News
News
- January 13, 2021
13 Jan'21
Microsoft Defender zero-day fixed for January Patch Tuesday
In addition to the fix for its antivirus software, Microsoft also corrected a publicly disclosed printer driver flaw that affected Windows client and server systems.
- December 09, 2020
09 Dec'20
Microsoft closes out year with light December Patch Tuesday
In addition to the monthly security updates, Microsoft shares a fix to address a DNS cache poisoning vulnerability that affects Windows Server systems.
- November 11, 2020
11 Nov'20
Windows zero-day shut down on November Patch Tuesday
In addition to fixing the exploited Windows flaw, Microsoft rolls out a new look to the Security Update Guide that draws some criticism.
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- October 14, 2020
14 Oct'20
Critical TCP/IP bug gets fixed for October Patch Tuesday
The number of security updates from Microsoft dips below the average of the previous several months, but a TCP/IP bug looms large for administrators.
- October 05, 2020
05 Oct'20
Microsoft Ignite 2020 conference coverage
This Microsoft Ignite guide compiles news from the online event, including upcoming products and how they might address some of your organization's needs.
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Sponsored News
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How to Derive Exceptional Business Value from Your Hyperconverged Infrastructure
Sponsored by Dell Technologies - IT decision-makers are increasingly turning to hyperconverged infrastructure as the go-to solution for a wide range of use cases and workloads from the data center to the hybrid cloud to the edge. See More
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Enhanced Productivity and Collaboration Tools for the Hybrid Workplace
Sponsored by Microsoft - After dealing with pandemic-induced changes to the workplace for more than half the year, many organizations’ leaders are convinced the future will require embracing a hybrid workplace: Employees will work in the office some days and from a remote location on others. And now that businesses have months of experience with work from home on top of years of experience with working on site, they know choosing the right technology for employees makes a big difference. See More
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3 Key Benefits of Hybrid Cloud as a Service
Sponsored by HPE - Organizations are increasingly turning to hybrid cloud as the platform of choice as they continue to respond to changing business conditions caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to research by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) on cloud acceleration and remote work, a recent survey by KPMG sheds light specifically on the value of hybrid cloud. See More
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The Business Case for a Consistent Hybrid Cloud Experience
Sponsored by Dell Technologies - Increased complexity is one of the biggest challenges facing IT teams in building and managing multicloud environments. Using different management tools for different platforms, whether private or public clouds, makes it harder—if not impossible—to effectively manage costs, security, governance, performance, compliance and availability. See More
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- October 02, 2020
02 Oct'20
Exchange Server vNext will have subscription requirement
The news from Microsoft from this year's Ignite show for Exchange administrators was: You can keep your on-premises email platform, but you'll have to pay for it like Office 365.
- September 09, 2020
09 Sep'20
SharePoint gets multiple fixes for September Patch Tuesday
There were no zero-days or public disclosures from Microsoft this month, but patches for SharePoint and Exchange should get prompt attention.
- August 12, 2020
12 Aug'20
Microsoft plugs 2 zero-days on August Patch Tuesday
In addition to the actively exploited flaws, IT workers must contend with a domain controller exploit that could give an attacker administrative access.
- July 24, 2020
24 Jul'20
IT's move to Azure drives Microsoft revenues skyward
The shift to remote work and accelerated cloud migrations during the pandemic have resulted in strong revenue growth for Microsoft. The company reported its Q4 earnings this week.
- July 15, 2020
15 Jul'20
DNS Server vulnerability tops July Patch Tuesday concerns
Microsoft warns administrators not to delay the deployment of a patch to shut down a critical bug in Windows DNS servers due to its potential to cause widespread damage.
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- June 10, 2020
10 Jun'20
Microsoft issues 129 fixes for June Patch Tuesday
SharePoint continues to attract attention this month, with 12 unique vulnerabilities corrected in the document sharing and storage product.
- May 13, 2020
13 May'20
May Patch Tuesday brings a bevy of SharePoint fixes
Microsoft delivers corrections for 111 unique vulnerabilities with a significant number aimed at SharePoint, which may signal growing interest from attackers.
- April 15, 2020
15 Apr'20
3 zero-day fixes in heavy April Patch Tuesday release
Complications arising from the coronavirus pandemic could slow the rollout of this month's Microsoft security updates as IT teams deal with an influx of remote workers.
- March 11, 2020
11 Mar'20
Mammoth March Patch Tuesday lands on Windows admins
Microsoft delivers corrections for 115 unique vulnerabilities, including 26 bugs rated critical in one of its largest Patch Tuesday releases in recent memory.
- February 12, 2020
12 Feb'20
February Patch Tuesday resolves IE zero-day
Microsoft released security updates for 99 unique vulnerabilities, including an Internet Explorer flaw the company had notified customers about last month.
- January 16, 2020
16 Jan'20
Battle lines over Windows Server 2008 migration drawn
Microsoft and AWS stepped up their ongoing battle promoting a variety of Windows Server 2008 migration tools in hopes of luring users over to their respective ecosystems.
- January 15, 2020
15 Jan'20
January Patch Tuesday fixes cryptography bug found by NSA
The U.S. National Security Agency shared information with Microsoft about a significant spoofing vulnerability in Windows that enterprises should make a patching priority.
- December 11, 2019
11 Dec'19
December Patch Tuesday resolves Windows zero-day
Microsoft delivers the final batch of security fixes for the year with a Windows zero-day vulnerability getting top billing for administrators.
- November 27, 2019
27 Nov'19
Microsoft's history and future strategy beyond 2020
Microsoft's history over the past 20 years is marked by the pivot from closed software models to support for open source and cloud. Quantum computing will shape the next decades.
- November 13, 2019
13 Nov'19
Microsoft closes IE zero-day on November Patch Tuesday
Security updates for the month also include corrections for bugs in the Hyper-V virtualization platform, Excel for Mac systems and Exchange Server.
- November 13, 2019
13 Nov'19
Microsoft Ignite 2019 conference coverage
Expect Microsoft to continue its cloud push at its annual conference for IT pros to get more organizations moving to Azure and its Office 365 collaboration platform.
- October 09, 2019
09 Oct'19
October Patch Tuesday resolves 59 vulnerabilities
Microsoft attempts to stamp out printing issues that originated from a faulty out-of-band patch for an Internet Explorer zero-day.
- September 11, 2019
11 Sep'19
September Patch Tuesday addresses 2 Windows zero-days
Microsoft issues fixes for 79 unique vulnerabilities, including three public disclosures, as part of its monthly security updates.
- August 14, 2019
14 Aug'19
August Patch Tuesday corrects new 'wormable' exploits
Administrators weighed down by news of the BlueKeep vulnerability will have to contend with a similar bug some are calling DejaBlue.
- July 10, 2019
10 Jul'19
Microsoft patches two Windows zero-days in July Patch Tuesday
Microsoft fixed two Windows zero-day flaws as part of the July 2019 Patch Tuesday release, which also saw the remediation of 75 other vulnerabilities across Microsoft products.
- June 12, 2019
12 Jun'19
Microsoft plugs 4 zero-day exploits for June Patch Tuesday
Despite multiple warnings from Microsoft, the threat of the BlueKeep RDP vulnerability to unpatched Windows systems continues to loom following its May Patch Tuesday disclosure.
- May 14, 2019
14 May'19
May Patch Tuesday fixes zero-day, new Intel CPU bugs
Microsoft fixed 23 critical vulnerabilities in its latest monthly security updates, as well as patches for supported and unsupported Windows systems to ward off a worm that has the potential to be the next WannaCry.
- April 09, 2019
09 Apr'19
April Patch Tuesday closes 2 zero-day exploits
In addition to Microsoft's fixes, administrators should patch holes in several Adobe products to keep attackers from creating havoc in their systems.
- March 12, 2019
12 Mar'19
March Patch Tuesday shuts down two zero-day exploits
In addition to the March Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft's attempts at improving performance following Spectre variant 2 patches backfire for some users on Windows 10.
- February 12, 2019
12 Feb'19
Microsoft zero-day vulnerability closed on Patch Tuesday
Administrators should prioritize patching systems affected by a zero-day vulnerability resolved by the February Patch Tuesday updates.
- January 08, 2019
08 Jan'19
Light January Patch Tuesday follows IE out-of-band security update
Administrators should prioritize an out-of-band patch that addresses an Internet Explorer zero-day before tackling the 47 vulnerabilities corrected by the January Patch Tuesday fixes.
- December 11, 2018
11 Dec'18
December Microsoft security patches bring a light end to 2018
Microsoft resolved a zero-day and a public disclosure this December patch Tuesday, while experts revisit 2018 in patching and what needs improvement.
- November 13, 2018
13 Nov'18
Windows zero-day fix highlights November Patch Tuesday
In addition to the November Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft offered assistance to combat a new side-channel attack and rereleased a Windows 10 update and Windows Server 2019.
- October 09, 2018
09 Oct'18
October Patch Tuesday grounds JET Database Engine flaw
Administrators have a relatively light workload for October Patch Tuesday, but IT workers should pay attention to multiple workstation fixes and issues with older patches.
- September 26, 2018
26 Sep'18
Windows Admin Center unlocks Server 2019 features
Not just for troubleshooting, Windows Admin Center helps admins unlock the full potential of the latest Windows Server offering.
- September 11, 2018
11 Sep'18
Microsoft shuts down zero-day exploit on September Patch Tuesday
Administrators should prioritize patching systems affected by four public disclosures resolved by the Patch Tuesday updates.
- August 14, 2018
14 Aug'18
August Patch Tuesday closes CPU bug, two zero-day exploits
Administrators have their work cut out for them, with more than 60 vulnerabilities to handle for August Patch Tuesday, after reeling from the effects of a bad batch of July updates.
- July 10, 2018
10 Jul'18
July Patch Tuesday brings three public disclosures
Microsoft resolved three public disclosures and updated its Spectre and Meltdown advisory this July Patch Tuesday. In total, Microsoft addressed about 54 vulnerabilities.
- June 12, 2018
12 Jun'18
Adobe zero-day fix precedes June Patch Tuesday
Adobe closed a zero-day vulnerability last week, which Microsoft added to its June Patch Tuesday updates. Administrators have a lighter workload, with about 50 exploits to address.
- May 08, 2018
08 May'18
Zero-day exploits resolved by Microsoft on May Patch Tuesday
Microsoft resolved two zero-day exploits and two public disclosures, amid more than 65 exploits affecting operating systems, browsers and Microsoft Office this May Patch Tuesday.
- April 10, 2018
10 Apr'18
Windows out-of-band patches overshadow April Patch Tuesday
Microsoft delivered out-of-band security patches to address the Total Meltdown and malware engine exploits as a precursor to its regularly scheduled April Patch Tuesday fixes.
- March 26, 2018
26 Mar'18
Windows Server 2019 preview draws Azure closer
Windows Server 2019 will come with a number of enhancements to cater to administrators who want a tighter connection to the Azure cloud platform, Microsoft said.
- March 13, 2018
13 Mar'18
Intel microcode updates complicate admin patching duties
March Patch Tuesday adds several more mitigations for the Spectre and Meltdown exploits, this time for 32-bit server and client operating systems.
- March 08, 2018
08 Mar'18
IT shops find their reasons to upgrade to Windows Server 2016
Selected technical features and technical support twilight inspires more Windows Server 2008 and 2012 IT shops to upgrade to Windows Server 2016.
- February 13, 2018
13 Feb'18
CPU bugs add to IT stress as February Patch Tuesday drops
Administrators who rushed out fixes in January for the Meltdown and Spectre flaws then had to unwind some of those corrections after additional problems occurred.
- January 09, 2018
09 Jan'18
Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities dominate January Patch Tuesday
Complications surrounding the fix for the Meltdown and Spectre microprocessor architecture flaws will make the patching process more difficult for administrators.
- December 12, 2017
12 Dec'17
December Patch Tuesday closes year on a relatively calm note
Windows Server administrators should focus their patching efforts on a Remote Procedure Call vulnerability that could allow an attacker to stake his claim to company data.
- November 14, 2017
14 Nov'17
Light workload awaits admins on November Patch Tuesday
Microsoft said there were no critical vulnerabilities for Windows Server this month, but it issued patches for exploits that could be more damaging in the long run.
- October 31, 2017
31 Oct'17
Microsoft puts a new face on remote server management
Microsoft's Project Honolulu puts the GUI back in the spotlight for systems administrators who felt left behind by the company's focus on advanced initiatives.
- October 10, 2017
10 Oct'17
Microsoft cumulative updates bring security, frustration
One year in, Microsoft's cumulative updates model has made enterprise IT systems more secure, but forced administrators to adjust their patching process.
- September 21, 2017
21 Sep'17
Microsoft's VS Code embrace prompts PowerShell editor debate
IT admins can build scripts with PowerShell ISE, VS Code or PowerShell Studio. Think about what platforms and functions you need before deciding which is right for you.
- September 12, 2017
12 Sep'17
DHCP server exploit highlights September Patch Tuesday
Microsoft patched 76 vulnerabilities on September Patch Tuesday, but Windows Server administrators only have a few critical updates that require immediate attention.
- August 31, 2017
31 Aug'17
PowerShell Core's march ahead gives pause for IT admins
As Microsoft's PowerShell Core open source project progresses, some question the future of Windows PowerShell in the company's cloud-focused strategy.
- August 15, 2017
15 Aug'17
Expect service providers to ease Azure Stack deployment
Azure Stack will be ready in September. But given the product's complexity, early customers might think about working with a service provider.
- August 08, 2017
08 Aug'17
No patch for zero-day SMB exploit for August Patch Tuesday
Security researchers uncovered a new SMB vulnerability in July, but Microsoft feels most administrators who follow network security best practices are already protected.
- July 11, 2017
11 Jul'17
Microsoft spotlights exploit connected to SMB on July Patch Tuesday
Administrators should prioritize yet another vulnerability associated with the SMB protocol that could allow attackers to overtake Windows systems.
- June 13, 2017
13 Jun'17
Microsoft stitches up Windows Server 2003 on busy June Patch Tuesday
A month after Microsoft issued updates to protect unsupported Windows systems from the WannaCry ransomware, the company repeats the act to protect these systems from a new threat.
- May 09, 2017
09 May'17
Microsoft shuts down critical exploit ahead of May Patch Tuesday
Microsoft didn't wait until May Patch Tuesday to issue an update on a critical Malware Protection Engine vulnerability discovered by Google's Project Zero.
- April 20, 2017
20 Apr'17
Microsoft and Docker collaboration puts Linux containers on Windows
Microsoft's project to run Linux containers on Windows bridges a technical divide, but developers who work on the open source operating system may not be swayed so easily.
- April 11, 2017
11 Apr'17
Microsoft unveils update guide, fixes Hyper-V on April Patch Tuesday
Microsoft dropped its security bulletin format on April Patch Tuesday and switched to its Security Update Guide. Windows Server admins should be aware of a Hyper-V host patch.
- March 14, 2017
14 Mar'17
Microsoft plugs zero-day SMB vulnerability on March Patch Tuesday
After Microsoft skipped February Patch Tuesday, it released 17 updates in March, including a long-awaited patch for a zero-day Server Message Block vulnerability.
- March 02, 2017
02 Mar'17
Microsoft open source efforts draw praise
Industry observers are buying into Microsoft's attempts to reach new users, as the company builds support for Linux and other open source technologies in its offerings.
- February 15, 2017
15 Feb'17
Microsoft pushes pause on February Patch Tuesday
Despite a known zero-day flaw, Microsoft delays February's security bulletins for an unspecified reason.
- January 10, 2017
10 Jan'17
Microsoft rings in new year with light January Patch Tuesday
Microsoft starts 2017 with just three bulletins, but administrators who manage Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 should pay close attention to one exploit.
- December 13, 2016
13 Dec'16
On December Patch Tuesday, Microsoft unwraps more changes to patching
Microsoft delivers 12 patches and adjusts its operating system servicing model for administrators who want security-only updates separate from the monthly quality rollup.
- November 08, 2016
08 Nov'16
Microsoft closes zero-day exploit in November Patch Tuesday
Microsoft's November Patch Tuesday seals a zero-day vulnerability, while Windows administrators seem to be taking October's debut of the new rollup servicing model in stride.
- October 11, 2016
11 Oct'16
Server admins get off easy on October Patch Tuesday
Despite patches for several zero-day vulnerabilities, Windows Server admins get a light workload as Microsoft changes its servicing model.
- October 11, 2016
11 Oct'16
Views mixed on new Microsoft patch rollup model
Microsoft's plan to move its older operating systems to a cumulative update model may help make its updates more reliable, but some administrators see more headaches on the horizon.
- September 27, 2016
27 Sep'16
Microsoft Azure Stack tweaks causing delays, IT pros still hopeful
Improvements to Microsoft's Azure Stack hybrid cloud platform are coming slower than anticipated, but IT shops still hope to get their hands on it sooner rather than later.
- September 27, 2016
27 Sep'16
Microsoft slates Windows Server 2016 availability for mid-October
Microsoft dedicated its opening keynote to the benefits of Azure, but IT pros say the company's on-ramp to the cloud still needs some work.
- September 20, 2016
20 Sep'16
Microsoft Nano Server: A lighter OS for heavy workloads
Microsoft offers a refactored Windows Server 2016 option called Nano Server that fills the need for speed in today's data centers. Here's how it works.
- September 13, 2016
13 Sep'16
September Patch Tuesday plugs critical Exchange Server exploit
Atop the list of 14 security bulletins issued in Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday is a critical update to close a significant exploit in Exchange Server.
- August 25, 2016
25 Aug'16
Microsoft Ignite 2016 conference coverage
Find all the independent reporting and analysis from the Microsoft Ignite conference 2016 in one place.
- August 09, 2016
09 Aug'16
Server admins get light workload for August Patch Tuesday
Of the nine security bulletins released for August Patch Tuesday, Windows Server operating systems are only affected by six.
- July 12, 2016
12 Jul'16
July Patch Tuesday plugs hole in .NET framework
Security analysts say an important bulletin to shut down a .NET framework vulnerability should get top patching priority on Windows Server systems.
- June 17, 2016
17 Jun'16
With June Patch Tuesday, users need a fix for the fix
Patch Tuesday usually relieves sys admins' headaches but the June edition handed out a few, as a patch designed to improve security for Group Policy actually took it away.
- June 14, 2016
14 Jun'16
June Patch Tuesday addresses DNS, SMB Server vulnerabilities
June's batch of security bulletins included a number of updates to close Windows Server vulnerabilities, including a remote code execution flaw in DNS server.
- May 10, 2016
10 May'16
May Patch Tuesday brings critical updates for browsers, Microsoft Office
Microsoft issued 16 security bulletins for May's Patch Tuesday, including critical updates for its Internet Explorer and Edge browsers, as well as Microsoft Office.
- April 12, 2016
12 Apr'16
Adobe zero-day update gets top billing in April Patch Tuesday
An Adobe zero-day update received top billing as Microsoft released its April Patch Tuesday fixes.
- April 05, 2016
05 Apr'16
Exchange 2016 CU1 overshadowed when mailbox anchor drops
Microsoft released updates for all supported versions of Exchange Server. The updates cover issues with mailbox anchoring in Exchange 2013 and improvements to lagged database copies.
- March 08, 2016
08 Mar'16
March Patch Tuesday closes holes in IE, Edge browsers
Despite ending support for Internet Explorer 9 in January, Microsoft continued to issue patches for the older browser.
- February 10, 2016
10 Feb'16
February Patch Tuesday plugs holes in Adobe Flash, Office
Microsoft, taking a cue from Google, elevates fixes for Adobe Flash with a security bulletin in February.
- January 26, 2016
26 Jan'16
Windows Server 2016 licensing tweak could cause big headaches
Get ready to pay more, experts warn, when Windows Server licensing fees shift from per-processor to per-core starting with Windows Server 2016.
- January 13, 2016
13 Jan'16
Microsoft E5 plan supports new ATP, Skype functionality
Microsoft's new Office 365 E5 plan offers features applicable across the organization. But some of the new functionality isn't useful to all, and some features bring controversy.
- January 12, 2016
12 Jan'16
January Patch Tuesday closes support for IE versions, Windows 8
Administrators with machines on Windows 8 and unsupported versions of Internet Explorer will need to update after this month.
- December 21, 2015
21 Dec'15
Should admins consider an Exchange 2016 upgrade?
Microsoft released Exchange 2016, but older versions may win out. No matter the version, admins should prioritize Exchange security in 2016.
- December 17, 2015
17 Dec'15
Surprise changes in the Exchange 2016 release
Exchange 2016 brought mixed feelings for admins who felt like the release was more of an Exchange 2013 Service Pack than a new version. See which changes made it to the final release.
- December 08, 2015
08 Dec'15
Microsoft delivers 12 fixes for December Patch Tuesday
Microsoft ended the security cycle of 2015 by releasing eight critical bulletins, including details on a font exploit.
- December 07, 2015
07 Dec'15
The new rules for becoming a Microsoft MVP
The MVP program highlights technical concentration in 10 broad Microsoft categories, changing some MVP statuses and eliciting concern over expertise.
- November 10, 2015
10 Nov'15
November Patch Tuesday closes gaps in Internet Explorer, Windows
Microsoft releases 12 security bulletins covering a wide range of applications, including Skype.
- November 03, 2015
03 Nov'15
Azure AD PowerShell supports MFA to protect authentication
The preview of the Azure AD PowerShell module flexes its muscles by supporting MFA and device management.
- October 27, 2015
27 Oct'15
Office 2016 features update the mail client for more collaboration
In addition to design changes, Office 2016 offers new applications such as Clutter and Modern Attachments to make collaborating in the Exchange mail client much easier. Should you upgrade?
- October 22, 2015
22 Oct'15
How DLP, MFA and other features influence Office 2016 security
Data loss prevention, multifactor authentication and document sharing all get a security boost in Office 2016, but you might want to consider holding off on upgrading.
- October 15, 2015
15 Oct'15
Skype for Business vanishes after Office 2016 upgrade
Customers who recently upgraded to Office 2016 were in for an unpleasant surprise after Skype for Business was uninstalled from their machines.
- October 13, 2015
13 Oct'15
October Patch Tuesday plugs holes in IE, Edge browsers
Windows administrators have a relatively light month, as Microsoft releases only six security bulletins for October.
- September 08, 2015
08 Sep'15
Office, IE bugs get sprayed with Patch Tuesday fixes
The bad news: Microsoft had to issue Patch Tuesday fixes for Office and IE. The good news: no patches for Windows 10 or Adobe Flash.
- August 24, 2015
24 Aug'15
Microsoft shops get native Docker tools, Windows Containers
Windows containers are now available in preview as the native Docker tools come to Microsoft for the first time.
- August 18, 2015
18 Aug'15
Office 365 roadmap signs point to collaboration
Office 365's new features encourage workplace collaboration with upgrades to file sharing in email and telephony services.
- August 12, 2015
12 Aug'15
Azure and Docker CTOs muffle container security 'noise'
In part two of this Q&A, Docker and Microsoft Azure CTOs address container security and how it will play out with Windows and Hyper-V containers.
- August 12, 2015
12 Aug'15
Russinovich and Hykes talk Windows Containers, Docker
In this Q&A, Docker co-founder and CTO Solomon Hykes and Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich discuss the development of Docker containers for Windows Server.