empower your workforce with Copilot for Microsoft 365 Use Cases
  • Get Started with Copilot for Microsoft 365

Unified Enterprise Workshops (for Unified Support customers only)

  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Pilot
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Activation
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Workshop
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Optimization
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Champions Workshop
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Extensibility Workshop
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Champions Pilot
  • Copilot for Microsoft 365 Champions Activation
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot for Adoption Acceleration
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption Strategy and Design
  • Exploring Copilot Studio Governance
  • WorkshopPLUS – Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance: Microsoft Purview
  • Activate Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance : Sensitivity Labels
  • Activate Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance : Purview Data Classification

Comments Off on TRAINING: Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Pacific Time)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories