Microsoft
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How to link local account with Microsoft account on Windows 11
On Windows 11, if you created a local account, you can link it to a Microsoft account to access all the cloud services and features that the company offers. For example, when linking your local account to a Microsoft account, you can associate your computer’s Windows 11 product key with your account, making it easier to transfer the product key…
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Microsoft Defender for Office 365 now blocks email bombing attacks
Microsoft says its Defender for Office 365 cloud-based email security suite will now automatically detect and block email bombing attacks. Defender for Office 365 (formerly known as Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection or Office 365 ATP) protects organizations operating in high-risk industries and dealing with sophisticated threat actors from malicious threats from email messages, links, and collaboration tools. “We’re introducing…
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Microsoft removes antivirus from Windows kernel – Here’s why it matters
Microsoft is relocating antivirus and endpoint detection tools out of the Windows kernel to enhance system stability and minimize crash risks. This shift will isolate security software in user mode, preventing issues like the 2024 CrowdStrike incident that triggered mass Blue Screen of Death errors. Microsoft Defender and third-party AV tools will continue to work normally but in a safer,…
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Hackers are using Microsoft 365 features to bombard enterprises with phishing emails – and they’ve already hit more than 70 organizations
Security experts have warned of a new phishing campaign which exploits Microsoft’s 365’s Direct Send feature to steal credentials – and they’ve already hit more than 70 organizations. Direct Send is a feature in Exchange Online that allows devices and applications to send emails within a Microsoft 365 tenant. It uses a smart host with a format like “tenantname.mail.protection.outlook.com“. Intended…
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Is ChatGPT making us dumber? A new MIT study claims using AI tools causes cognitive issues, and it’s not the first – Microsoft has already warned about ‘diminished independent problem-solving’
While enterprises and consumers alike continue flocking to AI tools, studies into their cognitive impact are coming in thick and fast – and it’s not good news. A recent study from MIT’s Media Lab suggests that using AI tools impacts brain activity. The study saw 54 subjects – ranging in age from 18 to 39 years old – divided into…
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Microsoft Updated the Xbox 360 To Try and Upsell You
Summary Microsoft released an update for Xbox 360 fixing visual issues but also embedding ads for newer Xbox Series X and S consoles. Users must scan the QR code on ads to upgrade, a tactic Microsoft is known for to push users towards new hardware or software. Despite being two generations old, the Xbox 360 update includes bug fixes; users…
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Microsoft Is Making Major Changes to Windows Security
Microsoft is making big changes to how third-party antivirus works under the hood as part of a “Windows Resiliency Initiative.” It could impact everything from how the anti-cheat in your favorite game works to how the security of enterprise cloud servers are set up. Restricting Anti-Virus Access to the Windows Kernel As it stands today, third-party antivirus applications run “kernel-level,”…
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Microsoft will stop offering legacy drivers from Windows Update
Microsoft is removing expired and outdated legacy drivers from Windows Update on Windows 11 and Windows 10 to enhance security and reduce compatibility issues. Only drivers with newer versions or that are no longer valid will be deleted, while still-valid legacy drivers remain available. Manufacturers have six months to dispute the action before they’re permanently deleted. As part of the…
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Microsoft 365 ‘Direct Send’ abused to send phishing as internal users
An ongoing phishing campaign abuses a little‑known feature in Microsoft 365 called “Direct Send” to evade detection by email security and steal credentials. Direct Send is a Microsoft 365 feature that allows on‑premises devices, applications, or cloud services to send emails through a tenant’s smart host as if they originated from the organization’s domain. It’s designed for use by printers,…
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Hackers abuse Microsoft ClickOnce and AWS services for stealthy attacks
A sophisticated malicious campaign that researchers call OneClik has been leveraging Microsoft’s ClickOnce software deployment tool and custom Golang backdoors to compromise organizations within the energy, oil, and gas sectors. The hackers rely on legitimate AWS cloud services (AWS, Cloudfront, API Gateway, Lambda) to keep the command and control (C2) infrastructure hidden. ClickOnce is a deployment technology from Microsoft that…
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