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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss OpenAI being interested in purchasing Chrome if the US DOJ forces Google to divest it, and they also look at the Microsoft 365 Copilot updates and new AI Agent Store Microsoft announced earlier this week.

Earlier this month, a mysterious folder called “inetpub” started appearing on various Windows PCs that installed the April 2025 Patch Tuesday updates. Microsoft later explained that this new folder was created to patch a bug that could leave users’ PCs vulnerable to cyberattacks. What is the “inetpub” folder, and why did it appear? The inetpub…

Microsoft has introduced a new point-in-time snapshot health indicator for Windows 365, which gives administrators critical insights into the health of restore points. This new feature enables IT teams to make more reliable decisions when recovering Cloud PCs to reduce the risk of failed restorations. Windows 365 Cloud PC is a virtual computer hosted in…

Microsoft released its 2025 Work Trend Index report this week, offering a look into the future of work through insights from 31,000 employees across 31 countries. The research report paints a data-rich portrait of the evolving workplace by drawing from LinkedIn trends, trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, AI-native startups, and expert perspectives. According to…

Microsoft has recently issued an alert to warn users about the growing misuse of its Quick Assist app on Windows and Mac devices. The Microsoft Security team detailed that cybercriminals are now harnessing AI to launch sophisticated attacks aimed at stealing sensitive information and credentials. The Quick Assist app allows users to remotely connect to…

Microsoft has announced several new features coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot in May, including a new AI-powered enterprise search tool. This new search experience makes it easier for employees to quickly find information across multiple apps and data sources within their organizations. “Copilot Search is a new AI-powered enterprise search that helps you find what…

Microsoft has released the April 2025 Hotfix Updates for Exchange Server 2019 and Exchange Server 2016. The latest updates address issues from earlier versions and enable new functionality for Exchange Server customers. With this update, Microsoft is strengthening the security of Exchange Hybrid configurations by introducing a dedicated Exchange hybrid application in Microsoft Entra ID….

In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss their issues with the new Outlook for Windows, Notion launching a new mail app, and OpenAI launching its new o3 reasoning model.

Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Conditional Access Reauthentication Every Time Policy for Entra ID customers—a new feature that enables administrators to enforce fresh user authentication for specific actions. This policy ensures tighter control over access to sensitive resources and user activities. When the “Every Time” setting is enabled, users must fully reauthenticate…

Microsoft talked a lot about Copilot Vision at its ‘Windows 50 Years’ event a couple of weeks ago. In case you’re not familiar with the technology, Vision allows Copilot to see exactly what you can see on your screen. If you’re thinking “what could possibly go wrong with that?” – considering the controversy over Windows Recall, I…

Last week, administrators across numerous organizations were blindsided by widespread account lockouts. This issue was caused by Microsoft’s newly launched MACE Credential Revocation app in Entra ID, which mistakenly flagged legitimate users as high risk. The MACE app in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly known as Azure Active Directory) is called MACE Credential Revocation. Microsoft recently…

Microsoft today released its second Secure Future Initiative (SFI) progress report. This new report outlines significant efforts in fortifying digital infrastructure and enhancing the cybersecurity resilience of organizations worldwide. What is the Secure Future Initiative (SFI)? Microsoft launched its Secure Future Initiative in November 2023. The SFI includes six pillars or areas of focus, with…