Should Europe Break Free from US Tech Companies in 2026?

Can I claim compensation for GDPR violations against Facebook and Meta? The Real Value of Your Digital Identity: Regulatory Fines vs. Civil Damages You might assume multi-billion euro fines cripple technology giants. The reality is different. When you break down the penalties imposed on companies like TikTok or Meta, the cost of violating your privacy …

Why is my older printer not working with the latest Windows 11 update? Microsoft Ends Legacy Printer Support: What You Need to Know Microsoft has officially shifted its printing strategy for Windows 11, marking the end of support for legacy printer drivers. The preview update KB5074105, released for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 on …

the German electronic patient record a financial disaster for statutory health insurance providers? The State of Germany’s Electronic Patient Record (ePA) in early 2026 As we assess the healthcare landscape in February 2026, we must ask a difficult question: Is the electronic patient record (ePA) succeeding? The data suggests a clear “no.” Despite the ambitious …

Is my ePA data recoverable after the recent AOK system glitch? The AOK Bayern ePA Data Loss Incident: An Analysis As of February 2026, a significant technical failure has affected AOK Bayern members utilizing the electronic patient record (ePA). This incident highlights critical vulnerabilities in digital health infrastructure. The following assessment details the technical breakdown, …

Is the Microsoft Azure West US power outage fixed yet? You are likely experiencing failures with Windows Update or the Microsoft Store right now. These services are currently unstable. Users generally encounter timeouts during downloads or installation errors. This disruption stems from a server-side issue, not a malfunction within your local hardware. Root Cause Analysis …

Why is the tax office asking for my bank details for a 2025 return I haven’t filed yet? The “Early Bird” Refund Scam (Brazil Server Variant) Cybercriminals have launched their 2026 phishing campaigns with aggressive timing. A prevalent email currently circulating claims your 2025 tax calculation is complete and a refund is pending. The message …

Is the .ai domain gold rush a smart investment or a bubble waiting to burst? The Unexpected Beneficiary of the Tech Boom While industry analysts debate the long-term utility of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), one clear winner has emerged from the chaos. Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, manages …

Is your expensive IT support contract actually worth the cost anymore? The Erosion of Vendor Support: A Critical Industry Shift We need to address a growing concern in the IT sector: the declining quality of hardware and software supplier support. This discussion stems from a report by a systems administrator managing a network of 60 …

Why are wind and solar farms becoming primary targets for cyberwarfare? The cyberattack on the Polish power grid in late December 2025 marks a critical evolution in infrastructure threats. Security firm Dragos identified the incident as the first major coordinated assault specifically targeting decentralized energy systems. While previous attacks focused on central transmission networks, this …

Why can’t I open encrypted emails in Outlook 365 Classic right now? Microsoft Resolves Outlook 365 “Encrypt Only” Access Error Microsoft has released a critical fix for a bug in Outlook 365 Classic that prevented users from reading encrypted emails. If your organization relies on email encryption for security, you should review your current Office …

Why is Broadcom canceling the VMware Advantage Partner Program for European CSPs in March 2026? Broadcom has finalized its consolidation strategy. As of late January 2026, the company officially notified European Cloud Solution Providers (CSPs) that the “Advantage Partner Program” is ending. If you are a European partner or a customer relying on one, the …

Did Tandberg Data survive the Overland-Tandberg insolvency filing? Tandberg Data Operations Update: Post-Insolvency Status For IT professionals and systems administrators managing data continuity, the status of Tandberg Data has moved from critical condition to stabilized. While the parent entity faced liquidation in 2025, the core technology and manufacturing capabilities have surfaced under new management. The …

Why is my Windows 11 PC restarting instead of shutting down lately? Why Your PC Won’t Sleep After the January 2026 Update The security updates released by Microsoft on January 13, 2026, intended to patch vulnerabilities, have inadvertently introduced significant power management issues. Specifically, users across multiple Windows versions are reporting that their devices fail …

Is my Notepad++ version safe after the 2025 state hacker attack? Critical Security Advisory: Notepad++ Supply Chain Compromise State-sponsored actors successfully compromised the Notepad++ update infrastructure between June and December 2025. If you manage Windows endpoints or use this editor personally, you must verify your current installation immediately. This breach exploited the software’s hosting environment …

Is Hetzner webmail down and how can I access my emails? Service Status Report: Hetzner and ING Bank (February 3, 2026) Users across Europe have reported concurrent service interruptions affecting both financial and hosting infrastructure today, February 3, 2026. While these incidents appear technically unrelated, their simultaneous occurrence has impacted business workflows. Below is a …

Why am I receiving duplicate approval requests in Exchange Online? Microsoft recently deployed a critical update to Exchange Online that directly impacts email moderation workflows. As of February 2, 2026, the specific constraints requiring moderators to use legacy Outlook clients have been removed. This update introduces two primary technical improvements: universal client support via Adaptive …

Why Is VMware Workstation Failing on Windows 10 LTSC? The Hidden Conflict: Virtualization-Based Security vs. Type-2 Hypervisors Running VMware Workstation or VirtualBox on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (specifically the 2019/1809 build) requires strict configuration management. The core issue lies in how Windows handles hardware virtualization access. When features like Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) or Hyper-V run, …

What specific bugs does the WordPress 6.9.1 maintenance release fix? Current Status and Immediate Action The WordPress governance team deployed version 6.9.1 on February 3, 2026. You must treat this release as a critical maintenance patch rather than a feature expansion. This update primarily stabilizes your existing architecture. While automatic background updates have likely patched …

Why won’t Outlook 2024 let me accept meeting invites on Exchange SE? Advisory Note: The following information addresses a specific compatibility issue reported by IT professionals managing Microsoft Outlook 2024 LTSC environments connected to Exchange Server SE. If you are experiencing similar failures, follow the diagnostic steps below in order. The Core Issue We have …

Can I Disable All AI Features in Firefox 148 Permanently? Mozilla Restores User Autonomy in Firefox 148 Mozilla has responded to significant community feedback regarding the integration of artificial intelligence into its browser ecosystem. Starting with Firefox 148, scheduled for release on February 24, 2026, you will gain access to a decisive “AI kill switch.” …

Is there a fix for the Outlook special character display bug? The Technical Issue Users are currently reporting a rendering error within Microsoft Outlook where German umlauts (Ä, Ö, Ü) display incorrectly as question marks. This anomaly surfaced in early February 2026 and affects both outgoing emails and items in the “Sent” folder. The corruption …

Is your VMware ESXi server safe from the latest ransomware attacks? Critical Security Advisory: Exposed VMware ESXi Servers Face Ransomware CERT-Bund issued a severe warning in late January 2026 regarding network security. A recent scan identified 2,500 VMware ESXi servers in Germany accessible directly via the public internet. This configuration violates standard security protocols. Concurrently, …

Is your organization vulnerable to the new APT28 Office zero-day attacks? Security teams must address an active threat targeting Microsoft Office and Outlook. Russian threat group APT28 (Fancy Bear) is exploiting CVE-2026-21509. This zero-day vulnerability allows attackers to bypass security checks within Office applications. Both Microsoft and security firms like ZScaler and CERT-UA have confirmed …

Will my PC stop booting when the Windows Secure Boot certificate expires in June 2026? Time is running out for Windows administrators and users. The root interaction between your hardware and operating system faces a critical expiration date. In June 2026, the original Secure Boot certificates—standardized 15 years ago during the Windows 8 era—will become …

Did Trisa AG just suffer a massive data breach from LYNX ransomware? Situation Report: Emerging Cyber Threats affecting Swiss Industry and Cloud Infrastructure As your security advisor, I must draw your attention to two critical developments in the cybersecurity landscape. We are tracking a specific ransomware allegation against a major Swiss manufacturer and a broader, …

Is your Linux system vulnerable to the critical February 2026 kernel exploit? Critical Action Required: BSI Flags Severe Linux Kernel Vulnerabilities The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has identified a critical security risk within the Linux kernel. Advisory WID-SEC-2026-0280, released on February 2, 2026, assigns these vulnerabilities a CVSS Base Score of 9.8. …

Why can’t I renew my standalone SharePoint Online license after 2026? Strategic Alert: Microsoft Retires Standalone SharePoint and OneDrive Plans Microsoft has confirmed a major restructuring of its cloud storage portfolio. Effective January 28, 2026, the tech giant announced the discontinuation of standalone licenses for SharePoint Online (SPO) and OneDrive for Business (ODB). This policy …

Should I upgrade to LibreOffice 26.2 or keep the older version? The Document Foundation released LibreOffice 26.2 on February 4, 2026. This update targets performance optimization and interoperability. While the feature list suggests significant efficiency gains, early user reports indicate potential stability issues on specific operating systems. Technical Enhancements and Features This release prioritizes the …

Why is Strato IMAP login failing since February 5th? Incident Report: Strato Email Service Disruption Date: February 5, 2026 Service Affected: Email Retrieval (IMAP) Status: Active Investigation / Restriction Strato customers are currently encountering significant difficulties accessing email accounts. As of 08:00 AM on February 5, 2026, a server-side disruption is restricting IMAP connections. This …

Is the new RDP Shortpath GPO update essential for Windows 365 connection stability? Optimizing Azure Virtual Desktop: RDP Shortpath Configuration Guide Administrators managing Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments received a critical toolset update on February 4, 2026. Microsoft effectively established general availability for RDP Shortpath configuration through Group Policy (GPO) and Microsoft Intune. This shift …

Is RustDesk safe for remote access after the February 2026 botnet outage? Critical Security Advisory: RustDesk Service Disruptions (Feb 2026) If you rely on RustDesk for remote administration, you must be aware of significant ongoing service interruptions. The platform’s public infrastructure is currently mitigating a massive, coordinated botnet attack. This activity has forced servers offline …

Is Microsoft permanently retiring EWS for Exchange Online tenants in 2027? The transition from Exchange Web Services (EWS) to Microsoft Graph is a critical infrastructure shift for any organization relying on Exchange Online. Microsoft has formalized the end-of-life timeline, creating a strict six-month window where tenant administrators must actively manage connectivity before a permanent shutdown. …

Is my network exposed to the new Fireware OS remote authentication exploit? Network administrators managing WatchGuard Firebox appliances must prioritize an immediate firmware update. A critical security gap, tracked as CVE-2026-1498, exposes your network directory services to unauthorized external access. This vulnerability affects the Fireware OS and requires patching to prevent data exfiltration or unauthorized …

Why is the Secure Boot update failing on Dell and Hyper-V systems? The deadline for the Secure Boot certificate expiration is approaching in June 2026. While Microsoft intended a smooth transition via standard Windows updates, administrators and users are encountering significant technical barriers. These hurdles primarily stem from virtualization incompatibilities and manufacturer-specific hardware restrictions. The …

Why Are Encrypted Apps Like WhatsApp and Instagram Leaking Private Data in 2026? The digital security landscape remains volatile this month. We see a clear pattern: even established platforms struggle with basic vulnerability management. Below is an advisory summary of the critical incidents reported through February 6, 2026. Substack Confirms Data Leak of 700,000 Accounts …

What Does the New Defender Update Mean for Teams Security? Microsoft has rescheduled a critical security update initially targeting January 2026. Starting mid-February 2026, administrators can block external Microsoft Teams users directly through the Microsoft Defender for Office 365 portal. This capability consolidates external threat management, allowing security teams to deny access and purge communications …

Is the Microsoft AI strategy failing to deliver ROI in 2026? The Disconnect Between Investment and Adoption You need to look past the marketing hype to understand the precarious position of Microsoft’s AI initiatives. While the company aggressively integrates Copilot into every facet of its ecosystem, the market response suggests a significant misalignment between product …

Summary Planned service maintenance for Power Platform environment to enhance stability, reliability, and performance. Downtime may last up to 10 minutes during the maintenance window. Action required: Inform users using Power Platform applications about the potential downtime. Admin Impact: Low User Impact: Medium Release Start: 12 Feb 2026 Release End: 13 Feb 2026 Services: Power …

Summary MCP-based agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat will now support rich interactive UI widgets for enhanced user engagement. This allows for more structured and visual interactions with agents. Administrators can manage agents and their access through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and Entra ID groups. Existing Copilot extensibility controls remain unchanged. No action is …

Summary New capabilities in Microsoft Teams will allow admins to review and export user-reported security submissions in the Teams admin center. A new Protection reports section will be introduced under Analytics and reports for unified visibility of user-reported incidents. Admins will access data on reported calls in Phase 1 and later for chats and channels …

Summary Microsoft Purview’s out-of-box sensitive information types will have stricter proximity matching rules for improved accuracy. Relaxed proximity matching previously used will be removed, potentially leading to fewer detections. Organizations relying on out-of-box sensitive information types in DLP policies may need to review and adjust their policies. Custom sensitive information types can still utilize broader …

Summary A new PowerShell cmdlet will allow administrators to change the organizer of existing meetings or meeting series in Exchange Online. The new organizer gains full control over the event and no action is required from internal attendees, as their calendars will be updated automatically. External attendees will receive two meeting notifications and need to …