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Chicago-based Forward Technologies delivers IT support and cyber security to businesses in the Chicago area and nationwide.

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Microsoft Eliminates SharePoint Email Passcodes, Forcing Move to Entra Guest Accounts

March 13, 2026 by Edward Silha

Cartoon illustration of Microsoft SharePoint file sharing changing from email passcodes to Microsoft Entra guest accounts for external access.Microsoft is retiring the email passcode system long used to grant temporary access to shared files in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. The company plans to replace it with Microsoft Entra B2B guest accounts, shifting external collaboration toward a fully identity-based model across Microsoft 365.

The change affects both commercial and government cloud environments. Beginning in May 2026, new external sharing invitations will start using Entra B2B instead of the existing one-time passcode system. The transition will accelerate through the summer, with the older authentication method beginning its shutdown in July and disappearing completely by the end of August 2026. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Cybersecurity, Tech In General Tagged With: Conditional Access, Entra B2B, external sharing, guest accounts, identity management, Microsoft, Microsoft 365 security, Microsoft Entra, OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online

Microsoft Adds Passkey Sign-Ins to Windows, Expanding Phishing-Resistant Authentication

March 11, 2026 by Edward Silha

Microsoft Windows login screen using passkey authentication through Microsoft Entra with Windows Hello biometric sign-in.Microsoft is expanding passwordless security across Windows by introducing passkey authentication through Microsoft Entra. The new capability allows users to sign in to Entra-protected resources using Windows Hello instead of traditional passwords, adding stronger resistance against phishing attacks and credential theft.

The feature will roll out as an opt-in public preview starting in mid-March 2026 and continuing through late April for global Microsoft 365 tenants. Government cloud environments will receive the preview shortly after, with deployments scheduled between mid-April and mid-May. Once enabled, the update allows organizations to adopt passkeys as an authentication method on Windows devices. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Cybersecurity, Tech In General Tagged With: FIDO2, identity security, Microsoft, Microsoft 365 security, Microsoft Entra, passkeys, passwordless authentication, phishing resistance, Windows authentication, Windows Hello

AirSnitch Exposes a Deep Flaw in Wi-Fi Security, Undermining Client Isolation Worldwide

February 26, 2026 by Edward Silha

Cartoon-style illustration of two laptops on the same Wi-Fi network with a hidden device intercepting traffic between them, symbolizing the AirSnitch client isolation flaw

That “Safe” Guest Wi-Fi Network May Not Be Isolating Anyone

Wi-Fi has become the invisible wiring of modern life. Billions of devices rely on it every day, from phones and laptops to smart TVs and industrial systems. That scale has always made wireless security a high-stakes problem. Now new research shows that a fundamental protection built into nearly every router can be quietly bypassed, allowing attackers on the same network to intercept and tamper with traffic that was supposed to be isolated and protected. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Cybersecurity, Tech In General Tagged With: AirSnitch, ASUS, Cisco, client isolation, D-Link, DNS poisoning, guest Wi-Fi, machine-in-the-middle attack, Netgear, network security, public Wi-Fi, RADIUS, TP-Link, Ubiquiti, Wi-Fi security, wireless vulnerabilities, WPA2, WPA3, zero trust security

Google Quietly Lets Gmail Users Change Their Email Address Without Losing Their Account

December 26, 2025 by Edward Silha

A cartoon adult user looking embarrassed at an old Gmail address on a screen, with a refreshed modern address appearing beside it.Google is finally undoing one of Gmail’s longest standing frustrations. Users who have been stuck for years with outdated or embarrassing email addresses now have a way out that does not involve starting over. A newly updated Google support document confirms that Gmail accounts can now be assigned a new address while keeping the same account, inbox, and data intact. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Tech In General Tagged With: account management, email addresses, email security, Gmail, Gmail features, Google, Google accounts, Google Drive, Google Maps, YouTube

Microsoft Blocks Popular Windows Activation Hack

November 14, 2025 by Edward Silha

Cartoon illustration of a worried middle-aged man in glasses pointing at a laptop on a desk. The laptop screen shows a Windows logo next to a cartoon thief holding a padlock. Beside the laptop is a trash bin overflowing with papers labeled “Activation Script,” with smoke rising from them. The background includes large, faint security icons.Microsoft has closed the door on one of the most widely used tricks for activating Windows 11 without paying for it. The company pushed out new security updates this month that permanently disable a set of PowerShell scripts known as MAS, short for Microsoft Activation Scripts. The tools, created by a group called Massgrave, had been circulating on GitHub for years and gave users a quick way to unlock Windows or Office without a valid license. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Tech In General Tagged With: KMS38, MAS scripts, Massgrave, Microsoft, piracy crackdown, PowerShell, software security, Windows 11, Windows activation

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STE 500B
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