Cloudy with a Chance of Insights – Details, episodes & analysis

This week's episode covers Richard's travel woes, a recap of Microsoft Ignite, and a round-up of some of the more interesting (at least to us) news stories from the past couple of weeks. References Microsoft Ignite - On Demand https://ignite.microsoft.com/en-US Microsoft Ignite Keynote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YiB2OvK6sY Windows 365 Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXS8VhtosGI Cross Subscription Load Balancers https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/load-balancer/cross-subscription-overview Chinese Research Team Breaks RSA Encryption https://www.techno-science.net/en/news/chinese-researchers-succeed-in-breaking-rsa-encryption-using-quantum-computer-N25990.html Conservationists Turn to AI in Battle to Save Red Squirrels https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6vwy30pv8o Microsoft Update Fun and Games Windows 2025: https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/08/windows_2025_surprise_install/?td=rt-3a Exchange: https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/15/microsoft_exchange_buggy_patch Copilot Analytics https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftvivablog/introducing-copilot-analytics-to-measure-ai-impact-on-your-business/4301717 These 2 Hackers Have Created Real X-Ray Specs https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/10/04/these-2-hackers-have-created-real-x-ray-specs/

Pilot episode of a new series where Richard Hogan, David Rowley and Cyrus Irandoust discuss all things Microsoft Cloud, tech in general as well as reminiscing about old tech and other items of a bygone age.

On this week's episode, Cyrus provides an overview of Azure Local a new service which builds on the existing Azure Stack HCI service, whilst David introduces Richard to Radius, which is a cloud-native application platform that enables developers and IT operators to collaborate on delivering and managing cloud-native applications.

Richard then highlights some changes to the Azure Bastion Service and the deprecation of the Azure AD API service. We then cover some general IT news or interesting items we discovered over the last week, including a potential new Christmas No 1

Show Notes

Azure Local https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/local/?msockid=2db0be1eba176e053806ab29bbf76ff3
Radius https://docs.radapp.io/
Azure Bastion Premium https://azure.microsoft.com/de-de/blog/enhance-your-security-capabilities-with-azure-bastion-premium
Azure AD API - End of Life https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/identity/action-required-azure-ad-graph-api-retirement/4090533

News / Interesting Stuff

Microsoft dangles $10K for hackers to hijack LLM email service https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/09/microsoft_llm_prompt_injection_challenge/
To fab or not. https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/10/gelsinger_departure_intel_future
Girl band or boy band?! https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davidrrowley_microsoft-christmas-pop-activity-7270727842861092864-dyGx
MarS - A unified financial market simulation engine in the era of generative foundation models https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/mars-a-unified-financial-market-simulation-engine-in-the-era-of-generative-foundation-models/
Microsoft AI Chips https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-launches-two-data-center-infrastructure-chips-speed-ai-applications-2024-11-19/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Microsoft Hacking Event https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/19/24299999/microsoft-zero-day-quest-hacking-event-ai-cloud-security?utm_source=chatgpt.com

In this episode of 'Cloudy with a Chance of Insights', the hosts discuss various topics related to Microsoft Cloud, including the Meister tool for security configuration, the concept of Zero Trust, oversharing controls in M365, and the importance of data security.

They also highlight Microsoft's achievement of 100% coverage of the MITRE attack framework and new features in Microsoft Sentinel for security posture assessment. The conversation emphasises the need for proactive security measures and user adoption in organisations.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Microsoft Cloud Insights
02:30 Exploring Meister: A PowerShell-Based Tool for Security Configuration
10:10 Understanding Zero Trust and Identity Management
12:50 Oversharing Controls in M365: Risks and Solutions
20:50 The Importance of Data Security and User Trust
26:43 Microsoft's 100% Coverage of the MITRE Attack Framework
39:10 New Features in Microsoft Sentinel for Security Posture

TAGS: #microsoftcloud, #Azure, #M365, #Microsoft365, #ZeroTrust, #zerotrustsecurity, #Maester, #Sentonel

LINKS:
Companion Site: https://maester.dev/
Introducing SOC Optimization Recommendations Based on Similar Organizations https://bit.ly/3Dx2Vwy
Microsoft 365 Defender demonstrates 100 percent protection coverage in the 2023 MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK® Evaluationshttps://bit.ly/3DwrxWg

In this episode of Cloudy with the Chance of Insights, the bi-weekly Microsoft Cloud Podcast.  The hosts discuss various topics related to Microsoft Cloud technology, including the new God Mode feature in Entra, enhancements in Intune for MAC security, and recent data breaches affecting organisations like the British Museum and HPE.

The conversation emphasises the importance of security hygiene, user access management, and the need for organisations to adapt to modern endpoint management solutions. In this conversation, the speakers delve into various aspects of technology governance, data automation, and the implications of generative AI on critical thinking.

They discuss the importance of security in technology, the challenges of managing insider risks, and the need for practical data transformation tools. The conversation also highlights the role of confidence in AI outputs and the emerging concept of shadow IT, emphasising the necessity for organisations to adapt to these changes.

Securing DeepSeek and other AI systems with Microsoft Security

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/02/13/securing-deepseek-and-other-ai-systems-with-microsoft-security/

HPE notifies employees of data breach after Russian Office 365 hack

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hpe-notifies-employees-of-data-breach-after-russian-office-365-hack/

Google remakes Super Bowl ad after AI cheese gaffe

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2j15r1g09o

The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/uploads/prod/2025/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_survey.pdf?msockid=2db0be1eba176e053806ab29bbf76ff3

Data Formulator: A concept-driven, AI-powered approach to data visualisation

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/data-formulator-a-concept-driven-ai-powered-approach-to-data-visualization/?msockid=2db0be1eba176e053806ab29bbf76ff3

Law firm restricts AI after 'significant' staff use

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cglyjn7le2ko

Gaining Insight into Entra's "God Mode" for Azure

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/gaining-insight-entras-god-mode-azure-john-savill-yehrc/

British Museum hit by alleged IT attack by ex-worker

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd9qjde4wnqo

Intune for MAC OS - Pre-install and post-install script

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/understand-pre-install-and-post-install-scripts-for-macos-in-microsoft-intune/4377799

Payloadless packaged

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/exploring-the-use-cases-of-payloadless-packages-in-microsoft-intune-for-macos/4382728

New application types in MacOS:https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/understanding-application-types-in-microsoft-intune-for-macos/4373987

In this episode of 'Cloudy with a Chance of Insights', the hosts discuss the latest developments in the Microsoft Cloud space, including OpenAI's Project Stargate and its implications for AI investments.
They explore the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, particularly the relevance of VPNs and the emergence of SASE. The conversation also touches on the concept of Residuality Theory in software architecture, emphasizing flexibility over perfection.
The episode concludes with insights on Microsoft's innovative collaboration with Coldplay and reflections on the global tech market dynamics.

LINKS

Announcing The Stargate Project
https://openai.com/index/announcing-the-stargate-project/
Microsoft and OpenAI evolve partnership to drive the next phase of AI
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/01/21/microsoft-and-openai-evolve-partnership-to-drive-the-next-phase-of-ai/
UK chip firm Arm sale by Softbank collapses amid competition fears
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60297874
PM plans to 'unleash AI' across UK to boost growth
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crr05jykzkxo
Reeves Says Regulators Are Holding Back Britain’s Growth
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/reeves-says-regulators-holding-back-124058118.html
What is secure access service edge (SASE)?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/security-101/what-is-sase
Advanced Software Architecture with Residuality
https://ddd.academy/introduction-to-residuality-theory/
Coldplay evolves the fan experience with Microsoft AI< br />https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/coldplay-evolves-the-fan-experience-with-microsoft-ai/
Cisco AI Summit
https://www.ciscoaisummit.com/

In this episode of 'Cloudy with a Chance of Insights', the hosts discuss recent developments in Microsoft Cloud, focusing on security updates related to Exchange Online, the implications of red teaming in AI security, and the growing threat of DDoS attacks. They also touch on the challenges in the cybersecurity field, including the shortage of professionals and the costs associated with defending against attacks.

The conversation highlights the importance of proactive measures and collaboration in enhancing cloud security. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the latest advancements in AI and storage technologies.

They wrap up by discussing the importance of understanding cloud-native concepts, emphasizing the need for scalable, resilient, and portable applications. The conversation also highlights the emergence of micro VMs and the role of Rust in enhancing security and efficiency in cloud environments.

LINKS

CISA Publishes Microsoft Expanded Cloud Log Playbook.
https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/cisa-publishes-microsoft-expanded-cloud-log-implementation-playbook

Cloudflare Mitigates Record Breadking 5.6Tbps DDoS attack
https://blog.cloudflare.com/ddos-threat-report-for-2024-q4

IBM Training https://skillsbuild.org

Lessons from Red Teaming 100 Gen AI Products
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-cloud/blog/2025/01/14/enhancing-ai-safety-insights-and-lessons-from-red-teaming/?msockid=2db0be1eba176e053806ab29bbf76ff3

UPDATE: Apologies, I uploaded the incorrect audio file, this has now been resolved

In this episode of 'Cloudy with a Chance of Insights', the hosts reflect on the past year in Microsoft Cloud, discussing key highlights and looking forward to future trends.

They emphasize the growing importance of security, shifts in security practices, and the shared responsibility model. The conversation also delves into challenges in cloud migration, the future of quantum computing, and the intersection of AI and quantum technologies.

KEYWORDS:

#MicrosoftCloud, #security, #quantumcomputing, #AI, #cloudmigration, #cybersecurity

LINKS:

IBM Secure by Design
https://ibm.co/3Pr3eff

Microsoft Secure Futures Initiative
https://ibm.co/3Pr3eff

Geico Repatriates Workloads to On-Premises
https://bit.ly/40v067h

Apple urged to withdraw 'out of control' AI news alerts
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cge93de21n0o

Mark Russinovich - MSFT Blog
https://bit.ly/4a7Awtn

Open Quantum Safe Project
https://openquantumsafe.org

This week the hosts discuss various topics related toMicrosoft Cloud, including the significance of JML processes for account security, the challenges of managing permissions and access control, the launch of serverless GPUs, strategies for infrastructure landing zones, and the increasing cybersecurity threats faced by small and medium businesses (SMBs).

The conversation emphasises the necessity for organisationsto be proactive in their security measures and to remain informed about the latest technological developments.

This discussion explores the critical issues surroundingcybersecurity for small businesses, underscoring the vulnerabilities they encounter and the significance of tailored security solutions. Cyrus addresses the alarming statistics regarding consumer attacks, the role of Microsoft in delivering security solutions for SMBs, and the broaderimplications of cybercrime on small enterprises.

The discussion also touches upon user experience incybersecurity measures and innovative methods to raise awareness about security threats.

SHOW NOTES 

Announcing GA for Azure Container Apps Serverless GPU

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/appsonazureblog/announcing-ga-for-azure-container-apps-serverless-gpus/4394302

Level up your defense: protect against attacks usingstale user accounts

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/level-up-your-defense-protect-against-attacks-using-stale-user-accounts/4386290

The Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report 2024

https://www.hiscox.co.uk/cyberreadiness

Smart Choices, Strong Foundations: Selecting the RightInfrastructure Approach

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azureinfrastructureblog/infrastructure-landing-zone---implementation-decision-making/4386520/replies/4394658

Unveiling Kubernetes lateral movement and attack pathswith Microsoft Defender for Cloud

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftdefendercloudblog/unveiling-kubernetes-lateral-movement-and-attack-paths-with-microsoft-defender-f/4374958

March Windows updates mistakenly uninstall Copilot

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-march-windows-updates-mistakenly-uninstall-copilot/

FBI Cyber Internet Crime Report

https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2023_IC3Report.pdf

Lakera Gandalf

https://gandalf.lakera.ai/do-not-tell-and-block

NASA Sonification’s

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/multimedia/sonifications/

and just for David (which is scarily accurate)

Ross from Friends showing his music/Keyboard Skills

https://youtu.be/z0PJnc8BFTk

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Cloudy with a Chance of Insights

02:15 JML Processes and Account Security

08:10 Managing Permissions and Access Control

13:17 Serverless GPUs and Cost Management

16:50 Infrastructure Landing Zone Strategies

21:26 Cybersecurity in the SMB Market

22:35 Cybersecurity Landscape for Small Businesses

30:12 Microsoft's Security Solutions for SMBs

36:04 The Impact of Cybercrime on Small Enterprises

40:35 User Experience in Cybersecurity

49:37 Innovative Approaches to Cybersecurity Awareness

In this episode of 'Cloudy with a Chance of Insights', thehosts discuss various topics related to Microsoft Cloud, AI tools, cybersecurity, and recent technological developments.

They share insights from the Microsoft AI Tour, the benefitsof accessibly from Generative AI, and experiences from an IBM Cyber Range exercise.

The conversation also delves into the implications ofgovernment requests for encrypted data and recent tech developments, including tools for reporting phishing emails and releasing classic game source codes.

LINKS

The Microsoft AI Tour - London

https://aitour.microsoft.com/en-US/london

The Kaito Project

https://github.com/kaito-project/kaito

Microsoft Dragon Copilot provides the healthcareindustry’s first unified voice AI assistant that enables clinicians tostreamline clinical documentation, surface information and automate tasks
https://news.microsoft.com/2025/03/03/microsoft-dragon-copilot-provides-the-healthcare-industrys-first-unified-voice-ai-assistant-that-enables-clinicians-to-streamline-clinical-documentation-surface-information-and-automate-task/

New sales agents accessible in Microsoft 365 Copilot helpteams close more deals, faster.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/03/05/new-sales-agents-accessible-in-microsoft-365-copilot-help-teams-close-more-deals-faster/?msockid=2db0be1eba176e053806ab29bbf76ff3

IBM Cyber Range

https://www.ibm.com/services/xforce-cyber-range

IBM Completes Acquisition of HashiCorp, CreatesComprehensive, End-to-End Hybrid Cloud Platform

https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-02-27-ibm-completes-acquisition-of-hashicorp,-creates-comprehensive,-end-to-end-hybrid-cloud-platform

 MSFTRecon: : A Powerful Reconnaissance Tool For Microsoft 365 And Azure

https://kalilinuxtutorials.com/msftrecon/