Posts by RudderLessIT

Microsoft Security Experts: Humans and automation to fight off cyber threats

It's easy to hate, but...

I have had the opportunity to see how IT Identity & Security is "managed" in multiple organisations - the best is where a pen test managed to create a Domain Admin account.

I'd suggest a lot of smaller businesses do not have a firm grasp on IT security and there are often squeaky wheels, who refuse to give up local admin - the single biggest IT SEC threat to any organisation, in my opinion.

So this service offering may get the tin-foil-hat-brigade all riled up, but if there is a way to keep small companies out of trouble, that should be welcomed by our industry (and a bit of competition in this space would be more than welcome too!).

BBC makes switch to AWS, serverless for new website architecture, observers grumble about the HTML

Re: "Instead, the BBC team devised a new architecture based on serverless computing."

My guess is that they want to outsource where they can/minimise server administration tasks. If you have an internal audit finding that says servers are not being managed efficiently and you are about to embark on upgrading a very high profile system (your websites), I can see why they wanted to not have to worry about patch Tuesday or the equivalent.

*Microsoft taps your shoulder* Hi sorry yeah, we're still suing US govt for right to tell people when they are spied on

Since we are all just throwing rocks here

Just re-reading this article, looking for references to the other big companies and what they are doing in the fight for privacy (and not just rolling over for a tummy rub).... hmmm AWS? Apple? Google? IBM? Oracle? Bueller?

Dropbox reinvents itself as a collaborative workspace – no, not the WeWork kind (phew)

A good idea

But the horse has already bolted on this - about 2 years ago.

Why do cloud leaks keep happening? Because no one has a clue how their instances are configured

Broken link?

May be ironic.

Office 365 verboten in Hessen schools: German state bans cloudy Microsoft suite on privacy grounds

Re: Has the PATRIOT Act been repealed ?

I suspect that you don't understand the scope of the act and how it differs from a legitimate subpoena (i.e. one that it recognised by the local government).

Amazon brings serverless pie to Visual Studio Code party

Re: Microsoft vs Jetbrains

So I followed the link at the first paragraph explains to me what I am about to read about ("Visual Studio Code collects telemetry data, which is used to...") and the very next paragraph explains how to disable it.

Microsoft's collaboration software Teams works on its collaboration hardware Surface Hub

Very interested in the new version

We purchased 3 and they ran really well - we did have some random issues, but overall the experience was great.

My penny drop momement was when I visited a prestigious medical research facility in Sydney, who had all the $$$ and great meeting rooms that were fitte out with the best Cisco gear with mini rack, lighting etc.. and in the corner, the whiteboard on wheels - and guess what was used the most?

What I don't understand is how the whiteboard will work across multiple hubs - it's something that was not an issues for our 80 inch device.

Las Vegas locks down ahead of DEF CON hacking conference

LOL!

I am sitting in my office and actually laughing out loud!

Whoa, AWS, don't slip off your cloudy perch. Google and Microsoft are coming up to help

Re: Azure may win despite shortcomings

I think you have hit the nail on the head.

For some large corporates, Azure is probably a very good fit - they are often Microsoft shops and this extends nicely.

However, a startup, or a company that defines it's value through unique technology offerings will probably be better suited in AWS.

I think that Google will try to go more for AWS's clients, than Azure.

2TB or not 2TB: Microsoft fiddles with OneDrive as competition offers twice the storage

How much do we need?

I have implemented OneDrive for Business as part of 365 three times and I have seen some pretty big changes.

Being able to go up to 5TB is nice and working with researchers, they have big requirements for storage. But in reality, most of the larger data entities live on the file server, because who wants to upload/download images that are measured in hundreds of gigabytes?

So as soon we told everyone to not put their images up there, the top users of OneDrive storage were nowhere near 500GB.

So I wound up using the 5TB quota for change management (it works and you get all the space).

Surface Hub 2: Microsoft's pricey whiteboard gets a sequel

Lols at some of the comments here

I have implemented them in a previous role and I plan to do so again.

What I find amusing is organisations that have spent big money on a VC system, with the touch panel, the cables poking out of the middle; the extra microphone & speakers; the mini rack of stuff you need to run it - and then at the other end or the room, or behind the dropdown screen, is the Whiteboard and there are the attendees taking photos and trying to figure out how to use both at once.

I like some of the features of Googles, but the scope is more limited and you cannot present the screen and the room at the same time.

Version 1 comes with 84" (which is apparently no longer being produced), so if I have two ot three side by side, I wonder how using them as a whiteboard will work?

Microsoft wants serious, non-gaming developers to make more money

Re: OK *puts hand up* I battled the shite to buy "Sea of Thieves"

My guilty pleasure is World of Warships

Apple turns hat around, sits backwards on chair, pitches iPad to schools

Re: Tim's in iCloud Cookoo land. The Pencil needs to be $25 dollars, not $89 for school use.

There is a $USD50 pencil option?!?! Thank FireTruck - I was worried it would be out of reach to most parents.

To recap, here are the main differences between the new 9.7-inch iPad and the previous generation:

it supports Apple Pencil

it has the A10 Fusion chip

it comes in a new shade of gold that's slightly pinker (though not as pink as the original rose gold)

Such innovation.

Tell me, can my twins both use it for school work? (No - only one iTunes account)

Is it a device that lots of people use in the workplace/not for electronic babysitting? (No - just no)

Will there be a discount to make it more school friendly? (No)

Does it come with a keyboard? (No)

I could go on, but really, like the product, no one cares.

Airbus ditches Microsoft, flies off to Google

You made it to my comment - I'm impressed!

The fact is, I know of companies that have tried G-Suite and moved back to Office (in reality, they never really left). I also know that in Australia, Woolworths went down the Google path - does anyone think that they don't also run office? Yeah, you're right, they have it EVERYWHERE.

G-Suite was necessary - it is the single reason why MS moved off on-prem only. They didn't want another iPhone/iPad moment.

So THANK YOU Google. Thank you very much.

But I will stick with Office.

Microsoft throttles on-prem tech donation scheme for nonprofits

LIke everything - it's complex

Having lead an IT department for an Australian Heart Research organisation, I was there during our (all Australian MRIs) negotiations with MS.

Couple of points: Some "NFP" have positions such as 'GM of Commercialisation" and other NFPs include organisations such as football organisations (the AFL; NRL etc.) - so not all NFPs are equal.

The call to cut the NFP pricing was made years ago & it has been ongoing in MS (especially as the person at MS who made the call has left). It has improved from version 1, which was there is no NFP at all.

Another problem is a lot of medical research in the US has HUGE $$ behind them, unlike in Australia, where our scientists often rely on government funding, yet there is only an 11% success rate in submissions - so this change could have really hurt some places.

Pushing NFPs to the cloud is a very good thing. Most are already there, but those who are not, generally, have pretty average IT security/Backup/DR capabilities. It also forces their organisation to invest in IT.

So, it's a bit sh%t and there will be a transition cost for some, but in the long run, the NFPs will be in a better place.

Google powers up latest app it'll cancel in two years: Hangouts Chat

...but why?

So if you are anyone besides an organisation who is already running G-Suite, then why would you move off Slack or Teams? I don't see anything especially different.

ATO, Dept of Immigration wrist-slapped for failing security audit, again

My guess at which of the four is done

Out of the four requirements: "application whitelisting, patching systems, using the latest application and operating system versions, and restricting admin privileges"

I am choosing 'patching systems' - as this is something that the IT team can do (mostly) without impacting users.

Sad fact is, a lot of IT leads don't like putting in strong security constraints, such as removal of local admin, due to the long, loud and constant complaints that ensue.

What's your guess?

Google isn't saying Microsoft security sucks but Chrome for Windows has its own antivirus

This reads like corporate brinkmanship

I am trying to think of an event where a fully patched Windows 7/8/10 machine, running AV was successfully attacked - even with the user logging in as local admin.

Do both parties constantly update their software with security patches? Yes. In fact the last two years has seen Apple releasing the most number of security patches.

I wouldn't read too much into this.

Bing fling sting: Apple dumps Microsoft search engine for Google

Time heals all wounds

But only because Steve is not around.

Fujitsu Australia cloud outage leaves lifeguards' members exposed

Re: Joking asides ...

+1

Have an outage? Haven't we all? It takes time, but everyone does get over it (just as Amazon).

Lose data? Umm, yeah, not so hot & not something people tend to forget.

Treat your paying customers as you are? Well that's just a whole new level of special... other cloud operators must be quietly schadenfreude.

Huge Apple news confirmed. Software deal with Accenture is official

But what will change?

How many times have you seen work colleagues bring their shiny new iPad to a meeting and diligently start taking notes (it was evernote, now it's often onenote) and sure enough, a couple of weeks later, the iPad is no longer around (it's usually in the possession of their kids).

Even Microsoft releasing office apps for everything imaginable hasn't changed this.

How can you kill that which will not die? Windows XP is back (sorta... OK, not really)

Symantics

"Windows 7 is still more popular than 10"

It's more popular... yes, but the context is (missing) important: Are people buying new machines with 10 and then laboriously removing & installing 7?

Or are people not wanting to spend the $ on upgrading.

Another relevant context is that a computer lives in an environment, that includes legacy tech that cannot be upgraded - this can be anything from SAP to a Zeiss microscope - so you can be a fan of Windows 10, and continue to support/implement 7.

Fat-fingered G Suite admins spill internal biz beans onto public 'net

Is it just me?

I am trying to think of a situation where a sysadmin or an organisation would want that?

Bueller?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

TechnologyOne says City of Brisbane ignored its own reviews

BCC must be Johnny Diesel fans

...and they would be singing one of his hits a fair bit, right about now...

"Don't you know it's a cryin' shame

When you've got yourself to blame"

Feature snatcher Microsoft tweaks OneDrive

I think OneDrive/OneDrive For Business competes with Dropbox & others as a cloud file server - with other features, such as version history and web preview & editing online.

SharePoint is more a traditional CMS that also stores files. The search function will include your OneDrive account in the search results.

In terms of similar products, what is more confusing to me is the difference between SharePoint team sites; Office 365 groups and Microsoft Teams! They all do their things a bit different, but it's hard to explain to end users what they should know.

Re: That's nice*. How do I completely uninstal OneDrive?

I don't like how consumer OneDrive comes with Win10, especially for people with lower technical skills (what is this? what do I do with it? why does it do this?).

But why would you want to not run OneDrive for Business? I have set up all of our users, with a folder in their ODFB account and change the location of 'My Documents' to that OD folder - so now all of my users have their files backed up.

PCs will get pricier and you're gonna like it, say Gartner market shamans

But is it really about the brandless components?

Look at the cost of Apple anything.

Look at the cost of Microsoft branded devices.

No-one is arguing about their performance or their design - but lordy, look at the price tag!

So what does the competition do? Give up and aim at the emerging market? Or go after the same market with their own high spec & very pretty devices... and since the big boys are putting on a big price tag...

Re: Gartner - I just don't get why anyone other than software sales people even talk about them.

Windows Insiders with SD cards turn into OneDrive outsiders

Silly Question

Why would someone want to synchronise their SD card to a cloud provider?

I get why they would want to upload from an SD to another location. And having files available offline is an equally obvious need.

But why would you want to combine the two? What am I missing?

US army spin-off GPU database bags $50m Series A funding

Which cloud will pick it up first?

If the technology is sound and you really can run SQL as fast as they say, with relatively very small amounts of resources (GPU) required, it could impact the business case to go to the cloud.

So if your organisation is moving/has moved to a cloud provider, then this is great news for your operational costs!... as long as they support it & GPU is still not widely available (across all locations).

So if AWS; Azure; Google or anyone else wants to be an early adopter, they are going to have to commit to all regions to have ready access to GPU - which would be great!

Who botched Oz cancer registry rollout? Pretty much everybody

Dodgy Data!

"Telstra, for its part, has complained to the department that Medicare data, a requirement for the project, was incomplete and unreliable"

Completely unsurprising.

However the market testing process should have allowed Telstra, et al, to pick up on the "quality" of data.

Whilst it makes sense for the government to outsource non core functions, you have to wonder if managing this data is, or should be, considered core the business of the Department of Health?

Further, if they had to outsource it, Telstra may have had the cash, but maintaining BAU systems like a database require stability (of the organisation) and I can't help but wonder if that view was taken when Health reviewed the tenderer's submissions (but I am working for an MRI, so I am biased!).

Question is: How much worse does it need to get before someone calls 'Time!'?

Make sure your Skype is up to date because FYI there's a nasty hole in it

Re: Skype Drive bys...

Isn't that quite literally shooting the messenger?

Did someone say server sales are crappy? Yes, nearly everyone

Re: Licenses

Are you sure?

O365 is what you want it to be. Nothing but a way to manage licenses; Exchange aaS; all the apps; online only; online and offline.

Having a small pipe to the internet will still cause you dramas with on prem Exchange/SharePoint/Skype.

You want to stay on prem? Knock yourself out! But the reasons (to go to the cloud) are usually commercial, not technical.

Re: I've got a client who's needed new servers for a quite while

We just did the same - with our move to the cloud we only need one primary server and we went 2016. I have to say, it went in without a hitch - updates & all.

If you don't like the look of Windows, fair enough, but in terms of a painless installation & configuration, it certainly ticks the boxes.

Does Microsoft have what it takes to topple Google Docs?

Re: Good article

"For example Office 2007 is perfectly adequate for 99.9% of users with Office, so it's already cost be about 10% of the cost of a subscription service to own those licenses for that time"

You are dreaming

Ransomware realities: In your normal life, strangers don't extort you. But here you are

Is it just me?

"Work on a system of “least privilege” – where users have access only to the files they need" Should read: "Work on a system of “least privilege” – where users have USER access only to the DEVICE".

Remove local admin privileges to staff (be able to respond quickly to requests to install/update applications) and you go a long way in preventing malware from running.

It's not a silver bullet (apparently(?) some types of ransomware will still run on the local machine) - but it does put up a significant block.

Ransomware hits Australian hospitals after botched patch

This article is almost click bait

"Ransomware hits Australian hospitals..."

OMG! An Aussie hospital has been hit with ransomware?!!? I want to know how & why!

"Rather, it appears, some users have been unable to log into the systems following the patch – perhaps because endpoints also need updates for compatibility."

AYFKM?

So the headline is BS, or in the latest fad speak: the headline is fake news.

I expected better from The Register.

Microsoft's Azure cloud feels the pinch in price war with Amazon's AWS

I think the author is confused

The services provided by AWS and Azure are very similar. They both offer trial periods; free VMs (teeny tiny) and documentation galore (on how to expand your footprint).

I am sure smarter people than me can also talk about the technical pros & cons, but I think my point has been made: They are two companies offering essentially the same services.

For some people Azure makes a lot of sense and for others, AWS is definitely the way to go.

Saying Azure is Bad and AWS is Good is plain biased and worse, it's not even based on experience (just reading other people's posts).

How Ford has slammed the door on Silicon Valley's autonomous vehicles drive

So is this about mobile OS integration, or autonomous vehicles?

This article talks a lot about the data that can be obtained from the engine management systems and how you can play with spotify while you are driving - but none of that has anything to do with making cars autonomous.

You don't need to be a self qualified futurist to recognise that once autonomous cars are fairly standard & accepted, the "user experience" will change dramatically.

Car manufacturers will move away from power & cornering speeds and move towards keeping the (obsolete) 'human driver' entertained and alert, if they have to actually drive the car (I really cannot see this working). Don't believe me - just think back to when car showrooms had cars with all of their bonnets up, to show off the engine bay, and then take a look at the sales focus of car manufacturers today (it's about the lifestyle).

So Ford & Toyota don't want telemetry data sent to phones. Okay. So what?

Dishwasher has directory traversal bug

It's crazy, but it's very Miele

I can remember back in 2003 when I was studying my post grad, one of the lectures was on how their commercial machines were connected to the internet to advise of maintenance requirements.

To be fair to Miele, this is one of the few use cases that makes sense in using IoT.

Having said that, there is no excuse for an inability to maintain their own software (insert famous Yoda to Luke quotation here).

With Skype, Microsoft's messaging strategy looks coherent at last (almost)

Skype for Business works well, but...

We still have staff asking to install the consumer version of Skype, as they feel that they need it to connect to other Skype users.

If someone sends a contact request to a Skype user, it appears to take about 10 minutes to process - which is both weird & frustrating to users.

Teams is pretty good - it's very early days, but I like the fact that you can keep it really simple (by staying in the interface) or going much deeper, by accessing the SharePoint team site and making it much more complex (but I don't know why a 'Team' user would do that).

Sad fact of the day: Most people still don't know how to protect themselves online

Re: Not that surprising...

"ShelLuser" - You love Linux. We get it.

However this is not an option for the majority of the population. Think of a stereotypical atomic family. Do they have the time to purchase a new computer and install a new,, or replace the OS?

How does that even help, when the majority of data is being picked up from mobile devices (browsers on mobile devices are not the same as computer browsers)?

The article does give one good piece of advice: keep everything updated. No matter what type of device, OS or applications, keep applying the updates (and ignore those saying to stick with older OS versions).

Redmond's on fire, your 365 is terrified: Microsoft email outage en masse

Re: Told you so

"I tell them to go fuck themselves and find an alternative that isn't so idiotic" So I am guessing you're an admin - because that approach will preclude you from being responsible for more than system availability. Or you run a very small company and ... yeah, probably not

The fact is, this outage is for the free email service, not 365, so this issue is not related to enterprise.

Another fact is, after 4 years running 365, the only outage I have experienced was ultimately a network failure.

One last point: according to BetaNews, there are 24.9 million users of 365 and Google have 3 million G Suite users, so are all of them wrong?

Oracle reveals more rounded Australian *aas

Never Ever

Having experienced the joy of Oracle harassment to obtain licensing payment for 10 users, I could not imagine what a user of their cloud environment would go through.

So I would still recommend Azure & AWS, before other offerings.

Roses are red, bugs make you blue, Patch Tuesday is late, because Microsoft loves you

Wut?

"Microsoft's insistence on staying the course with their security roll-up strategy is edging toward abusive"

I don't get it? MS are being abusive by rolling up patches... because it... does what to you?

"Why could they not have released the February Roll-up without the one offending patch?"

And now you want the patch anyway?!?!

Macs don't get viruses? Hahaha, ha... seriously though, that Word doc could be malware

Re: mac AV

When I read your post, my eyes popped open!

I then did some searching and apparently the definitions that you download to MAC or Windows are the same, as they put both into the one file - which makes sense, as I guess it makes publishing updates easier.

I still don't like Macs though.

AWS cloud cash share: Bigger than Microsoft, IBM, Google combined

Re: Nice try

"Look at AWS's catalog of services as compared to Azure. It isn't even close. AWS has hundreds more services than Azure...."

http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/azure-vs-aws-cloud-comparison,2-870-2.html

Hint: do a search for the word "none" (as in, this service is not available) and count how many appear in Azure and then in AWS.

I am really embarrassed for you.

Re: Nice try

"Microsoft IaaS is not competitive. No one uses it unless they have a ton of Windows"

Who doesn't? Do you know of any organisation that doesn't run Windows/Win Server/AD/Exchange? What's the ratio of those that do?

"AWS and Google are miles ahead, technically..." Based on what? Functionality? No. Price? Not always.

"Both AWS and Google offer better performance, resiliency and price." Now, is that not a fanboi comment?

"The story of Microsoft is the same as ever - Windows and Office" So, you haven't seen Azure, have you?

Choose one of the big three; or choose a smaller local service. Stop making posts like this.

Data breach notification law finally makes it to Australia's Parliament

The difficulty I see is that even a minor breach can have 'any number of unknown consequences'.

So the executive can review a list of possible consequences and choose the least impact as the indicator on whether or not to report it - and it's all legit!

So Crypto locker is OK?

We experienced an attack and I can hand on heart say that not a 1 or a 0 left the organisation.

So that not a breach?

If I then choose to pay the criminals for the (possibly working) key, then no harm, no report?