[m365weekly] #182

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Issue #182

☁️Productivity & Modern Workplace

Allow Only Specific Users to Book Meeting Rooms in Microsoft 365. In Microsoft 365, you can manage meeting room booking permissions to avoid scheduling conflicts and unauthorized reservations. You can use Outlook on the Web or Exchange Online PowerShell to control who can book rooms. Options include allowing only specific users to book, requiring delegate approval, or setting different permissions for various users. 

New Feature – Microsoft Outlook- Create Events Easily- Dragging Emails in Outlook. You can now drag and drop emails into the Calendar icon on the left app bar of Microsoft Outlook to create an event. This new feature automatically opens a Teams meeting invitation or event window, streamlining your scheduling process. Available by default, this update simplifies managing your time and organizing meetings right from your inbox.

[FEATURED STORY] Managing content exposure in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Source: Microsoft 365 Copilot and the content “discoverability” challenge 

Big picture. Back in March 2014, Microsoft introduced Delve, a game-changer for finding and sharing information within organizations. Fast forward to today, and many folks are feeling the same anxiety about Microsoft 365 Copilot as they did with Delve. The worry? Overexposing sensitive content. With Copilot potentially using confidential info to generate responses, organizations need to rethink how they manage content visibility.

Why it matters. Navigating the world of data exposure is crucial for keeping sensitive information safe. Here are some straightforward strategies to tackle the challenges that come with using Microsoft 365 Copilot:

  • Reporting Over-Shared Content: Make sure everyone knows who to contact if they spot something that shouldn’t be shared. Clear guidelines can help foster a culture of reporting.
  • Exclude Sites from Search: You can block certain SharePoint sites from being indexed, which means they won’t pop up in Copilot searches. Just remember, this also means you won’t find anything in those sites via search.
  • Use Restricted Content Discovery: This feature lets you limit what users can search for in SharePoint while still allowing them to see their own files. It’s a balanced approach to content visibility.
  • Turn Off Microsoft Search for Most Sites: If you want to play it safe, you can disable search for all but a few curated sites. This gives you time to audit permissions without overwhelming users.
  • Restrict Site Access: Use Microsoft 365 groups to control who can access specific sites. This ensures that only the right people see the right content.
  • Conduct Access Reviews: Regularly check who has access to what. This keeps site owners accountable and helps maintain proper permissions.
  • Implement Sensitivity Labels: These labels help classify content based on sensitivity and can prevent unauthorized sharing. Plus, they work seamlessly with Copilot, ensuring sensitive info stays protected.

By embracing these strategies, organizations can better manage data exposure while enjoying the benefits of advanced tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot.

☁️Copilot & AI

Microsoft 365 Copilot Rename Causes Confusion. Microsoft is renaming its apps to simplify the Microsoft 365 Copilot experience. Starting mid-January 2025, Microsoft Copilot will be called Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. The current Microsoft 365 app becomes Microsoft 365 Copilot, featuring a new URL and a refreshed UI. While these changes aim to streamline user interactions, they might initially cause confusion between the products and their functions.

New Copilot Prompt Gallery helps you discover, save, and share your favorite prompts. Copilot Prompt Gallery lets you discover, save, and share Microsoft 365 Copilot prompts, enhancing AI adoption at work. With features like sharing via link, email, or Teams, and new prompt lists, you can easily find and share valuable prompts tailored to specific roles and tasks.

Your Workday Reimagined: Using Microsoft 365 Copilot in IT. IT teams are pivotal in driving digital transformation while managing tight budgets and rapid technological advancements. Microsoft 365 Copilot can revolutionize IT experiences by streamlining device management, security, and compliance, enabling IT teams to focus on high-value tasks. Copilot reduces service outages, shortens ticket resolution times, and boosts productivity, ultimately enhancing employee satisfaction and reducing costs.

☁️Sysadmin Stuff

Microsoft 365 Group Policies How did You Miss This? With Microsoft 365, you can manage user settings for Office apps on any device using the Cloud Policy Service, bypassing the need for Intune or Group Policy. This service allows you to enforce settings for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and more, making it versatile for guest users as well. It supports various admin roles and licensing plans, ensuring broad applicability across different organizational needs.

Configure Message Delivery Restrictions in Exchange Online Mailboxes. Enhance your Microsoft 365 email security by configuring message delivery restrictions in Exchange Online. Control who can send emails to specific mailboxes, reducing risks like spam and phishing. You can set up these restrictions via the Exchange admin center or PowerShell, specifying allowed and blocked senders.

Export Microsoft 365 Users Last Password Change Date and Time. You can easily check when Microsoft 365 users last changed their passwords using Microsoft Graph PowerShell.

☁️Security & Data Governance

Microsoft Incident Response team guide shares best practices for security teams and leaders. Securing growing enterprise networks requires a solid incident response plan. Organizations with both a dedicated team and a plan identify breaches 54 days faster. Microsoft’s downloadable, interactive guide focuses on people and processes critical for effective incident response. It emphasizes defining roles, responsibilities, and streamlined communication to manage incidents efficiently and mitigate risks swiftly.

Governance Framework: Engagement and Culture Building. Engagement and culture building are key for effective governance frameworks. Creating a culture of compliance turns policies into shared principles, boosting productivity, collaboration, and security. Essential strategies include clear communication, leadership buy-in, user feedback, training, and incentives.

Top 5 policies for securing device registration in Microsoft 365. In Microsoft 365, users can join any device to your Entra inventory by default, which can be exploited by attackers. To protect your assets, set policies such as requiring MFA for device registration and restricting device joins to specific user groups. Implementing these measures helps prevent unauthorized device access and keeps your inventory organized and secure.

☁️Noteworthy (long)reads

No MFA in Microsoft 365 due to lost phone (locked out). Losing access to your Microsoft Authenticator app can lock you out of your accounts, especially if no backup MFA options like SMS are set up. If this happens, contacting Microsoft Support is essential. They can verify your identity, escalate the issue, and reset your MFA configuration, allowing you to reconfigure your new device. Always have a backup MFA solution to avoid being locked out.

2024 Year-in-Review: A look back at your year with Microsoft Edge. Microsoft released some interesting statistics about the Edge browser. Reflecting on 2024, you’ve harnessed the power of AI in Microsoft Edge, engaging in billions of AI chats and translating trillions of characters.

DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

October 14 2025 – Windows 10 (Home, Pro, Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise) end of support – source

October 14 2025 – Office 2016, Office 2019, Exchange Server 2016, Exchange Server 2019 end of support – source

October 2026 – Retirement of Microsoft Publisher app which has been a part of Office Suite for years.

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☁️On a Less Serious Note

☁️ Last but not least …

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