Windows 10 News You Can Use – March 2019

Posted on March 1, 2019

Windows 10 news you can use, March 2019 edition Providing insights into Windows 10 deployment & management, security & compliance, and productivity.

Are you looking understand that ROI for your investment in a Microsoft 365 modern desktop? Then look no further as Microsoft has created an interactive ROI model based upon a Forrester Consulting case study, “The Total Economic Impact Of The Modern Desktop With Microsoft 365” (as commissioned by Microsoft). By filling in simple values, you can determine a high-level estimate of the economic impact on your specific environment of migrating from on-premise third-party and Microsoft solutions to Microsoft 365 modern desktop.
https://tools.totaleconomicimpact.com/go/microsoft/modern-desktop

1. The perils of using Internet Explorer as your default browser. When enough is enough for technical debt and why customers shouldn’t just stay status quo.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/The-perils-of-using-Internet-Explorer-as-your-default-browser/ba-p/331732
2. MSIX: Package Support Framework. Part One – The Blueprint.
   https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sgern/2019/02/04/msix-package-support-framework-part-one-the-blueprint
3. We are excited to announce MSIX is now including support for Windows 10 versions 1709 and 1803, in addition to 1809 that is already supported. The new support enables distribution of MSIX packages within your enterprise using tools like System Center Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, PowerShell, double-click file deployments or installing directly from the APIs. This change does not include distribution from the Microsoft Store or Microsoft Store for Business, which will still require Windows 10 1809 or later.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/MSIX-Blog/MSIX-Support-for-Windows-10-1709-and-1803-MSIX-Packaging-Tool/ba-p/325749
4. Want more information on the Microsoft Managed Desktop service? Microsoft has updated the MMD website and added a useful new e-book on the service.
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/modern-desktop/enterprise/microsoft-managed-desktop
5. With Windows 10, there was never actually a Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted), or SAC-T, release; rather, SAC-T merely reflected a milestone for the semi-annual release. Beginning with Windows 10, version 1903 (the next feature update for Windows 10), the Windows 10 release information page will no longer list SAC-T information for version 1903 and future feature updates. Instead, you will find a single entry for each new SAC release. If you use Windows Update for Business, then read these guidelines for how this change will reflect the removal of the SAC-T nomenclature.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Windows-Update-for-Business-and-the-retirement-of-SAC-T/ba-p/339523
6. Modern Desktop podcast – Windows 10 Application Compatibility. This episode (47:48) focuses on one of the biggest perceived pain points we hear from organizations getting ready for Windows 10 – Application Compatibility. We talk with Aleks Lopez and Robyn Nolan about the Windows Desktop App Assure program, as well as Chris Jackson, @appcompatguy, about the history of application compatibility over the various versions of Windows and where organizations are today.
   http://m365mdp.mpsn.libsynpro.com/windows-10-application-compatibility
7. Windows 10 monthly quality updates are cumulative, containing all previously released fixes to ensure consistency and simplicity. Microsoft introduces a new technique to build compact software update packages that are applicable to any revision of the base version, and then describe how Windows 10 quality updates uses this technique.
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/psfxwhitepaper

1. Tips to keep your devices and data safe using these simple security best practices.
   https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/02/07/keep-your-devices-and-data-safe-using-these-simple-security-best-practices
2. The keystone to good security hygiene is limiting your attack surface. Attack surface reduction (ASR) is a technique to remove or constrain exploitable behaviors in your systems. In this blog, we discuss the two ASR rules introduced recently and cover suggested deployment methods and best practices.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2019/02/22/recommendations-for-deploying-the-latest-attack-surface-reduction-rules-for-maximum-impact
3. We have been recommending the use of TLS 1.2 and above for some time. To help provide guidance, we are pleased to announce the release of the Solving the TLS 1.0 Problem, 2nd Edition white paper. The goal of this document is to provide the latest recommendations that can help remove technical blockers to disabling TLS 1.0 while at the same time increasing visibility into the impact of this change to your own customers.
   https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2019/02/11/solving-the-tls-1-0-problem
4. Announcing Microsoft Threat Experts! This new managed threat hunting service in Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. It provides proactive hunting, prioritization, and additional context and insights that further empower Security Operations Centers to identify and respond to threats quickly and accurately.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Defender-ATP/Microsoft-Threat-Experts-Case-studies-for-managed-threat-hunting/ba-p/358244

1. Microsoft puts people first by offering a wide range of Windows 10 accessibility features for users of many different abilities. Known internally as the Windows Accessibility team, the Input for Everyone team draws back a curtain for you to peek behind the scenes. Learn how Windows engineers are building accessibility features for all of us.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/windows-10-accessibility-features-empower-everyone/BseTf-4q9GA
2. In this video (1:53), meet Brett Humphrey, a Senior Program Manager on the Windows Accessibility team to learn more about his experience of going through school and using technology with low vision and translating Windows to people with different abilities.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/meet-brett-designing-windows-accessibility-features/Y_NJbE7wxlk
3. Video (2:15) – Windows Narrator gets more accessible with QuickStart. The new Narrator QuickStart app teaches users with low vision and blindness how to navigate Windows, browse the web, and learn more with Narrator user guide.
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVj0cfn2ugg
4. Windows 10 Tip: AI-powered PowerPoint Designer gets smarter.
   https://blogs.windows.com/blog/2019/02/04/windows-10-tip-ai-powered-powerpoint-designer-gets-smarter
5. In Windows 10, the People app allows you to forge better connections with your primary contacts by keeping you in the loop about important dates, upcoming commitments, and recent conversations.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/stories/people-app-windows-10
6. Windows 101: Four ways to customize your taskbar.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/windows-101-four-ways-to-customize-your-taskbar/ORK2fNfbOUs
7. Windows 101: Unleash Windows superpower with right click. The right click on your mouse is capable of more than you know. Use it to gain instant access to all kinds of features and unleash your potential for productivity.
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNo_wdnfb-c
8. Video (2:57) – Minimize distractions with Windows 10 Focus assist. Don’t let interruptions get in the way of your productivity. Windows 10 Focus assist acts as a gatekeeper, so distractions remain at bay.
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXxlP2goRgo

• If you’re trying to decide what to buy between Office 365 and Office 2019, you’ll find there’s a world of difference between the two. To further help you choose, Microsoft pitted Office 2019 and Office 365 against each other in a head-to-head showdown, challenging three sets of twins to complete the same tasks in both versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint – and filmed them along the way.
  https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/02/06/twins-take-on-multiple-challenges-of-office-2019-vs-office-365
• While we’ve talked about the guiding principles for monthly Windows 10 quality updates, it’s important to know that we have specific documentation on what is included in each of the updates to solve stability issues and protect against the latest security vulnerabilities, and why and how you should install them. That documentation can be found on the Windows 10 update history page, which is a collection of pages, one for every Windows update we release. Each page offers detailed information about each update, such as the type of update, which operating system versions it affects, improvements and fixes and how to get the update.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Getting-to-know-the-Windows-update-history-pages/ba-p/355079
• Microsoft is frequently asked how they operate our Security Operations Center (SOC), particularly as orgs are integrating cloud into their enterprise estate. This is the first in a three-part blog series designed to share the approach and experience, so you can use what Microsoft has learned to improve your SOC. In Part 1: Organization, we start with the critical organizational aspects (organizational purpose, culture, and metrics).
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2019/02/21/lessons-learned-from-the-microsoft-soc-part-1-organization
• Windows 10 Mobile End of Support: FAQ.
  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4485197/windows-10-mobile-end-of-support-faq
• We’re announcing the general availability of Windows Defender ATP’s endpoint detection & response (EDR) capability for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, helping customers achieve the best security possible while transitioning to Windows 10.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Defender-ATP/Windows-Defender-ATP-s-EDR-capability-for-Windows-7-and-Windows/ba-p/355535
• Microsoft announces latest Windows IoT innovations for intelligent edge devices at Embedded World.
  https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/02/26/microsoft-announces-latest-windows-iot-innovations-for-intelligent-edge-devices-at-embedded-world

Windows 10 News You Can Use – February 2019

Posted on February 1, 2019

Windows 10 news you can use, February 2019 edition Providing insights into Windows 10 deployment & management, security & compliance, and productivity. Also see other news related to Windows 10.

With Windows 7 end of support coming in one year—January 14, 2020—and Office 2010 close behind, there’s an opportunity right now to be proactive about what’s next. 2019 is the year to make the shift to a modern desktop. Changes and upgrades in technology are inevitable, and there’s never been a better time to start putting in motion the things you need to do to shift your organization to a modern desktop with Microsoft 365. As you think about this upgrade, this is a time to consider how your approach can set you up for the future to deliver an incredible experience for your users that is empowering and secure.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2019/01/14/2019-is-the-year-to-make-the-shift-to-a-modern-desktop

1. To streamline update management and eliminate the need for on-premises infrastructure to deploy feature and quality updates, Microsoft CSEO implemented Windows Update for Business (WUfB). It provides centralized management and reduces the level of effort required to keep Windows 10 devices up to date. With WUfB we can control how and when Windows 10 devices at Microsoft receive updates, configure restart policies for enforcement, and use analytics services to monitor our update compliance. See this case study on keeping Windows 10 devices up to date with Microsoft Intune and Windows Update for Business.
   https://www.microsoft.com/itshowcase/Article/Content/1083/Keeping-Windows-10-devices-up-to-date-with-Microsoft-Intune-and-Windows-Update-for-Business
2. Starting with the next major update we’re making a few changes to how Windows 10 manages disk space. Through reserved storage, some disk space will be set aside to be used by updates, apps, temporary files, and system caches. Our goal is to improve the day-to-day function of your PC by ensuring critical OS functions always have access to disk space.
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/filecab/2019/01/07/windows-10-and-reserved-storage
3. Application compatibility in the Windows ecosystem. In this installment of Microsoft’s quality blog series, Mete Goktepe from the Windows Application Compatibility team describes the various programs and technologies used to improve app compatibility.
   https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/01/15/application-compatibility-in-the-windows-ecosystem
4. What’s new in Windows 10 management support with Microsoft Intune (January 2019).
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/whats-new#week-of-january-7-2019
5. Updated and improved documentation and guidance! Find the tools and resources you need to deploy and support Windows as a service in your organization.
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/windows-as-a-service
6. Starting with Windows 10, v. 1809, WinPE is an add-on to the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK). Previously it was included in the ADK. To get Windows PE, install the ADK, and then install the WinPE addon.
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/winpe-intro
7. Simplifying device management with Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopilot. Case studies for adoption within the education sector.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Simplifying-device-management-for-schools-with-Microsoft-Intune/ba-p/324726

1. Announcing Windows Defender Application Guard availability in Windows 10 Professional. Now, like Windows 10 Enterprise users, Windows 10 Pro users can navigate the Internet in Application Guard knowing their systems are safe from common web-based attacks. It is available now to our awesome Windows Insider community to give it a try and provide feedback. Plus a guide on steps to enable this cutting edge experience on the latest Windows Insider Preview build.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Insider-Program/Announcing-WDAG-in-PRO-SKU/td-p/133395
2. Windows Defender ATP automated machine tagging in just a few simple steps. This blog explains how the APIs for WDATP can help a SOC analyst triage alerts more efficiently.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Threat-Intelligence/Automated-machine-tagging-in-just-a-few-simple-steps/m-p/309377#M37
3. Windows Defender ATP integrates with Microsoft Information Protection to discover, protect, and monitor sensitive data on Windows.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2019/01/17/windows-defender-atp-integrates-with-microsoft-information-protection-to-discover-protect-and-monitor-sensitive-data-on-windows-devices
4. Microsoft Intune introduces MDM Security Baselines to secure the modern workplace. Microsoft has years of experience publishing security baselines as Group Policy Objects in the Security and Compliance Toolkit (SCT). Customers have trusted this toolkit for years to provide templates to configure security baselines through Group Policy. Microsoft Intune now brings the same collective knowledge and expertise to secure the modern desktop with MDM security baselines. These security baselines in the Intune service leverage the greatly expanded manageability of Windows 10 using Mobile Device Management (MDM).
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Microsoft-Intune-introduces-MDM-Security-Baselines-to-secure-the/ba-p/313442

1. Windows 10 Tip: Microsoft Forms to create, run and analyze results from surveys and quizzes.
   https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/31/windows-10-tip-microsoft-forms
2. Windows 10 Tip: Using the Your Phone app to get instant access to your Android phone’s photos and texts on your computer – no need to dig for your phone to text or email yourself photos.
   https://blogs.windows.com/blog/2019/01/07/windows-10-tip-your-phone
3. Windows 10 Tip: Timeline for phone. Timeline makes it way easier to find what matters to you across your devices. You can also pick up what you were doing – even if it was on your iOS or Android device – on your Windows 10 PC when you’re ready to get back to it.
   https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/01/14/windows-10-tip-timeline-for-phone
4. Copy and paste across Windows 10 devices using cloud clipboard.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/stories/cloud-clipboard-windows-10
5. Love Snipping Tool? Snip & Sketch allows you to do even more with your snips. Watch this video (3:38) to learn about its history and what the most recent update means for you.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/snipping-tool-gets-on-with-the-times-as-snip-sketch/NjFpdWKLXUk
6. Transfer your photos from phone to PC without a cable.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/stories/transfer-photos-from-phone-to-pc
7. To protect against device loss or damage and to provide anywhere access to files, we recommend storing them in Office 365. Last June we announced Known Folder Move (KFM) in OneDrive for customers on Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows 10. Known Folder Move provides an easy way to redirect your desktop documents and folders to OneDrive, making OneDrive the default location for those files. Today we are announcing a new capability that makes it easier for you to create and save your Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document directly to the cloud. When you go to save an Office365 document, the new dialog box will default to OneDrive or SharePoint Online. And if you forget to save a new document before exiting, you will also see this updated save experience.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Office-365-Blog/Save-your-files-to-the-cloud-more-easily/ba-p/325133
8. Windows 10 Tip: Track multiple time zones with world clock.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/windows-101-track-multiple-time-zones-with-world-clock/oU8-R4t5aws
9. Windows 10 Tip: New pen gestures make it easier to edit Word documents.
   https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/01/28/windows-10-tip-new-pen-gestures-make-it-easier-to-edit
10. A faster and easier way to stay on top of your tasks – Cortana with Microsoft To-Do.
    https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/01/25/a-faster-and-easier-way-to-stay-on-top-of-your-tasks-cortana-with-microsoft-to-do
11. With the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, Narrator (Windows screen reader) has become more accessible. The new Narrator QuickStart app teaches users with low vision and blindness how to navigate Windows, browse the web, and learn more with Narrator user guide.
    https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/windows-narrator-gets-more-accessible-with-quickstart/FVj0cfn2ugg

• New and updated site for the Modern Desktop Deployment and Management Lab along with refreshed summary information on the lab content.
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/modern-desktop-deployment-and-management-lab
• Announcing new advanced security and compliance offerings for Microsoft 365. Today, were introducing two new offerings to help address the security and compliance needs in an age of increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats as well as complex information protection needs due to regulations like GDPR. The new Identity & Threat Protection and Information Protection & Compliance packages will be available for purchase on February 1, 2019.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2019/01/02/introducing-new-advanced-security-and-compliance-offerings-for-microsoft-365
• Video (0:30). You wouldn’t expect two football players to make a second career out of cupcakes, but that’s exactly what former NFL teammates Brian Orakpo and Michael Griffin have done. And the new Surface Pro 6 is helping them every step of the way. From setting up schedules to creating social media promotions, the Surface does everything they need. It’s light, superfast and has a great battery life. The new Surface Pro 6. More power. More speed.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmQ-yhCO3XE&feature=youtu.be
• Many of the ATMs, cash registers, and airport kiosks around the world run Windows Embedded 7. That operating system is based on Windows 7, whose support is ending on January 14, 2020. Move to modern. Windows 10 IoT—safer, smarter, cloud-ready.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2019/01/14/move-to-modern-windows-10-iot-safer-smarter-cloud-ready
• The evolution of Microsoft Threat Protection, January update.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2019/01/16/the-evolution-of-microsoft-threat-protection-january-update
• Microsoft’s Cyber Defense Operations Center shares best practices and details the state of online security, threat actors and the sophisticated tactics they employ to advance their goals. Also, details on how the CDOC combats these threats and helps customers protect their sensitive applications and data.
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msrc/2019/01/23/cdoc-best-practices
• Introducing new features in Microsoft 365 to help prepare for the next wave of privacy regulations.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2019/01/29/introducing-new-features-in-microsoft-365-to-help-prepare-for-the-next-wave-of-privacy-regulations

Windows 10 News You Can Use – January 2019

Posted on January 2, 2019 Updated on December 27, 2018

Windows 10 news you can use, January 2019 edition Providing insights into Windows 10 deployment & management, security & compliance, and productivity. Also see other news related to Windows 10.

Do you deploy, configure, secure, manage, and monitor devices and client applications in an enterprise environment? Do you manage identity, access, policies, updates, and apps and collaborate with the M365 Enterprise Administrator to design and implement a device strategy that meets the business needs of a modern organization? Are you familiar with M365 workloads and proficient in deploying, configuring, and maintaining Windows 10 and non-Windows devices and technologies? If so, it’s time to earn your Modern Desktop Administrator certification!
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/community-blog-post.aspx?BlogId=8&Id=375176

1. Microsoft 365 enables customers to shift to a modern desktop experience puts it at the heart of workplace transformation. A modern desktop with Windows 10 and Office 365 not only offers the most productive and most secure computing experience, it also saves IT time and money, and allows for a focus on driving business results. For many companies, their specific needs require a modern desktop be virtualized. To help extend our virtualization capabilities and provide an even richer experience for Microsoft 365 customers, we are excited to announce the acquisition of FSLogix. FSLogix is a next-generation app-provisioning platform that reduces the resources, time and labor required to support virtualization. From small businesses to very large global enterprises across numerous industries, FSLogix solutions enhance customer experience and productivity, while reducing support requirements for IT departments.
   https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2018/11/19/microsoft-acquires-fslogix-to-enhance-the-office-365-virtualization-experience
2. Microsoft is excited to announce that we are named a Leader for Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) in the inaugural Forrester Wave: Unified Endpoint Management, Q4 2018. Forrester notes in the report that, Microsoft’s release of co-management in late 2017 has bolstered the company’s ability to serve advanced Windows 10 management use cases and provides a flexible path for customers to test out modern management. Forrester also recognizes Microsoft for having the some of the strongest security capabilities in the evaluation of 12 vendors.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Microsoft-is-a-Leader-in-The-Forrester-Wave-Unified-Endpoint/ba-p/294820
3. Traditionally, the desktop management scenario for most enterprises has been one where all users and devices are located on-site with a direct network connection. That’s been the state of things for years. But the workplace is changing. More of your users work remotely full-time; some never set foot in your physical facilities. If you do the initial setup for a Windows 10 device on-premises, you start out in control. But if those devices are distributed to your remote workforce, how do you maintain control? How do you make sure user devices are secure and up-to-date while keeping the update process simple and hassle-free? In short, you implement a modern desktop management strategy.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Modernize-desktop-management-with-Azure-Active-Directory/ba-p/295899
4. New Microsoft site for the latest information and guidance on Windows as a Service! Find the tools and resources you need to help deploy and support WaaS in your organization.
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/windows-as-a-service
5. Renaming Windows 10 devices using Microsoft Intune
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/meamcs/2018/12/06/intune-device-management-renaming-windows-10-devices
6. Windows Transport converges on two Congestion Providers: Cubic and LEDBAT. In the heart of the Windows kernel there is a networking stack. At the heart of the networking stack there is a layer called Transport and Transport contains a suite of algorithms called Congestion Providers. This post takes a look at the difference between the two along with a deeper view into the difference between them using the example of a software update being delivered by SCCM.
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/networking/2018/11/07/windows-transport-converges-on-two-congestion-providers-cubic-and-ledbat
7. Evaluating Windows 10 Delivery Optimization and its impact to your network at the device level as well as across the organization with Windows Analytics’ Update Compliance.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Measuring-Delivery-Optimization-and-its-impact-to-your-network/ba-p/301809
8. Gartner: Rethink Windows 10 Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB / LTSC) Deployment Based on Microsoft’s Updated Guidance – refreshed August 2018.
   https://www.gartner.com/doc/reprints?id=1-3V8VD56&ct=170309&st=sb
9. Modern desktop servicing: the year in review. Since Windows 10 first shipped, and the Windows as a service model was introduced, we have heard you talk about three common concerns: application compatibility, end user interruption, and network bandwidth impact. I’m happy to report that, in 2018, we made significant progress in addressing each of these concerns.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Modern-desktop-servicing-the-year-in-review/ba-p/304395
10. New! Microsoft 365 Modern Desktop podcast channel.  In this series, we’ll explore the good, the bad, and yes the ugly of servicing and delivery for Windows 10 and Office ProPlus. We’ll talk about modern desktop management through Enterprise Mobility, security, even Cloud attached and co-managed environments.
    http://m365mdp.mpsn.libsynpro.com
11. Driver quality in the Windows ecosystem. Ensuring Windows 10 works great with all the devices and accessories our customers use is a top priority for our team. There are millions of configurations of hardware and driver combinations in the Windows ecosystem, allowing for great customer choice and unlocking opportunity for partners. We work closely with this broad mix of partners to test new drivers, monitor health characteristics over time, and make Windows and our ecosystem more resilient architecturally. In this blog, part of our series on the Windows approach to quality, Tom Frankum from our Silicon, Graphics and Media team will provide more detail about the work we do to improve Windows driver quality.
    https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/19/driver-quality-in-the-windows-ecosystem
12. Modern desktop servicing: the year in review. 2018 was a pivotal year for the modern desktop and the servicing transformation journey we have been taking with you and your organization. With that in mind, I thought it would be good to look back and recap the progress that has been made, highlight significant events, and provide insight into what 2019 has in store.
    https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Modern-desktop-servicing-the-year-in-review/ba-p/304395

1. Analysis of cyberattack on U.S. think tanks, non-profits, public sector by unidentified attackers. Microsoft customers using the complete Microsoft Threat Protection solution were protected from the attack. Behavior-based protections in multiple Microsoft Threat Protection components blocked malicious activities and exposed the attack at its early stages. Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection caught the malicious URLs used in emails, driving the blocking of said emails, including first-seen samples. Meanwhile, numerous alerts in Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection exposed the attacker techniques across the attack chain.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/12/03/analysis-of-cyberattack-on-u-s-think-tanks-non-profits-public-sector-by-unidentified-attackers
2. Insights from the MITRE ATT&CK-based evaluation of Windows Defender ATP. In MITREs evaluation of endpoint detection and response solutions, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection demonstrated industry-leading optics and detection capabilities. The breadth of telemetry, the strength of threat intelligence, and the advanced, automatic detection through machine learning, heuristics, and behavior monitoring delivered comprehensive coverage of attacker techniques across the entire attack chain.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/12/03/insights-from-the-mitre-attack-based-evaluation-of-windows-defender-atp
3. Video (1:57) on the Windows channel on YouTube features how Windows Information Protection (WIP) helps prevent users from accidentally copying work data to personal sites.
   https://youtu.be/1s09SrwxccM
4. Remote Use of Local Accounts: LAPS Changes Everything. Aaron Margosis of Microsoft revisits the question about whether and when to block the use of local accounts, particularly for remote administration.
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/secguide/2018/12/10/remote-use-of-local-accounts-laps-changes-everything
5. Microsoft has put a lot of effort in Hyper-V security. Hyper-V, and the whole virtualization stack, runs at the core of many of our products: cloud computing, Windows Defender Application Guard, and technology built on top of Virtualization Based Security (VBS). Read more from Microsoft’s Security Research & Defense about the first steps in Hyper-V security research including an intro to the virtualization stack, the debugging environment, and addressing the attack surface inside and outside the hypervisor.
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/srd/2018/12/10/first-steps-in-hyper-v-research
6. One of our goals in the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) is to be more transparent with security researchers and our customers on the criteria we use for determining when we intend to address a reported vulnerability through a security update. Our belief is that improving transparency on this topic helps provide clarity on how we assess risk, sets expectations for the types of vulnerabilities that we intend to service, and facilitates constructive dialogue as the threat landscape evolves over time. In September 2018, the first version of the security servicing criteria for Windows was announced; it’s expected that this will be a living document that evolves over time as Microsoft continues the dialogue with the community on this topic.
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/srd/2018/09/10/microsoft-security-servicing-criteria-for-windows
7. Windows Defender ATP has protections for USB and removable devices. We know, unfortunately, that people will plug in devices with unknown history (and that there are also attackers out there who directly attempt to control devices without relying on social engineering). These devices could be the source of malware infections that use USB and other removable devices to get initial access to a system or network. This vector of attack falls under social engineering in this case, appealing to our weakness for shiny things: when we see a free item were inclined to take it. To help protect against these attacks, you can prevent any removable device from being seen and interacted with by blocking users from using any removable device on the machine.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/12/19/windows-defender-atp-has-protections-for-usb-and-removable-devices
8. Tackling phishing with signal-sharing and machine learning.With ML-based detection of malicious PDF files used for phishing, Windows Defender ATP uses multiple layers of machine learning models to correctly identify malicious content. Most attacks are caught by the first few layers, which swiftly make a verdict and protect customers at first sight during the early stages of attacks. More sophisticated attacks may need the more complex classifiers in further layers, which take more time but make sure additional protections catch attacks that evade the first, faster classifiers.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/12/19/tackling-phishing-with-signal-sharing-and-machine-learning
9. Mitigating Spectre variant 2 with Retpoline on Windows.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Mitigating-Spectre-variant-2-with-Retpoline-on-Windows/ba-p/295618
10. How many times have you downloaded an executable file, but were afraid to run it? Have you ever been in a situation which required a clean installation of Windows, but didn’t want to set up a virtual machine? Windows Sandbox is a new lightweight desktop environment tailored for safely running applications in isolation.
    https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Kernel-Internals/Windows-Sandbox/ba-p/301849

1. Microsoft Edge: Making the web better through more open source collaboration.
   • Microsoft has meaningfully increased participation in the open source software (OSS) community, becoming one of the world’s largest supporters of OSS projects. Microsoft intends to adopt the Chromium open source project in the development of Microsoft Edge on the desktop to create better web compatibility for our customers and less fragmentation of the web for all web developers.
     http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/06/microsoft-edge-making-the-web-better-through-more-open-source-collaboration
   • TL;DR documentation to explain the Microsoft Edge team’s plans and intentions related to Microsoft Edge and clarify the Chromium open-source project on how the work will proceed.
     https://github.com/MicrosoftEdge/MSEdge
   • Recapping Joe Belfiore’s announcements surrounding Microsoft Edge and open source.Alongside this announcement, we shared documentation describing our open source principles and initial areas of focus.
     http://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2018/12/07/recapping-open-source-announcements
2. Introducing the Office app for Windows 10! Last year, we updated Office.com with a new experience focused on two simple things: helping users get the most out of Office and getting them back into their work quickly. The streamlined site has clearly resonated with customers, and now more than 40 percent of Office 365 web users start their work by visiting Office.com. Starting today, we’re bringing this experience to Windows 10 in the form of an app, simply called Office. It’s now available to Windows Insiders (Fast) and will roll out to all Windows 10 users soon. The app itself is free and it can be used with any Office 365 subscription, Office 2019, Office 2016, or Office Online—the free web-based version of Office for consumers.
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/12/19/introducing-the-office-app-for-windows-10
3. Windows 10 Tip: Name your tile folders. To create a tile folder in Start, just drag one tile on top of another for a second, then release. Continue dropping as many tiles into the folder as you’d like. When you expand the folder, you’ll see a new option to name it.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/03/windows-10-tip-name-your-tile-folders
4. Windows key is the most powerful button on your keyboard. The Windows community shows you how to effectively search and find anything on your computer using only it. Whether you’re looking for that image you saved to one of your folders or need to look up weather for your trip, Windows key can help.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/windows-101-use-windows-key-to-unlock-search-possibilities
5. Five Microsoft Edge features to boost productivity while browsing.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/stories/microsoft-edge
6. Microsoft Whiteboard advancements: now more colorful and customizable than ever.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Office-365-Blog/Microsoft-Whiteboard-now-more-colorful-and-customizable-than/ba-p/296947
7. Windows 10 Tip: the Windows 10 October 2018 Update comes SwiftKey intelligence.
   https://blogs.windows.com/blog/2018/12/10/windows-10-tip-swiftkey
8. Windows 10 Tip: Schedule items by dragging a task to your calendar.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/16/windows-10-tip-schedule-items-by-dragging-a-task-to-your-calendar
9. Windows 10 Tip: Find files quickly using Quick access.
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/stories/quick_access
10. Windows 10 Tip: Get Tips in Windows and online.
    https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/get-tips-in-windows-and-online/L7yUz7nIctk

• Windows monthly security and quality updates overview: as part of our series of blogs on the Windows approach to quality, Microsoft shares an overview of how they deliver these critical updates on a massive scale as a key component of our ongoing Windows as a service effort.
  http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/12/10/windows-monthly-security-and-quality-updates-overview
• CISO series: Strengthen your organizational immune system with cybersecurity hygiene.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/12/06/ciso-series-strengthen-your-organizational-immune-system-with-cybersecurity-hygiene
• Using the Fully Qualified Domain Name for Remote Control [to a Windows computer] in System Center Configuration Manager: an example on creating a custom console extension.
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/askpfeplat/2018/12/10/using-the-fully-qualified-domain-name-for-remote-control-in-system-center-configuration-manager
• The evolution of Microsoft Threat Protection (MTP), December update on Azure Security Center. Additionally, we overview a real-world scenario showcasing where MTP stops threats as envisioned with solution integrations.   During the Tropic Trooper attack campaign, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (WDATP), Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), and Office 365 ATP services worked in sync, helping ensure the threat was addressed quickly with no adverse impact. The campaign initiated several Windows Defender ATP alerts triggering its device risk calculation mechanism, which ascribed affected endpoints with high risk scores. These endpoints were put to the top of the list in Windows Defender Security Center leading to early detection and discovery of the attack. Windows Defender ATP seamlessly integrates with Azure AD featuring conditional access. During Tropic Trooper, conditional access blocked high-risk endpoints from accessing sensitive content, protecting other users, devices, and data in the network.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/12/12/the-evolution-of-microsoft-threat-protection-december-update
• New research highlights massive opportunity to empower Firstline Workers with technology.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/12/14/new-research-highlights-massive-opportunity-to-empower-firstline-workers-with-technology

Windows 10 News You Can Use – December 2018

Posted on December 3, 2018

Windows 10 news you can use, December 2018 edition Providing insights into Windows 10 deployment & management, security & compliance, and productivity. Also see other news related to Windows 10.

If you’re in IT, make sure you join us Thursday, December 13th from 9:00-10:00 a.m. Pacific Time to get up to speed and get your questions answered about Windows 10, version 1809. We’ve assembled a group of engineers and product managers from the Windows, Window Defender ATP, System Center Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft 365 teams—and we’ll be answering your questions live during what promises to be an exciting and informative “Ask Microsoft Anything” (AMA) event.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/November-1st-Windows-10-version-1809-AMA-for-IT-pros/ba-p/265894

Windows 10 quality approach for a complex ecosystem. In November, Microsoft re-released the October 2018 Update after pausing to investigate a small but serious issue. This is the first time in Windows 10’s “Windows as a Service” history that we have taken such an action, and as such it has naturally led to questions about the work we do to test and validate Windows quality before we begin rolling it out broadly.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/11/13/windows-10-quality-approach-for-a-complex-ecosystem

1. Now live! Follow the steps outlined in Microsoft’s Modern Desktop Deployment Center to plan and carry out your large-scale deployment of Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus. Each step is part of the overall planning and deployment process with steps typically running in parallel to each other in a phased deployment.
   aka.ms/howtoshift
2. Understanding the differences between servicing Windows 10-era and legacy Windows operating systems. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/waas-servicing-differences
3. Windows Autopilot: Hybrid Azure AD join and automatic registration.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Windows-Autopilot-Hybrid-Azure-AD-join-and-automatic/ba-p/286126
4. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 is now available on the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).
   https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter
5. KB4347075 Update to extend KMS support upcoming Enterprise LTSC and Windows Server products.
   https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4347075/august-30-2018-kb4347075-update-to-extend-kms-support-upcoming-enterpr
6. When you purchase any of the Windows 10 or Microsoft 365 services (as detailed in the following Eligible plans section), FastTrack Specialists provide advisory and remediation guidance if you encounter app compatibility issues as you deploy to Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus and stay up-to-date at no additional cost (with an eligible subscription). To get help, complete the Desktop App Assure service request. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/FastTrack/win-10-daa-assistance-offered-and-plans
7. Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC): What is it, and when should it be used?
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/LTSC-What-is-it-and-when-should-it-be-used/ba-p/293181
8. Today is an exciting day for Windows 10 on ARM. With the official release of Visual Studio 15.9, developers now have the officially supported SDK and tools for creating 64-bit ARM (ARM64) apps. This news comes at a great time as Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 processor second-generation ARM64 devices provide even more computing power for developers to tap into while continuing to deliver the beyond-all-day battery life customers expect from Windows 10 on ARM. Like the first-generation ARM64 devices, they are also thin, light, fast, and designed with instant-on 4G LTE connectivity in mind, while able to run the wide ecosystem of Windows applications thanks to an x86 emulation layer.
   http://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2018/11/15/official-support-for-windows-10-on-arm-development

1. Our analysis of a targeted attack used malicious InPage document and outdated VLC media player to give attackers backdoor access to targets. Historically, malware payloads like the stage 2 malware in this attack are used to steal credentials and other sensitive information, install more payloads, or move laterally in the network. However, because the malware opens a backdoor channel for remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands of their choice, there’s a wide range of possibilities.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/11/08/attack-uses-malicious-inpage-document-and-outdated-vlc-media-player-to-give-attackers-backdoor-access-to-targets
2. Windows Defender ATP device risk score exposes new cyberattack, drives Conditional access to protect networks. The WDATP team uncovered a new cyberattack that targeted several high-profile organizations in the energy and food and beverage sectors in Asia. Given the target region and verticals, the attack chain, and the toolsets used, we believe the threat actor that the industry refers to as Tropic Trooper was likely behind the attack. Read more about how the attack was determined, protected by Conditional access, and automatically remediated on threatened networks.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/11/28/windows-defender-atp-device-risk-score-exposes-new-cyberattack-drives-conditional-access-to-protect-networks
3. Microsoft is excited to share with you some of the latest significant enhancements to Windows Defender ATP. We added new capabilities to each of the pillars of Windows Defender ATPs unified endpoint protection platform: improved attack surface reduction, better-than-ever next-gen protection, more powerful post-breach detection and response, enhanced automation capabilities, more security insights, and expanded threat hunting. These enhancements boost Windows Defender ATP and accrue to the broader Microsoft Threat Protection, an integrated solution for securing identities, endpoints, cloud apps, and infrastructure.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/11/15/whats-new-in-windows-defender-atp
4. At Microsoft, we take your device and account protection seriously, which is why we’ve been on a mission to eliminate passwords. Passwords can be difficult to remember, are often reused and can be used to hack your account anywhere, anytime, from any device. Windows Hello is a key component in our effort to finally saying goodbye to passwords. Using facial recognition, a fingerprint, or PIN, Windows Hello is a fast, secure and password-less way to unlock your Windows 10 PC.1 We’ve been busy bringing the latest and greatest features to Windows Hello and account protection and wanted to take some time to update you on what’s new.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/11/20/keeping-you-updated-on-windows-hello
5. Secure password-less sign-in for your Microsoft account using a security key or Windows Hello. We just turned on the ability to securely sign in with your Microsoft account using a standards-based FIDO2 compatible device—no username or password required! FIDO2 enables users to leverage standards-based devices to easily authenticate to online services—in both mobile and desktop environments.
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/11/20/sign-in-to-your-microsoft-account-without-a-password-using-windows-hello-or-a-security-key
6. Microsoft is pleased to announce the final release of the security configuration baseline settings for Windows 10 October 2018 Update (a.k.a., version 1809, “Redstone 5” or “RS5”), and for Windows Server 2019.
   https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/secguide/2018/11/20/security-baseline-final-for-windows-10-v1809-and-windows-server-2019

1. Windows 10 Tip: Five ways filling out forms online just got easier in Microsoft Edge. You may have already noticed that it’s easier than ever to fill out form details in websites, thanks to several improvements in Microsoft Edge via the Windows 10 October Update. This builds on the multi-field autofill launched in April that gave users the ability to fill out multiple related fields in website forms, such as contact info and credit card details, with one click.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/11/26/windows-10-tip-five-ways-filling-out-forms-online-just-got-easier-in-microsoft-edge
2. When we released Windows 10, version 1803, we introduced Local Experience Packs (LXPs), which are modern language packs delivered through the Microsoft Store or Microsoft Store for Business. The biggest advantage to LXPs is that we no longer have to wait for feature update releases to deliver improved translations to you. Instead, translation improvements can be delivered via LXPs as a Microsoft Store application update. Local Experience Packs, available in more than 100 languages, makes Windows speak your language. Windows engineer Pankaj Mathur explains that it’s easier than ever to get and install one in the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. (Subtitle available in 86 languages)
   https://community.windows.com/en-us/videos/get-windows-to-speak-your-language/gnmVAKrWsrU
3. Windows 10 Tip: Find out how to setup and use Surface Headphones.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/11/19/windows-10-tip-find-out-how-to-setup-and-use-surface-headphones
4. Save money and time with Microsoft Shopping Assistant. Microsoft Shopping Assistant, first released in 2016 through The Garage, is a browser add-on that helps you get the best deals at more than 50,000 online stores, from top retailers like Amazon and Walmart to your favorite boutique shop on Etsy.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/11/21/save-money-and-time-with-microsofts-personal-shopping-assistant

• Assessing Microsoft 365 security solutions using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/02/assessing-microsoft-365-security-solutions-using-the-nist-cybersecurity-framework
• Enterprise security resources from Microsoft – includes whitepapers, training, blogs, and more!
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/Resources
• A step-by-step demo guide for provisioning Microsoft Surface devices using Windows Autopilot – without the need to reimage them. See how Microsoft Surface provides the first and best experience for first run user provisioning and ongoing device driver and firmware management and how you can register devices to your org and customize devices with apps and policies to make them business-ready right out of the box.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7td9Iwb1f6k
• November update on the evolution of Microsoft Threat Protection, which revisits some of the solution capabilities announced at Ignite and provide updates on significant enhancements made since September. Engineers across teams at Microsoft are collaborating to unlock the full, envisioned potential of Microsoft Threat Protection. Throughout this journey, we want to keep you updated on its development.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/11/13/the-evolution-of-microsoft-threat-protection-november-update

• Secure your privileged administrative accounts with a phased roadmap. There are few things more important to a secure posture than protecting admins. This is because a compromised admin account would cause a much greater impact on the organization than a compromised non-privileged user account. If you are working on initiatives to secure your privileged accounts, this post is designed to help. I’ve shared some of the principles and tools that Microsoft has used to guide and enhance our own security posture, including some prescriptive roadmaps to help you plan your own initiatives.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/11/29/secure-your-privileged-administrative-accounts-with-a-phased-roadmap
• Reduce your potential attack surface using Azure Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) Lateral Movement Paths. The purpose of lateral movements within a cyber-attack kill chain are for attackers to gain and compromise your sensitive accounts towards domain dominance. Azure ATP provides invaluable insights on identity configurations and suggested security best-practices across the enterprise. A key component of Azure ATP’s insights is Lateral Movement Paths or LMPs. Azure ATP LMPs are visual guides that help you quickly understand and identify exactly how attackers can move laterally inside your network. Azure ATP LMPs provide easy to interpret, direct visual guidance on your most vulnerable sensitive accounts, assists in helping you mitigate and close access for potential attacker domain dominance.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Reduce-your-potential-attack-surface-using-Azure-ATP-Lateral/ba-p/291787
• Intune’s journey to a highly scalable globally distributed cloud service; Part 2 explains the three proactive actions Microsoft took to prepare for immediate future growth.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Intune-s-journey-to-a-highly-scalable-globally-distributed-cloud/ba-p/289004
• Windows Machine Learning is out of preview and ready to become part of your AI toolbox. The Windows ML inference engine evaluates trained models locally on Windows devices, removing concerns of connectivity, bandwidth, and data privacy. This video series will help you understand how you can get started with Windows ML and explore the new APIs through the lens of Rufus the robot.
  http://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2018/11/20/getting-started-with-windows-machine-learning

Windows 10 News You Can Use – November 2018

Posted on November 2, 2018

If you’re in IT, make sure you join us Thursday, December 13th from 9:00-10:00 a.m. Pacific Time to get up to speed and get your questions answered about Windows 10, version 1809. We’ve assembled a group of engineers and product managers from the Windows, Window Defender ATP, System Center Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft 365 teams—and we’ll be answering your questions live during what promises to be an exciting and informative “Ask Microsoft Anything” (AMA) event.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/November-1st-Windows-10-version-1809-AMA-for-IT-pros/ba-p/265894

• What’s new for IT pros in Windows 10, version 1809
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/What-s-new-for-IT-pros-in-Windows-10-version-1809/ba-p/263909
• Video (2:59) – Discusses new features to help IT Pros update process, configure intelligent solutions to secure devices, deploy and manage in new ways, all while also enabling end-users be more productive.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAva4B-wsVA
• What’s new in Microsoft Edge in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.
  http://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2018/10/04/edgehtml-18-october-2018-update
• The Windows 10 October 2018 Update is available now, and we’re also releasing new innovations in Office 365, To-Do and Outlook.com. These updates were designed to help you make the most of your time across work, home and everywhere in between. See this article for our favorite new features in Windows & Office.
  https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/10/02/find-out-whats-new-in-windows-and-office-in-october
• What’s new in printing in Windows 10, version 1809.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/What-s-new-in-printing-in-Windows-10-version-1809/ba-p/267182
• At Microsoft, we believe our technology should reflect the diversity of the people that use our products. We are excited to share how the Windows 10 October 2018 update delivers on that mission by giving you more accessibility features than ever before to enhance your personal computing experience.
  http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/10/03/windows-10-accessibility-in-the-october-2018-update

• Microsoft Mechanics video (19:44) – Windows Virtual Desktop, a new remote desktop solution on Azure, learn how you can now use Windows 10 Enterprise to allow multiple users to connect concurrently, which in the past was only available on Windows Server. All this works without the need to set up or manage virtual desktop infrastructure running remote desktop services. We’ll show you steps for getting this service up and running in minutes and as you migrate to Windows 10, discover how we now allow you to continue run Windows 7 if you need to and benefit from 3 years of Extended Security Updates with Azure.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7G37PFYVe4
• Would you like to learn more about Windows Virtual Desktop?
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-365/Windows-Virtual-Desktop-learning-and-readiness-resources/m-p/275494
• Ensuring that your organization acquires and retains the necessary language packs (LPs) and language Features on Demand (FODs) to enable employees to use their Windows 10 devices in their preferred language is a crucial part of managing corporate machines, especially when keeping them up to date with the latest Windows 10 feature updates. Today, you have three options to update a managed PC to the latest Windows 10 feature update: servicing, media upgrades, and wipe/reload. This article provides guidance for all three scenarios, and information on how to acquire language pack content once a device is up to date.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Language-pack-acquisition-and-retention-for-enterprise-devices/ba-p/275404
• At Ignite 2018, Microsoft announced support for Windows Autopilot for existing devices allows you to reimage and provision a Windows 7 device for Windows Autopilot user-driven mode. You can test this scenario now using Configuration Manager 1806 or later and Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18252. In this post, Microsoft will take you through the steps to accomplish this using a single SCCM (current branch) task sequence.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Upgrade-Windows-7-using-Windows-Autopilot-in-Configuration/ba-p/267747
• Microsoft recently made a promise I’ve been hoping to make for a long time: if an app works on a previous version of Windows and, when you update to the latest version of Windows 10, it stops working, we’ll fix it for free. With Desktop App Assure, if you hit a snag in a pilot or your deployment, you have a team of application compatibility experts who will support you and get you back up and running as quickly as possible. This makes it much easier to align your testing patterns to your predicted or measured failure rates. Let’s look at some examples of what kinds of application compatibility issues can you bring to Desktop App Assure.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/What-is-Desktop-App-Assure/ba-p/270232
• Microsoft IT recently deployed Windows 10 to 96,000 distributed users at Microsoft. The deployment included both remote users and users on the corporate network and was completed in nine weeks. To improve on past operating system deployments, Microsoft IT deployed Windows 10 as an in-place upgrade that maintained productivity. Download the report now to see how they did it.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50377
• Clearing the confusion on support lifecycle of App-V and MSIX. Furthermore, with the advent of MSIX you might be wondering, “Should I move to MSIX now”? or “Why am I investing in App-V?”
  https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sgern/2018/10/17/support-lifecycle-app-v-and-the-msix-confusion
  https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sgern/2018/06/29/but-what-about-app-v
• Microsoft Mechanics now has a series of videos in their (desktop deployment essentials playlist) with steps to help in your Modern Desktop deployment process. These videos includes subjects such as device and application readiness, directory and network readiness, Office and LOB application delivery, user files and settings, considerations for security and compliance, options for deploying Windows 10, and staying up-to-date with Windows 10 and Office 365.
  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXtHYVsvn_b_0LjDWej-d3x8C1JDEB5vh
• In almost any network, Delivery Optimization can be a highly effective tool, efficiently delivering content to devices and reducing the need for more internet bandwidth. This post outlines some potential scenarios that your organization might be required to accommodate, and the options you have when configuring Delivery Optimization to help you manage bandwidth. While these scenarios may not align strictly to real-life scenarios, this case study of Microsoft’s use of Delivery Optimization provides deeper insight into using peer-to-peer update distribution on a large scale.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Delivery-Optimization-Scenarios-and-configuration-options/ba-p/280195
• Microsoft Mechanics video (17:48) – An end-to-end look at IT pro updates for device and app readiness for Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus. Lead engineer Amesh Mansukhani demos your options and offers real-world guidance for getting off older versions of Office and Windows. Includes updates to Windows Analytics with built-in Office compat, OCT integration with SCCM, how to manage updates and more.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmWD9SYlYv0
• Microsoft Mechanics video (21:21) – Join Randy Wong from the OneDrive engineering team for a 15-minute introduction on new capabilities that support your shift from Windows 7 to the Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus modern desktop with Known Folder Move.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYUsy-k-8vc
• Microsoft Mechanics video (22:16) – Watch a demonstration of what you can do with your existing process and tools while harnessing the latest updates to Systems Center Configuration Manager and co-management capabilities when cloud connected with Microsoft Intune; next-gen provisioning approaches and updates with Windows AutoPilot and how to stay current and up to date with Windows and Office as a Service.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XEVTJUwe6I
• Microsoft Mechanics video (20:26) – Are you ready to deploy Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus using your preferred deployment tools? In this show find out what’s new, what’s changed, and learn the best practices for real-world and proven deployment recommendations for how to shift to a modern desktop.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im0P-dcBpTE
• If you’re building a modern desktop to provide a more secure, productive—and enjoyable—experience for your users, you’re not alone. Learn how you can use Microsoft’s FastTrack services to accelerate your shift to a modern desktop or your efforts to stay up-to-date. FastTrack can help you in your journey to manageable, secure, and up-to-date Windows 10 devices leveraging Intune and Office 365 ProPlus. Find out how FastTrack can help you create a better plan and assist you to resolve deployment blockers based on our learnings and experiences from helping thousands of customers optimize their journey!
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6ZexfoJvs4

• Microsoft has changed the schema for Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) in Windows Defender ATP to make it easier for you to set up protective ASR controls and increase the cost and complexity to any adversary who may be trying to target you! In this post, Chris Jackson shows how to apply the new schema to the existing queries from his previous blog, to get a feel for how that would work on any queries you may have written or want to write.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Schema-changes-to-Attack-Surface-Reduction-in-Windows-Defender/ba-p/277934
• Windows Defender Antivirus has hit a new milestone: it can now run within a sandbox. With this new development, WDAV becomes the first complete antivirus solution to have this capability and continues to lead the industry in raising the bar for security. Read more about “why sandbox, and why now?”, implementation of the WDAV sandbox, and innovations looking ahead.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/10/26/windows-defender-antivirus-can-now-run-in-a-sandbox
• Security baseline (DRAFT) for Windows 10 v1809 and Windows Server 2019.
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/secguide/2018/10/01/security-baseline-draft-for-windows-10-v1809-and-windows-server-2019
• The Security Update Validation Program (SUVP) is a quality assurance testing program for Microsoft security updates. The SUVP provides early access to Microsoft security updates—up to three weeks in advance of the official release—for the purpose of validation and interoperability testing. The program encompasses any Microsoft products for which we fix a vulnerability (e.g. Windows, Office, Exchange, or SQL Server) and is limited to trusted customers under NDA who have been nominated by a Microsoft representative.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/What-is-the-Security-Update-Validation-Program/ba-p/275767

• Windows 10 Tip: Update your tasks using ink.
  http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/10/08/windows-10-tip-update-your-tasks-using-ink
• Windows on YouTube video (0:52) – Learning Tools for Microsoft Edge. New built in tools that help improve learning.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0iE-wGfoc4
• Windows on YouTube videos – Your Phone app connects your Android phone to your Windows 10 computer, so you have all of your incoming notifications in one spot. Get your texts and most recent photos right on your computer, then drag and drop your photos anywhere you need them.
  • Introducing Your Phone app (1:00) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO303V2bQsg
  • Better together (0:40) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdnvBcnaP5o
  • How to get Your Phone app (0:51) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6kVbhUGMGc
• Windows on YouTube video (0:40) – Introducing Timeline for Phone. Pick up your phone and go back in time to past activities with the Microsoft Launcher app.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_5XjZLDFlg
• Microsoft Mechanics video (15:28) – Watch to see Office desktop and mobile app updates for AI, teamwork, creativity, and accessibility plus new end-user capabilities to help with productivity and working on the go in Windows 10 1803 and RS5. Jack Elmore takes on the challenge of demoing the latest Office and Windows client updates in 10 minutes. Can he do it?
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8CeqVP3dY

• New Surface devices, along with new innovations in Windows and Office 365, offer more performance and productivity across your whole life. Today we are proud to share four new Surface products with the world. Products built for people. Meet Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Studio 2 and Surface Headphones.
  http://blogs.windows.com/devices/2018/10/02/meet-surface-pro-6-surface-laptop-2-surface-studio-2-and-surface-headphones
• With the new Surface devices, Windows 10 and Office 365, we are beginning our journey to empower you in this new era of personal productivity. We recognize our incredible opportunity and responsibility as a technology company to help you make the most of your digital lifestyle. We’re just getting started, but you can expect to see more as we focus on meeting your needs across your whole life and engaging in responsible product making that has inclusivity and empowerment at the core.
  http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/10/02/empowering-a-new-era-of-personal-productivity-with-new-surface-devices
• Video (0:36) – Why become a Windows Insider?
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtbT2pVRii0
• Microsoft Mechanics video (17:06) – A tour of the latest security and compliance updates for Microsoft 365. Starting with defense in depth security capabilities across identity, data, devices and applications, including the latest in passwordless authentication, information protection and advanced threat protection.       As well as improvements to assessing and managing your security and compliance posture across Microsoft 365 with Microsoft Secure Score, Compliance Manager, Advanced eDiscovery and more.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcAdn7AwOuk
• Take steps to secure your business and users with our security business assessment. The Microsoft Security Assessment can help you discover where you are vulnerable and provide personalized recommendations to improve your security posture. Microsoft security experts collaborated to create a personalized Cybersecurity Assessment covering more than 20 security points in 4 key Cybersecurity categories with the purpose of helping you pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your Cybersecurity efforts. After completing the form, you’ll receive a report with guidance to strengthen your security as well as access to additional guides and resources.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/10/22/take-steps-to-secure-your-business-and-users-with-our-security-business-assessment
• Infographic: Top 10 security deployment actions with Microsoft 365. Take these actions to strengthen security across your users, devices, apps, and data.
  https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE2wYd3
• Introducing the Windows Internals Series: One Windows Kernel.
  https://insider.windows.com/en-us/articles/introducing-the-windows-internals-series-one-windows-kernel
• Windows 10 IoT delivers innovation and intelligence at the edge with the October 2018 Update.
  http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/10/04/windows-10-iot-delivers-innovation-and-intelligence-at-the-edge-with-the-october-2018-update

Windows 10 News You Can Use – October 2018

Posted on October 1, 2018

Providing insights into Windows 10 deployment & management, security & compliance, and productivity.

There were more than 100 sessions focused on Windows at Microsoft Ignite 2018, and everything from a first look at Desktop Analytics and the Microsoft Managed Desktop to deep dives on Windows Autopilot, Windows servicing, Delivery Optimization, and credential protection, and so much more. Here is a list of the activities that took place for you to review and learn about.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/A-guide-to-Windows-at-Microsoft-Ignite-2018/ba-p/260409

The Microsoft Ignite 2018 Book of News is your guide to ALL the announcements that Microsoft made on Sept. 24, with summaries of the news and links to more information.

• Announcing Windows Virtual Desktop, the best virtualized Windows and Office experience delivered on Azure. Windows Virtual Desktop is the only cloud-based service that delivers a multi-user Windows 10 experience, optimized for Office 365 ProPlus, and includes free Windows 7 Extended Security Updates. With Windows Virtual Desktop, you can deploy and scale Windows and Office on Azure in minutes, with built-in security and compliance.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/09/24/microsoft-365-adds-modern-desktop-on-azure
• New Windows Autopilot capabilities and expanded partner support that simplify modern device deployment.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/New-Windows-Autopilot-capabilities-and-expanded-partner-support/ba-p/260430
• Delivering security innovation that puts Microsoft’s experience to work for you.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/24/delivering-security-innovation-that-puts-microsofts-experience-to-work-for-you
• Announcing new Microsoft information protection capabilities to help protect your sensitive data! Microsoft is taking another big step in the journey, with several announcements and updates, including endpoint protection based on sensitivity labels using Windows Information Protection (coming October 2018).
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Announcing-availability-of-information-protection-capabilities/ba-p/261967

Why and how you simplify IT with Microsoft 365. At Microsoft Ignite, Brand Anderson showed 75 minutes worth of examples of how Microsoft has applied a new philosophy to the way we build tools and services for IT pros. We refer to this approach to architecture, development, and end-user experience in Microsoft 365 as being “Integrated for Simplicity.” Our goal with this integrated simplicity is to make it as easy as possible for our customers to shift to a modern desktop and make their modern workplace a reality.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/09/28/why-and-how-you-simplify-it-with-microsoft-365

1. Free e-book from Microsoft on making the shift to a modern desktop with Microsoft 365. It summarizes top considerations for deploying new PCs or getting PCs back to a business ready state, starting with some of the key things that may have changed since your last major desktop deployment. Followed by a pragmatic step-by-step approach to making the shift.
   https://info.microsoft.com/ww-landing-M365MD-making-the-shift-to-the-modern-desktop-eBook.html
2. Announcing the Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD), a new initial offering that brings together Microsoft 365 Enterprise, device as a service, and cloud-based device management by Microsoft. MMD enables customers to maximize their IT organizations’ focus on their business while Microsoft manages their modern desktops. We believe that MMD will be an option that allows organizations to fundamentally shift how they think about and manage their IT. Through MMD, customers will be able to move toward a secure, always up-to-date environment with device management by Microsoft.
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/09/17/collaborating-with-customers-and-partners-to-deliver-a-modern-desktop-microsoft-managed-desktop
3. Join Microsoft CVP Brad Anderson to discover the benefits of a modern desktop, major changes and considerations versus previous deployments and best practices to ensure a smooth transition to Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus. This will guide you through the recommended steps for your shift to Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus, detailing how to leverage your existing tools and processes while adopting modern management technology and approaches along the way.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/IT-Resources-Training-Blog/How-to-shift-to-a-modern-desktop/ba-p/259907
4. A modern desktop offers end users the most productive, most secure computing experience—it also saves IT time and money, so you can focus on driving business results. To help you make the shift to a modern desktop, we’re pleased to announce the following important changes. (a) Cloud-based analytics tools to make modern desktop deployment even easier. (b) A program to ensure app compatibility for upgrades and updates of Windows and Office. (c) Servicing and support changes to give you additional deployment flexibility.
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/09/06/helping-customers-shift-to-a-modern-desktop
5. Windows Autopilot now includes delivering BitLocker policy at OOBE, so you no longer have to decrypt and re-encrypt to get automatic BitLocker devices to meet policy (e.g. 256-bit encryption).
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-work-pro/wip-4-biz-whats-new#delivering-bitlocker-policy-to-autopilot-devices-during-oobe
6. Forrester found that Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is finally a viable alternative to managing PCs and mobile devices separately. Download the free report which holds a comprehensive overview of the current UEM space—along with vendor recommendations, best practices, and caveats.
   https://resources.office.com/ww-landing-M365PD-Forrester-UEM-Finally-Arrives-WhitePaper.html
7. Reduced Windows 10 package size downloads for x64 systems! The new feature updates, released as Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) files through WSUS, provide you with the option to download the x64 file as a separate package. By separating the files by system type, the download file becomes approximately 2.6 GB for the x64 package, saving you approximately 2.2 GB of download size immediately.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Reduced-Windows-10-package-size-downloads-for-x64-systems/ba-p/262386
8. Major updates to documentation on Windows Hello for Business!
   https://aka.ms/whfb
9. Use the “Flight Hub” dashboard to quickly identify the latest Windows Insider Preview releases for PC, Server, IoT. You can also look up the status of the SDK and ISO images.
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/flight-hub

1. Windows Defender Antivirus consistently achieves high scores in independent tests, displaying how it is a top choice in the antivirus market. We want to be transparent and have gathered top industry reports that demonstrate our enterprise antivirus capabilities.
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/top-scoring-industry-antivirus-tests
2. Out of sight but not invisible: Defeating fileless malware with behavior monitoring, AMSI, and next-gen AV.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/27/out-of-sight-but-not-invisible-defeating-fileless-malware-with-behavior-monitoring-amsi-and-next-gen-av
3. Cyber thieves are catching on that we are watching them, so they are trying something different. A new malware campaign puts that to the test by targeting home users and small businesses in specific US cities. This was a focused, highly localized attack that aimed to steal sensitive info from just under 200 targets. Macro-laced documents masqueraded as statements from legitimate businesses. The documents are then distributed via email to target victims in cities where the businesses are located. With Windows Defender AVs next gen defense, however, the size of the attack doesn’t really matter.
   https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/06/small-businesses-targeted-by-highly-localized-ursnif-campaign
4. We have seen many IT departments simplify their deployment strategies using Windows Update for Business to more quickly improve productivity and the Windows 10 experience for their end users. Learn about the experience of one of those customers to help you better understand how you can leverage Windows Update for Business—in conjunction with Windows Analytics—to help you do the same.
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Windows-Update-for-Business-amp-Windows-Analytics-a-real-world/ba-p/242417
5. Windows Defender ATP September 2018 preview features are out!
   https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/What-s-New/WDATP-September-2018-preview-features-are-out/m-p/242254#M95
6. Video: In software supply chain attacks, attackers infect legitimate apps to distribute malware. Attackers target software developers and suppliers, seeking access to source codes, build processes, or update mechanisms. They hunt for unsecure network protocols, unprotected server infrastructures, and unsafe coding practices. Protect yourself, your customers, and your partners by strengthening your defenses against software supply chain attacks. Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection’s security technologies are built into Windows 10 and create a unified endpoint security platform to defend against supply chain attacks.
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXm2XNSavwo

1. Windows 10 Tip: Set up Windows Hello from your lock screen.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/09/10/windows-10-tip-set-up-windows-hello-from-your-lock-screen
2. Windows 10 Tip: Improvements to the HDR video experience.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/09/04/windows-10-tip-improvements-to-the-hdr-video-experience
3. Windows 10 Tip: Get mobile with Microsoft Edge.
   http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/09/17/windows-10-tip-get-mobile-with-microsoft-edge
4. Watch our how-to video and have fun using a digital pen in Microsoft Office on your Surface. Edit your writing naturally, create standout presentations, and learn to design and use features like Ink Editor, Ink-to-Text, Remix 3D, Math Assist, and more.
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U85n5sltzZw

• New blog series that responds to common questions Microsoft receives from customers about the deployment of Microsoft 365 security solutions. In this series, you’ll find context, answers, and guidance for deployment and driving adoption within your organization.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/04/protecting-user-identities
• Practical application of artificial intelligence that can transform cybersecurity.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/05/practical-application-of-artificial-intelligence-that-can-transform-cybersecurity
• For the last 20 years, the Microsoft Security Response Center has been an integral part of Microsoft’s commitment to customer security. This set of short video clips gives customers a glance into the commitment we put into our daily work and suggests ways they can incorporate similar principles into their work. Security is a joint effort and together we can make a difference.
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msrc/2018/09/07/inside-msrc-sharing-our-story-customer-tips
• Office 365 client applications now integrate with Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI), enabling antivirus and other security solutions to scan macros and other scripts at runtime to check for malicious behaviors.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/09/12/office-vba-amsi-parting-the-veil-on-malicious-macros
• What’s next for Surface Hub 2; sleek and intelligent design starts to ship in Q2 2019.
  http://blogs.windows.com/devices/2018/09/24/whats-next-for-surface-hub-2
• Microsoft Cloud App Security and Windows Defender ATP – better together! Microsoft Cloud App Security now uniquely integrates with Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to enhance the Discovery of Shadow IT in your organization and extend it beyond your corporate network. Our CASB can now leverage the traffic information collected by the Windows Defender ATP, no matter which network users are accessing cloud apps from.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Enterprise-Mobility-Security/Microsoft-Cloud-App-Security-and-Windows-Defender-ATP-better/ba-p/263265