I just completed the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

It took a little while for it to download and update, be patient you are competing with a bunch of other users wanting to do the same thing on their workstation as well. The Windows 10 update assistance provided at a nice screen to give me an idea of what is going on during the entire process. It doesn't take any amount of expertise to perform this software update so don't be afraid to try it out. Remember all you do is go to the Windows 10 update history to be able to do perform this update.

After the update is complete your system will have to reboot to finish the installation updates. Be careful that you don't turn off your's system during this last bit because it will potentially corrupt the installation if you do. It will probably go through several reboots during this process so be patient and let it do its thing.

When it finally completes it will go through a series of screens to ensure thatyour system is set upthe way that youneeded to with the features that you want to be turned on.See you have a choice of either taking the suggested set up or going in and customizing the settings the way you would like to see them. It will then go through a another quick processing period to finish setting up those changes. And then everything will be complete. On my system it took about an hour and 15 minutes to complete the whole process.

Have you ever had a cell phone stolen?

CTIA members of the Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Committee have met their voluntary commitment to make antitheft tools available for free on all new mobile phones manufactured after July 2016 for sale in the US. This covers most of the phones that are manufactured for sale in the US.

The first phase of this commitm you ent plan called for the antitheft tools to be installed on all handsets offered for sale after July 2015 in the US. The second phase called for new handset models sold after July 2016 in the US to give authorized users the ability to disable the antitheft tools anytime they want to, as long as the device is still connected and still in the authorized user's possession.

So if you don't like being tracked by your cell phone the ability to turn off this feature is a big boon.

For more information from naked security on the subject click here.

Windows 10 Anniversary Update Walk Through

Richard Hay from Supersite for Windows has posted a nice Windows 10 Anniversary Update Video showing a lot of the new features of this release. The release began yesterday so keep your eyes open for your copy of the update. If you are interested in what to expect you will probably want to take a quick look at this posting/video.

Are your looking forward to the Window 10 Anniversary Update?

It looks like Microsoft is making Cortana a central focus to many of its search functions including showing up on the lock screen. It will not only be more prominent but will also be much harder to get rid of “her”.

With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the search box is now Cortana. Customers can expect the same great search experience powered by Bing and Microsoft Edge with the added benefit of Cortana’s personality.

If your system is on a Windows Domain Network your IT Department can control this through group policies but we don’t have a simple and quick method of shutting “her’' down.

Another “feature” that is baked in is the inability for consumers to control Windows 10 updates. Your going to have to suffer through them.

The spokesperson suggested that there are some Cortana tweaks that Windows 10 consumer users could do, if wanted:

We know consumers want choice and we make it easy to customize Cortana’s personalization or opt-out of Cortana’s suite of personalized services. Cortana works best when you sign in, but if you choose not to, you can still use her to chat, search the web and your Windows device. If you like, you can also easily hide Cortana and the search box in the taskbar altogether.

Cortana is also going to hold a prominent role in educational environments as well.

For our education editions, Microsoft is committed to an experience free from sponsored content by default. Within Cortana, Microsoft could not guarantee that sponsored content would not appear as part of the online search experience.

Microsoft is working on creating a future Cortana service that has an "education-appropriate experience."

Secure messaging app Telegram leaks anything pasted in to it – Naked Security

While this more of an old story than a new one since a patch for the issue has already been issued, the information that Naked Security discussed was interesting an if you are a Mac user and you are worried about security issues this would be something to consider. Read More Here.

Another posting for Sysadmin’s Day from Naked Security

Feeling under appreciated, needing a little help? Want to get a little something for talking about your favorite issue?

Here is good way to compensate. Find a little humor with the Sysadmin foolproof flowchart guide on fixing any computer problem. After you stop laughing send in one of your many experiences and get a free IT Survival Kit.

In case you missed the Windows 10 Free Upgrade

There is a little loophole that I am sure that Microsoft will close up quickly that still allows users that need to use assistive technologies to still receive the Windows Upgrade for free.

According to a tucked-away page on Microsoft’s site, users who need accessibility features can still choose to upgrade for free for an undetermined amount of time. To sign up for the free upgrade, you simply have to check a box that says you use assistive technologies, and Microsoft doesn’t seem to be verifying the claim at all so it may work even for typical users who missed the deadline.

Microsoft may rescind or modify the offer at any time, so if you want to upgrade to Windows 10 and don’t want to pay, you should probably check this out as soon as possible. To get started, head to the source link below and click Upgrade Now.

Windows 10 free upgrade for customers who use assistive technologies

Thanks Matt for this little insight.

Sophos SafeGuard – encryption that won’t slow you down

Sophos SafeGuard – encryption that won’t slow you down

Looking for the answer to your encryption needs? Sophos SafeGuard provides the most complete data protection solution on the market today.

It keeps your data secure as it moves from laptop, to mobile, to cloud, to Mac; as well as making it easy to manage native encryption such as BitLocker and FileVault 2.

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what the experts are saying:

• ‘The Breakout Star’ in Forrester Encryption Wave 2015
• Winner of TechTarget’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Encryption
• Recognized as a Leader by Gartner in the Magic Quadrant for Mobile Data Protection

LEARN MORE

Learn more and get a no-obligation quote.

© 2015 Sophos Inc. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy
3 Van de Graaff Drive, Burlington, MA 01803.

Protect Data Everywhere, Automatically

Sophos SafeGuard encrypts content as soon as it’s created. And with the encryption always on, you can enjoy seamless secure collaboration. Synchronized Encryption proactively protects your data by continuously validating the user, application, and security integrity of a device before allowing access to encrypted data.

Looking for an encryption solution?

If you’re considering a new encryption solution we highly recommend you take a look at Sophos. Their solution is easy to deploy, manage and use. Sophos has been named as ‘The Breakout Star’ in Forrester Encryption Wave 2015 and recognized as a Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Mobile Data Protection. Find out more [link to https://www.sophos.com/en-us/lp/encryption-dance.aspx#encryption-made-simple]

Is encryption the Achilles heel in your data protection strategy?

Get the free whitepaper from Sophos and bust 6 common encryption myths including system performance and key management. Download now [link to https://secure2.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/whitepapers/gated-wp/deciphering-the-code.aspx]

See how a hacker can strike through unsecured Wi-Fi and gain access to your login details and sensitive files. Then watch the same scenario with Sophos SafeGuard encryption in place and see the same sensitive files become unreadable and unusable to the hacker. Watch now [link to https://www.sophos.com/en-us/lp/encryption-dance.aspx#encryption-isnt-complicated]

Happy SysAdmin Day!

Microsoft to offer access to Pen Using Apps in the MS StoreFront

I get a lot of good insightful information from the Supersite for Windows and I have pointed you to articles from there that I think are interesting or important from time to time. With the advent of the soon to be released Anniversary edition of Window 10, I am looking forward to seeing what Paul and his group of writers have to tell us about this update. In this article Richard Ray presents five of his favorite apps that are in Store. Take a look here.

It Never Fails… LastPass reports issue

It seems to never fail that as soon as you think that something is a great solution someone puts a kink into it. However, the good news is that the issue was fixed in a day. Thanks LastPass!

LastPass password manager “zero-day” bug hits the news – Naked Security

Password managers are tools that help you keep track of the numerous accounts that a modern digital lifestyle needs.

These days, it’s not just passwords for your mainstream online accounts such as webmail, Facebook and Twitter.

Even activities that you probably don’t associate with online life – renting an apartment, for example, registering to pay tax, or applying for a visa – often end up at a web page that requires you to create an account before you can go any further.

Click here to see the rest of the article.

Endgaget post on LastPass Fix to this issue

Using a Password Manager to enhance your Security

I spend a lot of time on this site discussing security issues and pointing to articles that describe good methods of securing your personal and work data. I am a big fan of the Naked Security blog not only because it comes from one of most important security partners, Sophos, but also because of the in depth an timely information that they bring to the table. Again, I am going to point you to another article that talks about using LastPass to organize and control the passwords that you use for internet sites. This is a program that most of us internally have been using for a long time to secure our access and we think that using this program to generate better passwords and giving you better control over access to your important websites is extremely important. This along with 2-factor authentication are great steps in securing yourself.

Try a password manager: how to get started with LastPass

Facebook tests end-to-end encrypted Secret Conversations on Messenger – Naked Security

Do you trust Facebook? Their providing end to end encrypted messaging that they don’t keep a record of just seems like something that wouldn’t fly with the government, and aren’t they already in bed with them providing all of the data flowing through their servers?

read Naked Security’s take on this

Configure Toll-free Numbers for Dial-In Conferencing in Office365

Matt Soseman posted an overview on how to configure Toll-Free Numbers for Dial-In Conferencing in Office365.

What is Cloud PSTN Conferencing?

Cloud PSTN Conferencing is a feature in Office365 E5 offering the capability to join a Skype for Business meeting using a traditional dial-in telephone number as an alternative to using the Skype for Business client on a PC or smartphone. This will allow the meeting attendee to participate in the audio only portion of the meeting.

This can also be used independently of Skype for Business as a traditional conference bridge, a useful scenario when the full client experience is not desired or inaccessible.

What’s Required?

To enable, you must have:

• An Office365 tenant
• A E5 subscription (either trial or purchased)
• At least one user account located in the tenant

Assign the user the full Office365 Enterprise E5 license, or the Skype for Business PSTN Conferencing license.

For access to more information check it out here:

How To Enable Cloud PSTN Conferencing in Office365 in Skype for Business Online

Configure Toll-Free Numbers for Dial-In Conferencing in Office365

Wi-Fi sharing community Instabridge picks up backing from Draper Associates

techcrunch posts a report that is initially a little deceptive. Of course, I am the one that assumed that the sharing was of Wi-Fi access not information of where there is Wi-Fi access. But still this is an interesting data source for finding hot-spots that you can use. The Instabridge app allows you to share details of any Wi-Fi hotspots shared by everyone else in the community.

This has enabled it to build a crowdsourced database of Wi-Fi hotspots, in addition to a list of known public venues that have free Wi-Fi, such as McDonald’s or Starbucks.

read more

Introducing free Skype Meetings

Microsoft introduced a free browser based Skype Meetings.

We’re pleased to introduce free Skype Meetings—a new online meetings tool that provides small businesses with real-time audio and HD video conferencing. Skype Meetings includes collaboration features like the ability to share screens and content during meetings.

Watch this video to see Skype Meetings in action:

With Skype Meetings, you can quickly set up meetings and share a personalized URL that participants click to join the meeting. During the meeting, participants can IM, share their screen or PowerPoint presentation or use the laser pointer and whiteboard features to make it more engaging and productive. The meeting organizer also gets professional meeting controls such as the ability to mute the audience in order to be heard.

Anyone in the U.S. with a business email address and whose organization doesn’t already have Office 365 can sign up for free Skype Meetings at www.skype.com/meetings. Once you sign up, you can set up meetings for up to 10 people for the first 60 days and up to 3 people thereafter. All you need is a device with an Internet browser, a microphone, speaker and camera, which are included on many devices.

If you have an Office 365 business subscription that includes Skype for Business, then you already have richer online meetings capabilities, such as the ability to conduct large group meetings for up to 250 people and the ability to IM anyone in your organization at any time—not just during meetings. In addition, Skype for Business is integrated with other Office 365 apps to enable you to do things like schedule a Skype meeting from your Outlook calendar, see your colleagues’ presence, and initiate an IM or start an audio or video conversation within apps like Outlook, Word and PowerPoint.

Start a free meeting today at go.skype.com/meetings.

—Andrew Sinclair, general manager for Skype for Business

What I was really hoping from this was gaining the PSTN conference calling and that is not what we have here. This is Microsoft providing the product to entice users to jump onto one of the Office 365 subscriptions that provide Skype for Business as part of the App group that you get.

Do you have a spare $1499?

Samsung has just launched an EVO 850 4 TB drive SSD which has just become the largest consumer grade SSD on the market.

Built with Samsung's renowned V-NAND technology, the 4TB 850 EVO SSD melds the reliability and endurance of the 850 EVO series with high-end performance. Set in a slim and compact 2.5-inch form factor, the Samsung 850 EVO 4TB model sports all the trimmings and optimizations of the 850 EVO line with blistering-fast 540 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write speeds with TurboWrite.

Four terabytes is quite a staggering amount of data, especially for an SSD; for reference the 4TB 850 EVO can hold up to 1,000 two-hour 1080p movies with compression--that's more than two or three movie libraries on a single 2-inch SSD. The colossal SSD also features a 1.5 million hour MTBF rate, and uses the SATA 6Gb/s interface for speedy transfers.

Samsung's 4TB 850 EVO SSD retails for a staggering $1,499 and comes with a five-year limited warranty, with availability across over 50 regions like the United States, Korea, China and Europe. Drop by the product page for more information.

Ransomware that demands money and gives you back… nothing! – Naked Security

• nakedsecurity.sophos.com
• View Original
• July 13th, 2016

Ransomware isn’t a laughing matter, especially if you’re the victim.

Even if you don’t lose any data in the attack, it’s a bit like getting mugged by crooks who end up running off without your wallet.

If ransomeware by itself wasn’t scary enough!

read more

Users sign away their firstborns on fake social network – Naked Security

We already know that people are willing to hand over their firstborns for free Wi-Fi.

Or, at least, they’re more willing to accidentally sign over perpetual ownership of their tots than they are to read lengthy terms and conditions. We know this thanks to a security firm that set up an open Wi-Fi network in a busy public area in London and then presented people with lengthy terms and conditions to sign up and – buh-bye, now! – inadvertently sign kids away in blissful ignorance.

Now, thanks to new research, we know that the same goes for signing up for a new social media platform.

Sorry, kids: you’ve once again been put on the bargaining table by researchers out to prove the point that this is the biggest lie on the internet:

I have read and agree with the terms and conditions.

The study comes from Jonathan Obar, who teaches communication technology at York University, and Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch, a University of Connecticut communications assistant professor.

read more

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2016/07/15/users-sign-away-their-firstborns-on-fake-social-network/