Newsletter Archives

• Hardening your operating system

  Posted on December 4, 2023 at 02:41 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Several years ago, it was considered a best practice to protect business computer systems by “hardening” them.

  You would turn off unnecessary services, disable features, and basically follow a checklist provided by the Center for Internet Security (CIS). But now our protection must be much more than hardening the operating system. We must harden our perimeter and — more importantly — our browsing.

  You probably spend as much time surfing on a phone as you do surfing on a computer. Today’s big picture is that there are more and more people who use tablets or phones, touching traditional PCs only at the office. The result? Attackers are targeting business users through email, and home users through browsing.

  What can we do to harden these?

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.49.0, 2023-12-04).

  On Security Attack Surface Reduction, Multi-factor Authentication, Newsletters, OpenDNS, Patch Lady Posts

• Dealing with MFA

  Posted on June 6, 2022 at 02:41 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  In my excitement about the three-day weekend for Memorial Day, I left my phone at the office.

  In years past, I would merely confirm that the phone was safe and sound at the office by using a finder app such as Find My Phone or Life360. Then I’d just get the phone the next time I was at the office. Yes, I used to be able to live without the phone for a day or so.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.23.0, 2022-06-06).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Multi-factor Authentication, On Security, Patch Lady Posts

• How to use two-factor authentication the right way

  Posted on May 9, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  SECURITY

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Two-factor authentication is still one of the best ways to protect your accounts. But there are right and wrong ways to use it.

  More websites and companies now offer two-factor authentication (2FA) to better protect your logins and accounts. The idea is to use a second form of authentication so that you’re not solely dependent on your password. The goal is to prevent your account from being accessed and compromised in case your password is ever leaked or stolen. And here’s how that can happen.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.19.0, 2022-05-09).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Multi-factor Authentication, security

• Removing MFA

  Posted on April 25, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.17 • 2022-04-25

  Look for our special issue on Monday, May 2!

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Will Fastie

  How many times have articles in this newsletter told you that multifactor authentication (MFA) was a good idea and suggested that you turn it on?

  A lot. It’s good advice.

  Just the other day, I turned on Microsoft 365 MFA for one of my clients. It’s too embarrassing for me to describe the mistake I made. Suffice it to say that it was an accident, because I didn’t intend to turn it on.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.17.0, 2022-04-25).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Multi-factor Authentication

• Microsoft says forget your passwords!

  Posted on September 27, 2021 at 02:40 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  In a major push, Microsoft is advocating moving away from passwords and instead using different authentication methods.

  The headline: “The passwordless future is here for your Microsoft account.” Is it?

  Here’s what Microsoft has to say in its security blog about a move away from passwords.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.37.0 (2021-09-27).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Multi-factor Authentication, Passwords, Patch Lady Posts, PINs, security