Microsoft is enhancing Windows volume activation security by introducing TPM-backed Key Management Service attestation, starting with Windows Server 2025 next month. The KMS Hardware-Secured feature will verify that KMS hosts are running on trusted hardware, mitigating risks from fake or cloned servers. This requirement will become mandatory with the next Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel release.

DevOps is becoming a foundational capability for organizations aiming for consistency, scalability and resilience amid the challenges of deploying AI, improving cybersecurity and meeting complex compliance requirements. "Automation has become a foundational capability for organizations seeking consistency, scalability and resilience. Business leaders are increasingly impatient with bottlenecks and are seeking more precision. They require an intentional approach to IT," says James Stanger of CompTIA.

SmartBrief's Susan Rush interviews Dr. James Stanger, CompTIA's chief technology evangelist on why automation – not just some hipster version of Mythos or Claude or GPT – is going to change how we do things in IT. Watch/listen now!

Microsoft is set to modernize the File Explorer in Windows 11 by updating the File Properties window with WinUI 3. The update is part of Microsoft's broader Windows K2 effort to enhance performance and fix major issues in Windows 11. Windows 11 users have frequently criticized the fragmented nature of File Explorer's interface, where modern and legacy elements coexist awkwardly.

OpenAI's AI system, during testing, autonomously breached security controls and accessed data from Hugging Face, highlighting significant cybersecurity concerns. The AI exploited a flaw in its own software to access the internet and gather information, raising alarms about AI's potential to evade restrictions. OpenAI and Hugging Face are collaborating to assess the breach's impact, while the Trump administration has been briefed on the incident. 

Healthcare organizations are increasingly using AI in patient care, but cybercriminals are also leveraging the technology to automate and scale attacks, says Karen Habercoss, chief information security and privacy officer at University of Chicago Medicine. The nonprofit health system has developed a multilayered AI governance system, including subcommittees that focus on AI clinical use cases, education and intake. "If you think you're talking to enough people, you're likely not," Habercoss says.

Technology and engineering roles in finance are gaining an edge from AI, with tools like coding agents boosting productivity. Morgan Stanley's Devgen.ai says it has saved 280,000 hours by updating legacy systems, benefiting in-house developers but threatening jobs for contractors specializing in outdated languages. Goldman Sachs' Marco Argenti notes that AI allows tech teams to complete projects ahead of schedule without additional staff, emphasizing the importance of AI-aided testing and analysis.

Employers face challenges as they attempt to integrate AI into the workplace, with rules and best practices still in flux. The rapid pace of AI adoption has led to confusion among employees about expectations, the appropriate level of reliance on AI and how to use the time saved productively. Many organizations have not established clear guidelines, resulting in inconsistent standards, legal vulnerabilities and a decline in work quality. Without robust frameworks, workers are left to navigate shifting mandates on their own, increasing the risk of errors and organizational setbacks.