VBScript to R.I.P. Soon

 

It seems like that after 30 years, the good old favorite scripting language for sysadmins is going to rest in peace.

VBScript aka Visual Basic Script was introduced in 1996 and integrates active scripting into Windows environments, and communicates with host applications through Windows Script.This was one of the favorites scripting languages for system administrators.

Microsoft announced VBScript's deprecation October 9th on it's "Deprecated features for Windows Client" article following the September announcement of WordPad end of life.

So, the plan to retire VBScript starts with it being preinstalled via Features on Demand (FoD), and in the "near future" remove it from the OS and only available has a FoD.

It had a been a long and fantastic life for VBScript. For those that never tested PowerShell, now is time to really dig into it. 

Long live VBScript. :)

M365 Defender - Get Email Notifications for Incidents

 

Because nowadays you've to look for a lot of information, it's important that the information you really need, comes to you and not the other way around.

That's why I believe it's important to have the least possible endpoints where you get your information about your infrastructure. And if your giving support to more than one tenant this is even more important.

So, instead of going to Microsoft 365 Defender all the time, you can create email notifications for what you need, and receive everything in one place.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft 365 Defender (https://security.microsoft.com)
2. Go to Settings > Email Notifications
3. And from there create a new rule or edit an existing one
4. Select which products you want to receive email notifications
5. Next select the recipients
6. Done! :)

Intune - Expedite Updates - Expedite Client Missing - Solved

 

One of the recent functionalities in Microsoft Intune, is the "Expedite Updates".
This allows you to "force" clients to receive Windows Updates as soon as possible. In addition to rely on Microsoft Windows Update service, it also relies on Microsoft Update Health Tools.

Microsoft Update Health Tools as a service called...Microsoft Update Health Service or "uhssvc".

After created the policy to update devices with latest Windows quality update, some devices were reporting "Expedite client missing". 

Although the most common issue is that the device don't really have Microsoft Update Health Tools installed correctly, and you can download it here: Update Health Tools, in this case I found how a different cause.

The Microsoft Update Health Service was Disabled. So it was has easy as enable and start the service and everything just started working right away.

Intune - Tamper Protection not Enabled - Solved!

 

So, for the last day I was trying to figure out why I couldn't enable Tamper Protection on some lab devices.

To enable Tamper Protection, you need the follow theses steps:

1. Open Intune Microsoft Intune admin center
2. Go to Endpoint Security > Antivirus
3. Edit or create a policy:
• Platform: WIndows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server
• Profile: Windows Security Experience
4. From there set the option "TamperProtection (Device)" to "On"

But...for some reason, devices keep setting the option to "Off". After long time trying to understand this, I finally found the issue.

M365 Defender Settings takes precedence! 

What this means, is that you don't allow Tamper Protection in M365 Defender Advanced Features, you'll never be able to control it with Intune.

So, first and for most, enable Tamper Protection in Advanced Features, using these steps:

1. Open Microsoft 365 Defender Endpoints Advanced Features (or Settings > Endpoints > Advanced Features)
2. Enable "Tamper Protection" and "Save Preferences"

No you just need to wait some minutes to the option to be available and you can control it via Intune.

Windows 11 September 2023 Update (23H2) Available

Today, our next major #Windows11 update begins rolling out, with over 150 new features, new modernized apps, and Copilot on Windows! Learn more: https://t.co/aZONKZU59W pic.twitter.com/0YFSufSn6K

— Yusuf Mehdi (@yusuf_i_mehdi) September 26, 2023

With more than 150 new features, Microsoft Windows 11 22H3 is now available.

There's a lot going on with this new update, and here's the Microsoft's summary about the most notorious changes and news:
The most personal Windows 11 experience begins rolling out today | Windows Experience Blog

Obviously, AI its the most prominent feature, embedded everywhere in the system, but here are some that I think can really help and give the OS even more day to day added value:

• AI in Paint
• This one it's a cool one, and may give Paint a new live. You'll know be able to remove backgrounds directly from Paint
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Windows Backup
• The new tool will allow you to effortlessly bakcup your folders, apps, settings and credentials, and get them back when you reinstall or get a new computer.
  
  
• Passkeys
• This is a new evolution on Hello for Business. It's now integrated by default in the OS. Passkeys are the cross-platform future of secure sign-in management and eliminate the need for passwords. A passkey creates a unique, unguessable credential and allows you to sign in using your face, fingerprint or device PIN. On Windows 11, passkeys will work with Edge, Chrome, Firefox and other browsers.
  
  
  
• Mobile Application Management (MAM) for Windows
• After long time with MAM for Android and iOS, now it come to Windows where you can now allow your employees to user their personal Windows device but, with controlled access to company information.
  
  

 There's a lot more about Windows 11 23H2, so please don't forget to review the official Microsoft post.

M365 Copilot - Generally Available for Enterprise on November 1st

 

Although Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Copilot last September 21st, for Enterprise the "revolution" of AI will come later this year. For Enterprise customers, Copilot will be generally available starting 1st November.

To know more about what Microsoft AI can do, take a look to their Microsoft 365 blog post where they talk about everything that is coming:

Announcing Microsoft 365 Copilot general availability and Microsoft 365 Chat | Microsoft 365 Blog