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  • How to Work Remotely So You’re Productive and Secure

    How to Work Remotely So You’re Productive and Secure


    Dear Colleague,
    Today you face unique and unprecedented challenges. COVID-19 has probably forced you and your employees to start working from home. Two of the biggest IT and technology challenges that your business faces during these times is how you and your employees can still be productive and secure while working from home. You want to be productive so you can still serve your clients and your customers. Yet, you also want to make sure you are secure. Working from home brings up all kinds of concerns especially as it relates to IT security.
    There’s no shortage of articles and pundits covering this topic. The biggest problem is that they discuss these without thinking about realistic budgets and talk in theory. They don’t offer practical, real world tips that you can apply quickly in your business.
    So we put together this short audio session that covers how you and your employees can be productive and secure when working from home. It’s not designed to be theoretical or pie in the sky kind of discussions. These are practical, real world tips that don’t cost a fortune and you can apply in your business pretty fast.
    While we focus on IT and technology, we wanted to also include a link below for two other resources that cover this from an HR perspective that we think you’ll find helpful.

    Dedicated to your success,
    David Kakish and the entire RIAWorkspace team
    PS – If you want us to help with any of these tips we mentioned, just reach out to us and we’ll have a separate conversation so we can quickly help you apply this in your business.

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  • Advanced threat protection features ideal for email security at RIAs

    Advanced threat protection features ideal for email security at RIAs

    Email security is always important for RIAs. But we’re human and it’s easy to make mistakes as scammers get better and more sophisticated. Phishing emails increasingly look like they are coming from a credible source. It may look like an email from your boss asking you to send a wire to a new account. Or an email from a coworker asking you to confirm details with a link that prompts you to login with your Office 365 credentials to open a document.

    We shouldn’t rely on our employees to be perfect. It’s even more important than ever to lean on technology to be better gate keepers.

    How good is your IT security? Get the 1-Page IT Risk Scorecard for RIAs (Free Access)

    The good news is, there is help available – possibly from your existing Office 365 subscription. Microsoft Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) takes you beyond consumer-grade protection for your email security. It brings a full, enterprise-level strategy to your email security. And it is enterprise-level IT that should be the target for all RIAs, regardless of size.

    Advanced Threat Protection from Microsoft

    Microsoft offers Advanced Threat Protection for their Office 365 subscription, aptly named Office 365 ATP. It is split into two plans, both with impressive features. Plan 2 providing additional automation, investigation, remediation, and educational capabilities.

    ATP is included in some Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions. Microsoft 365 Business Premium has Plan 1 while Office 365 E5, Office 365 A5, and Microsoft 365 E5 have the Plan 2 available.

    So, what’s available with Microsoft ATP? Here are some of the highlights that will help your RIA secure your email.

    ATP Safe Attachments

    We’re not always sure if an attachment we receive is safe. With ATP Safe Attachments, attachments are analyzed in a special environment set up by Microsoft where it is compared with other known malicious types of files to determine if it is legitimate or not. If everything looks good, e-mail will arrive at the end-user inbox without them noticing any changes to their current workflow.

    But what about those infamous zero-day malware and threats that the world doesn’t know about yet? Microsoft uses machine learning to analyze the attachment to confirm if any of the patterns the file is using are read flags and tell-tale signs of something nefarious.

    Unless it’s through a link, right?

    ATP Safe Links

    No more hovering over a link to try to confirm if it is legitimate or if you’re one click away from having your personal or corporate information stolen by an unknown party.
    Office 365 ATP offers link verification. It confirms the safety of links shared through e-mail and Office documents. It actively reads the link to verify if it leads to a malicious or phishing site. Suspicious links are actively blocked, and legitimate links can be clicked without issue.

    ATP Anti-Phishing Protection

    But what about those phishing attempts that try to impersonate your boss or co-worker?

    The ATP Anti-Phishing Protection features can identify if someone is trying to impersonate an employee or a website domain that belongs to your company. Microsoft achieves this by passing e-mails through specially designed machine learning models with algorithms and built-in scenarios are built to identify this kind of fraud.

    ATP for Sharepoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams

    But what about attacks that don’t come via email? Malicious document can also be shared through your SharePoint or OneDrive by an end-user. Documents and links can be shared through other apps too, like Microsoft Teams.

    The same method is used when any file or link goes in or out using any of these end points. Malicious files and links are blocked so end-users cannot access or share them.

    It’s not realistic to expect your employees to recognize every attack that comes in via their email. Tools like Microsoft’s Advanced Threat Protection lets your RIA leverage world-class, enterprise-level technology to protect your business. It’s likely part of your current Office 365 subscription and simple needs to be configured properly to meet the specific needs of your RIA.

    If you’re not sure if you’re using ATP features right now, contact your IT service provider to find out. If you have questions or need assistance with getting this set up, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.

  • Watch out for distributed spam distraction

    Watch out for distributed spam distraction

    Most of us get a handful of spam in our email inboxes every day. While spam can be a nuisance, it only takes a few minutes to delete or block it. But if you receive tens of thousands of spam all at the same time, not only will it take you time to deal with it, but they might actually be hiding telltale signs that you’re being attacked by cybercriminals. This tactic is called distributed spam distraction (DSD), and here’s what you need to know about it.

    What is DSD?

    DSD is a type of attack wherein cybercriminals inundate email inboxes with as many as 60,000 spam emails. These emails don’t contain dangerous links, ads, or attachments, just random excerpts of text taken from books and websites. But because of the sheer volume of these emails, deleting and blocking each one of them can be daunting. And worse, the email and IP addresses used to send them are all different, so victims can’t simply block a specific sender.

    While these spam messages may seem like harmless annoyances, their true purpose is to draw victims’ attention away from what hackers are doing behind the scenes — which is to steal and use your personally identifiable information to conduct a raft of illegal activities. These include stealing money from your bank account or making unauthorized purchases in your name. In a DSD attack, the thousands of spam emails you get serve as a smokescreen that hides payment confirmation messages.

    How prepared are you for a DSD attack? Find out with the
    1-Page IT Risk Scorecard for RIAs (Free Access)

    New tactics

    Over the years, hackers have developed new DSD tactics. Several reports show that instead of nonsensical emails, hackers are using automated software to have their targets sign up for thousands of free accounts and newsletters to distract them with authentic messages. This allows DSD blasts to slip past spam filters that weed out the malicious code and text used in traditional DSD attacks.

    Also, anyone can go on the dark web and pay for DSD services. For as little as $40, you can get a hacker to send out 20,000 spam emails to a specific target. All you need to do is provide the hacker with your target’s name, email address, and credit card number — all of which can also be purchased on the dark web.

    How to protect yourself from DSD

    DSD is a clear sign that your account has been hijacked, so whenever you receive dozens of emails in quick succession, contact your bank to cancel any unfamiliar transactions and change your login credentials as soon as possible. Also, you should update your anti-spam software (or get one if you don’t have one) to protect your inbox from future DSD attacks.

    Hackers only initiate DSD attacks after they’ve obtained their target’s email address and personal information, so make sure your accounts and identity are well protected online. You should regularly change your passwords and PINs, enable multifactor authentication, set up SMS and/or email alerts for whenever online purchases are made in your name, and be careful about sharing personal information with others.

    DSD is just one of many cyberthreats out there. For expert advice on how to ensure your safety and security online, get in touch with our team of IT professionals.

  • How to send secure emails for RIAs

    How to send secure emails for RIAs

    Emails have been around since the 1990s and are one of the most commonly used modes for businesses to communicate and share information. RIAs rely on email to securely send important and confidential information with the convenience of being able to save and archive them for future access.

    Despite the many benefits of emails, it continues to be one of the top security risks and has led to many data breaches and security issues. A special report on Email Security Trends from Barracuda Networks states that 87% of the IT security professionals surveyed have faced email-based attacks in the recent past.

    Email security plays a critical role for RIAs as confidential information like account info, financial info, and social security numbers are communicated via email. The concern is that emails you send out can be infiltrated or exploited irrespective of your email servers being secure.

    If you are unaware of the security measures that can be taken to secure your RIA’s email, checkout the Email Security Checklist for RIAs. It talks about encryption and many other email security measures like multi-factor authentication, advanced data loss prevention, advanced threat protection, and auditing.

    Benefits of email encryption

    Let’s look at why it’s essential to encrypt emails, especially for RIAs that regularly use emails to communicate sensitive data.

    Security
    Intercepting email messages is not difficult, and many hackers steal email data at its many points of transmission, including email servers, local networks, and even directly from your computer. This is very prevalent, and encryption does not make email communication immune to such attacks. Instead, it makes the message unreadable to anyone other than the intended party.

    How good is your IT security? Get the 1-Page IT Risk Scorecard for RIAs (Free Access)

    Confidentiality
    Encryption is also important when you are unsure about the security measures present at the recipient’s server and computer. In these cases, it is vital that emails are only accessible to authenticated users. Encryption ensures this and also goes as far as to restrict downloading or forwarding restricted emails.

    Compliance
    Many organizations require that email communication be encrypted for compliance-related purposes. Office 365 provides excellent coverage and compliance to help with this. We’ll be looking at them in detail later in this article.

    Protect clients
    Some of your clients may not have sufficient security measures to ensure that the data you email them is kept confidential. Encryption can let you add extra security through things like temporary passcodes to access encrypted emails, without any infrastructure or configurations for your client.

    How your RIA can use encryption to send sensitive information

    Encryption is a vital part of email security, and it is important to understand how it works to make the most of it. It primarily works by encoding information with a key that is only made available to authorized recipients. When emails are encrypted, they are converted into unreadable ciphered text and transmitted to the intended recipient(s).

    Within Office 365 and Outlook, when you’re sending an email, you can choose to encrypt it or encrypt it and prevent forwarding.

    Encrypt
    In this level of encryption, emails are only available within Microsoft 365. Only authorized users can open and read them via Outlook.com, the Outlook mobile app, or the Mail app in Windows 10. Other users will be able to use temporary passcodes to download messages and attachments.

    Encrypt and prevent forwarding
    This level ensures that emails are only accessible within Office 365 and can’t be copied or forwarded. It also extends the encryption to Microsoft file types like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint so that they remain encrypted even after being downloaded. Note that this feature does not support other file types like PDFs and images.

    How emails are encrypted in Office 365

    Let’s look at two areas in which Microsoft uses encryption to secure email communication.

    Encryption of emails while in transit
    These methods are used to encrypt emails while they are being transmitted from the sender to the recipient.

    • Transport Layer Security (TLS): Office 365 encrypts email communication through its service by default with TLS. However, this method only encrypts the network communication and not the email itself. Office 365 uses the following security features to encrypt emails in transit:
      • Office Message Encryption (OME): OME lets you use Azure Rights Management Service (Azure RMS) to define rules for encryption. If emails meet the conditions you define, they are encrypted before being transmitted. OME offers the flexibility to send encrypted emails to users both within and outside the Office 365 platform. External users can use a Microsoft account or a One-Time-Password (OTP) to decrypt their emails.
      • Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME): S/MIME assigns public and private key pairs for each individual user to facilitate email encryption. Only authorized users with valid private keys can open and read these emails. In addition, S/MIME offers another useful feature – Digital Signatures. These allow the recipient to validate the authenticity of the sender through a unique digital certificate. One downside of S/MIME is that it restricts security features like malware and spam scanners.
      • Information Rights Management (IRM): IRM is another encryption solution that restricts unauthorized users from printing, forwarding, or copying confidential email data. IRM uses Azure Rights Management Service (Azure RMS) and allows admins to apply transport rules or Outlook protection rules. However, it is important to note that IRM does not apply universally to all recipient devices.

    To take full advantage of these features, you need to configure them properly to meet the needs of your RIA. You can learn more in the Office 365 Trust Center.

    Encryption of emails while at rest
    “Data at Rest” is data that is not being transmitted, but simply stored on a hard drive. In addition to encrypting email content while being transmitted, Microsoft data centers use BitLocker Drive Encryption technology to safeguard email data even while they are not active.

    Office 365 and Outlook offer multiple solutions for encrypting emails and protecting them against unauthorized copying and forwarding. The first step is to identify where you stand with regards to email security and knowing how best to configure your email. If you have questions about how your RIA can set up your email to send confidential information, get in touch. We’re happy to help.

    A look at why it’s essential to encrypt emails

  • Email archiving at your RIA is about more than just compliance

    Email archiving at your RIA is about more than just compliance

    A lot of RIAs look for an email archiving solution to meet their compliance requirements. But the right solution will also help you deliver better service to your clients and make life easier for staff.

    Compliance is just one of the reasons your RIA should have email archiving. Data storage and access, recovery, security, and efficiency are some of the other benefits as well if you set things up the right way.

    What is email archiving?

    It’s hard to remember what business was like before the dawn of email. Text messaging, VoIP, and IM apps are also common in most workplaces. But for work correspondence that requires a formal exchange of messages, email takes the lead. With over 281 billion emails sent every day globally, email is how most RIAs correspond with clients and colleagues. Your RIA probably has a staggering number of messages to keep track of and can’t delete because of compliance and the possibility of needing to reference them again in the future. This is where email archiving comes into play.

    Email archiving works by placing all communications in a secure repository residing outside your email environment. All incoming and outgoing mail and attachments are indexed and kept in a read-only form in their original state. Your email can be easily accessed any time through an email archiving database and software.

    Is email archiving the same as email backup?

    Email archiving takes your actual email and moves it to a new location for permanent retention. This is not the same as a backup which generates a copy of the data to be used in the event it must be restored. Archiving is more like when you move out old paper files you haven’t used in a while to boxes for storage in the basement. They’re in their original format and can be retrieved as-is from their new location. Backup would be like copying or scanning all those old files and saving them at another location in case of fire or water damage to the originals.

    Another difference between archiving and a backup is that you typically archive emails or data that you aren’t actively using. Backups on the other hand include everything as the goal is to restore it should something be compromised.

    Why should RIAs use email archiving?

    As an RIA, communicating frequently with clients via email is a necessity. Even more necessary is the need to secure your messages and anticipate your security risks while simultaneously keeping a record of all your correspondence with your clients.

    Compliance

    To meet your compliance requirements, RIAs must archive their emails and attachments for several years. Keeping the most recent emails on site using a cloud-based system makes them readily accessible from the office.

    An email archiving solution is the best way to store emails in a tamper-proof, authentic, and accessible way for years. It also makes it easier to provide emails as evidence in the event of disputes.

    Data storage and retrieval

    If you are saving your emails in your email app (like Outlook), it puts extra load on the email server and can reduce its performance considerably. Depending on how your RIA manages your email, you may have a limited amount of space in your inbox and be tempted to delete old emails that you assume you won’t need again. With an email archiving solution, you can move and store your data on a cloud or offsite server and retrieve it any time. Some solutions also reduce archive disc space by using advanced compression or deduplication. If set up properly, retrieving old emails should be a relatively easy task.

    Data security and recovery

    It is not unusual to assume that once your emails are old and out of your sight from the inbox, they are safely forgotten. This is not exactly true since hackers are always on the lookout for ways to access your mailboxes. Once your emails are archived with the right archiving program, all your email data is protected from security threats with regular data backup and disaster recovery feature.

    How good is your IT security? Get the 1-Page IT Risk Scorecard for RIAs (Free Access)

    Even in the absence of a disaster or a cyber-attack, your data can still get lost if an employee deletes it on purpose or unintentionally. Or in certain cases, the entire mailbox is deleted when an employee leaves a company. Email archiving prevents the permanent loss of data and all previous emails along with their attachments can be restored.

    Employee productivity

    Setting up automatic email archiving for everyone at your RIA not only helps you manage some of the issues with inbox quotas but also eliminates the need for employees to move emails to Personal Storage Table (.pst) files and delete them from their inbox. Email archiving should be a “set it and forget it” feature for your staff. Giving employees direct access to the archive also means they don’t have to call the IT department to help them find a specific email.

    What features should an email archiving solution have?

    What exactly makes up an effective archiving solution that caters to the unique needs of an RIA? When choosing a solution, look for the following features.

    Easy integration with existing systems and processes

    Whichever system you use, it must be one that seamlessly integrates with your current email solution, whether on-premises or platforms like G Suite or Office 365. This will save you the trouble of upgrading or changing anything.

    Cloud-based solution

    A cloud-based solution will eliminate the need for on-site infrastructure and can easily grow with you as needed. Reputable cloud solutions are secure and backed up to limit your risk.

    Tag and search capability

    You also want to choose a solution that has all the important features such as tagging, filtering, and advanced search so that you can quickly retrieve the information you are looking for.

    About Microsoft’s email archiving solution

    With so many benefits of email archiving, RIAs are now slowly shifting towards adopting more effective email archiving solutions. Many are turning to Microsoft Office 365 which is usually available through their current Microsoft subscription but just needs to be configured and set up properly.

    Why use Office 365 email archiving solution at your RIA?

    In addition to all the features that a good email archiving solution must have, Microsoft is preferred by many because of the following features:

    • Easy access: It is easily accessible by users who use Microsoft Outlook or web Outlook and store their email messages in archive mailboxes.
    • Unlimited archive: This is an option which attracts many companies to adopt the solution as it has unlimited archive storage and the option of auto-expanding the archive.
    • Quick data recovery: Deleted emails are retrievable almost instantly from the Recoverable Items folder with the help of its “Recover Deleted Items” tool.
    • Data management with eDiscovery: Data is more manageable with the help of eDiscovery, which makes it very easy to find, produce, and manage data across the organization with an easy-to-use web interface.

    If your RIA is looking for an email archiving solution, always do your research. Select the one that delivers a user-friendly interface with all the desirable features while keeping you in control and maintaining your standard of reliability and security. If you need help finding the right solution or configuring it for your RIA, get in touch. We’re happy to help.

  • Why your RIA should use multi factor authentication tools from Microsoft

    Why your RIA should use multi factor authentication tools from Microsoft

    Securing your RIA includes a lot of small (but important) steps and multi factor authentication (MFA) is one of them. Security attacks that target weak or compromised login credentials are becoming more common and pose significant risk to many businesses. Without MFA, a single phishing attack could give hackers access to a remarkable amount of data that could take you many months to recover from.

    Get Your IT Risk Score Now: Take the 5-Minute IT Risk Score for RIAs (Free Access)

    MFA gives you better security than even the most complex passwords and if you’re using Microsoft to run your RIA, you likely already have the tools you need to configure it company-wide.

    What is multi factor authentication?

    In a nutshell, MFA creates a process that requires users to confirm their identity twice during their sign in. Typically, the first confirmation is their password. The second prompt could be a code sent to a phone or key fob, or a fingerprint or face scan. Without both, access is not granted. You have multiple choices for a second verification process including SMS, voice messages, or apps like Microsoft Authenticator.

    Why should you enable multi factor authentication at your RIA?

    MFA is a proven way to protect accounts, passwords aren’t

    • Weak passwords and password re-use continue to be a threat despite attempts to warn and educate users. Learn more about the problem in a SANS study “Bye Bye Passwords: New Ways to Authenticate”.
    • Greater risk comes when users re-use a password on a third-party app or site. If that site is breached and credentials are stolen which match credentials used on your network, hackers can gain access.
    • Even long, complex, or phrase-based passwords are a risk. Passwords are broken using attacks like credential stuffing, phishing, keystroke logging, local discovery, and extortion – none of which are stopped by the complexity of your password.
    • Microsoft reports that 99.9% of account compromise attacks can be blocked with MFA

    MFA is part of what you already pay for from Microsoft

    • MFA is part of Microsoft Azure but needs to be configured to your specific needs. Check out the Azure MFA Adoption Kit on their website.
    • Microsoft lets you adjust the requirements for MFA use – from requiring all users to register for it to just administrators or for certain access
    • Start by reviewing the default MFA settings and adjusting from there to meet your specific needs and compliance requirements.
    • You can enable all your users at once or phase it in
    • Passwordless authentication is also available from Microsoft

    Secure login from different devices and locations

    • MFA and single sign-on (SSO) work hand in hand and let your users access the applications with a single, verified login
    • The SSO process minimizes the number of passwords and login credentials users need to remember
    • Microsoft’s SSO includes thousands of third-party SaaS applications which can be linked to your user accounts
    • You can create different user scenarios to define how SSO is used to access different apps and data

    MFA still has risks

    One of the reasons MFA stops most attacks is because hacking that second authentication step is a lot of work and more complicated than the simpler scams – which are often successful. Because they have a system that works, they generally don’t invest in developing a scam or the tech needed to compromise an MFA account. In fact, Microsoft reports that the rate of compromise of accounts using any type of MFA is less than 0.1% of the general population. Once MFA is used more broadly by the general population, hackers might further develop strategies to get past it.

    Channel jacking and real-time phishing are two ways hackers get past the security of MFA. You can read more about both of these in the blog All your creds belong to us!

  • Secure your RIA’s printers to avoid getting hacked

    Secure your RIA’s printers to avoid getting hacked

    To achieve foolproof cybersecurity, you must make sure that every endpoint is protected from threats. That means securing every network, every server, every computer — and every printer. Because they’re easily overlooked, print devices can be exploited by hackers and used as an entry point to steal or modify data. Make sure to follow these steps to keep your printers secure.

    What makes business printers vulnerable to cyberattacks?

    When assessing network security threats, companies primarily focus on servers and computers not only because they are the most exposed to external threats, but also because they get the bulk of cyberattacks. Printers are often at the bottom of the list since they are not prime targets. What’s more, their functions seem to be internal at first glance, as they don’t interact with external systems.

    But it’s exactly because of their primary functions, namely printing and scanning, that make print devices perfect cybercriminal targets. Businesses run important documents such as tax forms, employee information, medical records, and financial statements through print devices, and hackers would definitely love to get their hands on them.

    And they can — easily.

    Network printers store previous print jobs in their hard drive, sometimes including those that have been canceled. If anyone accesses the printer — even remotely — they may be able to see those documents by hacking into the printer using a specialized tool.

    Files can also be intercepted during wireless transmission, as modern printers can now be connected to the web. Not only can hackers exploit printers’ open network ports to view data, but they can also take over vulnerable printers and transmit their own data through the machine.

    What can you do to protect your business printers?

    Business printers should not be disregarded when planning a cybersecurity strategy. Keep your print devices secure by following these best practices:

    • Monitor your network continuously and promptly install printer software updates and patches. Printer manufacturers often release software support or updates, so regularly check for those.
    • Change the default password and administrator login credentials of printers with web management capabilities.
    • Only allow company-owned devices to connect to your printers.
    • Always connect to your printers using secure connections. Conversely, avoid accessing your printers through a public internet connection.
    • Restrict printer access by using a firewall.
    • If your wireless printer has the feature that requires users to enter a PIN before they can print documents, enable it to prevent unauthorized access.
    • If you don’t use your printer for fax and email, isolate your printer from your main company network and disable out-of-network printing.
    • If you handle classified data, do not connect your printer to any network. Instead, connect it directly to your computer using data cables, or print from a thumb drive.
    • Secure your printouts by enabling manual feed. This setting requires a user to manually input paper (or any material to be printed on), so there are reduced risks of the printed document getting stolen or being left in the printing area.

    Another way to secure your printers is by partnering with an IT company that can take care of your printer-related worries. From thwarting attacks to reducing management costs to keeping your printer at optimal functionality, our experts can help.

    Are you interested in learning more about cybersecurity? Contact us today and discover how our wide array of tech services can safeguard your business.

    Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

  • What’s new with Microsoft’s update channels

    What’s new with Microsoft’s update channels

    RIAs that use Microsoft 365 usually want the latest features of the productivity suite’s apps. However, not all RIAs want to receive updates at the same cadence. Whether you prefer to receive new app features ASAP or get them only once a month, there’s a way to customize your preferences, thanks to Microsoft’s update channels.

    New update channel: Microsoft Enterprise Channel

    The new Microsoft Enterprise Channel is for organizations that prefer to get updates on a predictable schedule. With this update channel, users can receive new features and patches on the second Tuesday of every month, which Microsoft famously calls Patch Tuesdays.

    This update channel is ideal for companies with IT departments that want to reduce the burden of updating systems at irregular intervals. This will allow them to have a fixed schedule of downloading the latest productivity features, system improvements, and essential security patches.

    Recommended update channel: Current Channel

    Current Channel is great for companies that want to receive feature updates as soon as they become available. New Office features are released at least two or three times a month, so those that choose Current Channel will get them immediately.

    The same applies to non-security updates such as reliability and performance improvements, which are also released two to three times a month. As standard, security updates will be released on Patch Tuesdays, and are therefore released on a fixed schedule.

    Those who are only about to install Microsoft 365 apps will be on Current Channel by default. That means they’ll get feature updates, security updates, quality updates, and bug fixes whenever they’re ready, and can expect to receive two to three updates every month.

    Option for less frequent updates: Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel

    This option is for organizations that require a longer period to receive new features. This especially applies to those that use devices that must undergo extensive testing before receiving new features, perhaps to comply with governmental and regulatory authorities or for other unique reasons.

    Under this update channel, organizations receive feature updates twice annually: in January and July, on the second Tuesday of the month. Security updates are still sent once a month, on Patch Tuesdays, similar to Microsoft Enterprise Channel and Current Channel.

    Updates to existing update channels

    Another important change is the new names of the Microsoft 365 update channels. Organizations can choose from the following options: Current, Monthly, or Semi-Annual (formerly Insider, Monthly, and Semi-Annual). In addition, testing channels previously labeled Targeted have been renamed Preview.

    It’s important to select the right update channel for your RIA to keep system updates streamlined and IT workflows uninterrupted. Choosing an update channel also depends on the user preferences of your business — whether they’d rather use the latest versions of their apps or would be fine to wait — as well as your business’s rules on compliance.

    To learn more about Microsoft’s update channels, specifically, how to know which one’s best for your company and how to optimize your productivity apps, call our IT and software experts today.

    Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

  • Microsoft 365: New Office 365 features for the same price

    Microsoft 365: New Office 365 features for the same price

    On April 21, Microsoft rebranded its Office 365 (O365) Home and Personal plans as Microsoft 365 (M365) Personal and Family subscriptions. The company’s officials describe the new bundles as “the subscription for your life to help you make the most of your time, connect, and protect the ones you love, and to develop and grow.” But Microsoft isn’t just changing its marketing, it’s also boosting its apps with new capabilities. Here’s what you can expect.

    #1 Microsoft Editor

    Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), this new editing feature helps you write better by providing advanced grammar and style refinements. It will alert you if you’re using a word too often or constructing overly complex or unclear sentences. It can also make language and style suggestions, rephrase full sentences, and check for plagiarism.

    Microsoft Editor is now available in 20 languages in Word and as a browser extension in Outlook. Soon, you can also install it as a Microsoft Edge and Chrome plug-in so you can always submit great writing anywhere on the web.

    #2 Presentation Coach and updated Designer

    Create better presentations using the AI-driven Presentation Coach feature that helps you avoid filler words, grammar mistakes in your speech, and a monotone pitch that may put your audience to sleep.

    What’s more, the enhanced PowerPoint Designer gives you access to over 8,000 images and 175 looping videos, 300 new fonts, and 2,800 new icons. It also has the capability to convert text into a timeline and suggest potential slide layouts whenever you add an image.

    #3 Money in Excel

    If you use Excel to manage your personal or family budget, then you’ll love the upcoming new feature called Money in Excel that lets you link your bank and credit card accounts and import your data into your spreadsheets. You can also track your transactions line by line, categorize your expenses, and create a monthly spending chart so you can analyze your habits.

    #4 Integrated personal and work calendars

    Outlook now allows you to look at just one interface for both your personal and work calendars. This prevents your coworkers from setting meetings with you during your blocked personal events. You can also import your child’s school calendars so you’ll be alerted of their conferences, plays, and other academic events.

    #5 Teams for consumers

    Microsoft Teams will soon have new consumer-centric features that let you connect and collaborate with your friends and family. So, if you already use Teams for work, you will be able to connect it with your Teams personal account and easily switch between those two accounts, just like in Outlook.

    #6 Family Safety app

    Aside from adding new features to their existing apps, Microsoft will also roll out its new Family Safety app for iOS and Android later this year. Similar to Apple’s Screen Time, the app is made to keep your family safe in both the digital and physical worlds.

    It lets you see what your children are doing on their Windows PCs, Xboxes, and Android and iPhone devices, and give you an analysis of their time spent on each device, so you can manage their screen time. You can use it to set limits for apps and content filters by age and even block specific websites and games on Xbox. The Family Safety app will also provide you with location sharing and driving reports.

    Despite all these new features and upcoming new app, the M365 consumer bundles are still priced identically with its O365 counterparts: M365 Personal at $6.99/month or $69.99/year for one user, and M365 Family at $9.99/month or $99.99/year for up to six users.

    To stay updated with the latest Microsoft news and see how these changes can help improve your business, get in touch with our IT experts today!

    Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.