Latest Microsoft Articles
THE PROMPT for Microsoft Security - Issue #39
Liberty, BBQ, and Awkward Uncle Fireworks
Things from Me
The Ultimate Guide to App Consent in Microsoft Entra
Learn about Microsoft 365’s app consent changes with Erin Greenlee. Discover how the July 16, 2025, secure-by-default policy can impact your users.
In this episode, I sit down with Erin Greenlee, the Product Manager for App Consent on Microsoft’s App Platform Team. We dive into the critical world of app consent and the upcoming Microsoft 365 secure-by-default changes. We explore the nuances of user and admin consent, the impact of the mid-July 2025, policy shift, and how admins can prepare for a mo…
Entra 🆔 News #103 → This week in Microsoft Entra
Read about changes in retention to audit history of access reviews, new Microsoft managed app consent policies, info on retirement of Azure AD Graph and Azure AD PowerShell.
👋 Hi there! Merill and Joshua here, bringing you this week’s global roundup of Microsoft Entra news.
Entra 🆔 News #101 → This week in Microsoft Entra
Learn about the Conditional Access features that just went GA, a very special podcast episode and more!
👋 Hi, Merill and Joshua here!
Entra 🆔 News #102 → This week in Microsoft Entra
Learn about upcoming changes to app consent policies 📱✅, passkey authentication method policy 🔑, and more! 🌟
👋 Hi, Merill and Joshua here with this week’s roundup of the latest news on Microsoft Entra from around the globe 🌍.
Pushing Microsoft Entra to its Limits to Secure On-Prem AD
Learn about phish resistant auth for on-prem accounts, privileged access workstations, just-in-time to AD and more...
In this episode, we talk with an identity expert, ex-Microsoftie and Principal Domain Architect, Mark Renoden, about creating a modern Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution for on-premises Active Directory. Discover how to build a secure "Bastion Forest" architecture using Microsoft Entra. We talk about PIM for Groups, group write-back, phish-resi…
Pramod
•
Jun 22
Thanks for the video. Nice stuff.
Once the JIT is enabled, are the admin accounts used to manage the on-premises AD using PAW use any password or is it passwordless/ FIDO/ Windows Hello?
Microsoft Dependency Has Risks
This is not an opinion, this is not an opinion... it's an opinion, isn't it?
There was a recent incident where Microsoft somehow allegedly blocked a mailbox of a sanctioned individual. Any organization highly depending on MS products that might come into the crosshair should ask - can this happen to me? What would be the cost? How much I invest into prevention of this scenario? In this article I try to get the facts straight and…
A mostly good article, but to be honest, there are a number of things where I think you are wrong. One is: "From these, the email point seems to be most critical. In 2025, you really want a big provider to handle your emails - this point is so non-controversial that you have hosting companies advocating against hosting your own email."
Actually, letting a big provider handle my emails is absolutely the last thing I want - simply because, by design, they do it badly. If you want someone else to decide what you should and should not receive (in the name of blocking spam) - fine. If you want your incoming mail to be randomly tossed in the digital bin, without either the sender or yourself having any clue that's happened - fine. If you want to be subject to someone else's whims as to what's acceptable - fine. And as you point out in the blog, if you want to be subject to being disconnected "because ..." - fine If you want to be at the risk of your account (and all the email in it) to be deleted (whether by accident or malice) - fine. If you are fine with all of these then go ahead and trust your email to someone else and someone else's computer.
OK, I'm a techie and been in It for <cough> decades. But it actually isn't hard to run your own mail server. And if you do, then you can decide your own policies as to what is and isn't spam, and the biggest for me is that you can filter mail the only sane way (and which AFAIK not one of the big providers does) - and that is to decide whether it's going to be delivered, and if it isn't then you don't accept it. Lest there be any doubt there - AFAIK every large provider will accept mail (so to the sender's mail server "it's been delivered") and then throw some of it away.
Of course, someone with services to sell will egg up the problems. DNS is not hard. SPF is not hard. DMARC is not hard. Staying off blacklists is not hard (if you are only handling your own traffic, and generally not too much of a problem if doing it for clients). It is true that the big providers are more than happy to put blocks in the way of small providers (they'd rather you gave them money to mis-manage your email) - but in more than 2 decades of running my own mailserver (and with a previous work hat on, running one for clients) there have been relatively few issues. In general, the hardest part (running my own mail, on my own server at home) has been finding the forms the various providers have to say "actually, this is a real mailserver at this address" when blocked for being a "residential" address - but once found, I've found even AOL would accept my mail !
For good measure, I have access ot the unadulterated logs, and can turn up the logging level if needed to debug a problem.
I can understand hosting providers being against running your own mail servers. Firstly, again you usually are competing with a service they'd be happy to sell you. Secondly, I suspect that while it's not too onerous, there will be many clients who won't manage it and then expect the hsoting provider to sort out whatever mess they've got into. Other providers are simply against it because they think you should be paying them instead - but that's just business.
Lastly, there is one really REALLY important reason why any business (in Europe or the UK) cannot outsource it's email to the big providers - it is my opinion that it cannot be done legally !
I know that (for example) Microsoft will provide assurances that you can, you can arrange for all your data to stay within Eurpoean data centres, and so on. But you hinted that DNS is hard - and if you use Microsoft's mail systems, then the domain microsoft.com is involved. That is under US control, and so in the US they have the power to direct your login and authentication anywhere they want - e.g. they could collect an authentication token to give themselves access, or just plain route you through a dummy sign-in and harvest your credentials. Now, if someone has that level of control, can you tell me my data is 100% safe from them ? And if it isn't, then it's illegal under European and UK data protection laws to put any personal information (and that will include email) at that risk. Perhaps I'm just paranoid, but we've seen Microsoft hand over data held in data centre in Ireland as soon as the CLOUD act was passed.
YSOD??
Microsoft Cuts 9,000, Alligator Alcatraz
246: State of US Labor Market, Political Update, Crypto Pump
Afternoon ladies, kings, and size lords. Welcome to the 200 or so new subs we’ve gotten since last week. You’re in good company with a bunch of size lords. Been a great week so far, busy, but solid — let’s all channel the energy and aura of the latest viral AI image online Bust Down Keanu Reeves. Except I did it for Jerome Powell.
"I have 10 liters of Casa Migos, Pineapple Juice, and Lime Seltzer calling my name." I am right there with you, I'm across the street from LI sound with only the swimming pool in my way! $BBAI sure looks like it's headed right back to it's highs of a few months ago. I actually bought some $SPY puts just before the close at 1 pm today, the 621's for 7/8 and they are already up 7%. Although the trend is def higher, I think we may see a pullback. - although I've certainly been wrong before. I will add that I have a nice cash position in my futures account waiting for an eventual rollover and when that happens, I will be selling $ES contracts at a life altering pace. Have a great weekend, God Bless America
R.e H1s - there are quite a few companies cutting perm residents of the US and replacing them with H1s (via outsourcing companies) right now
The Kojima Conundrum, 03/07/2025
Plus: Microsoft layoffs stun industry
I wonder Kojima intentionally shields his team from potential negative backlash from the games that his team creates. I don't disagree that maybe there could be more celebration of the people behind the games, but at the same time, they may not want to be exposed to a lot of negativity coming from gamers. Indie studios are probably very aware of this too, choosing to remain hidden in case the next game they produce doesn't go as planned?
The Secret to Great Tech Content? A Masterclass in Storytelling
An Inspiring Journey from Corporate VP to M365's Top Author
In this episode, I chat with the legendary Tony Redmond, a prolific writer and author of "Office 365 for IT Pros". Tony shares unfiltered insights from his career, critiques the state of technical writing and AI, and discusses the challenges with PowerShell and the future of AI agents in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Microsoft is laying off 9,000 employees
Less than half from the gaming division
Hi, Tibi & Ionuț here, hope you're having a great day! 🥳
Microsoft Job Cuts Hit Game Development - DTNSB 5053
Sony is bringing one of its exclusive titles to the Xbox Series X|S for the first time, and Dr. Niki talks about why we should welcome biodegradable robot overlords.
OpenAI and Microsoft: The Gloves are Coming Off
The alliance that shaped AI’s rise is breaking under the weight of its own success
We’ve talked before about the $13 billion knot binding the world’s most valuable enterprise software giant to the most hyped startup of the AI era. Microsoft and OpenAI - the original AI frenemies.
Microsoft Says AI Beat Doctors- Should We Be Worried?
++ Google Expands Gemini AI to 159 Countries, X's AI Notes Fact-Checker, Microsoft's Copilot Chat Open-Sourced, DeepMind Decodes DNA, ByteDance's IIT-JEE Triumph, Meta Tests Film-Focused Chatbots, Ind
Today's highlights:
Microsoft Stock Holds Steady as AI Drives Workforce Shift
Microsoft cuts again—AI efficiency or hidden trouble ahead?
How to avoid Wall Street’s Bitcoin trap (From Brownstone Research)
OpenAI is building the Next AI Operating System
But Microsoft battle, legal troubles and disturbing allegations remain.
Studies, Reports and Papers I recommend for Weekend Reading 📝
I tend to think Sam Altman’s vision of the OS would be similar to that of Samantha in the movie ‘Her.’ It would act as a digital assistant, personalizable according to your routines, preferred apps, style, and preferences.
Michael - Wow! I'm super impressed at your ability to create and share so much high-quality content. Doing it in one publication would be super impressive. Doing it across your network is truly remarkable. 🫡
Microsoft software engineer, Lightspeed investor role, AI meditation coach
opportunities at breakout startups, co-founder searches, and early teams hiring
✨ Hey there this is a free edition of Next Play’s newsletter, where we share under-the-radar opportunities to help you figure out what’s next in your journey.
US lifts chip design export controls to China | Microsoft cuts 9,000 jobs amid AI shift | Australia and India team up on undersea surveillance
Microsoft shuts down 3,000 North Korean IT email accounts
Good morning. It's Friday, 4th of July.
🤖 Meta Hires Gross, Microsoft Fumbles, Google’s Veo Debuts
Plus: Apple Eyes Cloud Ambitions; Meta’s AI Gets Chatty.
Good morning. It’s Friday, Jul 4. Today we are covering:
How to Perform Common Data Transformations in Microsoft Fabric!
Discover how to perform 5 essential data transformations in Microsoft Fabric using PySpark, T-SQL, and KQL.
Data transformations are the bread and butter of every analytics project. Let’s be honest – raw data is usually – well, raw – which in many cases means messy, invalid, and inconsistent. Before you can extract valuable insights, you need to transform the data into something clean, structured, and ready for analysis.
The growing rift between OpenAI and Microsoft - Sync #524
Plus: OpenAI secures $200M contract with US DoD; Meta aggressively recruits big names for its AI lab; 1X Redwood; Sam Altman on GPT-5 and ads in ChatGPT; cyborg embryos; and more!
Hello and welcome to Sync #524!
Supplying Microsoft, Amazon, and the World: APAR’s Global Playbook
Not an EPC player. Not a cable assembler. APAR is building the core grid components powering India's infrastructure and the world's data centers.
India's power infra is being rewired and one quiet player is supplying the core.
💰BlackRock just became a Bitcoin whale — quietly.
PLUS: Why is Alphabet cheaper than Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon?
Today’s edition is brought to you by Bitget - We partnered with Bitget to bring you a top offer: deposit at least 100 USDT and instantly claim a 200 USDT trading voucher. Rewards go up to $5,000 for active users—don’t miss it!
Blackrock is known for politicizing capitalism Leftward. In my opinion, the Lefties naturally support fiat and oppose hard money Bitcoin, because they siphon the value off of the fiat, and use it for Lefty social engineering and vote buying.
50 Years of Microsoft and Developer Tools with Scott Guthrie
Scott Guthrie, a 28-year Microsoft veteran shares the inside story of how the company evolved its developer tools—from Visual Basic to Azure, VS Code, and GitHub—and what’s next with AI.
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