Windows 10 News You Can Use – September 2018

Posted on September 1, 2018 Updated on August 31, 2018

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

1)      Microsoft has heard from many customers to better understand the monthly Windows 10 quality update servicing cadence and terminology. In response, John Wilcox (principal program manager) shares the guiding principles, then dives into them further to provide context for the quality updates themselves.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Windows-10-update-servicing-cadence/ba-p/222376

2)      What’s next for Windows 10 and Windows Server quality updates.  Beginning February 12, 2019, Microsoft will end its practice of creating delta updates for all versions of Windows 10.  In its place, a new design for quality updates to the next major versions of Windows 10 and Windows Server, coming later this year. This design creates a compact update package for easier and faster deployment.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/What-s-next-for-Windows-10-and-Windows-Server-quality-updates/ba-p/229461

3)      With new improvements in Windows 10 MDM management, advancements in cloud technology, and BYOD trends, many organizations are looking for modern ways to management their Windows devices. Watch this recorded webinar session to see how you can leverage a modern management approach with Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) to simplify deployment and management, improve security, provide better end user experiences, and lower total cost of ownership for your Windows 10 devices.
https://resources.office.com/ModernWindows10managementwithEnterpriseMobilitySecurityEMS-OnDemandRegistration.html

4)      Basic (but easy to forget) tips to remediate Windows application compatibility challenges.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Basic-but-easy-to-forget-tips-to-remediate-Windows-app-compat/ba-p/238308

1)      Improve your defensive posture with Exploit Guard Attack Surface Reduction (ASR).  See this step-by-step guide from Microsoft’s Chris Jackson on how to configure, monitor, and deploy ASR while maintaining application compatibility.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Improve-your-defensive-posture-with-Exploit-Guard-ASR/ba-p/22494

2)      Interpreting Windows 10 Exploit Guard ASR audit alerts.  Learn about when to test and when not to.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Interpreting-Exploit-Guard-ASR-audit-alerts/ba-p/228366

3)      If you want an additional layer of protection from ransomware, try saving your files in OneDrive. It’s part of the new experiences that arrived with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. Here’s how it works: If a ransomware threat is found on a device, Windows Defender will notify you of the threat, help you remove the ransomware from your device, and give you options to recover your OneDrive files to the state they were in before the attack occurred.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/08/06/save-your-files-to-onedrive-for-expanded-ransomware-protection

4)      Hardening Windows Defender ATP machine learning defenses against adversarial attacks.
https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/08/09/protecting-the-protector-hardening-machine-learning-defenses-against-adversarial-attacks

5)      Protecting the modern workplace from a wide range of undesirable software. To protect our customers from the latest threats, massive amounts of security signals and threat intelligence from the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph are processed by security analysts and intelligent systems that identify malicious and other undesirable software. Our evaluation criteria describe the characteristics and behavior of malware and potentially unwanted applications and guide the proper identification of threats. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/08/07/protecting-the-modern-workplace-from-a-wide-range-of-undesirable-software

1)      Windows 10 Tip: Use Paint 3D to edit your snips.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/08/20/windows-10-tip-use-paint-3d-to-edit-your-snips

• Surface Go now available!  Surface Go marks an important inflection point in our Surface journey. From the first tablet that could replace your laptop that pioneered the 2:1 category, to laptops that rival desktops, desktops that transform your desk into a Studio, and Surface Hub, which can make any space a collaborative space, Surface has always been about empowering you to be more productive and creative.
  http://blogs.windows.com/devices/2018/08/02/surface-go-available-now-starting-at-399
• Most companies focus their security solutions around users, devices, and apps, but often overlook the data that they are trying to protect.  How can I make sure company data is safe when employees use their own devices for work? With interoperating solutions for identity and access management, endpoint protection, information protection, and mobile device management (MDM), Microsoft 365 helps you protect your data against the complicated risks of a mobile landscape.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/08/02/protect-your-data-in-files-apps-and-devices
• Attending Black Hat USA 2018? Here’s what to expect from Microsoft.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/08/02/attending-black-hat-usa-2018-heres-what-to-expect-from-microsoft
• Now U.S.-based consumers using the latest Microsoft Edge browser on Windows 10 devices can sign in to their Microsoft account and use Microsoft Pay to make secure purchases wherever Masterpass is accepted online. More broadly, Microsoft Pay allows for a seamless and convenient consumer experience within the Microsoft ecosystem, including paying bills in Outlook, and buying goods or services in apps or bots.
  http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/08/06/microsoft-pay-is-now-available-with-masterpass
• Cybersecurity threats: How to discover, remediate, and mitigate through protecting identities, email, and the endpoint.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/08/13/cybersecurity-threats-how-to-discover-remediate-and-mitigate

Windows 10 News You Can Use – August 2018

Posted on August 1, 2018 Updated on July 31, 2018

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

On July 10^th, Windows 10 version 1803 was declared as a fully available Semi-Annual Channel (aka CBB) release. Be sure to also review “What’s new for IT pros in Windows 10, version 1803” at
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/What-s-new-for-IT-pros-in-Windows-10-version-1803/ba-p/188568.

1)      Windows 10 quality updates explained & the end of delta updates. Beginning February 12, 2019 Microsoft will deprecate delta updates for all versions of Windows 10.  Learn about the role of Express Updates to reduce the impact to network delivery of quality updates.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Windows-10-quality-updates-explained-amp-the-end-of-delta/ba-p/214426

2)      Forrester Study: Modernize Your Device Management Using the Cloud (whitepaper, updated June 2018).
https://resources.office.com/ModernizeYourDeviceManagementThankYou.html

3)      Detailed information on how Upgrade Readiness collects application inventory for your OMS workspace.  Includes info about data collection, appraiser updates, best practices, and troubleshooting!
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-Analytics-Blog/How-Upgrade-Readiness-collects-application-inventory-for-your/ba-p/213586

4)      Most companies manage their PCs and mobile devices with separate management tools. In a recent report, Forrester found that Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is now a more optimal option—and a good way to help organizations modernize their management strategies.  Download this Forrester report to learn more.
https://resources.office.com/ww-landing-M365PD-Forrester-UEM-Finally-Arrives-WhitePaper.html

5)      Microsoft Mechanics’ 7-minute video which explores the latest capabilities in Windows Analytics across Upgrade Readiness, Update Compliance, and Device Health.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kb78NmfV6E

6)      Best practices and recommendations for deploying Windows 10 Feature updates to mission critical devices.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/feature-update-mission-critical

7)      Suggested in-depth guidance on Windows Update for Business policies and how they have changed over time.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/wufb-onboard

8)      We are happy to announce that the MSIX Packaging Tool (Preview) is now available to from the Microsoft Store. MSIX Packaging Tool enables you to update your existing win32 application packages to the MSIX format.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/MSIX-Blog/MSIX-Packaging-Tool-Preview-is-now-available-from-the-Microsoft/ba-p/216204

1)      Windows Defender Antivirus (WDAV) scores in the March-April 2018 tests. In this new iteration of the transparency report, we continue to investigate the relationship of independent test results and the real-world protection of antivirus solutions. We hope that you find the report insightful.
https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/20/march-april-2018-test-results-more-insights-into-industry-av-tests

2)      Introducing Web Authentication in Microsoft Edge.  With Web Authentication, Microsoft Edge users can sign in with their face, fingerprint, PIN, or portable FIDO2 devices, leveraging strong public-key credentials instead of passwords.
http://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2018/07/30/introducing-web-authentication-microsoft-edge

3)      Security Updates around side-channel speculative execution vulnerabilities (Spectre and Meltdown). New Disclosure: On June 13, 2018, an additional vulnerability involving side channel speculative execution, known as Lazy FP State Restore, was announced and assigned CVE-2018-3665. For more information about this vulnerability and recommended actions, please refer to the Security Advisory: ADV180016 | Microsoft Guidance for Lazy FP State Restore.
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/ADV180016

4)      A new software supply chain attack unearthed by Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (Windows Defender ATP) emerged as an unusual multi-tier case. Unknown attackers compromised the shared infrastructure in place between the vendor of a PDF editor application and one of its software vendor partners, making the app’s legitimate installer the unsuspecting carrier of a malicious payload. The attack seemed like just another example of how cybercriminals can sneak in malware using everyday normal processes. The plot twist: The app vendor’s systems were unaffected. The compromise was traceable instead to a second software vendor that hosted additional packages used by the app during installation. This turned out be an interesting and unique case of an attack involving “the supply chain of the supply chain”.
https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/26/attack-inception-compromised-supply-chain-within-a-supply-chain-poses-new-risks

5)      Hawkeye Keylogger – Reborn v8: An in-depth campaign analysis.  Includes the roles that Windows Defender Antivirus and Windows Defender ATP played in the security protections.
https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/11/hawkeye-keylogger-reborn-v8-an-in-depth-campaign-analysis

1)      Windows 10 Tip: Yikes, stop that sound! Mute-a-tab in Microsoft Edge.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/07/02/windows-10-tip-yikes-stop-that-sound-mute-a-tab-in-microsoft-edge

2)      Windows 10 Tip: Get more out of reading online with Grammar Tools in Microsoft Edge.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/07/09/windows-10-tip-get-more-out-of-reading-online-with-grammar-tools-in-microsoft-edge

3)      Windows 10 Tip: Windows Ink directly in textbox.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/07/16/windows-10-tip-windows-ink-directly-in-textbox-new-in-the-windows-10-april-2018-update

4)      Windows 10 Tip: Try reading on a full screen for a distraction-free experience in Microsoft Edge.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/07/23/windows-10-tip-try-reading-on-a-full-screen-for-a-distraction-free-experience-in-microsoft-edge

• Update 1806 for Configuration Manager current branch is now available!  Microsoft continues to invest in providing cloud powered value to your existing Configuration Manager implementation for Windows 10 with additional co-management workloads, simplified cloud services, and improvements to help you get current and stay current with Windows 10.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/enterprisemobility/2018/07/31/update-1806-for-configuration-manager-current-branch-is-now-available
• Meet the Surface Go, the smallest and most affordable Surface yet.
  • Announcement: https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2018/07/09/meet-surface-go-starting-at-399-msrp-its-the-smallest-and-most-affordable-surface-yet
  • Microsoft Mechanics’ engineering overview video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBxylZI4zl4
• How Microsoft 365 Security integrates with the broader security ecosystem.
• • Part 1: about the Microsoft 365 Security strategy for integrating with the broader security community.
    https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/17/how-microsoft-365-security-integrates-with-the-broader-security-ecosystem-part-1
  • Part 2: about the services Microsoft 365 Security offers customers to protect assets beyond the Microsoft ecosystem.
    https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/31/how-microsoft-365-security-integrates-with-your-broader-it-ecosystem-part-2
• Enable your users to work securely from anywhere, anytime, across all of their devices.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/07/18/enable-your-users-to-work-securely-from-anywhere-anytime-across-all-of-their-devices
• Gartner published their analysis of the Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) market, the Magic Quadrant for Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Tools. Microsoft was placed in the Leaders quadrant!
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/enterprisemobility/2018/07/25/microsoft-emerges-as-a-leader-in-gartner-mq-for-unified-endpoint-management-uem

Windows 10 News You Can Use – July 2018

Posted on July 2, 2018

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

1)      For build 17682 of the Windows 10 Insider Preview, RSAT is now available on demand! What does that mean? You no longer need to manually download RSAT every time you upgrade! http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/05/31/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-17682

2)      Techcommunity blog post which outlines the latest enhancements to Windows Autopilot in Windows 10, version 1803.  Specifically: Enrollment status, OEM and hardware vendor supply chain integration, BitLocker integration, automatic Windows Autopilot profile assignment, and device deletion with Microsoft Intune. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-IT-Pro-Blog/Windows-Autopilot-What-s-new-and-what-s-next/ba-p/201884

3)      Microsoft Mechanics 8-minute video which explores the most recent updates to Windows Autopilot, which include a zero-touch experience for the deployment of new Windows 10 devices and device reset capabilities, all powered by Microsoft 365. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t7xaV8sm50

4)      Walkthrough for deploying a kiosk using Windows Autopilot. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mniehaus/2018/06/07/deploying-a-kiosk-using-windows-autopilot

5)      Announcing new extensions to the Windows Autopilot zero-touch experience with several new capabilities available in preview with the Windows Insider Program today.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/06/07/simplifying-it-with-the-latest-updates-from-windows-autopilot

6)      Windows 10 Updates and Store GPO behavior with DualScan disabled and client managed by SCCM SUP/WSUS. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/swisspfe/2018/04/13/win10-updates-store-gpos-dualscandisabled-sup-wsus

7)      New FastTrack benefit from Microsoft: Deployment support for Co-management on Windows 10 devices. We’d like to provide a few highlights on what you can expect. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/06/18/new-fasttrack-benefit-deployment-support-for-co-management-on-windows-10-devices

8)      Implementing the Right Inertia in your Windows 10 Deployment Process: measuring and managing risk effectively with systems designed for change management.
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/cjacks/2018/06/25/implementing-the-right-inertia-in-your-windows-10-deployment-process-defaulting-to-progress-vs-stasis

9)      Two new policies added for Edge when doing MDM management of Windows 10 through Microsoft Intune: Path to favorites file and Changes to Favorites. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/device-restrictions-windows-10#edge-browser

1)      Virtualization-based security (VBS) memory enclaves: Data protection through isolation. The escalating sophistication of cyberattacks is marked by the increased use of kernel-level exploits that attempt to run malware with the highest privileges and evade security solutions and software sandboxes. Kernel exploits famously gave the WannaCry and Petya ransomware remote code execution capability, resulting in widescale global outbreaks. Windows 10 remained resilient to these attacks, with Microsoft constantly raising the bar in platform security to stay ahead of threat actors. Virtualization-based security (VBS) hardens Windows 10 against attacks by using the Windows hypervisor to create an environment that isolates a secure region of memory known as secure memory enclaves. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/06/05/virtualization-based-security-vbs-memory-enclaves-data-protection-through-isolation

2)      Machine learning is a key driver in the constant evolution of security technologies at Microsoft. Machine learning allows Microsoft 365 to scale next-gen protection capabilities and enhance cloud-based, real-time blocking of new and unknown threats. Social engineering gives cybercriminals a way to get into systems and slip through defenses. The hardening of Windows 10 and Windows 10 in S mode, the advancement of browser security in Microsoft Edge, and the integrated stack of endpoint protection platform (EPP) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities in Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (Windows Defender ATP) further raise the bar in security. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/06/07/machine-learning-vs-social-engineering

3)      What is new in Windows 10 1803 for the Privileged Access Workstation (PAW) solution.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/datacentersecurity/2018/06/08/what-is-new-in-windows-10-1803-for-paw

4)      Go beyond external defenses. Eradicate attacks faster when they get inside. Download the 5 risk points to avoid in enterprise security—crash course. You’ll see how solutions built in to an operating system can (a) Make user identities more secure to prevent malicious access to devices and systems, (b) Detect the hidden actions of attackers already inside your systems more quickly, and (c) Leverage the largest data sets that index billions of sources to alert you of attacks immediately. https://info.microsoft.com/5RiskPointsEbook.html

5)      Zero Trust networks eliminate the concept of trust based on network location within a perimeter. Instead, Zero Trust architectures leverage device and user trust claims to gate access to organizational data and resources. Read more about building Zero Trust networks with Microsoft 365, based on Azure Active Directory, conditional access, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, Windows Defender System Guard runtime attestation, and Microsoft Intune. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/06/14/building-zero-trust-networks-with-microsoft-365

6)      Announcing the pre-release (v0.9) of “AaronLocker:” robust and practical application whitelisting for Windows. AaronLocker is designed to make the creation and maintenance of robust, strict, AppLocker-based whitelisting rules as easy and practical as possible. The entire solution involves a small number of PowerShell scripts. You can easily customize rules for your specific requirements with simple text-file edits. AaronLocker includes scripts that document AppLocker policies and capture event data into Excel workbooks that facilitate analysis and policy maintenance. https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/aaron_margosis/2018/06/26/announcing-application-whitelisting-with-aaronlocker

1)      Windows 10 Tip: How to start creating in Paint 3D. http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/06/04/windows-10-tip-how-to-start-creating-in-paint-3d

2)      Windows 10 Tip: Go back and forth in time with Timeline, new in the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/06/11/windows-10-tip-go-back-and-forth-in-time-with-timeline-new-in-the-windows-10-april-2018-update

3)      Windows 10 Tip: How to start using Nearby Sharing with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/06/18/windows-10-tip-how-to-start-using-nearby-sharing-with-the-windows-10-april-2018-update

4)      SwiftKey intelligence comes to the touch keyboard in Windows 10 Insider Build 17692.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/06/14/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-17692

5)      Windows 10 Tip: Search, shop and learn through the photos you take with Visual Search.
http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/06/25/windows-10-tip-search-shop-and-learn-through-the-photos-you-take-with-visual-search

• Public preview support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 with Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (WDATP).
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-defender-atp/onboard-downlevel-windows-defender-advanced-threat-protection
• We live in a time of both great opportunity and great responsibility. Our children have access to more information, entertainment and more ways to connect than ever before, but with that comes plenty of new things that parents like you and I need to worry about and new ways to distract their attention. Today, we are excited to introduce new features that make it easier and safer for families to interact with technology and, each other, across devices and platforms.  One feature announcement is with Microsoft Edge giving the ability to allow or block websites has always existed on your PCs….and now, we are extending this feature to you and your family’s Android devices. If you have set up a Microsoft family group, any websites you have already tagged as allowed or blocked for your kid(s) will carry the same settings as they try to access websites in Microsoft Edge on their Android devices. http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/05/31/microsoft-gives-parents-peace-of-mind-with-new-family-features-across-devices
• Getting the most value out of your security deployment. This blog is part of a series that responds to common questions we receive from customers about deployment of Microsoft 365 security solutions. In this series you’ll find context, answers, and guidance for deployment and driving adoption within your organization. In the last blog Now that you have a plan, it’s time to start deploying, we covered some of the tactical issues that you’ll want to consider planning your Microsoft 365 Security deployment. Now we’ll move to the third and final step of an effective planning process: Drive Value. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/05/31/getting-the-most-value-out-of-your-security-deployment
• The Microsoft Cybersecurity Reference Architecture describes Microsoft’s cybersecurity capabilities and how they integrate with existing security architectures and capabilities. We recently updated this diagram and wanted to share a little bit about the changes and the document itself to help you better utilize it.
  https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/06/06/cybersecurity-reference-architecture-security-for-a-hybrid-enterprise
• Defining a crisp modern security strategy to support business success. A modern security agenda needs to define the purpose of the security team, its vision and mindset. It should also explain the high-level strategies it will employ, and how it will be organized, including the definition of priorities and deadlines and how the results will be measured. More detailed information regarding enabling and accelerating digital transformation is available in this whitepaper. It is designed to articulate what a modern security strategy can look like, and is useful for CISOs, CIOs, CDOs, and potentially board members who want to learn more about secure transformation and benchmark their own teams. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/06/12/updating-your-cybersecurity-strategy-to-enable-and-accelerate-digital-transformation
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to be a key area of investment for Microsoft, and we’re pleased to announce that for the first time we’ve leveraged AI at scale to greatly improve the quality and reliability of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update rollout.  Our AI approach intelligently selects devices that our feedback data indicate would have a great update experience and offers the April 2018 Update to these devices first.  As our rollout progresses, we continuously collect update experience data and retrain our models to learn which devices will have a positive update experience, and where we may need to wait until we have higher confidence in a great experience.  Our overall rollout objective is for a safe and reliable update, which means we only go as fast as is safe. http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/06/14/ai-powers-windows-10-april-2018-update-rollout