In this issue
RRAS server losing certificates (Ask Our Readers). How to ignore updates and prevent them from being reinstalled. WSUS Automated Maintenance. Neutered security advisories? Patching resources on Microsoft Tech Community. How to disable LLMNR and why you want to. Want to be smart? Learn to write! (Factoid). Plus lots more — read it all, read it here on WServerNews!
Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash
Ask Our Readers – RRAS server losing certificates (new question)
Michael Vendament sent us the following question hoping some of our readers can answer it:
I have a Windows Server 2016 WSE with RRAS setup for VPN connections. I use Certify the Web for my certs and everything works correctly there. What I’m stumped on is the RRAS server will “lose” the certificate which causes the VPN to shut off. I then have to manually reapply the correct cert and restart the RRAS server to get VPN working again. So, my question is why does this happen (it’s random — not when the certs are updated by CTW) and, is there a log event associated with it that I can flag so I’ll know when this occurs (and can quickly fix it)?
If any of you have information or a suggestion that could help Michael out please email us at [email protected] thanks!
Got questions? Ask our readers!
WServerNews goes out each week to almost 200,000 IT pro subscribers worldwide! That’s a lot of expertise to tap into. Do you need help with some technical problem or are looking for expert advice on something IT-related? Ask Our Readers by emailing your problems and/or questions to us at [email protected]
Mailbag
Back in our November 30th issue in the Mailbag section some comments from Tim Jacob on accessing email via multiple devices resulted in this comment from reader Jeffrey Harris:
Mitch, Regarding the use of POP Mail with Proton Mail, or any mail service, while I only use one device with my personal e-mail accounts, I do use Outlook as my mail client and select the option in the account settings — more settings — advanced to leave a copy of the message on the server. That way, I have a local copy of the message AND there is still a copy if I wanted to download it to another device. It does mean that I have to manually delete messages from the server copy of my account by logging into my ISP’s webmail interface. Other mail clients should have similar options.
That’s a simple old-fashioned solution for sharing email on several devices and one that I have used in the past myself when I only used locally installed versions of Outlook. Things are different of course if you use Office 365. How many other readers still prefer Jeffrey’s approach? Email me at [email protected]
Editor’s Corner
This week’s observations and ruminations from Mitch Tulloch our Senior Editor…
How to ignore updates and prevent them from being reinstalled
Sometimes Microsoft releases patches or new devices drivers that you don’t want to install because they’re not security-driven and your Windows devices work fine as is. Here are two Microsoft Support articles that may help:
How to temporarily prevent a driver update from reinstalling in Windows 10 (KB3073930)
How to temporarily prevent a Windows Update from reinstalling in Windows 10 (KB3183922)
WSUS Automated Maintenance
If you use Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) in your environment for patching servers and clients on-premise or in the cloud, we strongly recommend that you take a look at WSUS Automated Maintenance (WAM) a software solution that automates the maintenance required when you use WSUS. WAM was created by Adam J. Marshall and is licensed through AJ Tek on a yearly subscription basis. Check it out here:
https://www.ajtek.ca/wam/what-is-wsus-automated-maintenance/
Neutered security advisories?
Some of my colleagues have objected to recent changes Microsoft has made to their security advisories by removing detailed vulnerability descriptions. While I can sympathize with those who want to know the nitty-gritty stuff like this, most of us working in IT also live with constant information overload, so I expect many of us just see our eyes glaze over when perusing such information.
For some insight from the Microsoft Security Response Center on why these changes were made, take a look at the following blog post:
Vulnerability Descriptions in the New Version of the Security Update Guide (MSRC)
Do you agree or disagree that these changes were a good idea? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected]
Patching resources on Microsoft Tech Community
And finally for a whole pile of helpful guides on patching Windows and Office check out the following post on the Microsoft Tech Community site:
Now if only busy IT pros like us had time to read and learn all this stuff!
😛
Got comments about anything in this issue?
Email us at [email protected]!
Please tell others about WServerNews!
Enjoy this issue of WServerNews and feel free to send us feedback on any of the topics we’ve covered — we love hearing from our readers! And please tell others about WServerNews! It’s free and always will be free — and they can subscribe to it here. Thanks!!!
Tip of the Week
>> Got any IT pro tips you’d like to share with other readers of our newsletter? Email us at [email protected]
How to disable LLMNR and why you want to (Black Hills Information Security)
I’ve been told that this form of attack has been on the rise lately so you may want to check out the following article from Black Hills Information Security:
https://www.blackhillsinfosec.com/how-to-disable-llmnr-why-you-want-to/
For more information on leveraging Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution for capturing usernames and passwords on a network, see this old but still good article from Stern Security:
https://www.sternsecurity.com/blog/local-network-attacks-llmnr-and-nbt-ns-poisoning/
Admin Toolbox
>> Got any admin tools or software you’d like to recommend to our readers? Email us at [email protected]
Did you know that you can ensure access to old emails and PST files with an email archiving solution – even on the go? If that sounds useful, have a look at the email archiving solution MailStore Server:
Enterprise Policy Management Framework is a reporting solution on the state of the enterprise against a desired state defined in a policy and can be extended to all SQL Server instances in the enterprise:
https://github.com/Microsoft/sql-server-samples/tree/master/samples/features/epm-framework
SPF Record Testing Tools are meant to help you deploy SPF records for your domain:
http://www.kitterman.com/spf/validate.html
Database Modeling Excel is a database modeling utility is a Microsoft Office Excel workbook which can help you on your work of design database and supports DB2, MariaDB, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL SQLite and SQL Server:
https://github.com/snyang/Database-Modeling-Excel
Factoid – Want to be smart? Learn to write!
Our previous factoid and question was this:
Fact: Researchers have found the manual for the world’s oldest surviving computer
Source: https://www.engadget.com/oldest-computer-manual-zuse-z4-161214346.html
Question: What’s the oldest computer manual (hardware or software) that you still have kicking around your home or workplace?
This brought a lot of responses from our readers so they must be typical geeks who moonlight as packrats. Here’s a sampling:
- The oldest one I found is Microsoft Word from 1984 — Version 1.1. I have both the pro-am and the backup program diskette, the manual, the quickstart folder, service information folder, the registration card and the acrylic cover. The Microsoft registration number is 355350. –Martin Urwaleck from Austria
- For this latest Factoid, I went into my basement pile of “Old IT Stuff I Will Never Need Again”. I found the Honeywell “Series 60 (Level 66)/6000 GMAP Pocket Guide”, dated December 1978. I used it in the mid-80s when I was a programmer on both Honeywell and IBM mainframes, primarily because it had a good set of tables for converting between EBCDIC and ASCII character sets. This pocket guide has also got lots of other details that I shudder to look back upon! –Steve Weisner
- 1993 edition of Sybex’s DOS 6.2 Instant Reference. Yes, still in (occasional) use, too. –John S. Louisville from Kentucky, USA
John also adds:
Thanks for your newsletter, BTW. Am retired, but still unofficial support for others in my age group. (born 1942) punched cards, IBM 407 and 1401, etc. Many trips through programming, systems, MCSE, etc. Moved on to server farm and management, but still love the nuts and bolts.
I love nuts and bolts too:
And finally Philip Lee sent us a bunch of photos of some of his old manuals that were laying around. Here’s one to whet your appetite:
Oooh, nice!
He also sent this photo:
and said:
I still have that Processor Technology Terminal computer, not game to fire it up in case it goes up in flames. In any case I don’t have a modified TV monitor that will work with it anymore, nor the cassette tape player to load up the software.
Can anyone outdo this? Email your photos of old manuals to us at [email protected]
Now let’s move on to this week’s factoid:
Fact: Writing by hand makes kids smarter
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-kids-smarter.html
Question: How many readers still prefer to take notes by hand instead of typing them on a laptop, tablet or smartphone? And how many of you actually enjoy the act of writing something–and even have a fondness for good writing materials like high-quality paper, nice Japanese pens/pencils, leather-covered journals and so on? Email your answers to [email protected]
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Conference Calendar 2021
>> Got an IT conference or event happening that you’d like to promote in our newsletter? Email us at [email protected]
NOTE: Conference dates and locations (real/virtual) are subject to change
Microsoft Ignite — March TBD (virtual)
https://myignite.microsoft.com/home
Microsoft MVP Global Summit — March TBD (virtual)
https://mvp.microsoft.com/summit
Black Hat Asia — May 4-7 (location TBD)
https://www.blackhat.com/upcoming.html#asia
RSA Conference — May 17-20 in San Francisco
https://www.rsaconference.com/usa
Black Hat USA — Jul. 31-Aug. 3 in Las Vegas
https://www.blackhat.com/upcoming.html#usa
DEF CON 29 — Aug. 5-8 in Las Vegas
VMworld — Aug 30-Sept 1 in San Francisco
https://www.vmworld.com/en/index.html
Black Hat Europe – Dec 7-10 (virtual)
https://www.blackhat.com/upcoming.html#europe
Cisco Live Melbourne — Dec 7-10 in Melbourne, Australia
https://www.ciscolive.com/apjc.html
Podcast Corner
Productivity in 2021 with Ulrika Hedlund (RunAsRadio)
The State Of GNS3 For Network Labs (Heavy Networking)
https://packetpushers.net/series/weekly-show/
vRealize Suite on VMware Cloud Foundation 4.1 (Virtually Speaking)
https://www.vspeakingpodcast.com/
Our Wi-Fi Design Walkthrough (Clear To Send)
Mapping NIST 800-53 to MITRE ATT&CK (Risky Business)
https://risky.biz/netcasts/risky-business/
What-If for ARM Templates and Microsoft 365 Sensitivity Labels (Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast)
https://www.msclouditpropodcast.com/
Reflecting on 2020 (Microsoft Cloud Show)
http://www.microsoftcloudshow.com/podcast
New on Techgenix.com
GitHub code scanning: How to use it to find and fix vulnerabilities
GitHub is the most popular source control system for developers, and now you can do a security scan and analysis on your code right when it gets committed.
https://techgenix.com/github-code-scanning-vulnerabilities/
5 techniques for determining IT security budget ROI
IT security investments don’t directly increase revenue. Thus, unconventional methods of IT security budget ROI calculation are necessary.
https://techgenix.com/it-security-budget-roi/
Microsoft 365 Productivity Score: What it is and how to use it
After deploying Microsoft 365, knowing how it is being used is crucial. The Microsoft 365 Productivity Score will give you actionable advice.
https://techgenix.com/microsoft-365-productivity-score/
Exchange Server disaster recovery: Step-by-step planning
This article presents in-depth planning and guidance for Exchange Server disaster recovery.
https://techgenix.com/exchange-server-disaster-recovery/
What’s new with Azure Sentinel
If you’re an IT pro like me, then you probably face the same kind of problem I do — keeping abreast of current developments in the IT security field.
https://techgenix.com/whats-new-with-azure-sentinel/
Fun videos from Flixxy
Acro Paragliding Over A Fjord In Norway
Veso Ovcharov shows his skills with the paraglider – filmed by an equally talented drone pilot – over the Kjerag fjord in Norway.
https://www.flixxy.com/acro-paragliding-over-a-fjord-in-norway.htm
Paragliding To Work In The Swiss Alps
The tiny village of Vercorin in Switzerland is known as a paraglider’s paradise.
https://www.flixxy.com/paragliding-to-work-in-the-swiss-alps.htm
London Fireworks – Happy New Year 2021
As Big Ben strikes midnight, the United Kingdom comes together to welcome in the new year and light up the start of 2021.
https://www.flixxy.com/london-fireworks-happy-new-year-2021.htm
Life Is Awesome!
This video compilation is more than awesome! It is so full of life!!
https://www.flixxy.com/life-is-awesome.htm
More articles of interest
Tips for attending virtual IT conferences like a pro
The coronavirus pushed all physical gathering events into the digital realm for public safety. But this completely disrupts our prep patterns. Here are some tips to help.
Google, Parallels improve Windows on Chromebooks
The Google-Parallels technology provides access to Windows software on Chromebooks. The new product could make Chrome OS laptops more attractive to enterprises.
Using the Office 365 Recommended Configuration Analyzer
Learn how this free PowerShell-based utility digs into your Office 365 security setup and offers guidance for administrators looking to stop the latest online threats.
It’s a new age for hot site disaster recovery
Hot sites are a viable disaster recovery strategy, but high costs and changing DR risks have made alternatives like disaster recovery as a service a more appealing option.
Send us your feedback!
Got feedback about anything in this issue of WServerNews? Email us at [email protected]