Microsoft March 2023 Update Digest

1. Microsoft Authenticator Lite in Outlook

Authenticator Lite is a tool that lets your users utilize?Outlook?on their iOS or Android mobile to complete multi-factor authentication for their work or school account. Microsoft will activate it for all renters who have not disabled it by May 26. If you do not want them to start this functionality for your tenant, change your state to 'disabled' or specify user include and exclude groups before the date.

Microsoft constantly advises customers to download Authenticator to complete their sign-ins so that they can provide the most up-to-date security features. On the other hand, users who have not downloaded the app to their devices may now authorize authentication requests and get TOTP codes in Outlook, bringing Authenticator security to a handy spot. Admins can enable this feature by leveraging the?Authentication Methods policy in Azure Active Directory.

When this will happen:

• Rollout of this feature in Outlook will begin in early March, starting public preview. Feature controls are available?via MS Graph.
• This feature will move to general availability in late April 2023.
• On May 26, this feature will be enabled for all users by default unless admins have taken action to disable or enable it before. Microsoft will not change any setting configured before May 26.

What you need to do to prepare:

• Beginning in mid-March, you may enable this preview for your Azure Active Directory users. Microsoft strongly advises that you enable this functionality for customers who are not currently utilizing the Microsoft Authenticator app (or another strong authentication mechanism) at the start of the public preview. This feature improves security for users who still utilize telecom transports to authenticate.
• This capability will be available to tenants in the 'Microsoft controlled' condition. Leaving the feature set to 'Microsoft managed' will not affect your users during the public preview and general availability (April 2023) period, and the functionality will stay turned off. But after May 26, 2023, if your status is still 'Microsoft managed,' Microsoft will enable this feature for your tenant. If you do not want this feature for your tenant, move the state to 'disabled' or set users to include and exclude groups before May 26.

2. MDO: Safe Attachments policy: Deprecate policy action ‘Replace’ for malware detections in attachments (Phase 2)

As part of the Phase 1 adjustment for the retirement of the 'Replace' action (MC424901 August '22), the behavior of the 'Block' action was applied to the policies specified with the 'Replace' action in Safe Attachment policies.

The 'Replace' action selection will be removed from the Safe Attachment policies as part of Phase 2 of the 'Replace' action retirement work (Microsoft 365 Defender portal and cmdlets). Any policies that are still configured with the 'Replace' action will be automatically updated to the 'Block' action as part of this upgrade.

When this will happen:

• This change will start rolling out in mid-April 2023 and worldwide deployment will be complete by mid-May 2023.
• For Government clouds, the deployment will begin in mid-June 2023 and be done by late-June 2023.

What you need to do to prepare:

• No action is needed. Any Safe Attachments policies with the ‘Replace’ action will be updated to the ‘Block’ action.?

3. New My Groups Experience

Microsoft will replace the old My Groups experience at mygroups.microsoft.com with the new and enhanced My Groups, now accessible at myaccount.microsoft.com/groups.

My Groups enables end users to easily manage groups, such as finding groups to join, managing groups they own, and managing existing group memberships. Based on customer feedback, Microsoft also added:

• sorting and filtering on lists of groups and group members,
• a full list of group members in large groups, and
• an actionable overview page for membership requests.

When this will happen:

• Beginning in mid-May and expect to complete by late May.

What you need to do to prepare:

• Consider updating your training and documentation so users can adjust to the new experience.

4. Upgraded Viva Topics Admin experience

Microsoft will soon be rolling out an updated admin experience for Viva Topics. This update is designed to create more consistency and clarity in navigating the admin experience across the Viva suite.

When this will happen:

• Rollout will begin in late March and is expected to be complete by late April.

What you need to do to prepare:

• No action is required.

5. Microsoft Syntex: Content Assembly - Choose Fields in Modern Templates to Create Document Library Columns

Microsoft will be rolling out the ability to map fields of a modern template to library columns in Microsoft Syntex Content Assembly.

When this will happen:

• Targeted Release: Rollout is expected to start in mid-March and is expected to be complete by late March 2023.
• Standard Release: Rollout is expected to start in late March and is expected to be complete by early April 2023.

What you need to do to prepare:

• You may want to notify users about this new capability and update your training and documentation as appropriate.

6. Microsoft Excel: Get

Microsoft will be updating Get & Transform Data tools in Excel (aka PoMicrosoftr Query).

When this will happen:

• Starting June 1, 2023, Get & Transform Data tools in Excel will require additional libraries to be installed to continue working.

What you need to do to prepare:

• You will need to install:

1. NET framework v4.7.2 - for PoMicrosoftr Query, in general
2. MicrosoftbView2 framework - for the From Microsoft (PoMicrosoftr Query) data connector.

• Inform your helpdesk and update documentation as appropriate.?

7. Updating the look and feel of OneDrive

Microsoft’s making a small set of visual updates to OneDrive to help align the product with the latest iteration of Microsoft’s design language. Microsoft uses the Fluent design system to ensure a cohesive and accessible design for all Microsoft products and users.

When this change is released, you will notice an updated color palette, refreshed icons, increased opacity for drop shadows, and rounded corners for square graphical elements.

When will this happen:

• Microsoft will begin rolling this out to Targeted Release customers in late March.
• Microsoft will begin rolling this out to Standard Release customers in early April.
• Microsoft expects the rollout to be completed by mid-April.

What you need to do to prepare:

• You may consider updating your training and documentation as appropriate.

Microsoft Purview Days 2023, Register Now!

Check out our live event on May 6, 2023, for everything you need to know about governing and securing your data super smoothly with Microsoft Purview.

Organized by ?Microsoft 365, Power Platform & Cloud Security India User group.

The goal of this one-day virtual event is to deep-dive into all the Microsoft Purview topics with hands-on sessions and labs, delivered to you by industry experts, Microsoft MVPs and RD's, Microsoft employees, and community leaders from different parts of the world.

Click here to register, and get ready for the future of data governance.

Thank you,

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