Newsletter Archives

• Is Recall in your future?

  Posted on December 9, 2024 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Don’t panic.

  Microsoft Recall, the new Microsoft technology that records what you are doing on a Windows 11 PC so you can review (“recall”) past actions in the future, is very much in beta right now and not coming to a computer near you.

  Importantly, Recall has a high bar as far as system requirements are concerned. First, a Copilot+PC is required. For some time, the only processors that could provide the necessary power were Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series, Arm-based processors with the Hexagon neural processing unit. (If you want to learn more about NPUs, see IBM’s article What is a neural processing unit (NPU)?) On December 6, Microsoft announced Windows Insider preview build versions for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, a signal that a wider variety of hardware will soon be available.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.50.0, 2024-12-09).

  On Security AMD, Copilot, Copilot+ PCs, Intel, Newsletters, Qualcomm, Recall, Secured-core Standard

• 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

• What isn’t coming to your computer or phone

  Posted on November 4, 2024 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley • Comment about this article

  Just because features such as Microsoft Recall and Apple Intelligence are available does not mean you’ll be forced to use them.

  If you remember, Microsoft Recall is a technology that allows users to go back to a point in time and review what they were doing and which webpages they were viewing. Originally planning to release it in June, Microsoft pulled the plug and went back to the drawing board because of strong customer pushback with respect to security.

  Microsoft won’t be rolling out Recall to test on the insider versions of Windows until December. Originally it was supposed to roll out with Windows 11 24H2.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.45.0, 2024-11-04).

  Patch Watch Apple Intelligence, Copilot+ PCs, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Recall, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• Preparing for 24H2

  Posted on October 7, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Don’t roll out Windows 11 24H2 yet. Defer. Delay. Wait.

  Most importantly, I always say wait, even if it’s just about monthly patches. But this is about what even Microsoft says is a major release, a complete OS overwrite. That makes 24H2 even more dangerous. Let other, more venturesome, souls take the slings and arrows, and use the lessons learned.

  Those lessons may be coming fast. Within the AskWoody community, forum posts associated with last week’s MS-DEFCON 2 Alert demonstrated that some brave testers ran into problems. Other sources have reported glitches, including BSODs. I’m still collecting data and beginning my own testing.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.41.0, 2024-10-07).

  Patch Watch CUPS, CVE-2024-47076, CVE-2024-47175, CVE-2024-47176, CVE-2024-47177, iOS 18, Linux Printing, Microsoft Surface, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Port 631, Recall, Snapdragon X Elite, Windows 11 24H2, Windows Hello

• MS-DEFCON 4: Consumers get a break

  Posted on June 25, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.26.1 • 2024-06-25

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We’re halfway through the patching year!

  It’s time to install the June updates, which is why I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4. I’m not seeing any widespread issues or major impacts. Most side effects seem to be with Win11 Insider versions and 24H2.

  It appears that new technology allowing you to sync your phone with your computer is causing a bit of a CPU hit in the 24H2 release. Microsoft is trying to fix this issue before it gets released to the rest of us. That’s good news.

  In the very good news category is the delay in releasing Microsoft Recall, the much-hyped “reminder” software. The company pulled back at the last minute, due to concerns from security researchers and businesses.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.26.1, 2024-06-25).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Active Directory, Alerts, bug bounty, CVE-2023-38606, CVE-2024-30078, KB5039211, KB5039212, KB5039217, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Process Monitor, Recall, SQL Server, Sysmon

• Whom can you trust with your data?

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

  

  ISSUE 21.26 • 2024-06-24

  Look for our BONUS issue on July 1, 2024!

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Taming that technology

  Two years ago, we added a tagline to our logo: “Tame Your Tech.” My idea was that you must be in control of the technology that surrounds you, and that we’re here to help.

  But lately, I’ve been feeling as if I ought to add yet another tagline: “Whom should you trust with your technology?”

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.26.0, 2024-06-24).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  On Security Apple, Copilot+ PCs, Hardware, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Recall

• The good and bad of 24H2

  Posted on June 3, 2024 at 02:41 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We’re getting closer to the next round of Microsoft’s feature releases, this time in the form of Windows 11 24H2.

  Microsoft took advantage of its recent developer conference, BUILD, to talk about what 24H2 will include. But unless you have access to Entra ID, many of the features are ho-hum at best. And if you are a consumer, you’ll skip most of the enhancements.

  Unless you like living on the edge, prepare your system now to hold back 24H2.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.23.0, 2024-06-03).

  Patch Watch ARM, Newsletters, NTLM, Patch Lady Posts, Qualcomm, Recall, Snapdragon X Elite, Surface, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• MS-DEFCON 4: May updates ready to go

  Posted on May 28, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.22.1 • 2024-05-28

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The May releases are once again a bit of a mixed bag, relatively quiet for consumers but a little bumpy for businesses.

  For three days last week, Microsoft hosted its developer conference, BUILD. It’s an important event for developers, but the headlines are always about things to come.

  On the other hand, I keep an eye on the now — what’s already been released — and how those patches, updates, and new features affect our everyday use of Microsoft’s technology. For example, Microsoft announced the Recall feature of its new line of Copilot+ PCs. That last part is important, because Recall requires AI support built into the hardware, and it will be available only with Windows 11.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.22.1, 2024-05-28).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Copilot, KB5037765, KB5037771, KB5038351, KB5038352, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Patch Lady Posts, Recall, Windows Lock Screen
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