Clients – Microsoft Only

November 13, 2022

Security Admin with Microsoft Office 365

Security Admin with Microsoft Office 365

Cybersecurity refers to the framework of rules, applications, and standard practices that safeguard the internet network, connected hardware and software applications, and data from authorized access and manipulations. In an online work environment, whether it is public internet or intranet at the organizational level, the networks are always susceptible to threats from outside. Cybersecurity helps in providing a security cover to the network, connected devices, and data. One of the important security tools that offer excellent services is Microsoft Office 365.

Microsoft Office 365 is a cloud-based computing program that integrates many functions, software, and regulations into a cloud-based service or subscription-typical program appropriate for private, educational, and official government agencies. It involves cloud data, encryption technologies, and the connection of teamwork to a personal computer directly. With an Office 365 subscription, users may use a range of enterprise resources and facilities, including data management, file sharing, and collaboration in the organization on the foundation of cloud computing.

Efficiency in business is crucial. Every organization benefits from being able to develop, cooperate, and communicate effectively. Organizations become more nimble and are able to compete in their industry when they have access to productivity tools that make it easier for individuals to complete their tasks from any location. It is crucial that businesses take full advantage of Office 365’s advantages.

The Benefits Of Security Admin With Office 365

Accessing files from anywhere: Office 365 allows your company to save all of its files in the cloud. This implies they can be accessed from any location with an internet connection using any of the registered devices. Accessing all the apps and files you need when away from the office is invaluable in organizations where mobile work is required.

Improved Communication: Office 365 provides customers with options to make communication centralized and simple across Skype and Outlook. You can hold conference calls and meetings with colleagues and external agencies from anywhere in the world with Microsoft Team, so you can always cooperate and communicate regardless of location or time difference. Microsoft Teams includes an instant messaging feature that allows comments and files to be uploaded at the same time, which is ideal for cross-departmental collaboration and document co-authoring. All of these capabilities allow you to stay in continual and quick touch with teams and people no matter where they are or when they are.

Business Continuity: With information kept in the cloud and frequently backed up, your company may continue to operate normally in the event of an office incident. Your email, files, and data are safely kept in the cloud regardless of what happens to your physical devices. Exchange also provides recovery tools that allow individual emails or whole inboxes to be recovered if necessary.

Centralized Collaboration: Through collaboration technologies, Office 365 allows you to share mailboxes, calendars, contacts, and edit documents in real time. Sharing calendars in Exchange allows you to know who is available when in your organization, allowing you to organize meetings that work for everyone. Since several users may access the same inbox using shared mailboxes, messages can be filtered to land in the shared mailbox and not be missed. SharePoint is another essential tool for facilitating cooperation. Documents saved here can be accessed and worked on by any staff member and shared through email as a link. Multiple users may also modify documents saved in SharePoint in real-time, making co-authoring simple.

Predictable spend: In the same way as a subscription service, Office 365 is paid for on a monthly, per-user basis. Your license fee will be established by the features you select for your company. The cost of a license depends on the enterprise tier, which in turn is determined by the range of applications and products available at that tier. By establishing a fixed cost per user every month, you may better plan your IT budget for the coming year.

Secure Cloud Storage: If an unauthorized person were to get access to your device, they would be unable to access your files in Office 365 because of the extensive security mechanisms in place, such as two-factor authentication. Security risks are promptly discovered and halted with the help of threat detection and anti-malware software, which is crucial for businesses that deal with sensitive information.

Microsoft’s Office 365 Security Strategy

Microsoft’s Office 365 security strategy is based on four pillars.

The first pillar–Prevent Breach, takes care of network-level isolation/breach borders, distributed denial of service (DDoS) detection and mitigation, live-site penetration testing, and multifactor authentication for service access

The second pillar–Detect Breach, is a built-in analytical mechanism that collects and correlates system and security alarms. The signals are analyzed both internally and outside (from customer issues, for example). New alarm patterns are added based on machine learning.

The third pillar–Respond to Breach, addresses the ensuing risk remediation in case a component is breached. Tools that allow for the quick identification of those responsible and the blocking or termination of their access to sensitive data are helpful in this regard.

When a data breach occurs, follow the steps outlined in the “Recover from Breach” section of the Office 365 backup plan. The environment’s security may be adjusted, impacted systems updated automatically, and irregularities investigated.

The security features offered in Office 365 include encryption at rest or in transit, anti-malware controls, anti-spam controls, antivirus scanning, multifactor authentication (on user login only), and CCM/SOC certifications for at-rest data.

Your company requires a maintenance and operations plan for Microsoft 365 for business once the initial installation and configuration are finished. You may need to add or delete users, change passwords, and even restore devices to their original settings when staff are employed and leave. You should also ensure that employees have only the permissions they need to do their duties.

Microsoft Office 365 can integrate seamlessly with other legacy systems and offer a robust framework to run business operations. The synergies are what will give you an edge over competitors. With its high levels of flexibility and security, it is, thereby, a very worthy investment for any organization.

November 7, 2022

How Stream (on SharePoint)’s New Video Recording Features Can Enhance Your Organizational Communications

How Stream (on SharePoint)’s New Video Recording Features Can Enhance Your Organizational Communications

Key Points in This Article

Microsoft 365’s new Stream (on SharePoint) application allows users to record and edit videos and easily integrate their content with the rest of the platform.
While the classic version of Stream will be retired in the next couple of years, the new Stream (on SharePoint) offers users and organizations more options to create and manage high-quality video content.

If you want to make the most of Microsoft 365, Microsoft continually rolls out new features and functions that help you do that. One of the newest developments is introducing a Recording video function in Stream (on SharePoint). Stream (on SharePoint) is a component of Microsoft 365 that integrates video search, sharing, and management features in apps across the platform. And now, with the latest update, Stream (on SharePoint)allows you to record video.

Video Recording in Stream (on SharePoint)

Microsoft has been diligently updating the existing Stream (on SharePoint) interface. You can see the new portal that replaces the classic interface on your desktop and mobile browsers. However, neither the Android nor the iOS version of Stream (on SharePoint) supports video recording…yet. But you can access this feature on your laptop, taking advantage of the new Stream camera feature to record webcam footage and screen content.

The new Stream (on SharePoint) doesn’t just allow you to record but also edit your recordings as well. Granted, the new editing functionality should not be mistaken for industry standards like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, or Avid Media Composer. But it will keep your audio clear enough to be heard and ensure your video is of professional quality. Additionally, you have access to filters, text annotations, backgrounds, and other simple features that can help spruce up the video content you record.

Microsoft makes recording videos easy. Simply click the New recording button in the Stream client. You’ll find yourself in a new tab in which you can record. Before you do, you can add a backdrop, image, or background blur if you wish. When you upload an image, you can drag it and place it anywhere you’d like in the background of the recording and enlarge or shrink it according to your preferences.

When you’re ready to record, click the round button between Options and Effects at the bottom of the tab. Click it again to stop recording when you wish. Your recording will automatically stop after 15 minutes – the maximum time you can record video on Stream (on SharePoint). If you like what you recorded, click Publish to preserve it in your OneDrive for Business account.

Depending on your license agreement, you may need to be prudent with what you preserve. Stream (on SharePoint) video content will fall under your storage quota for OneDrive and SharePoint. If recording video is part of your role, you may need to request more storage space from your employer. If not, you’ll want to keep these limits in mind, especially if the video content you record doesn’t directly support revenue-driving activities.

In OneDrive for Business, the default file naming convention includes the date and time you recorded your video. You’ll want to rename it quickly to avoid having a folder full of unrecognizable files. You can also add captions and transcripts to your video by accessing the Properties settings. In fact, though Stream (on SharePoint) is not the most robust option, it does boast an impressive array of editing features.

With Stream (on SharePoint), you can:

Suppress background noise to focus on just one speaker’s voice
Segment your video into Chapters allowing users to skip to the section they’re most interested in
Add transcripts and captions in multiple languages
Edited transcripts for accuracy
Add rich text and hyperlinks to your video descriptions
Create custom thumbnails

And more functions are likely on the way. In 2021, Microsoft bought a service called Clipchamp, which offers far more editing features. The company may integrate the service into Stream on SharePoint, which could allow users to create longer videos, combine video clips, and incorporate complex special effects.

The Benefits of Stream (on SharePoint)

By integrating video recording, Microsoft provides clients with enterprise-wide production capability. Further, its integration allows users to create custom workflows incorporating Microsoft’s full suite of apps without relying on standalone vendors, industry-specific software applications, and customized systems integrations.

Historically, Microsoft’s classic Stream was fairly disconnected from the rest of Microsoft 365. Now Stream (on SharePoint) allows users a more robust UX experience, allowing them to share video content, search for it more effectively, and comment on it. Moreover, Stream (on SharePoint) allows you to categorize and store video content in OneDrive and SharePoint according to group rules aligned with your policies. For example, by folding videos into Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management (formerly known as Microsoft Information Governance), you can ensure you preserve critical video content for archival, HR, regulatory, or legal reasons.

Further, by folding video content into Stream (on SharePoint), users can naturally manage audio and video files just as easily as other common files. There’s not a single video portal destination, but using SharePoint, you can create webpages and sites where you can embed videos for user viewing. You can also share video content across the organization through OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint for other users to access as they see fit. You can also publish videos to the Yammer Community and boost your organizational visibility.

Stream (on SharePoint) also provides you with analytics, so you know who’s watching your video content and how engaging they find it. You can see trends, traffic, unique visitors over time, what parts of a video were watched, and more. This information can help you create more engaging content and tailor how you present it to capture your audience’s attention more effectively.

With Stream (on SharePoint’s) arrival, the classic Stream will soon be retired. Microsoft estimates providing an actual retirement date in the first quarter of 2023 and gradually sunsetting the classic Stream over the following 24 months. But the company also wants to make it as easy as possible for Stream users to move to the new platform. They’ve made a migration tool available here to help users move their existing video content simultaneously or in batches from Stream to Stream (on SharePoint). Moreover, Stream live events are transitioning to Teams live events. As that process is ongoing, the company also plans to send a formal notification about the retirement timeline for Stream live events shortly.

November 3, 2022

Improving Communications With Microsoft Teams’ New Scheduled Chat Feature

Improving Communications With Microsoft Teams’ New Scheduled Chat Feature

Key Points in This Article

Microsoft Teams allows users to schedule the chat messages they compose up to seven days in the future.
Scheduled chat messages can be edited or deleted before sending as necessary.
This feature, available for 1:1 Teams Chat conversations, can help users communicate more effectively in several ways.

Have you ever found yourself struck with a brilliant idea after hours? Really late after hours? Are you perhaps the employee who’s become known for sending emails and chat requests at all hours of the night and on holidays that fully capture the idea you have lest you lose it? If you have developed that reputation, you may not be surprised to learn that your supervisor co-workers have begun to deprioritize your 1:00 am emails (or even ignore them entirely) due to fatigue, jealousy, resentment, or a mixture of all three.

Generally, it’s far better to send email and chat requests to your co-workers during regular working hours. To that end, email scheduling can be enormously beneficial. You can compose your thoughts and schedule your brilliant idea in your co-worker or supervisor’s Inbox at the right time. Major email clients, like Microsoft Outlook, offer users this feature. But to make communication even more effective, Microsoft has begun to offer users the ability to schedule Teams chats to be sent to other Teams users later.

How to Schedule a Teams Chat

You can use the Teams scheduled send feature on your desktop and mobile devices. This feature is available to everyone out of the box and is not one that can be disabled. Scheduled send-for chats work when chatting with other Teams users of Microsoft/Office 365. Also, as with regular messages, you can add images inline and files as attachments with your scheduled chat messages. However, this feature will not work when chatting with users of other services like Skype. It also does not work for Teams channels.

But if you want to schedule a chat with another Teams user on your desktop, simply compose a chat message as you usually would. When finished, you need to right-click the Send button. When you do, you’ll see a dialog box appear with scheduling options up to seven days from now. Choose the date and time that works for you, then click Send at scheduled time. Your chat message will then be sent to your intended recipient at the chosen date and time.

If you’re using a mobile device, you’ll need to continuously hold the send button down for a few seconds instead of right-clicking. You’ll then see a screen that allows you to pick the date and time you’d like and a Send at scheduled time button for you to select once you do.

Before your message is sent, you’ll see it listed in your Chat window marked with the day and time you’ve scheduled it for. Once sent, the scheduling information will vanish, and the now-sent chat message will appear as other active chat messages do. However, perceptive co-workers may be able to figure out that you’re using this feature. Teams only allow you to schedule your message for sending at half-hour intervals. Most people don’t start chatting on the dot at 10:00 am or 1:30 pm. But this nuance should not matter that much.

You should also note that scheduled chat messages cannot be marked as urgent or essential. Inherently, it would not make much sense to compose a critical or urgent message and then schedule it to send some time in the future. Moreover, Teams sends automatic notifications to recipients of important or urgent messages to get their attention – another reason why categorizing a scheduled chat in such a manner is not permitted. And if you type a chat message, mark it as important or urgent, and then use the scheduled send feature, Teams will automatically strip the essential or urgent categorization from your message.

You can also cancel or reschedule a scheduled chat message. To do the former, simply right-click the message, then select Cancel scheduled time on the resulting dialog box. And to reschedule, also right-click the message, pick a new date and time in the wrestling dialog box, and select Send at scheduled time.

The Benefits of Scheduling Chats

The benefits of scheduling chats are similar to those of scheduling emails. In addition to shedding your reputation as a workaholic with no work-life balance, you can avoid earning the ire of your colleagues who find non-emergency after-hours work-related emails and chats irritating – to say the least.

Suppose you’re a supervisor who finds themselves sending every work idea you have to your subordinates whenever they occur. In that case, you could easily see the morale of your department or unit plummet and even lose talented employees. But by scheduling these messages during office hours, you’ll show respect for your co-workers and help them enjoy the work-life balance that will help keep them engaged and productive.

Moreover, by scheduling your chats at the right time, you’re more likely to capture the attention of a co-worker, supervisor, or key decision-maker in the office. Many people pore through their emails after their first cup of coffee in the morning, while others do so mid-morning or at the end of the day. Knowing when your intended audience will most likely be receptive is key to effective communication. And if your intended recipient travels or resides overseas, scheduling a chat that matches their time zone can help you capture their attention.

Scheduling chats can also serve as a check on what you plan to send. When you come back to and reread a message that’s sitting in your chat pane, you may realize it’s not the best idea to send it or that there may be a more effective way to get your idea or point across. This feature may save you from impulsively sending a not-quite-fully-baked idea to management or sending a petty complaint to someone in writing. It may seem like an overstatement, but there’s a chance that a scheduled send for chat may save us from inadvertent professional harm.

November 2, 2022

How Microsoft Teams’ Co-Organizer Feature Can Help Your Meetings Run Smoothly

Key Points in This Article:

Microsoft Teams lets Teams Meeting organizers assign the attendees they designate as co-organizers.
Co-organizers enjoy most of the privileges of organizers and can help organizers ensure that the meeting runs smoothly.
Assigning co-organizers is a straightforward process that can be performed before the meeting starts or even while running.

Videoconferences are more integrated into the daily operations of businesses and organizations than ever before. No longer are they the sole province of the clusters of tech-savvy employees in a department or business. They are widely used across industries, businesses, departments, and offices. As a result, videoconference scheduling and administration can no longer reside with a single employee or with the IT department. Employees should be able to schedule and administer meetings easily.

But when meetings are significant, mission-critical, customer-facing, or otherwise necessary, employees must be able to collaborate to ensure that they go off without a hitch. Microsoft Teams developers have made meeting administration collaboration easier with the introduction of the Microsoft Teams Co-Organizers feature.

How to Establish Co-Organizers In a Teams Meeting

Enabling this feature is pretty straightforward and starts with scheduling a Teams meeting. In your Outlook Calendar, right-click on the time and date you’d like to schedule, then select New Meeting Request from the resulting dropdown menu. You’ll be sent to a meeting invitation pane, where you can select the individuals you’d like to invite in either the Required or Optional fields. Begin to invite attendees. Make sure the individual or individuals you’d like to serve as co-organizers are added to the Required field.

Once you’ve added your attendees and sent your invitation, click on Teams Meeting in the Meeting ribbon at the top. You’ll then see Teams Options appear in the ribbon. Select it, and you’ll find in the dialog box that opens a field labeled Choose co-organizers. Here, you’ll enter the name(s) of the meeting attendee(s) you’d like to assign to this role, then click Save at the bottom of the dialog box.

If you didn’t assign a co-organizer before the meeting, don’t panic. If you realize you need someone to help, you can assign a co-organizer during the meeting. While the meeting is taking place, navigate to your Outlook Calendar in a separate tab. Open the Meeting, and if the person you’d like to make a co-organizer was not initially sent an invite, invite them now.

Once you have, or if they are already in the Teams Meeting as a Participant, select the More options icon (represented on your screen as three dots). Then select Meeting options from the dropdown menu that will appear. Here, you’ll simply add the name of your intended co-organizer or use the Search for participants function to find their name in a dropdown menu of attendees. Find the person, select them, and click Save. That person will find themselves with co-organizer privileges instantaneously.

What Co-Organizers Can Do

Co-organizers have most of the privileges you do as the organizer of your meeting. In fact, the list of what they can’t do is much shorter than what they can. Co-organizers can’t:

Take your organizer privileges from you
Handle the meeting recording function
Change meeting options while channel meetings are taking place
Access attendance reporting

But beyond these restrictions, they can do everything an organizer can, including managing breakout rooms and meeting options, changing attendee roles, admitting people from the lobby, locking the meeting, presenting content, and ending the meeting when it is over. With these privileges, your co-organizer can easily step in, in case you’re called out of your meeting to help manage an emerging crisis.

Two important notes. First, co-organizers are not automatically assigned the privilege of managing breakout rooms. They must also be assigned to the role of breakout room manager. To do so, you’ll need to select Breakout rooms in your Teams calendar meeting invite, then click Room settings. You’ll see an option to Assign presenters to manage rooms. Enable that option, then choose Search for presenters.

Here, you’ll be able to see a list of meeting attendees and assign your co-organizer as a breakout room manager. As with the co-organizer role, you can assign breakout room managers after the breakout rooms have been enabled. However, to ensure your meeting runs as smoothly as possible, it’s highly recommended you assign this role in advance.

Second, co-organizers cannot manage the recording function if the organizer has begun to record the meeting and then has to leave the meeting. This is because the recording file lives in the organizer’s OneDrive account, which the co-organizer would not have access to. However, if the organizer has not begun to record the meeting by the time they leave, the co-organizer may do so.

Why Adding a Co-Organizer Is Beneficial

When you add a co-organizer, they’ll have most of the privileges you do to administer the meeting. If you’re late or miss the meeting, your co-organizer can start, run, and end the meeting without delay. And making sure you always have a co-organizer when you schedule a meeting can be helpful in case an emergency forces you to step away mid-meeting or you run into technical difficulties administering a portion of it. Co-organizers can help ensure that your Teams Meetings flow smoothly with little to no interruption, no matter what curveballs you encounter.

Microsoft allows you to add up to 10 co-organizers per meeting. Now, this may seem unnecessary if you have never had more than ten members for the Teams Meetings you’ve administered. But Teams allows you to hold a meeting in which up to 1,000 people can participate. Moreover, using the View-only option allows you to administer a Teams Meeting in which up to 20,000 people can listen in. With attendance numbers like that, having up to 10 co-organizers makes a lot more sense.

Even if you’re not holding a meeting that size, some Teams Meetings have many moving parts. Microsoft Teams has been used to schedule meetings that span geographies and time zones and include multiple presentations, group exercises in breakout rooms, polls, and other activities. When meeting logistics are particularly complex, it’s a good idea to assign co-organizers and delegate them the responsibility of handling different parts of the meeting. Doing so can help ensure that the meeting goes smoothly and that there are people who can quickly step in to help manage the meeting if things take an unexpected turn.

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October 24, 2022

The Need For an Evolution in Fraud Prevention

Pig Butchering & Crypto Scams: The Need For an Evolution in Fraud Prevention

Key Points

As technology advances and the world becomes more connected, scams and fraud are getting more challenging to prevent.
Many experts are calling for a new approach to fraud and protecting consumers’ privacy.
Pig butchering and other crypto scams are just examples of the complex and sophisticated fraud businesses need to be aware of.

Recently, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the sophistication of fraudsters and their methods. No longer are we solely dealing with simple phishing emails or low-tech scams. Today, fraudsters use cutting-edge technology and social engineering techniques to dupe victims from their hard-earned money.

Crypto scams are becoming more and more common. They’re so common that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued warnings about them. It’s not just the SEC that’s concerned; law enforcement agencies also warn people about crypto scams. These scams could be anything from promising huge investment returns to pretending to be from a legitimate cryptocurrency exchange.

One of the most recent warnings comes from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. In early October, the IC3 recently published a report warning everyone about “pig butchering.”

What Is Pig Butchering?

“Pig butchering” crypto scams entail a complex combination of high-tech social engineering techniques and sophisticated technology to trick people into sending cryptocurrency to attackers. These scams use various methods, such as gaining victims’ trust through email or social media. Once the victim is emotionally and financially invested in the relationship, they are defrauded by having their money stolen or investment manipulated.

To protect against pig butchering scams, businesses and individuals should be vigilant about potential red flags such as financial requests or emotional manipulation and always conduct due diligence on any investment platform before committing any money. Additionally, businesses should take steps such as implementing transaction monitoring and multi-factor authentication to help better protect themselves and their customers from fraud.

By being aware of the latest trends in fraud and taking proactive measures to prevent it, we can help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of pig butchering scams. “Pig butchering” may seem like an odd term, but it’s quite fitting when you think about it; these types of scams are designed to butcher your business’s finances!

Why Evolution in Fraud Prevention Is Necessary

Thanks to advances in technology and the ever-increasing interconnectedness of our world, fraudsters have become more efficient than ever. The rise of cryptocurrencies, in particular, has created a new frontier for scammers to exploit the uninformed.

By embracing new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, we can better understand the patterns and trends of scams. This will allow us to detect and thwart even the most sophisticated fraud attempts, protecting consumers from harm and restoring faith in our financial institutions.

We are undoubtedly facing a new era of fraud, one where the threat is more powerful and pervasive than ever before. With the right tools and strategies in place, we can evolve our fraud prevention methods and keep up with the ever-changing tactics that scammers use.

What Role Do Financial Institutions Play in the Evolving Fraud Landscape?

Consumers need to be aware of the latest crypto scams and take steps to protect themselves. Financial institutions also play a crucial role in preventing fraud. Financial institutions that fail to properly vet their customers and implement proper security measures can leave themselves vulnerable to pig butchering scams, which could result in substantial financial losses.

As digital transformation continues to take hold, the need for innovation in fraud prevention is more significant than ever. This is especially true for financial institutions that want to ensure the safety and security of their customers. As more financial institutions use SaaS(Software as a service) platforms to help reach a broader customer base and improve their processes, an effective fraud prevention strategy becomes even more critical.

Financial institutions unable to counter fraudsters’ advanced and sophisticated techniques will find themselves at a significant disadvantage. By leveraging the latest technology and working closely with their partners, financial institutions can better protect themselves and their customers while keeping pace with the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

What Actions Can Help Prevent Pig Butchering Scams?

So, what can be done to prevent these types of scams? Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, some steps businesses can take to help protect themselves and their customers from crypto scams and other types of fraud.

Educate Your Employees

One of the best ways to prevent crypto scams is to educate your employees about them. Make sure your employees know what crypto scams are and how they work. Show them examples of crypto scams so they can be on the lookout for them. Most importantly, remind them never to send cryptocurrency to anyone they don’t know or trust.

Know Your Customer

Another critical step businesses can take to prevent fraud is knowing their customers. Make sure you have proper KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures in place so you can verify the identity of your customers before doing business with them.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an essential tool that can help prevent crypto scams and other types of fraud. With MFA, a user must provide two or more pieces of evidence (or “factors”) to access an account or system. For example, one factor could be something the user knows (like a password), while another could be something the user has (like a smartphone). By using MFA, businesses can make it much harder for fraudsters to access accounts or systems.

Implement Transaction Monitoring

Transaction monitoring is another critical tool businesses can use to prevent fraud. With transaction monitoring, businesses can set up rules and thresholds to flag suspicious activity. For example, if a customer suddenly starts making large withdrawals from their account, that could be flagged as suspicious activity, and further investigation may be needed. Transaction monitoring can help businesses catch fraudulent activity before it happens. “Pig butchering” is just one type of fraudulent activity that transaction monitoring can help detect; there are many others as well!

Final Thoughts

With the rise of sophisticated fraudsters and their methods, it’s become more critical for businesses to evolve their approach to fraud prevention. Traditional methods are no longer enough; businesses need to take a holistic approach that considers the latest trends and techniques used by fraudsters. “Pig butchering” crypto scams are just one example of sophisticated fraud perpetrated today. Still, by educating employees and implementing strong anti-fraud measures, businesses can help protect themselves and their customers from falling victim to these scams.

October 17, 2022

How Keeping Track of Microsoft’s Product Plans Can Keep Your Network Secure

How Keeping Track of Microsoft’s Product Plans Can Keep Your Network Secure

Key Points in This Article:

CIOs and IT administrators must ensure that their networks remain free and clear of outdated software applications, which can pose a tremendous security risk.
Outdated applications can provide a backdoor for ransomware attacks, malware, and viruses.
Performing regular network audits, keeping software up-to-date, and keeping abreast of planned software retirements can help businesses and organizations eliminate this source of risk.

An often overlooked yet crucial function of IT administrators across industries is to keep their corporate networks up-to-date. When businesses and organizations allow outdated software to languish on their servers, they not only waste valuable resources. They can expose their networks to vulnerabilities that hackers and cybercriminals can exploit. When a developer retires software, they no longer provide patches and updates, which then falls to IT departments to secure. Doing so usually falls to the bottom of the priority list and is often neglected entirely until an incident occurs.

Why You Need to Retire Outdated Software Applications

Not only can outdated software inadvertently create backdoors to your network, but the data contained in these applications is also quite vulnerable. You can quickly lose sensitive employee, financial, or client information you forgot was stored in outdated software. And soon enough, you may lose customers, employees, and revenue while potentially facing legal or regulatory action due to negligence.

These systems also increase your network’s overall vulnerability to a ransomware attack. These attacks can be devastating, particularly for small businesses and those with underresourced IT departments. Even a moderately sophisticated ransomware attack that encrypts a few key systems can be enough to put a company out of business.

And the perpetrators of these attacks spare no business or industry. Cybercriminals have targeted corporations and companies of all sizes, government agencies, schools, hospitals, and many other entities in the past decade. Cybercriminals seek vulnerabilities they can exploit to access networks from which they believe they can extract payment. Often, the amount of the payment isn’t what threatens a business’ operation as a going concern, but the consequences of an attack, including:

Operational downtime and resulting lost revenue
Reputational damage resulting in a loss of customers and revenue
Loss of proprietary data, trade secrets, and competitive advantage
IT hardware/software damages and replacement costs
Litigation expenses stemming from potential post-incident legal or regulatory action

Even businesses and organizations with a cyber incident response plan on paper will find that an actual attack often unfolds quite differently than it does in scenario planning sessions. There’s invariably a scenario you did not account for, a new staffer who isn’t up to speed on the plan when the attack occurs, or a failing backup system that no one identified. And while you may be quick to respond and mitigate the damage, you won’t always be lucky.

It’s a better strategy to fortify your network and continuously assess it for weaknesses and vulnerabilities. But you don’t need to do a risk assessment to know that retired software should no longer be on your servers. Schedule one now if you haven’t performed a network audit in a while (at least six months). A network audit involves more than just ensuring your software applications are up-to-date. However, using the network audit process and methodology is good practice. During the audit, take the time to:

Review and record the software applications running on your network within the context of network security, performance, and inventory.
Assess how applications are used and how you can update outdated programs without compromising continuous operations.
Ensure older software applications have the latest patches installed.

You’ll also want to develop a plan to retire outdated software applications. Doing so lies outside the scope of a network audit and requires more than just a network auditing tool. You’ll want to reach out to end users still using these programs and determine how best to replace them without data loss, operational disruption, or internal disputes.

But regardless of your budgetary constraints and organizational culture (or dysfunction), you must get outdated software off your network. It poses a liability that, if properly exploited, could spell the end of your business or organization.

Planning to Retire Older Software Applications

If you haven’t performed a network audit in a while and brought your applications up-to-date, you may find the process a bit overwhelming. To avoid the extra stress and work involved in clearing backlogs of outdated applications from your network, plan to phase out applications that their developers are retiring.

Major software developers like Microsoft announce their plans to retire applications years in advance to give users across the globe the time they need to transition to new systems. By keeping an eye on these announcements, you can create a plan to phase them out over time. That way, you can give your co-workers time to adjust to the new system or system update while ensuring your network is as safe as possible from threats.

Microsoft announced plans to retire three products in 2023: Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine (classic), Kaizala, and Scheduler for Microsoft 365. Over half a dozen products will no longer be serviced, including Windows 10 Enterprise and Education, Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, Version 2107, and Windows 11 Home and Pro. Further, dozens of products will no longer receive support, and it’s only a matter of time before they are retired entirely.

Some products will be placed on Extended Support, which will allow users more time to transition from them to more modern versions or alternate products. During the Extended Support phase, these applications will not undergo any panned or requested design changes and will likely be retired in the future.

Microsoft’s blog has a complete list of products slated for retirement, End of Service, End of Support, or Extended Support in 2023. Microsoft strives to make these transitions as easy as possible for corporate and individual customers. So they’ve outlined not only upcoming product retirements and phase-out plans for 2023 but also 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.

If you look at the list for 2027, it’s not nearly as robust as that for 2023. But over time, Microsoft will continuously update the blog with its product plans. It’s a good idea to bookmark this blog and sign up for updates so you have the necessary information to revise your own organizational IT plans accordingly. By doing so, you’ll be able to ensure your network’s resources are always up-to-date and keep it as free from potential vulnerabilities as possible.

October 11, 2022October 12, 2022

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Wave 2 Release

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: Your Guide to the 2022 Wave 2 Release

Key Points:

Microsoft recently announced the next wave of innovations coming to Business Central.
Building on last year’s release momentum, this next wave of features and capabilities will help you optimize your business processes, drive better decision-making, and accelerate your digital transformation journey.
Some of the key highlights for this release include a refreshed user experience that is more intuitive and easier to use and enhanced connected experiences with Power Automate.
In addition, there are also new capabilities to help you manage your finances, streamline your supply chain, and much more.

Every year, Microsoft releases two significant updates for its business software, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. This is usually in the form of a new “wave” in the spring and another in the fall. Microsoft recently announced the highlights for this year’s fall release, Wave 2 of Business Central 2022. Today, we’ll look at some key features and changes in this release.

Onboarding: A Seamless User Experience Enabling Customers to Get Started Faster

The new release cycle will optimize the onboarding experience to ensure users can quickly get started and get the most value out of Business Central. Wave 2 will include several enhancements to make business users more productive.

The new wave improves the discoverability of apps that meet certain requirements (e.g., specific usage criteria or quality standards) in the AppSource portal. The new wave will offer a smoother installation and setup process when installing these applications through third-party business productivity services.

Development and Extensibility: Enhanced Developer Experiences and New Capabilities

Microsoft is making it easier to work with developers by moving Business Central entirely into Visual Studio. This will lower the cost of any programmers you collaborate with on projects and increase productivity. In addition, Microsoft has added some noteworthy abstractions that will make development more efficient. These abstractions will make managing objects across different workspaces more efficient.

These abstractions can also lead to quicker response times when collaborating with productivity partners like Team Foundation Server (TFS) without having NuGet packages bogging down your system resources. Finally, new constructs are written specifically so the software can be compiled faster; this means happier users who spend less time waiting while their favorite app loads.

User Interface: Expanding Possibilities With Improved Integration

Microsoft has been working hard to make it easier for users of their business software, especially those looking to integrate with third-party platforms. This brings improvements to Power Automate and makes it easier to access document attachments and automated assignments. An updated toolset will also make extending the central business experience more straightforward than ever before.

Governance and Security: Improved Security and Compliance

As your number one source for managing environments, Business Central will introduce new features to provide new capabilities for system admins. The new release includes several enhancements to help customers meet their governance and compliance requirements.

These include improvements to how user access and permissions are managed and enhancements to the auditing capabilities. Overall, these capabilities will help secure, monitor, and automate operational tasks across multiple entities in an easy way–and keep up with notifications on service updates.

Data Loss Protection: Reducing the Risk of Data Loss

The new release also includes a range of enhancements to help customers reduce the risk of data loss. These include improvements to how backups are managed and new capabilities for monitoring and recovering data.

The user interfaces across client devices is also upgrading with new design elements and more straightforward company switching options. Restoring deleted environments has been made even more convenient, too – now you can restore them in just seven days instead of awaiting Microsoft support assistance when things go wrong (or not).

Collaboration With Microsoft 365: Improved Experiences for Everyone

Microsoft is investing more in modernizing the user experience for business users and IT professionals by improving the interaction between Business Central and various Microsoft 365 applications. The 2022 release will offer improvements to OneDrive and Excel, as well as data editing capabilities across these applications, making them more accessible than ever!

Application Optimization: Better Productivity Is Around the Corner

The fall release will include optimizations in the application itself, such as improvements to bank reconciliation and the test report in the financial area. In addition, a statement report with two sections for outstanding reconciliations will be added. The journal entries from posted payment reconciliation journals can also be reversed, which will be very helpful for correcting mistakes. The reconciliation process will be further enhanced with the ability to reconcile entries by transaction date instead of just posting date.

Transparency for users will be increased through the renaming of account schedules to financial reporting. In addition, the function will be changed to provide a better overview of the available reports. This will help new and experienced users get a clear picture of the financial situation. The new release will include a VAT Date field on documents and entries and an improved text function for VAT clauses. A redesigned and configurable Intrastat function for all countries and regions will also be introduced, providing a history of previously reported periods.

How Will This Release Impact Your Business?

The impact of these changes will depend on how your business uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. We’ve highlighted some key areas of focus for the upcoming release:

Business Users: The changes to the user interface and collaboration with Microsoft 365 may be the most noticeable for you. The new design elements and more straightforward company switching options will make it easier to use Business Central, and the improvements to OneDrive and Excel will make it easier to edit data.
IT Professionals and Partners: The changes to the development experience may be the most noticeable for you. The new features will make it easier to develop and deploy extensions, and the improvements to the way user access and permissions are managed will make it easier to manage your environment.

Whether connecting from a phone, tablet, or laptop – Business Central users will have an updated and consistent experience.

Final Thoughts

We’ve shared a few of the highlights for Business Central in the Wave 2 release, but there’s so much more to explore! If you’re not currently on the latest version of Business Central, now is a great time to upgrade. If you’re already on Business Central, you can soon start exploring the new features and capabilities. Either way, we can’t wait to hear what you think of the new release!

September 29, 2022October 7, 2022

7 New and Notable Microsoft Teams Features You Need to Know

Seven New and Notable Microsoft Teams Features You Need to Know

Critical Points In This Article

Microsoft continuously rolls out new features for Teams users. Here are seven of the most recent and notable improvements.
Improved search capabilities regarding Chat messages.
The addition of a soft focus filter for Teams Meetings.
Greater Teams and Outlook integration.
Pre-assignment of attendees in Breakout Rooms.
Improvements to Polls, including ranked choice answering and reusing poll questions.
Elimination of the default Wiki Tab.
Shared audio on smartphone Teams Meetings

Microsoft Teams is not only one of the most robust and secure software applications on the market, but users also enjoy the continuous release of new features. Teams auto-update every two weeks, providing users with new productivity-enhancing and security features to help them make the most of the application. Because of the frequency of the updates, it can be hard to keep up with all the changes Teams undergo in a given year. But to help you make the most of Microsoft Teams, here’s a look at some of the most notable changes in 2022.

Improved Search for Chat Messages

One long sought-after improvement is the ability to navigate directly to a Chat message that appears in your Search results. Previously, when you’d search for a message using a person’s name, you’d be taken to a single message without being able to see the full conversation. This approach made it hard for users to find attachments or aspects of the conversation they were looking for.

By the beginning of 2022, Teams had already made notable improvements to their search function. They’d redesigned their interface so you can find all of the references to your search term in Teams on the All tab. If you’re looking specifically for messages, you can search within the Messages tab, which speeds up finding the chat you’re looking for. But now, by honing in on Chats you’ve had with a specific user, you can more easily find the information you’re looking for.

Soft Focus Filter in Teams Meetings

Teams now offer users a Soft Focus feature you can use in Teams Meetings. This feature uses AI to soften your appearance in video meetings, subtly reducing the amount of detail transmitted. As a result, you may appear more hale and hearty, which can help you make a better impression in meetings or when presenting. You can control the extent to which you use this feature in Audio and Video Settings.

Greater Teams and Outlook Integration

Now, in Outlook, you can leverage Teams content more easily. If you open a message and scroll over the new Teams icon that appears at the top right of the message, you’ll see you can share the email to Teams, schedule a meeting in Teams with those who’ve received the message you’re looking at and chat with message recipients more easily.

You can also send Forms more easily to Teams users and through Outlook. In the Send and collect responses option in Forms, you’ll find an option to send a preformatted message with a link to your Form to the Channel you type in. You’ll see a similar preformatted message for Outlook recipients, and when you select the mail client, you’ll be able to email the form link to any email address you want.

Pre-assign Attendees in Breakout Rooms

When you create a meeting and assign it to a Channel, you can now assign attendees to a Breakout Room before the meeting. Many of us have been in meetings where we have to way a few minutes as the Organizer scrambles to assign each attendee to a Breakout Room for the meeting to continue. This feature eliminates that delay allowing you to run a seamless meeting.

Once you’ve created a meeting and assigned it to a channel, simply head to the meeting on your calendar, open it, and click Edit. You’ll see a Breakout Rooms tab, which, when selected, will allow you to create the number of breakout rooms you need and then assign attendees automatically or manually to those rooms.

Poll Improvements

You can now add a Polls tab to your meeting, allowing you to incorporate polling more easily. There’s also a new option that allows you to create Polls where participants can rank the different options in your Poll. If you’re looking to get feedback on, say, new designs or projects, this feature can really come in handy in helping you gauge your audience’s thinking.

You can now also reuse the Poll questions you’ve created easily. In the Polls tab, you’ll find a My recent tabs option. Selecting it will show you questions you’ve already used on the right-hand side. Click on the question(s) you want to use, select Save as a draft, and you’ll see they’ve been added to the new Poll you’re creating.

Elimination of the Default Wiki Tab

If you’re a commercial teams customer, Teams will no longer add a default Wiki tab when you create a new Channel. You can add a Wiki if you want, and any Wikis that have already been created will remain intact. However, new Channels will no longer automatically include this tab.

Before this change, some users stumbled across a hidden danger. These Wikis were stored in a SharePoint library. Removing the Wiki tab from the Channel would permanently delete the SharePoint file and all of the Wiki content with no chance of recovery. To avoid this, knowledgeable IT administrators and MSP staff might spend extra time deleting the Wiki tabs in Teams provisioning solutions. However, by eliminating the default addition of a Wiki to each Channel, time can be saved, and this potential mishap can be avoided entirely.

Shared Audio on Smartphone Teams Meetings

You can easily share audio if you’re on a Teams meeting on iOS or Android. Simply enable the new Share Audio feature, and you can now share audio with participants, such as through a video or music app, when you’re using the Share Screen function. This function works for iOS 13 or later and Android 10 or later.

September 26, 2022October 7, 2022

Express Yourself With Over 800 New Reactions in Microsoft Teams

Express Yourself With Over 800 New Reactions in Microsoft Teams

Key Points

Communication is key in any workplace, and Microsoft Teams is a great way to stay connected with your colleagues.
Reactions are a way to add emotion and personality to your messages in Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Teams will be adding over 800 new reactions, giving users more ways to communicate with each other.

Microsoft Teams will be getting an update that includes expanded reactions. This means that users will have over 800 different reactions instead of the current standard options.

How to Use Reactions in Microsoft Teams

In addition to raising your hand virtually and giving applause, there are a few other ways you can use reactions in Teams. For example, you can use the thumbs-up reaction to show agreement or the laugh reaction to show that something is funny.

Expressing yourself with reactions is a quick and easy way to let your teammates know how you’re feeling without interrupting the flow of conversation. You can click on the “Reactions” button in the screen’s upper-right corner if you want to express your reaction to something during a meeting.

What Role Can Reactions Play in Communication?

Reactions have become a staple in our digital communication, with people of all ages using them to express themselves. While some may see them as a fun way to communicate, reactions can play a key role in communication.

Reactions can help reduce misunderstandings in text-based communications. When people use reactions, they are less likely to have their messages misinterpreted. The use of reactions can also lead to increased positive emotions, and those who use reactions in their text messages typically have a more positive experience than those who don’t.

So, what does this mean for Microsoft Teams users? The update to Microsoft Teams that is expanding the reactions available is a great way to improve communication within the platform. The expanded reactions can also make Teams a more fun and engaging place to communicate.

You’re sure to find the perfect reaction for any situation with so many different options. Whether you’re feeling happy, sad, or somewhere in between, a reaction can express it. So why not take advantage of them?

Should You Use Reactions in the Workplace?

Now that you know a little bit more about reactions and how they can be used in communication, you may wonder if using them at work is appropriate. The answer to this question is that it depends on your workplace culture.

If you work in a more formal environment, it’s probably best to stick to the standard reactions. However, if you work in a more relaxed environment, the expanded reactions can provide a great way to add some personality to your messages.

No matter your workplace culture, it’s always important to be respectful when using reactions. If you’re unsure whether or not it’s appropriate to use a certain reaction, err on the side of caution and don’t use it.

How to Use Reactions in a Professional Setting

If you are part of a workplace that is okay with using reactions, you may be wondering how to use them in a professional setting. When using reactions in a professional setting, it is important to use them judiciously. You don’t want to overload your messages with reactions, as this can be unprofessional. Instead, use them sparingly.

Here are a few tips for using reactions in a professional setting:

Use reactions that are appropriate for the context and tone of the message.
Avoid using reactions that could be interpreted negatively.
Use reactions sparingly so as not to overwhelm the message.
Consider your audience when using them. Some audiences may be more receptive than others.
Be aware of your reactions, as they can be a form of nonverbal communication.
Use reactions to emphasize or provide additional information rather than replace words.
Avoid using reactions that might be seen as unprofessional, such as the Rolling Eyes reaction.
Think about how your reactions might be interpreted before you use them.

When using Microsoft Teams, keep these tips in mind to ensure that you use expanded reactions professionally and appropriately.

The Benefits of Using Reactions in the Workplace

While some potential risks are associated with using reactions in a professional setting, there are also many benefits. Reactions can help humanize communication, making us feel more connected to our colleagues.

Here are a few benefits of using reactions in the workplace:

Reactions can help to lighten the mood, especially during difficult or stressful times.
They can be used to communicate complex emotions or situations that might be difficult to express in words.
They can help to build rapport and relationships with co-workers, clients, and customers.
They can be used to show appreciation or gratitude, which can go a long way in fostering a positive work environment.
They can be used to show empathy, which can be helpful in difficult situations.
They can help to break the ice and get conversations started.
They can help us to better understand the people we work with.
They can provide a way to communicate when we can’t speak non-verbally, such as in a meeting.
They can help us to remember important information or messages.

The benefits of using reactions in the workplace are vast. If you haven’t used them in your professional communications, now could be the time to start. You’ll have even more options with the expanded reactions in Microsoft Teams.

Final Thoughts

The addition of expanded reactions is just one of many ways that Microsoft is constantly working to improve the Teams user experience. Recently, we’ve seen updates that include built-in meeting translation, end-to-end encryption for calls and chats, and even a feature that allows users to blur their background during video calls. With each new update, Microsoft is making it clear that they’re listening to feedback from users and striving to make Teams the best it can be.

September 20, 2022October 7, 2022

Microsoft Teams Client Stores User Authentication Tokens in Unsecured Text Format

Key Points

A new Microsoft Teams exploit could allow attackers to access sensitive user data.
Microsoft Teams saves auth tokens as cleartext on Windows, Linux, and Mac computers.
Businesses can protect themselves from this exploit by taking some security precautions.

A security vulnerability has been discovered in Microsoft Teams that could allow an attacker to gain access to a user’s account and data. The issue lies in that Teams stores authentication tokens in cleartext, meaning that anyone with access to the application’s installation directory can easily steal them. This issue affects Windows, Mac, and Linux users.

Microsoft has acknowledged the flaw, but there is no indication that a patch will soon be released. In the meantime, users are advised to exercise caution when using the application and to avoid accessing it from untrusted devices or networks. It is also advised to avoid using the Microsoft Teams desktop client altogether until this issue has been fixed. Using the web client in a browser is a more secure option.

Security Alert: Microsoft Teams Vulnerability

The flaw was discovered by the cybersecurity firm Vectra. A Vectra team assisted a customer in removing a disabled account from the Teams settings. Upon further review, Vectra found public tokens that provided access to Skype and Outlook. Vectra determined that the access tokens were active and gave them access to the Outlook and Skype APIs.

The biggest concern is that this flaw could be exploited by malicious actors to steal Microsoft Teams authentication tokens. This would allow them to remotely log in as the user and bypass MFA, gaining full access to the account. Information thieves use similar methods to steal data from other applications, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Discord, and many more. By using malicious extensions, they can collect user data and send it to remote servers without the user’s knowledge.

How Does the Exploit Work?

Microsoft Teams is a browser-based app that uses the Electron framework. This makes it easy to develop and use, but it is not as secure as other options since it doesn’t include features like encryption or protected file locations. Vectra found that Microsoft Teams stores access tokens in an ldb file, which is not as secure as other methods.

Microsoft requires users to be logged in to uninstall Teams, so Vectra began their research by reviewing the local account configuration data. The Vectra team intended to remove the links to the account they were logged into, but when they searched for the username in the application files, they found public tokens that provided access to Skype and Outlook. Every token they found was active and could grant access without the two-factor authentication process being enabled.

They also found that the “Cookies” folder contained valid authentication tokens, account information, session data, and marketing tags. To prove their concept, Vectra created an exploit that loads the SQLite engine into a local folder, uses it to scan Teams’ local storage for authentication, and then sends a high-priority message with its own token text to the user. This exploit would allow hackers to access sensitive user data without going through the proper channels.

Microsoft Responds to Flaw Discovery

Microsoft has responded to the discovery of a flaw in Microsoft Teams by stating the Vectra exploit “does not meet our immediate service requirements”. Microsoft believes that Vectra’s exploit will require other vulnerabilities to penetrate the network. Microsoft will consider releasing a fix that could be delivered as a future update. However, the software giant has not yet provided a timeline for when that might happen.

The Potential Implications of the Exploit

If left unpatched, this flaw could have major implications for users of Microsoft Teams. While phishing users with their own tokens is one of the potential attack vectors, it is not the only one. An attacker could also use this flaw to brute force their way into an account or carry out other actions that could lead to data loss or theft.

If the Microsoft Teams client is installed and used in its current state, anyone who does so will still have the credentials needed to do any action through the Teams user interface, even when Teams is turned off. Attackers could modify SharePoint files, Outlook mail, calendars, and Teams chat files. They could also carry out more damaging actions, such as selectively destroying data, hijacking communications, or engaging in targeted phishing attacks.

What Can Businesses Do to Protect Themselves?

Fortunately, some steps businesses can take to protect themselves from this exploit. First and foremost, it’s important to ensure that all users have unique passwords for each account they use. Additionally, businesses should consider implementing two-factor authentication for all accounts. Finally, businesses should keep their software up-to-date with the latest security patches. By taking these precautions, businesses can help mitigate the risk posed by this exploit.

Here are some additional security measures businesses can take:

Do not store sensitive information in Teams chat conversations
Monitor process activity for unusual command line arguments related to your chat application (in this case Microsoft Teams)
Implement network detection and response to quickly identify and block malicious traffic associated with lateral movement within your environment
Switch to the browser version of Teams

Vectra recommends using Microsoft Edge to load the app, providing additional protections against token leaks. If you’re a Linux user of the Microsoft Teams app, you may want to switch to the browser version or a different collaboration suite. This is because Microsoft has announced plans to stop supporting the app for Linux by December.

Final Thoughts

This exploit’s discovery highlights the importance of security in the business world. Businesses can help protect themselves from potential attacks by taking some simple precautions. However, it’s also important to stay up-to-date on the latest security threats so that you can be prepared if another exploit is discovered.