131.1K
Downloads
369
Episodes
Regular Microsoft Cloud information featuring Azure and Office365 with Microsoft MVP Robert Crane - A mix of current Microsoft cloud news, analysis and industry expert chat.
Episodes
27 minutes ago
27 minutes ago
34 min
In this episode of the Need to Know Podcast, I cover recent Microsoft news, including strong financial results, continued Azure growth, rising Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption, and major security updates. Key security stories include supply chain compromise, cybercrime disruption, hotel Wi-Fi credential theft, and Project Perception, which points toward a future where security is increasingly managed by AI agents rather than manual review. The episode also highlights new Microsoft 365 Copilot capabilities, web grounding domain controls, Copilot in SharePoint improvements, plus two new CIAOPS simulators for Exchange/Defender policy flow and Microsoft 365 sign-in/Conditional Access testing.
Resources
Security & Threat Intelligence
- ChainDrop supply chain compromise: Anatomy of a self-propagating worm
- Five takedowns, one infrastructure: How Microsoft is tackling the cybercrime economy
- CaptiveCrunch: Midnight Blizzard targets travellers worldwide for malware delivery and credential theft
- Introducing Project Perception: The Next Evolution of Agentic Security
Microsoft 365 Copilot & AI
- What's New in Microsoft 365 Copilot | July 2026
- More control over web grounding with Domain Exclusion for Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Looking back on Microsoft's FY26: From AI experimentation to Frontier Transformation
SharePoint & Content Management
Microsoft Corporate News & Strategy
Jul 11, 2026
Jul 11, 2026
37 min
Latest news and updates from the Microsoft cloud from security, to copilot and beyond. I also share my thoughts on recent changes at Microsoft, Cowork costs, security challenges with agents and my experiences configuring local AI. Always keen to hear your thoughts and feedback on the content in this episode.
Resources
Security & Threat Intelligence
- GigaWiper: Anatomy of a destructive backdoor assembled from multiple malware
- Defending the Inbox Against Prompt Injection Attacks
- Chromium extension uses AI-related branding to redirect browser search
Microsoft 365 Copilot & AI
- Available today: OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 in Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Built for Business: How Microsoft 365 Copilot Connects the Tools That Power Your Business
- What’s New in Microsoft 365 Copilot | June 2026
- Microsoft Frontier Company: AI engineering that amplifies and protects your intelligence
SharePoint & Content Management
- Microsoft SharePoint site lifecycle management
- SharePoint Advanced Management overview
- Move from insight to action with the SharePoint Admin Agent
- Admins: Migrating user data during mergers and restructurings just got easier
Microsoft Corporate News
Jun 22, 2026
Jun 22, 2026
34 min
This episode ultimately reflects on how organisations must adapt to an environment where solutions are no longer neatly balanced between simplicity and capability. Instead, businesses need to reassess priorities, stay informed, and make deliberate choices about which innovations deliver real value. For SMBs, the challenge is not just keeping up—but identifying what’s truly “good enough” in an increasingly complex cloud-first world.
Resources
Azure Sets a New Performance Record for LLM Training Benchmark at Extreme Scale
Forrester names Microsoft a Leader in the 2026 Extended Detection and Response Platforms Wave report
Copilot Cowork is now generally available
Microsoft Defender email security benchmarking: Key insights from one year of data
Stay productive in new Outlook for Windows with these 5 features
What’s new in Power Platform: June 2026 feature update
What’s New in Notebooks | June 2026
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team responds to the intensity of race weekends with Microsoft
AI brands as bait: How threat actors are using the AI hype in social engineering
Jun 7, 2026
Jun 7, 2026
28 min
Join me as I unpack the most impactful Microsoft Build 2026 announcements for SMBs, including Work IQ’s general availability, new autopilot and Scout agent features, enhanced agent security with Microsoft Execution Containers, and the latest MAI models for code, image, and voice. Discover how upcoming Work IQ APIs, OpenClaw integration with Windows, and the shift toward hybrid AI solutions are shaping the future of business technology, with practical insights on cost control, disaster recovery, and agentic security. Don’t miss this episode for actionable takeaways and expert analysis on the evolving AI landscape.
Resources
Microsoft Build 2026 blog – Be yourself at work
Developer-Tech – AI agents, Copilot, Windows developer tools
VentureBeat – AI agents and enterprise use cases
Thurrott – Scout personal work agent and AI models
VentureBeat – Data silos and Microsoft IQ
Windows Report – Securing code agents and AI models
Engadget – Build 2026 live blog
May 24, 2026
May 24, 2026
38 min
In this episode, we dig into Cowork Skills and why they represent a genuine shift from “AI as a novelty” to “AI as part of how work actually gets done.” Not more prompts. Not more tools. But fewer decisions, less friction, and more consistency across the business.
If you’ve ever thought “Copilot is interesting, but it’s not really embedded yet”, this episode is for you.
Resources
CIAOPS MSP Skills
Choose how OneNote opens Microsoft 365 file links
How Storm-2949 turned a compromised identity into a cloud-wide breach
Exposing Fox Tempest: A malware-signing service operation
A faster, more efficient Editor experience with Narrator in Word
May 10, 2026
May 10, 2026
26 min
A weekly roundup of Microsoft Cloud news with a focus on SMBs. Key topics include Microsoft's internal testing of an always-on AI assistant, major security threats such as Russian state-sponsored router hijacking and advanced phishing attacks, updates to Microsoft Teams, and a retrospective on SharePoint's evolution. Robert also discusses the challenges and strategies for adopting AI in business, emphasizing the need for a unified, collaborative approach to AI usage within organizations.
Resources
Microsoft tests 'ClawPilot' AI agent for 3,000 staff
SOHO router compromise leads to DNS hijacking and adversary-in-the-middle attacks
What’s New in Microsoft Teams | April 2026
ClickFix campaign uses fake macOS utilities lures to deliver infostealers
The Future of SharePoint
Breaking the code: Multi-stage ‘code of conduct’ phishing campaign leads to AiTM token compromise
Apr 25, 2026
Apr 25, 2026
32 min
I reflect on the significance of the day before diving into the week’s major developments, including the arrival of the Microsoft AI Tour in Sydney. The episode covers both partner and public events, with a focus on enterprise-level AI advancements and networking opportunities.
The podcast features a comprehensive weekly news roundup:
- The general availability of Copilot Agent capabilities in Microsoft 365 apps.
- New data security tools for AI in Microsoft Purview.
- Innovations in identity resilience and backup with Microsoft Entra.
- Microsoft’s $25 billion investment in Australian AI infrastructure and training.
- Practical security playbooks for tenant protection and device analytics.
- Updates on decluttering promotional mail with Microsoft Defender.
- Guidance on preventing oversharing in Copilot, deploying Defender, and enforcing data security with Purview.
I also share my workflow for automating podcast production using Copilot Cowork, including narration scripts and link management. I discuss experimenting with AI-driven voice narration and invites listener feedback on pacing and voice options.
The episode concludes with reflections on the Microsoft AI Tour’s enterprise focus, the importance of networking, and the challenges SMBs face in accessing relevant content. Listeners are encouraged to reach out with questions or feedback and to stay tuned for upcoming events like Microsoft Build and Ignite.
Resources
Microsoft 365 Insider Round-Up — April 2026
Declutter and Defend: Reducing Promotional Mail Noise with Microsoft Defender
Prevent Oversharing in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft Defender Deployment Tool
From Oversharing to Enforcement: A Practical Guide to AI Data Security with Microsoft Purview
Investing in Australia's AI Future
Copilot's Agentic Capabilities in Word, Excel and PowerPoint Are Generally Available
Predictive Shielding: Just-in-Time Tamper Protection
Threat Hunting Agent in Advanced Hunting
Bringing Transparency to AI-Generated Content with Watermarks in Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 Copilot Readiness and Resiliency with SharePoint and Microsoft 365 Backup
Introducing the Microsoft Sentinel Training Lab
A Practical Look at Device Analytics and Risk Signals with Microsoft Intune
Innovations in OneDrive for Collaboration, Intelligence and Control
Strengthening Identity Resilience: A Deep Dive Into Microsoft Entra Backup and Recovery
Detection Strategies for Cloud Identities Against Infiltrating IT Workers (Jasper Sleet)
Safeguarding Sensitive Data in Microsoft 365 Copilot Interactions: DLP for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Detecting Plain-Text Password Exposure Using Custom Regex in Microsoft Purview
Cross-Tenant Helpdesk Impersonation to Data Exfiltration: A Human-Operated Intrusion Playbook
Apr 8, 2026
Apr 8, 2026
26 min
In this episode of the CIAOPS Need to Know podcast, we take an AI‑first look at what’s happening across the Microsoft Cloud and what it really means for small and medium businesses. Episode 362 cuts through the noise to focus on the practical, real‑world impact of artificial intelligence as Microsoft continues to embed AI across Microsoft 365, Azure, and everyday productivity tools.
We discuss how an AI‑first mindset is changing the way SMBs should think about security, productivity, and operational efficiency, along with what partners and IT professionals need to pay attention to right now. Expect clear explanations, informed opinions, and actionable insights designed to help you make sense of rapid change without the hype.
Resources
- What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot – March 2026
- Copilot Cowork now available in Frontier
- Defending the AI era: New Microsoft capabilities to protect AI
- Threat actor abuse of AI accelerates from tool to cyberattack surface
- What’s new in Microsoft Intune – March 2026
- What’s new in Power Platform – March 2026 feature update
- File‑level archiving comes to Microsoft 365 Archive (Public Preview)
- Microsoft SharePoint turns 25
- Celebrating 30 years of Microsoft Exchange
Feb 18, 2026
Feb 18, 2026
1hr 57 sec
Resources
- CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/
- CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/
- CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/
- CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/
- Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/
- CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/
- CIAOPS Publications: https://directorcia.gumroad.com
- Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/
- Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops
- Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/
- Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/
- CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email
- Achieving SMB1001 publication - https://directorcia.gumroad.com/l/smb10012006
Show Notes
Email philme@catalyst345.com to receive the invitation to Phil’s online meetings
-
Introducing Security Dashboard for AI (Public Preview)
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/introducing-security-dashboard-for-ai-now-in-public-preview/4494637 -
Your Data, Your Choices: Microsoft’s Privacy Commitments
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/your-data-your-choices-understanding-microsoft%E2%80%99s-privacy-commitments/4489814 -
Manipulating AI Memory for Profit: AI Recommendation Poisoning
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/10/ai-recommendation-poisoning/ -
What’s New in Microsoft Sentinel – February 2026
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-sentinel-february-2026/4494218 -
Closing Attack Paths with Identity Intelligence
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/from-signal-to-strategy-closing-attack-paths-with-identity-intelligence/4491856 ] -
Exchange Online EWS – End of Life Reminder
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/exchange-online-ews-your-time-is-almost-up/4492361 -
What’s New in Microsoft Intune — January 2026
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/whats-new-in-microsoft-intune-%E2%80%93-january-2026/4476487 -
Real‑time Defense: Securing AI Agents
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/01/23/runtime-risk-realtime-defense-securing-ai-agents/ -
Detecting Backdoored Language Models at Scale
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/04/detecting-backdoored-language-models-at-scale/
Feb 5, 2026
Feb 5, 2026
51 min
In this episode I'm joined by Shervin Shaffie from Microsoft to do a deep dive into Copilot Studio. That's the service from Microsoft that allows you to create agents in a 'low-code' manner right inside the M365 environment. Shervin has some great Youtube content I highly recommend and provides some great insights and tips and tricks in this episode when working with agents in Microsoft 365. I'll also brin you up to date with the latest Microsoft Cloud news. Listen along.
Resources
- CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/
- CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/
- CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/
- CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/
- Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/
- CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/
- CIAOPS Publications: https://directorcia.gumroad.com
- Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/
- Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops
- Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/
- Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/
- CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email
Show Notes
Shervin Shaffie - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherv/
Principal Copilot Engineer at Microsoft
Collaboration Simplified YouTube: https://youtube.com/@collaborationsimplified
All About AI Podcast: https://cosi.pro/aipodcast