M365 Weekly Newsletter
Issue #159
☁️What’s on my mind
I have a couple of test tenants where I try out new things, take some harmless screenshots and so on.
Last week, Microsoft forced me to protect the global administrator on one of these tenants with multi-factor authentication. I could only log in 3 more times without MFA.
I had deliberately left this global administrator without MFA until now because I correctly assumed that the day would come sooner or later when I would no longer have a choice.
And this is one of the rare occasions when it is right that I have no choice.
Have a nice weekend,
Matic Z.
☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace
Unveiling the Newest OneDrive Capabilities. OneDrive’s new Copilot feature generates summaries for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PDF files, while the updated file viewer previews 300+ file types with improved speed. Enhanced search functionality and the next-generation OneDrive experience in SharePoint document libraries offer a more efficient and user-friendly experience.
How To Make A Professional PowerPoint? 17 Tips. Creating a professional and engaging PowerPoint presentation requires attention to content, design, and delivery. To achieve this, start with a well-structured outline, use readable fonts, and incorporate visuals like images and graphics.
☁️Copilot & AI
How to use Microsoft Copilot in your day-to-day work. Microsoft Copilot streamlines daily tasks like drafting emails, creating presentations, and extracting insights from Excel. Integrated with Windows 11, Edge, Microsoft 365 apps, and available on mobile, Copilot enhances your productivity, making work life easier.
5 Ways to Use Copilot In Word to Make Your Life More Productive. If you’re looking to make your life easier with Microsoft Word, Co-Pilot is here to help. With its AI-powered features, you can quickly summarize lengthy documents, generate detailed instructions based on existing files, and even create class agendas with module listings and times. Plus, Co-Pilot can help you visualize data as tables and ensure your documents have clear calls to action.
Use your organization’s branding with Copilot in PowerPoint. Enhance your PowerPoint presentations by using Copilot with your organization’s branded templates. To get started, find your corporate templates in a specific folder and select the right one for your presentation. Ensure your slide master meets the minimum requirements, and consider adding diverse content slide layouts for better results. Set up an Organizational Asset Library (OAL) to store and maintain your PowerPoint templates, making it easier to create consistent and professional presentations.
☁️Sysadmin Stuff
Add DKIM and DMARC for onmicrosoft.com domain in Microsoft 365. enhance Microsoft 365 domain security, manually add DKIM and DMARC records, as SPF is auto-configured. Follow the provided steps to enable DKIM in Microsoft Defender and add DMARC TXT record in the admin center. Secure your domain even if you don’t use the onmicrosoft.com domain.
Microsoft Introducing Multi-Tenant Organization Capabilities In Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 now offers multi-tenant organization capabilities, enhancing collaboration and communication across tenants. Key features include improved People Search, seamless Microsoft Teams integration, and Viva Engage for employee engagement. Experience a more connected work environment with these new capabilities.
Create a Password Expiration Report with PowerShell. Microsoft advises against regular password changes, recommending stronger authentication methods like multifactor authentication instead. To create a password expiration report, use PowerShell and Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK with the outlined steps.
☁️Security & Data Governance
How To Enable Passkeys In Microsoft Authenticator. To enable passkeys in Microsoft Authenticator for Microsoft Entra ID, update the Authentication methods policy and use Conditional Access policies for added security. Passkeys can be set up in the Entra Admin Center or via Graph Explorer.
Microsoft will require MFA for all Azure users. Azure is enhancing tenant-level security with multi-factor authentication (MFA) starting this July. MFA provides an extra layer of protection by requiring users to verify their identity with multiple pieces of evidence. Stay informed about roll-out dates via direct emails and Azure Portal notifications, or set up MFA now using the Microsoft Entra MFA wizard.
50% Of Identities Have Access To Full Access As Per Microsoft Security Report 2024. Microsoft’s 2024 Multicloud Security Risk Report reveals that 50% of identities have full permissions, emphasizing the need for strong control in multicloud environments. To enhance security, organizations should integrate security into DevOps and adopt risk-based approaches like attack path analysis.
☁️Noteworthy (long)reads
VMware Workstation Pro: Now Available Free for Personal Use. VMware now offers free personal use and paid commercial use licenses for Fusion and Workstation Pro apps. Users can set up a virtual lab for free, while work-related use requires a subscription. VMware Workstation Player and Fusion Player have been discontinued, with users encouraged to upgrade to Pro versions at no cost.
Microsoft Creates Top Secret Generative AI Service for U.S. Spies. Microsoft developed an offline generative AI model for US intelligence agencies to securely analyze top-secret data. Deployed in an isolated “air-gapped” cloud, the system reads files without learning from them, ensuring sensitive information remains protected.
☁️Classifieds
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☁️On a Less Serious Note
☁️ Last but not least …
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