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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there’s no denying the extent to which AI has permeated organizations—35% of businesses have already developed AI-based workflows if not completely automating aspects of their business. However, IT infrastructures are a different beast. Even though it promises transformative capabilities, AI can also be deemed a Pandora’s box, of…

Cybersecurity researchers have warned about a critical flaw in Microsoft’s multifactor authentication system. This vulnerability could allow hackers to infiltrate accounts, compromising sensitive data across Microsoft Teams chats, OneDrive files, Outlook emails, and Azure Cloud. Researchers at Oasis Security first identified the critical vulnerability in Microsoft’s MFA system. The issue stemmed from a lack of…

Microsoft has announced plans to retire Client Access Rules (CARs) in Exchange Online for all tenants by September 2025. The company urges organizations to transition to Conditional Access with Continuous Access Evaluation (CAE) for improved security and compliance. Client Access Rules in Exchange Online allow organizations to control access to their email services based on…

Microsoft is preparing to transition Microsoft 365 Enterprise users from the classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows client. Starting in April 2026, the company will begin auto-migrating customers to the updated platform while providing the option to switch back to the classic version if needed. “Our goal with this change is to give…

Hotpatching is a powerful feature in Windows Server 2025 that allows administrators to apply security updates and patches without requiring a system reboot, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operation. This article provides an overview of how to enable Windows Server 2025 Hotpatching. We’ll cover prerequisites, step-by-step instructions, best practices, and troubleshooting tips. What is Windows…

Microsoft has released the December 2024 Patch Tuesday Updates for all supported versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10. This month, the company rolled out 72 patches to address several vulnerabilities in Windows, SharePoint Server, Hyper-V, Defender for Endpoint, and System Center Operations Manager, and other components. Microsoft addressed more vulnerabilities in December 2024 than…

Microsoft has postponed the release of the final Cumulative Update for Exchange Server 2019. This update, known as Exchange Server 2019 CU15 (or H2 2024 CU), will be delivered to commercial customers next year. In 2022, Microsoft announced that it would be moving to a biannual update scheme for Exchange Server products, which typically receive…

Researchers at Acros Security recently discovered a critical Windows zero-day vulnerability affecting all supported versions of the operating system. In response, Microsoft has issued new guidelines to help administrators proactively mitigate NTLM relay attacks within enterprise networks. Windows NTLM (New Technology LAN Manager) is a set of security protocols designed to authenticate users and safeguard…

Microsoft has acknowledged a new compatibility issue between Windows 11 version 24H2 and the Google Workspace Sync app. The company confirmed on the Windows Release Health Dashboard that this bug could prevent users from launching the Outlook desktop client on Windows 11 PCs. Google Workspace Sync app is a tool that allows users to synchronize…

This article provides a comprehensive guide for installing Linux servers to Azure Arc, covering prerequisites, deployment instructions, and advanced topics such as hybrid connectivity methods, proxies, and private endpoints. For those managing hybrid environments with Windows, don’t miss my complementary article on Installing Azure Arc Agent on Windows Server to achieve a unified management strategy. Why use Azure Arc for Linux servers? Linux servers are…

Microsoft Teams is getting a new update that will allow users to customize where notifications appear on their screen. The company announced on the Microsoft 365 admin center that this new feature will start rolling out to the Microsoft Teams desktop app for Windows starting next month. Currently, Microsoft Teams notifications appear in the bottom…

In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Intel’s ongoing troubles after the chip maker abruptly “retired” its CEO Pat Gelsinger.