Newsletter Archives

• February — Same number of patches, fewer bugs

  Posted on February 17, 2025 at 02:43 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  This month we have a more “normal” patch release of 57 vulnerabilities.

  Although that’s a “woo-hoo” for the security researchers, you and I will still see the same old security updates being offered. That is, we will see a Windows security update.

  What also hasn’t changed is my stance toward Windows 11 24H2. If you buy a computer with it, stay there. If you are already on it and see no issues, stay there. But if you haven’t yet installed the 24H2 feature release on your existing Windows 11 23H2 machine, I still recommend holding back, especially for businesses. For consumers, the risk is less — as long as you are not a gamer.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.07.0, 2025-02-17).

  Patch Watch Apple updates, CVE-2025-21194, CVE-2025-21376, CVE-2025-21387, CVE-2025-21391, CVE-2025-24200, KB890830, Netlogon, Newsletters, Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, System Guard, Windows 11 24H2

• Microsoft To Do

  Posted on February 3, 2025 at 02:45 CST by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.05 • 2025-02-03

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  Microsoft To Do is a vast expansion of, and improvement on, the basic Tasks feature in Outlook apps.

  Instead of just simple text and due dates, To Do has more organization options, sharing of task lists, and steps within a task — plus dedicated Windows, Mac and mobile apps, as well as a Web-based app.

  It’s available to everyone but works best with a Microsoft-hosted mailbox such as Outlook.com or Microsoft 365. There’s also integration into Outlook for Windows (classic and new) and macOS: if you click on the Tasks icon in Outlook, you’ll get To Do.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.05.0, 2025-02-03).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Microsoft 365 Microsoft To Do, Newsletters, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Outlook Calendar, Outlook Tasks, To Do

• Understanding CVE

  Posted on January 27, 2025 at 02:21 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Vendors track issues using the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database.

  Maintenance of the database is handled by the MITRE Corporation under the sponsorship of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), part of the US Department of Homeland Security. It has been operating since 1999. In 2021, MITRE launched a new website with the domain cve.org and with new features and capabilities.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.04.0, 2025-01-27).

  Patch Watch CISA, CVE, CVE-2025-21309, Documentation, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, Windows Mail

• Saying no to patches

  Posted on January 20, 2025 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.03 • 2025-01-20

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Both Apple and Microsoft are providing updates and options that are unnecessary.

  The good news for you Apple users is that the company is not taking a page out of Microsoft’s forced-change model and instead is letting us easily opt out of AI features. Clearly, it learned from its 2014 blunder — forcing the U2 album Songs of Innocence to iTunes on all iPhones.

  When you receive a pop-up on your Apple device that supports Apple Intelligence, you get a “Not now” option that allows you to easily dismiss the request. For now, Apple’s AI is still somewhat limited and covers only writing, email, and Siri. More AI capabilities are to come later, but it’s good to see that we can easily opt out.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.03.0, 2025-01-20).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Patch Watch 0x80070643, Apple Intelligence, BitLocker, Copilot, CVE-2025-21297, CVE-2025-21309, Device Encryption, Drive Encryption, KB5050411, Newsletters, Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts

• MS-DEFCON 4: The gift of patching

  Posted on December 24, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.52.1 • 2024-12-24

  

  By Susan Bradley • Comment about this alert

  ’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house and office, not a creature was stirring — except yours truly, because I was checking my systems to see whether they were all fully up to date.

  Seriously, I always find that the time around the holidays is a good moment to do your patching. After the holiday dinner has been served and everyone is in their holiday ham or turkey coma, I can sneak away to review my technology. The end of the year is just a week away, and as I always say, you should start the new year with everything polished and shiny. Therefore, I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.52.1, 2024-12-24).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Crowdstrike, CVE-2024-49112, CVE-2024-49138, iOS 18, iOS 18.2, KB4484305, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts

• Stopping the migration to Outlook (new)

  Posted on December 16, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.51 • 2024-12-16

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  And other annoyances.

  Microsoft is trying to get people to switch over to Outlook (new) sooner, but there’s no need to do as Redmond wants. Here’s how the move from Outlook (classic) really works, how to stop a forced migration to the new Outlook until you’re ready, and why the switchover isn’t the end of the older Outlook.

  The immediate issue is that the Windows Mail and Calendar apps are being discontinued on December 31. That should not affect many Microsoft 365 or Office users, who are presumably using Outlook (classic) or some other email software.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.51.0, 2024-12-16).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Microsoft 365 Microsoft Office, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new)

• Outlook (new) for Windows

  Posted on December 2, 2024 at 02:43 CST by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  It’s been a big year for the new Outlook for Windows. Microsoft has removed the “preview” tag and is pushing it hard. But is Outlook (new) really ready for the public?

  A lot has changed since I gave Five reasons not to use the new Outlook; alas, not enough has changed in those key areas.

  Two major Outlook for Windows versions are now available, but they are very different.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.49.0, 2024-12-02).

  Microsoft 365 Classic Outlook, Microsoft, Newsletters, Outlook, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new)

• MS-DEFCON 4: Holiday patching

  Posted on November 26, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.48.1 • 2024-11-26

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Thanksgiving in America is a mere two days away. I often use the holiday to multitask while the turkey is roasting.

  One task for you is applying updates. I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4; other than my recommendation to avoid Windows 11 24H2 for now, patching should be safe.

  Thanksgiving signals the approaching end of year. For both home and office, it’s a great time to reflect on the challenges of the past year and develop a technology plan for the upcoming year. In my case, I’ll be looking at retiring some devices that I no longer need or use, upgrading some existing equipment, replacing aging devices with new ones, and looking for simplifications wherever I can find them.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.48.1, 2024-11-26).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Copilot+ PCs, CVE-2024-44308, CVE-2024-44309, Email, iOS, KB5046613, KB5046633, KB5046714, macOS Sequoia, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, Recall, Windows Server 2022
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