Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 2: 24H2 is around the corner

  Posted on September 5, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.36.1 • 2024-09-05

  

  By Susan Bradley

  I can always tell when fall is in the air.

  No, it’s not a decrease in temperatures — we’re still very hot here in Central California. No, it’s not that pumpkin-spice aroma around coffee shops.

  It’s the technology headlines about imminent updates from Redmond and Cupertino. Naturally, that means I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2. Here are a few things you should consider.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.36.1, 2024-09-05).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Apple, CVE-2024-26248, CVE-2024-29056, InControl, KB5014754, KB5025885, KB5037754, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, RSA, TLS, Windows 11 23H2, Windows 11 24H2

• MS-DEFCON 2: Microsoft and Apple betas near finish line

  Posted on August 8, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.32.1 • 2024-08-08

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Hold off on updates from both companies until they are fully vetted.

  With so much activity around forthcoming Windows updates, continued caution is recommended. That’s why I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  I realize that the window between today and last week’s Alert has been brief. It’s just a matter of the calendar — more testing time was needed last month, and Patch Tuesday is next week.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.32.1, 2024-08-08).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Black Hat USA, CVE-2024-36971, iOS 18, KB5001716, KB5025885, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Office 2019, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11 24H2

• Patch Apple, defer Windows

  Posted on May 20, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Apple often seems to get its foot in the door first, and last week’s patch release was no different.

  One day before Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday, Apple released its security and feature updates. (Just as I advise for Microsoft, ensure your backups are up to date on any platform that receives updates.)

  For Apple, go into Settings and search for Backup. Given the capacities of phones these days, I recommend backing up to Apple’s cloud and purchasing an iCloud+ subscription to obtain enough capacity. You’ll thank me for it later.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.21.0, 2024-05-20).

  Patch Watch CVE-2023-24932, CVE-2024-30040, KB5025885, KB5034441, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Windows Lock Screen, WUShowHide

• MS-DEFCON 4: Safe — for now

  Posted on April 23, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.17.1 • 2024-04-23

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The April updates have been relatively quiet, with some exceptions.

  That’s why I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4. Most of my concerns lie not with this month’s patches but rather with the timing of future mandates.

  In addition, Microsoft finally acknowledged an “oopsie” with Edge.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.17.1, 2024-04-23).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, BitLocker, CVE-2023-24932, Edge, KB5014754, KB5025885, KB5034441, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Secure Boot, Suggestions

• A deluge of vulnerabilities for April

  Posted on April 15, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  It’s raining CVEs.

  There are definitely going to be two groups of patchers this month. One will say, “Issues? What issues? My computer updated without issues.”

  The other group will complain about needing a BitLocker recovery key, or that their updates took a long time, or that they were offered a confusing SQL update for a database they didn’t realize they had on their home PC. I’m certainly part of this group — my Windows 10 PC at home took a long time to come back up.

  Let me remind you of some of my standard recommendations, even if you decide to sit on the sidelines and just watch the fun.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.16.0, 2024-04-15).

  Patch Watch Antitrust, BitLocker, BlackLotus, KB5025885, KB5034441, Moment Updates, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Privacy, Secure Boot, UCPD

• A new patching year

  Posted on January 8, 2024 at 02:43 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Tomorrow, as usual, Microsoft will release the January patches.

  Today, as usual, I’m recommending that you not install the patches right away. If you’ve been dealing with and following patching as long as I have, you’ll know that it takes about a week or so for problems to bubble up.

  Side effects are somewhat sporadic — some see them, some don’t. Those who see none sometimes move along to the next vulnerability. Lately, however, Microsoft has been taking a long-term look at vulnerabilities thus and taking several months to implement changes. 2024 looks to be no different, with many long-term issues needing resolution.

  This week’s edition of Patch Watch focuses specifically on business patching and what we may see in the coming months. For consumers, you probably will not have the same side effects or concerns as business patchers.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.02.0, 2024-01-08).

  Patch Watch CVE-2021-42291, CVE-2023-24932, Exchange Server, KB5008383, KB5025885, Newsletters, NTLM, Patch Lady Posts, Secure Boot

• The patching year in review — for consumers

  Posted on December 26, 2023 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We’re closing another patching year for consumers and home users (aka the “unmanaged crowd”).

  Will and I have an ongoing, two-year struggle with a phrase I commonly use, “consumer and home users.” Will thinks it cumbersome and that there is no meaningful difference.

  I define consumers as anyone running Windows Home or Professional editions but not configured in a domain or not using patching tools favored by businesses. Consumers don’t have an IT department (assuming you don’t call the teenager next door an IT department) and don’t use a managed service provider. Consumers usually have a peer-to-peer network (because who doesn’t have multiple devices connected to their Internet service these days?) and may use it to connect to shared devices such as printers. Consumers tend to blur the lines of technology and will use Apple iPads or Android phones right alongside Windows machines.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.52.0, 2023-12-26).

  Patch Watch Apple, Consumers, Drivers, Home PCs, KB5025885, Microsoft, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Repair Install, Secure Boot, Very Small Businesses

• Closing the year on patching

  Posted on December 18, 2023 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We need a little Copilot, now.

  I have a favorite Christmas song called “We Need a Little Christmas” (now). That comes to my mind because for those of you who want to partake in the artificial intelligence experiment know as Windows Copilot, you may end up humming the slightly modified song “I Need a Little Copilot” (now).

  The December updates start to bring Copilot into Windows 10. I say “start” because, like many things in Microsoftland, features and changes are no longer released en masse to everyone in the form of a service pack. Instead, the changes are dribbled out or limited to certain geographical areas.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.51.0, 2023-12-18).

  Patch Watch Apple, BitLocker, CVE-2023-20275, CVE-2023-35628, CVE-2023-35636, KB5008383, KB5025885, Newsletters, NTLM, Patch Lady Posts, VPN, Windows Copilot, Zero Day
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