Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 2: Windows 11 21H2 nears end of life

  Posted on September 7, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.36.1 • 2023-09-07

  

  By Susan Bradley

  On October 10, 2023, the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 21H2 will no longer be supported by Microsoft.

  Anticipating next week’s Patch Tuesday, I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2. When (and if) the dust settles, we’ll enter another period of safe patching toward the end of the month. I’ll say more then, but you should prepare.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.36.1, 2023-09-07).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, BSOD, Downfall, KB5025885, KB5029331, KB5029351, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, TLS

• MS-DEFCON 3: Patch carefully

  Posted on August 22, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.34.1 • 2023-08-22

  

  By Susan Bradley

  August can be a weird month where patching is concerned.

  I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level, but with caution. I usually hope to give time near the end of the month for patches to be applied, by lowering the level to 4 and sometimes 5. This time, I’m wishy-washy. Caution is the order of the day, so I’m lowering the level to just 3.

  In my house, August represents a tradition — things occur that make me think technology wants to take a vacation, just like the rest of us.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.34.1, 2023-08-22).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, CVE-2022-40982, CVE-2023-32019, Exchange Server, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 3, Patch Lady Posts, USB Security Key, Windows Update

• MS-DEFCON 2: Batten down the hatches for August

  Posted on August 3, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.31.1 • 2023-08-03

  

  By Susan Bradley

  I’ve been tracking some side effects that Microsoft has yet to acknowledge.

  With Patch Tuesday just around the corner, it’s a good idea to put your favorite deferral solution in place. Some issues I’ve been following for several months are finally fixed in the August security updates, but we’re learning about this only through hints in preview releases.

  Set your phasers on stun: I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.31.1, 2023-08-03).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Browser Scams, CVE-2023-20593, CVE-2023-32019, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Netlogon, Windows 11, Windows 11 22H2

• MS-DEFCON 4: Got 22H2?

  Posted on July 25, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.30.1 • 2023-07-25

  

  By Susan Bradley

  If you haven’t updated to Windows 10/11 22H2, now is a good time because I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

  This month’s updates have now settled down to the point that I don’t anticipate any issues for the vast majority of readers, nor have I seen any surprises in my testing on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

  22H2 is now my recommended version of Windows for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 for all editions and all types of users — with the single exception of gamers.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.30.1, 2023-07-25).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, gaming, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Windows, Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11 22H2, Yahoo Mail

• MS-DEFCON 2: Last call for 22H2

  Posted on July 6, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.27.1 • 2023-07-06

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Starting next week, you will not receive security updates for any version of Windows 10 except 22H2.

  If your PC has not received 22H2 via Windows Update, chances are that your PC has a setting keeping Windows on the version you have installed — or corruption in the operating system is preventing the update from being accepted. But Patch Tuesday is just around the corner, so it’s time to become cautious again by raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.27.1, 2023-07-06).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Update

• MS-DEFCON 4: Installing just the updates

  Posted on June 27, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.26.1 • 2023-06-27

  

  By Susan Bradley

  If you recall, earlier this month Microsoft released an update that needed some additional steps — manually adding registry keys — to fully protect your machine.

  My position on this matter has been that I did not recommend taking the additional steps unless you knew that you or your firm was specifically being targeted. Microsoft’s notes indicated that it would be releasing a future update that would not require manual intervention — and that if you did not install it, you might experience side effects.

  Microsoft did not provide any hints about which side effects. Helpful, don’t you think?

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.26.1, 2023-06-27).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Kerberos, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Netlogon, VPNs

• MS-DEFCON 2: Are you still on Windows 10 21H2?

  Posted on June 8, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.23.1 • 2023-06-08

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We’re nearly halfway through the 2023 patching year, almost to the end of the road for Windows 10 21H2.

  But before we delve into that: Patch Tuesday is just around the corner, so it’s time to get conservative and defer patches. Accordingly, I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Microsoft is indicating that it will “force” 21H2 machines to 22H2, but I have news for them — if you don’t have 22H2 and you are not using one of the methods to hold off on feature releases (Group Policy, registry key, etc.), chances are you have some sort of issue that is blocking the install. Some of the blocks may be driver-related, and some may be the result of underlying corruption in the code that handles patching.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.23.1, 2023-06-08).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, SMB Signing, SMBv1, SMBv2, SMBv3, Windows 10

• MS-DEFCON 4: Skip those Secure Boot scripts

  Posted on May 23, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.21.1 • 2023-05-23

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Deploy May updates — and nothing but the updates.

  I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4 to encourage you to install the May updates now.

  However, I do not recommend taking the optional steps recommended by Microsoft to revoke the vulnerable bootloader files, as I discussed in yesterday’s On Security column. I do not think these manual steps provide full protection for this vulnerability — or potential future ones.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.21.1, 2023-05-23).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Secure Boot

• MS-DEFCON 2: Settling down for a stable Windows 10

  Posted on May 4, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.18.1 • 2023-05-04

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The order of the day is Windows 10 22H2.

  With Patch Tuesday just around the corner, it’s time to defer updates. Therefore, I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  However, there is one exception. If you are running Windows 10, update to release 22H2 as soon as possible. If you can’t get to it by Tuesday, defer — but be sure to get it done before the end of May.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.18.1, 2023-05-04).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Windows 10, Windows 10 22H2

• MS-DEFCON 4: Major April issue, but not from updates

  Posted on April 25, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.17.1 • 2023-04-25

  

  By Susan Bradley

  I’m ready to approve the April updates.

  Accordingly, I’ve lowered the MS-DEFCON level to 4. This is not to say there are not a few oddities out there, but they will not affect many users.

  Most of the unusual behavior in updates this month is due to slow changes that will lead to future enforcement changes.

  Microsoft has also pushed off the implementation of the mandatory, number-based, multifactor authentication for Microsoft 365 applications.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.17.1, 2023-04-25).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Active Directory, Alerts, Domain Controllers, Games, gaming, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Patch Lady Posts

• MS-DEFCON 2: Prepare for April showers

  Posted on April 6, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.14.1 • 2023-04-06

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The next round of updates is coming soon and may be confusing.

  For one thing, it now appears that Windows 10 and Windows 11 updates will diverge. That is reason enough for me to raise the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Any confusion instantly causes me to recommend deferring updates.

  It does not appear that the forthcoming updates for Windows 10 will introduce any changes. They will include only security patches. Microsoft stated:

  After March 2023, there are no more optional, non-security preview releases for the supported editions of Windows 10, version 20H2 and Windows 10, version 21H2. Only monthly security update releases will continue for these versions.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.14.1, 2023-04-06).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Exchange Server, Microsoft Store, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, Snipping Tool, Windows, Windows 10, Windows 11

• MS-DEFCON 4: Win11 22H2 not ready for prime time

  Posted on March 28, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.13.1 • 2023-03-28

  

  By Susan Bradley

  March updates are ready. Windows 11 22H2, not so much.

  It’s time to install the updates for the March releases, and that’s why I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4. There are a few issues out there, but most appear to be plain old low-risk bugs — things that used to be caught in Microsoft’s beta testing. As usual, it seems we’re the beta testers.

  I have several Windows 11 22H2 deployments in active use. If you are not an advanced user, are relatively new to the Windows platform, or are really into rounded corners and having to click several times to build shortcuts on your desktop, you might be tempted to forgive Microsoft for some of these cosmetic bugs.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.13.1, 2023-03-28).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, DCOM, Graphics Cards, Motherboards, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Windows 10, Windows 11
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