Top 10 Microsoft IT Headlines of 2020: IE 11 End-of-Support, SameSite Cookie Issues and More -- Redmondmag.com

Microsoft support timelines, deadlines and delays were big news over the past year.

10. Microsoft Adds Single Sign-On Access for All Azure Active Directory Users (May 4)
SSO is a facility for end users, allowing them to log in once and have access to various applications without having to go through the same identity verification process each time. [Read here]

9. Microsoft Touts Split Tunneling with VPNs To Support Remote Workers (March 26)
Microsoft this week advocated for the split tunneling networking approach to support remote workers, rather than send all traffic through a corporate virtual private network (VPN). [Read here]

8. Office 365 Excel Users Can Now Import Table Data from PDF Files (Aug. 7)
The ability to grab table data from PDF files seems like it should already have been there in Excel, but it's just rolling out now. [Read here]

7. Microsoft Updates Its TLS 1.3 Support Plans in Windows, Office 365 and .NET (Aug. 20)
TLS 1.3 is expected to provide better protection on the client authentication side by preventing interference and adding encryption to the client certificate. [Read here]

6. Microsoft Rolls Out Crisis Communication App, Promotes Free Teams Use Amid Coronavirus Fears (March 5)
Microsoft on Wednesday announced a new Crisis Communication App to help keep track of employees and their work status during emergencies. [Read here]

5. Microsoft Ending Workflows for SharePoint 2010 Online Next Month (Aug. 7)
Organizations using workflows with SharePoint 2010 Online have fewer than three months to react to Microsoft's end-of-support announcement. [Read here]

4. Basic Authentication Extended to 2H 2021 for Exchange Online Users (April 3)
The end date for Basic Authentication on Exchange Online previously was Oct. 13, 2020, but Microsoft is now pushing it out due to uncertainties surrounding the "COVID-19 crisis." [Read here]

3. Microsoft Delaying LDAP Configuration Changes to 2H 2020 (Feb. 4)
Microsoft expects to delay enforcement of configuration changes to the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) until the second half of this year. [Read here]

2. Microsoft Warns SameSite Cookie Changes Could Break Some Apps (Jan. 28)
IT pros could face Web application issues as early as next month with the implementation of a coming SameSite Web change, which will affect how cookies are used across sites. [Read here]

1. Microsoft Outlines End-of-Support Dates for IE 11 and EdgeHTML Browsers (Aug. 17)
Microsoft wants organizations to switch to the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser, which reached the "general availability" release status back in January. [Read here]

Using Configuration Files to Control PowerShell Scripts, Part 2: Building Blocks

Learn how to use PowerShell's GUI capabilities to dynamically create configuration files that enhance script flexibility and usability.
U.S. House Leaders Unveil Bipartisan Strategy for AI Governance and Innovation

On Tuesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries received the final report from the bipartisan House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, which outlines essential principles and recommendations to bolster American leadership in AI.
Using Configuration Files to Control PowerShell Scripts, Part 1: The Basics

Learn how to use JSON configuration files to make PowerShell scripts more dynamic, flexible and user-friendly.
Exchange Online Receiving Enhanced Message Trace

Microsoft has announced the public preview of its enhanced Message Trace feature in the Exchange admin center (EAC) for Exchange Online.
Major Microsoft Multifactor Authentication Vulnerability Revealed

A vulnerability in Microsoft’s multifactor authentication (MFA) system has been uncovered by cybersecurity firm Oasis Security, allowing attackers to bypass security measures and access sensitive data across services including Outlook, OneDrive, Teams and Azure.