Brock

Patch Tuesday

In this March Patch Tuesday recap, we break down the 78 vulnerabilities Microsoft patched, including remote code execution, elevation of privilege issues, and a familiar villain returning to haunt us: the print spooler. 

Patch Tuesday | March 2026

March 2026 Patch Tuesday has arrived. Take some time to review this month’s Microsoft security updates while also celebrating Mario Day and National Ranch Day!

Patch Tuesday March 2026

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Connect - PDQ blog

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Welcome back to another Patch Tuesday recap. It’s February, which means Valentine’s Day is in the air. But don’t worry, Microsoft is here to remind us that love is temporary, but Windows updates are forever.

Patch Tuesday February 2026

PDQ Discord

Discord

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New year, same old Microsoft. Discover what has, and more importantly, what hasn’t, changed with our first Patch Tuesday recap of 2026.

Patch Tuesday January 2026

Patch Tuesday january 2026

Connect - interested in Connect?

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TL;DR conferences

It's time to start thinking about which tech or IT conferences you want to attend in 2026. Check out our list of the best tech and IT conferences.

Best tech and IT conferences of 2026

Best IT conferences of 2026

IT conferences

Sysadmins

Cybersecurity conferences

Microsoft conferences

MacAdmin conferences

A quick snapshot of the best 2026 tech conferences for sysadmins and IT pros, organized by specialty so you can plan your year in minutes.

Best 2026 tech and IT conferences for sysadmin and IT professionals

Yes. IT conferences in 2026 offer valuable opportunities to connect with peers, learn from industry experts, and explore the latest tools and technologies. Attendees also get hands-on feedback from vendors and access to expert support. And don't forget: Many conferences heavily invest in having fun.

Are IT conferences worth attending?

Yes. Many conferences include dedicated networking opportunities, such as workshops, meetups, and exhibition series. Whether you're a sysadmin, product manager, or DevOps engineer, connecting with innovators and peers can lead to lasting professional relationships.

Are there good networking opportunities for IT professionals at 2026 conferences?

Microsoft Copilot is expected to be a hot topic at multiple 2026 conferences focused on AI, cloud services, and the Power Platform. Events like Microsoft Ignite and TechMentor often include featured speakers from Microsoft demonstrating Copilot's capabilities in real-world IT scenarios.

Will Microsoft Copilot be featured at any 2026 events?

Conferences like Black Hat, RSAC Conference, and Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo spotlight artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies. They attract thought leaders and startups showcasing groundbreaking innovations across the tech spectrum.

Which conferences are best for staying updated on artificial intelligence and emerging tech?

Patch Tuesday Light Blue

This month’s Patch Tuesday may be lighter than last year’s, but Microsoft still dropped 56 shiny new CVEs in your stocking. Two critical. One actively exploited.

Patch Tuesday December 2025

The holidays are upon us! No, not those holidays — I’m talking about Patch Tuesday. Discover what Santa Gates has brought us this year in our Patch Tuesday recap.

Illustration of computer desk and monitor with PDQ logo

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An interview with Dan Cook about partnerships and acquisitions

 How Acquisitions REALLY Work (PDQ CEO Explains)

Partnerships and acquisitions can be challenging for any business. Discover how Dan Cook, CEO of PDQ, navigates M&A to ensure to ensure a positive outcome.

Partnerships without the panic: M&A done right

Partnerships without the panic: M&A done right social share image.

Patch Tuesday (green)

Another month, another pile of patches. But hey, November's Patch Tuesday isn’t the nightmare October was—so let's count our lucky registry keys. This month brings us 63 CVEs, five marked critical, and only one zero-day (and it's more yawn than panic). 

Patch Tuesday November 2025 

Last month, Microsoft had quite the send-off for Windows 10. Discover if the focus on Windows 11 changes what we can expect going forward on Patch Tuesday.

Patch Tuesday November 2025

RIP Windows 10. Microsoft just pulled the plug (unless you've got piles of cash). This Patch Tuesday is kind of a big deal: 173 exploits, three zero-days, and a fax machine vulnerability that screams "just stop already."

Patch Tuesday October 2025

October 2025 Patch Tuesday is here, marking the official EoL for Windows 10. Discover what updates were released as it joins Windows XP and 7 in retirement.

Patch Tuesday October 2025 

Tara Sinquefield

Microsoft’s back at it again with another spicy Patch Tuesday, and this one is not going to win them any new friends.

Patch Tuesday September 2025

September’s Patch Tuesday recap is live! Learn what Microsoft fixed, what it might break, and why testing and vetting patches is more important than ever.

Patch Tuesday september 2025

Patch Tuesday October 2023

Automate your patching COB

If you thought August was for vacations, the internet bad guys clearly didn’t get the memo. Between actual zero-days, “promise-it’s-not-a-zero-day” zero-days, and Microsoft’s heroic effort to fix things, it’s been a busy month.

Patch Tuesday | August 2025

August’s cyber news is heating up for all the wrong reasons, but Microsoft is here to cool things down with critical Patch Tuesday fixes and updates.

Patch Tuesday August 2025

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TL;DR: telemetry

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Windows Diagnostics and feedback page showing a policy notice that the organization prevents sending diagnostic data to Microsoft.

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O&O ShutUp10++ privacy settings list showing recommended Windows privacy and telemetry-related toggles.

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General – Generic COB Centralize 

Microsoft calls it “telemetry,” users call it invasive. Learn how to disable Windows telemetry with Group Policy, PowerShell, registry tweaks, and more.

How to disable Windows telemetry

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Windows telemetry cannot be fully disabled on most editions, but you can significantly reduce it by turning off optional diagnostic data and enforcing stricter limits using Group Policy, the registry, or endpoint management tools like PDQ Connect.

Can you fully disable Windows telemetry?

Windows telemetry is a data collection system in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that sends diagnostic, usage, and performance data to Microsoft to improve reliability, security, and user experience.

What is Windows telemetry in Windows 10 and 11?

The easiest way to reduce Windows telemetry is by turning off optional diagnostic data in the Settings app. In Windows 11, go to Privacy and security, then Diagnostics and feedback, and turn off Send optional diagnostic data.

How do you disable Windows telemetry in Settings?

You can disable Windows telemetry by setting the AllowTelemetry registry value to 0 under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection. This enforces the lowest diagnostic data level allowed by your Windows edition.

How do you disable Windows telemetry using the registry?

Group Policy allows administrators to centrally disable or limit Windows telemetry across multiple devices by configuring the Allow Diagnostic Data policy under Data Collection and Preview Builds.

How do you disable Windows telemetry with Group Policy?

Yes. You can disable Windows telemetry across multiple devices by deploying a PowerShell script with PDQ Connect that creates the DataCollection registry key if needed and sets AllowTelemetry to 0.

Can you disable Windows telemetry with PDQ Connect?

Yes. Windows feature updates can re-enable certain privacy-related settings, so telemetry restrictions should be reviewed after major updates.

Can Windows updates re-enable telemetry settings?

Turn off optional diagnostic data in Windows Settings to reduce telemetry collection.

Disable Windows telemetry in Settings

Open Settings

In Windows 11, right-click the Start button, then click Settings.

Open Diagnostics and feedback

Click Privacy and security, then click Diagnostics and feedback.

Turn off optional diagnostic data

Set the AllowTelemetry registry value to 0 to enforce the lowest diagnostic data level allowed by your Windows edition.

Disable Windows telemetry using the registry

Open Registry Editor

In the Windows search bar, type registry editor. Select the Registry Editor app, then click Yes on the User Account Control warning dialog box.

Go to the DataCollection key

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection.

Create the AllowTelemetry value if needed

If you do not see the AllowTelemetry value, right-click an open space in the right pane, click New, then click DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new value AllowTelemetry.

Set the value to 0

Double-click AllowTelemetry and set the value data to 0.

Deploy a PowerShell script with PDQ Connect to disable Windows telemetry across multiple devices.

Disable Windows telemetry with PDQ Connect

Create a package

In PDQ Connect, click Packages, then click Create package.

Add a script step

Name the package, then add a Script step.

Set the script type to PowerShell

Add the telemetry registry script

Add a script that checks for the DataCollection registry key, creates it if needed, and creates the AllowTelemetry DWORD with a value of 0.

Save and deploy the package

Click Save. When you are ready, select the package, click Deploy, add your target devices or groups, then click Deploy.

Patch Tuesday July 2025

July 2025 Patch Tuesday is here and so is our recap! Check out this month’s fixes, updates, and surprises from Microsoft before you hit that reboot button.

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In-place upgrade Discord shoutout

Tired of waiting for Windows 11? Don’t wait for Microsoft. Discover how to perform an in-place Windows upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 right now.

How to perform an in-place Windows upgrade

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Patch Tuesday June 2025

We’re back with a Father’s Day-themed Patch Tuesday recap for June 2025. Find out if you’ll be spending your weekend patching or grilling in peace.

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Patch Tuesday May 2025

Microsoft’s May 2025 Patch Tuesday updates finally land after a five-week hiatus. Extra time means better updates, right? Find out with our Patch Tuesday recap!

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Enter-PSSession -ComputerName <computer_name>

Running Enter-PSSession in PowerShell against a remote computer.

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Running a command against a remote target that I am connected to with Enter-PSSession.

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New-PSSession -ComputerName <computer_name>

Running the New-PSSession PowerShell cmdlet to create a new persistent remote session.

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Entering into an existing remote session.

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$sesh = New-PSSession -ComputerName <computer_name>

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$sesh = New-PSSession -ComputerName <computer_name1>, <computer_name2>, <computer_name3>

Connecting to multiple remote sessions in PowerShell.

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Invoke-Command -Session $sesh -ScriptBlock {Get-PSDrive C | Select-Object -Property Name, Free, Used}

Using existing remote sessions with Invoke-Command in PowerShell.

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Invoke-Command -ComputerName <computer_name1>, <computer_name2> -ScriptBlock {Command-ToRun}

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Invoke-Command -ComputerName AANG, TOPH, KATARA -ScriptBLock {Get-WindowsEdition -Online}

Using Invoke-Command to run a command against multiple remote computers at once in PowerShell.

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The command window displays the results form the executed command.

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Add targets and modify additional remote commands options.

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Running commands from the Commands tab in PDQ Connect.

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Showcasing the results of a command run in the Commands window in PDQ Connect.

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Add your targets to the deployment, then click Deploy.

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Navigating to the Deployments page to view script deployment results.

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Viewing the output of a script run on a remote computer in PDQ Connect.

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Nobody’s got time to walk to a computer just to run a command. Learn how to save time and steps by running remote commands from the comfort of your office chair.

How to run PowerShell commands on remote computers

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remote_variables_ps1

#Declare some variables
$a = "I love frozen chimichangas. There, I said it."
$b = 30
$c = 1 + 1
$d = $b + $c
$e
$f = childItem -Path "C:\Cool stuff"
$g = "Dell","HP","Lenovo","Apple"
#Return varaible values
Get-Variable -Include a,b,c,d,e,f,g

A script creating several different types of variables in PowerShell.

Remote variables1

The results of calling a locally defined variable in a remote PowerShell command.

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A PowerShell script that defines variables locally as well as in a remote command.

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remote_variables_ps2

$MyVariable = 42
Write-Output "MyVariable has a local value of: $MyVariable"
Invoke-Command -ComputerName TOPH -ScriptBlock {
Write-Output "MyVariable has a remote value of: $Using:MyVariable"
}

A PowerShell script that utilizes the "Using:" scope modifier to call locally defined variables in a remote command.

Remote variables4

PowerShell variables can get a bit finicky when you add them to remote commands. Discover the right way to reference your variables in your remote commands.

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