CIA Brief 20250215

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Turn everyday spreadsheets into actionable insights with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Excel –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNcIN_bXpuA

Microsoft OneDrive Mobile App –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba7zone0Xk0

Microsoft 365 admin center in simplified view –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCyaw2Uufzc

AI agents at work: The new frontier in business automation –

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/ai-agents-at-work-the-new-frontier-in-business-automation/

Applying Zero Trust principles to the cloud-native journey –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/applying-zero-trust-principles-to-the-cloud-native-journey/4378578

Copilot learning hub –

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/

Securing DeepSeek and other AI systems with Microsoft Security –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/02/13/securing-deepseek-and-other-ai-systems-with-microsoft-security/

Storm-2372 conducts device code phishing campaign –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/02/13/storm-2372-conducts-device-code-phishing-campaign/

Grow your security skill set with the latest resources on Microsoft Learn –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftlearnblog/grow-your-security-skill-set-with-the-latest-resources-on-microsoft-learn/3644510

Build a stronger security strategy with proactive and reactive incident response: Cyberattack Series –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/02/10/build-a-stronger-security-strategy-with-proactive-and-reactive-incident-response-cyberattack-series/

New Certification for Microsoft information security administrators –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftlearnblog/new-certification-for-microsoft-information-security-administrators/4159976

Increase Your Productivity with Copilot on OneNote Web and OneNote in Teams –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365CopilotBlog/increase-your-productivity-with-copilot-on-onenote-web-and-onenote-in-teams/4374756

What’s new in Microsoft Intune: January 2025 –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-intune-january-2025/4373560

Multiple sources, one cohesive document—Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word makes it possible –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKJhmeNDWPc

Access Copilot anywhere on the canvas in Word for the web –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/access-copilot-anywhere-on-the-canvas-in-word-for-the-web/4374199

After hours

Bill Gates: Source Code – https://www.gatesnotes.com/meet-bill/source-code

Editorial

If you found this valuable, the I’d appreciate a ‘like’ or perhaps a donation at https://ko-fi.com/ciaops. This helps me know that people enjoy what I have created and provides resources to allow me to create more content. If you have any feedback or suggestions around this, I’m all ears. You can also find me via email director@ciaops.com and on X (Twitter) at https://www.twitter.com/directorcia.

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week

Need to Know podcast–Episode 339

In this episode I try and explain Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and where it fits into the Microsoft 365 environment, which is challenging without visual but hopefully it gives you a better idea. In essence Microsoft 365 Copilot chat is free to all Microsoft 365 users and provides the same AI across just the web but with commercial data protection. You can extend those capabilities by adding metered billing if desired before stepping up to the full paid version of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

I also have Microsoft Cloud news and updates for you as well as part of this episode so tune in.

Brought to you by www.ciaopspatron.com

You can listen directly to this episode at:

https://ciaops.podbean.com/e/episode-339-copilot-chat/

Subscribe via iTunes at:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/ciaops-need-to-know-podcasts/id406891445?mt=2

or Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7ejj00cOuw8977GnnE2lPb

Don’t forget to give the show a rating as well as send me any feedback or suggestions you may have for the show.

Resources

@directorcia

Join my shared channel

CIAOPS merch store

Become a CIAOPS Patron

CIAOPS Blog

CIAOPS Brief

CIAOPSLabs

Support CIAOPS

Access Copilot anywhere on the canvas in Word for the web

Microsoft Lists forms: What’s New

Diagnose Safe/Blocked Senders Issues in Microsoft 365

Do more with Copilot and agents

Microsoft Copilot help & learning

Securing Identities: 10 recommendations for building a stronger identity security posture

Accelerating the Anomalous Sign-Ins detection with Microsoft Entra ID and Security Copilot

Get visibility into your DeepSeek use with Defender for Cloud Apps

Microsoft Loop, a year in review: greater integration and richer collaboration

Introducing new Surface Copilot+ PCs for Business

Copilot for all: Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

CIA Brief 20250208

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Supercharge Your Business. Getting Small Businesses Ready for 2025 with Microsoft 365 –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365businessblog/supercharge-your-business-getting-small-businesses-ready-for-2025-with-microsoft/4374723

The Enhanced “Edit in Grid” Experience for Document Libraries –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/onedriveblog/the-enhanced-edit-in-grid-experience-for-document-libraries/4373895

Next-Gen Device Incident Investigation & Threat Hunting with Custom Plugins –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/securitycopilotblog/next-gen-device-incident-investigation–threat-hunting-with-custom-plugins/4374397

Code injection attacks using publicly disclosed ASP.NET machine keys –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/02/06/code-injection-attacks-using-publicly-disclosed-asp-net-machine-keys/

Understanding application types in Microsoft Intune for macOS –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/understanding-application-types-in-microsoft-intune-for-macos/4373987

How to Use Tenant Allow/Block Lists in Microsoft Defender for Business –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/nonprofittechies/how-to-use-tenant-allowblock-lists-in-microsoft-defender-for-business/4374182

Facilitator in Teams meetings –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hZMcVupn4E

Recall emails in Outlook for Mac –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/recall-emails-in-outlook-for-mac/4372702

Microsoft Lists forms: What’s New –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/spblog/microsoft-lists-forms-whats-new/4374037

Diagnose Safe/Blocked Senders Issues in Microsoft 365 –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft_365blog/diagnose-safeblocked-senders-issues-in-microsoft-365/4373924

Do more with Copilot and agents –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/appsonazureblog/do-more-with-copilot-and-agents/4373519

Stay focused in an action-packed meeting with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Teams –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJn7CdTHgT8

Diagramming in Microsoft Whiteboard –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bR-a-FUfcE

Leveraging Custom Security Attributes in Conditional Access Policies –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/coreinfrastructureandsecurityblog/leveraging-custom-security-attributes-in-conditional-access-policies/4373293

Introducing the Unified Device Timeline Experience in Microsoft SIEM + XDR –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/introducing-the-unified-device-timeline-experience-in-microsoft-siem–xdr/4372047

Microsoft Copilot help & learning –

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot-skilling

Securing Identities: 10 recommendations for building a stronger identity security posture –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/securing-identities-10-recommendations-for-building-a-stronger-identity-security/4371879

Accelerate employee AI skilling: Insights from Microsoft –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-cloud/blog/2025/01/30/accelerate-employee-ai-skilling-insights-from-microsoft/

Log Analytics Simple Mode is Now Generally Available –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azureobservabilityblog/log-analytics-simple-mode-is-now-generally-available/4370749

Get visibility into your DeepSeek use with Defender for Cloud Apps –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/get-visibility-into-your-deepseek-use-with-defender-for-cloud-apps/4372520

After hours

Large Language Models explained briefly – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPZh9BOjkQs

Editorial

If you found this valuable, the I’d appreciate a ‘like’ or perhaps a donation at https://ko-fi.com/ciaops. This helps me know that people enjoy what I have created and provides resources to allow me to create more content. If you have any feedback or suggestions around this, I’m all ears. You can also find me via email director@ciaops.com and on X (Twitter) at https://www.twitter.com/directorcia.

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week

CIAOPS Need to Know Microsoft 365 Webinar – February

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Join me for the free monthly CIAOPS Need to Know webinar. Along with all the Microsoft Cloud news we’ll be taking a look at Loop in Microsoft 365 once again.

Shortly after registering you should receive an automated email from Microsoft Teams confirming your registration, including all the event details as well as a calendar invite.

You can register for the regular monthly webinar here:

February Webinar Registrations

(If you are having issues with the above link copy and paste – https://bit.ly/n2k2502)

The details are:

CIAOPS Need to Know Webinar – February 2025
Friday 21st of February 2025
11.00am – 12.00am Sydney Time

All sessions are recorded and posted to the CIAOPS Academy.

The CIAOPS Need to Know Webinars are free to attend but if you want to receive the recording of the session you need to sign up as a CIAOPS patron which you can do here:

http://www.ciaopspatron.com

or purchase them individually at:

http://www.ciaopsacademy.com/

Also feel free at any stage to email me directly via director@ciaops.com with your webinar topic suggestions.

I’d also appreciate you sharing information about this webinar with anyone you feel may benefit from the session and I look forward to seeing you there.

CIA Brief 20250203

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Understanding the Microsoft Pluton security processor –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/understanding-the-microsoft-pluton-security-processor/4370413

Microsoft Loop, a year in review: greater integration and richer collaboration –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/microsoft-loop-a-year-in-review-greater-integration-and-richer-collaboration/4372094

Running Distilled DeepSeek R1 models locally on Copilot+ PCs, powered by Windows Copilot Runtime –

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2025/01/29/running-distilled-deepseek-r1-models-locally-on-copilot-pcs-powered-by-windows-copilot-runtime/

Introducing new Surface Copilot+ PCs for Business –

https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2025/01/30/introducing-new-surface-copilot-pcs-for-business/

Preparing for a meeting with Microsoft Whiteboard –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRF5RgbEFmw

Unlock the full potential of your business with Microsoft 365 Copilot –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbvNPsosanI

Kickstart your creativity with new content and creative tools in Clipchamp –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/kickstart-your-creativity-with-new-content-and-creative-tools-in-clipchamp/4370139

Announcing the Microsoft 365 SMB Customer Advisory Board –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365businessblog/announcing-the-microsoft-365-smb-customer-advisory-board/4371006

Microsoft 365 Insider Round-Up – January 2025 –

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/january-2025-microsoft-365-insider-g7wmc/

Boost SOC automation with AI: Speed up incident triage with Security Copilot and Microsoft Sentinel –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/securitycopilotblog/boost-soc-automation-with-ai-speed-up-incident-triage-with-security-copilot-and-/4368798

Copilot Studio Agent Builder –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R4U5FJlXJw

After hours

Deepseek R1 Explained by a Retired Microsoft Engineer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3TpcHebtxM

Editorial

If you found this valuable, the I’d appreciate a ‘like’ or perhaps a donation at https://ko-fi.com/ciaops. This helps me know that people enjoy what I have created and provides resources to allow me to create more content. If you have any feedback or suggestions around this, I’m all ears. You can also find me via email director@ciaops.com and on X (Twitter) at https://www.twitter.com/directorcia.

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week

Need to Know podcast–Episode 338

A change of format for this episode. I recorded an interview with Andrew Bremner and Tim Stephinson around insurance for MSPs which I think provides a lot of value. Been a while since I have done an interview episode, so let me know what you think and whether you want to see more interviews like this? In the meantime, the news in the Microsoft Cloud never stops and I’ll bring you up to date with the latest as well.

Brought to you by www.ciaopspatron.com

You can listen directly to this episode at:

https://ciaops.podbean.com/e/episode-338-ensure-to-insure/

Subscribe via iTunes at:

https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/ciaops-need-to-know-podcasts/id406891445?mt=2

or Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7ejj00cOuw8977GnnE2lPb

Don’t forget to give the show a rating as well as send me any feedback or suggestions you may have for the show.

Resources

@directorcia

Join my shared channel

CIAOPS merch store

Become a CIAOPS Patron

CIAOPS Blog

CIAOPS Brief

CIAOPSLabs

Support CIAOPS

Announcing mandatory multifactor authentication for the Microsoft 365 admin center

New Identity Secure Score recommendations in General Availability

Enhancing Security with Entra PIM and Conditional Access Policy using Authentication Context

Windows 11 Security Book

Microsoft Teams, a year in review: AI-powered customization and upgraded presentations

Enabling agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

SherpaTech

Insurance Health Check

MSP/ IT Professional Insurance Quote and Policy portal

Insurance Checklists

CIA Brief 20250125

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Microsoft 365 Copilot l SharePoint agents –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4T7_9t0u0I

AI at Work: What Are AI Agents, and How Do They Help Businesses? –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/ai-at-work-what-are-agents-how-do-they-help-businesses

Announcing Public Preview: New STIX Objects in Microsoft Sentinel –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/announcing-public-preview-new-stix-objects-in-microsoft-sentinel/4369164

Microsoft Copilot Studio 2025 Release Wave 1 Release Highlights –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2KQOxTfCuQ

Get greater visibility with aggregated reporting of endpoint telemetry signals –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftdefenderatpblog/get-greater-visibility-with-aggregated-reporting-of-endpoint-telemetry-signals/4366712

Microsoft Teams, a year in review: AI-powered customization and upgraded presentations –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/microsoft-teams-a-year-in-review-ai-powered-customization-and-upgraded-presentat/4366634

Improve SecOps collaboration with case management –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/improve-secops-collaboration-with-case-management/4369044

Announcing mandatory multifactor authentication for the Microsoft 365 admin center –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365businessblog/announcing-mandatory-multifactor-authentication-for-the-microsoft-365-admin-cent/4369645

Overview of Microsoft 365 for business setup –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK2YrZTKYEc

New Identity Secure Score recommendations in General Availability –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/identity/new-identity-secure-score-recommendations-in-general-availability/4369133

Disabling Immersive Reader for protected documents in Word for the web –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/disabling-immersive-reader-for-protected-documents-in-word-for-the-web/4366651

Microsoft and OpenAI evolve partnership to drive the next phase of AI –

https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/01/21/microsoft-and-openai-evolve-partnership-to-drive-the-next-phase-of-ai/

Windows 11 Security Book –

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/book/

Enhancing Security with Entra PIM and Conditional Access Policy using Authentication Context –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/coreinfrastructureandsecurityblog/enhancing-security-with-entra-pim-and-conditional-access-policy-using-authentica/4368002

Australian Super turns on Security Copilot –

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australiansuper-turns-on-security-copilot-613914

Hunt for identity-based threats with Security Copilot and Microsoft Sentinel –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/securitycopilotblog/hunt-for-identity-based-threats-with-security-copilot-and-microsoft-sentinel/4366739

Microsoft Teams, a year in review: AI-powered customization and upgraded presentations –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/microsoft-teams-a-year-in-review-ai-powered-customization-and-upgraded-presentat/4366634

After hours

The Coming Wave animation – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ReMavRec7U

Editorial

If you found this valuable, the I’d appreciate a ‘like’ or perhaps a donation at https://ko-fi.com/ciaops. This helps me know that people enjoy what I have created and provides resources to allow me to create more content. If you have any feedback or suggestions around this, I’m all ears. You can also find me via email director@ciaops.com and on X (Twitter) at https://www.twitter.com/directorcia.

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week

CIA Brief 20250118

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Take action by February 1: Azure AD Graph is retiring –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/identity/take-action-by-february-1-azure-ad-graph-is-retiring/4365743

Copilot for all: Announcing Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1h77wRwkb0

New Star Blizzard spear-phishing campaign targets WhatsApp accounts –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/01/16/new-star-blizzard-spear-phishing-campaign-targets-whatsapp-accounts/

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and Agent Starter Kit –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365CopilotBlog/microsoft-365-copilot-chat-and-agent-starter-kit/4366245

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat – Enterprise-ready web chat demo –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElcsGanlvRI

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat – Manage agents demo –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMCn0-ZCHOM

Enabling agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/copilot-studio/enabling-agents-in-microsoft-365-copilot-chat/

I tried Microsoft Loop and here’s why I’m never going back to traditional productivity tools –

https://www.androidpolice.com/tried-microsoft-loop-never-going-back-to-old-tools/

New block screen capture for iOS/iPadOS MAM protected apps –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/new-block-screen-capture-for-iosipados-mam-protected-apps/4366312

Customize the location of notifications in Teams –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/customize-the-location-of-notifications-in-teams/4366056

Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc-fc7pT9nw

Innovating in line with the European Union’s AI Act –

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/01/15/innovating-in-line-with-the-european-unions-ai-act/

The First Purview AMA of 2025 is Now On-Demand –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azurepurviewblog/the-first-purview-ama-of-2025-is-now-on-demand/4365780

Windows 11 tips edition – January 2025 –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gei0otVeueA

Step-by-Step Guide : How to use Temporary Access Pass (TAP) with internal guest users –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/itopstalkblog/step-by-step-guide–how-to-use-temporary-access-pass-tap-with-internal-guest-use/4365541

Introducing Core AI – Platform and Tools –

https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/01/13/introducing-core-ai-platform-and-tools/

Analyzing CVE-2024-44243, a macOS System Integrity Protection bypass through kernel extensions –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/01/13/analyzing-cve-2024-44243-a-macos-system-integrity-protection-bypass-through-kernel-extensions/

3 takeaways from red teaming 100 generative AI products –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/01/13/3-takeaways-from-red-teaming-100-generative-ai-products/

AI Companions Will Change Our Lives –

https://time.com/collection/time100-voices/7204530/ai-companions/

Pop out Chat, Copilot, and Notes panes in Teams meetings –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/pop-out-chat-copilot-and-notes-panes-in-teams-meetings/4365708

After hours

Starship launch and Super Heavy landing, 16 January 2025 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_4oS_M_0cc

Editorial

If you found this valuable, the I’d appreciate a ‘like’ or perhaps a donation at https://ko-fi.com/ciaops. This helps me know that people enjoy what I have created and provides resources to allow me to create more content. If you have any feedback or suggestions around this, I’m all ears. You can also find me via email director@ciaops.com and on X (Twitter) at https://www.twitter.com/directorcia.

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week