Microsoft beefs up Defender security with new Threat Intelligence and External Attack Surface Management tools
Microsoft has launched two new security products, bolstering the capabilities of Microsoft Defender. The company says that the aim of the two tools is to help organizations lock down their infrastructure and reduce their overall attack surface.
The tools, Microsoft says, also provide "deeper context into threat actor activity" making it easier to predict malicious activity and secure resources. Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence works by mapping the internet every day, so that security teams have the data needed to understand current attack techniques, while with Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management lets security teams see their system as attackers do.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.61.0 with numerous 'quality of life improvements'
It is time for a new build of everyone's favorite Windows utility collection, PowerToys. Microsoft has just released version 0.61.0 of the tools, with the company saying that the v0.61 release cycle is focused on stability and improvements.
But don't let this somewhat self-deprecating description put you off -- there's actually quite a lot to this update. Key changes include updates to the ever-popular FancyZones, as well as Always on Top and PowerToys Run, and updates to the Windows 11 context menu.
Microsoft rolls out Windows 11 Beta Builds 22621.440 and 22622.440
Three weeks ago, Microsoft announced that it would be splitting the Windows 11 Beta Channel into two. The idea behind this is that a group of Windows 11 Insiders in the channel will either receive Build 22622.xxx updates with new features, or Build 22621.xxx updates without them.
Today, the company rolls out Builds 22621.440 and 22622.440. Here's what's new.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 25169 with new lockdown feature and Windows Spotlight theme
Arriving a day later than usual, this week’s updated Windows 11 Insider build has some new features for Dev Channel Insiders to play around with.
The first of these new additions is a lockdown feature for IT administrators that allows certain apps to run while blocking other OS functionalities.
You can now buy a Windows 11 license direct from Microsoft -- but we know a cheaper option
Microsoft has finally made it possible to purchase Windows 11 product keys and download the software straight from its servers, an option that has been weirdly unavailable for the year the OS has been in existence. Windows 11 has been available as a free upgrade for quite some time now, but there are reasons for wanting to -- or at least needing to -- buy a copy of the operating system.
If you're building a PC from scratch, for instance, you'll need to install Windows 11 from scratch, and this means you can't take advantage of a free upgrade. But buying direct from Microsoft, while a welcome option, is far from being the only way to buy Windows 11, and it's certainly not the cheapest.
Microsoft releases KB5015878 update preview to bring notification improvements and more to Windows 10
Microsoft has released a new update for Windows 10 that not only addresses various issues with the operating system, but also adds new notification options for the focus assist feature.
KB5015878 is a non-security update, and it is a preview of the update that will be released more widely next month. Available for Windows 10 version 21H1 and 21H2, as well as Enterprise, Education and Server editions of the OS, the update will be of interest to anyone who has experienced problems with docking station internet connectivity, video playback in games, and other issues.
Microsoft releases KB5015882 update for Windows 11 with new upgrade options, Explorer crash fixes, and more
It is the time of the month when Microsoft unleashes its C release updates on eager Windows users. As such, the company has released a preview of the KB5015882 update for Windows 11, bringing a number of important changes and bug fixes.
Although this is a non-security update, KB5015882 remains significant for a number of reasons. Not only does it address an issue that caused explorer.exe to hang, but it also introduces new upgrade options and makes changes to focus assist.
Microsoft updates Windows 11 to block RDP and other brute force attacks by default
Microsoft has introduced a change to Windows 11 that makes it much harder to use brute force attacks to crack passwords. Starting with the latest Insider builds, there is a new account lockout policy in place by default.
The policy means that should an incorrect password be entered 10 times, the account will be locked for 10 minutes. While this does not make brute forcing impossible, by any means, it makes it much harder and more time consuming, boosting security in an important area.
If you have KB5015888 installed, you can take part in Microsoft's 'special' Windows 11 Bug Bash
Microsoft frequently runs bug bashes to help weed out problems with Windows 11. These often focus on particular areas of the operating system and the company has just announced a "a special Bug Bash" to coincide with the release of the latest beta build.
Just a couple of days ago, Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22622.436 (KB5015888) to the Beta Channel. Now the Bug Bash is underway, running until July 25, with beta testers being asked to complete various quests and provide feedback.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 25163 with taskbar overflow and sharing improvements
Happy Wednesday. It’s that day of the week when Microsoft typically rolls out a new Windows 11 build for Insiders in the Dev Channel. Sometimes these builds are interesting, with new features and the like, and other times they only contain a bunch of fixes.
The latest flight, Build 25163, falls into the former category, with some new additions which include a taskbar overflow experience and some improvements to file sharing.
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Microsoft changes its policy against the sale of open source software in the Microsoft Store
Having previously upset software developers by implementing a ban on the sale of open source software in its app store, Microsoft has reversed its decision.
The company says that it has listened to feedback -- which was vocal and negative -- and has updated the Microsoft Stores Policies, removing references to open source pricing. Microsoft has also clarified just why it put the ban in place.
Microsoft debuts a new video series to help you master Windows 11
Windows 11 isn’t especially hard to use, but there are some elements to it that can prove confusing for anyone more used to one of the older flavors of the operating system, such as Windows 7.
Microsoft is, understandably, keen to get as many people as possible to switch to Windows 11 and in a bid to help them get the most out of it, the software giant has launched a new video series to help with the OS "basics, personalization, apps, and tools".
KB5015814 update is causing Start menu problems and 0x8007007e errors in Windows 11
The release of the KB5015814 update for Windows 11 earlier this week was supposed to fix problems with PowerShell as well as addressing security issues. But as has become disturbingly common, there have also been unwanted side effects for those who jumped on the update and installed it as soon as it was offered up.
Some users are experiencing problems with the Start menu, with complaints indicating that the menu is being interrupted by an app opening and closing. There are also complaints about errors appearing after a failed installation of the KB5015814 update -- specifically error codes 0x8000ffff, 0x8007007e and 0x80073701.
Media Player for Windows 11 now lets you rip CDs like it's 2002
Yesterday, Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 11 build for Insiders in the Dev Channel and two new versions of the popular Camera and Media Player apps.
The main new feature introduced into Media Player (version 11.2206.30.0) is support for CD ripping, because, yes, that’s apparently still a thing.
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