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Microsoft has launched version 3.x of its Defender for Identity sensor, bringing endpoint and identity protection together under one unified solution. This upgraded sensor simplifies deployment, streamlines management, and enhances security visibility across enterprise environments. The Microsoft Defender for Identity sensor is a lightweight agent installed on domain controllers that monitors and analyzes network traffic…

Dell Technologies has issued an urgent warning about three critical vulnerabilities in its Storage Manager software. These flaws could allow remote hackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data. Dell Storage Manager is a centralized software platform used to manage Dell storage systems, including configuration, monitoring, and performance optimization. It provides administrators with…

I asked Merill Fernando, the creator of Graph X-Ray, to talk me through how the tool came to be and some use case scenarios. Microsoft Graph is the unified API that connects data across Microsoft 365, from Entra ID and Teams to Exchange, Intune, and more. It’s the foundation for automation, reporting, and integration across…

Microsoft is making life easier for IT admins with a new policy-based method that finally simplifies removing unwanted pre-installed Microsoft Store apps from Windows 11 devices. This new policy is currently available for customers running Windows 11 Enterprise and Education version 25H2. Microsoft says IT administrators have long faced challenges removing pre-installed Microsoft Store apps…

Microsoft has announced that extended support for Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM) will end in 2029. For many organizations, this feels like the closing of a long chapter. MIM has been the backbone of identity synchronization, certificate management, and self-service provisioning for well over a decade. But just as with Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) before it,…

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered that the Qilin ransomware group has created a Linux-based variant capable of infecting Windows systems. This cross-platform capability enables attackers to evade traditional Windows-focused security tools and poses a new level of threat to enterprise networks. According to new research from Trend Micro, the Agenda ransomware group (also known as Qilin)…

Global IT spending is projected to reach $6.08 trillion in 2026. This is the first time IT spending will exceed the $6 trillion mark as businesses ramp up investments in AI-powered infrastructure and software. According to new research from Gartner, global IT spending is expected to rise by 9.8% in 2026 compared to 2025. This…

Microsoft has issued a warning that cybercriminals are increasingly zeroing in on Azure Blob Storage, turning misconfigurations and automation flaws into gateways for intrusion. Hackers are exploiting these weak points to infiltrate cloud environments and steal sensitive data on a massive scale. Azure Blob Storage is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows…

In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s new ambition to turn Windows 11 into an “AI-native” platform.

Microsoft has issued an out-of-band update for Windows Server to fix a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-59287, poses a significant threat to organizations relying on WSUS for managing updates across enterprise networks. Critical WSUS vulnerability puts Windows Servers at risk According to Microsoft,…

Microsoft is getting ready to expand the passkey (FIDO2) authentication methods policy in Microsoft Entra ID next month. The upcoming public preview will introduce support for passkey profiles that enable granular, group-based authentication controls across organizations. Currently, Microsoft Entra ID allows administrators to manage passkey authentication settings at the tenant-wide level. This means that the…

What is Maester? Maester is an open-source framework designed to help Microsoft 365 and Entra administrators continuously validate the security and configuration of their environments, before things break. I spoke with Merill Fernando about how Maester came to be and how it is used today by thousands of enterprises to maintain effective security configurations across…