It’s Tuesday!

You know the rollout that goes perfectly, right up until the help desk phones start ringing? We’re exploring how to change that so that change management actually brings… change. We’re also unpacking key aspects of credential stuffing, such as “what,” “why,” and “how to avoid it.”

Meanwhile, Spiceheads are debating whether a backup job marked “successful” actually proves anything, and how cheap a humanoid robot needs to be before they bring one home to the family. And if you’re headed to SpiceWorld this week, don’t forget to check the weather forecast for Austin so that you can pack smart.

Before you dive in: Think you’ve got PowerShell all figured out? Put your scripting smarts to the test in today’s Daily Challenge.

Let's keep IT spicy!

SpiceRex Spiceworks Community

IT Life

The knowledge habits that decide what actually changes

Congratulations: Your VPN rollout went off without a hitch. But is your knowledge base updated to match, or does it still show the old client’s screenshots and procedures? If your help desk’s fielding repetitive questions on what’s changed, then it’s probably the latter. That gap between rollout and updating the knowledge base determines what changes.

Denis Tom shares a few simple habits to help small IT teams with knowledge management and change control; no new tools or knowledge programs required

Security

How to protect your network from credential stuffing

Passwords can meet every complexity rule and still be insecure—because they’ve already leaked somewhere else. That’s what powers credential stuffing. Attackers buy bundles of stolen logins and let automated tools try them on more than 140 online services at once.

Rose de Fremery explains how these attacks sneak past lockout rules and what they’ve cost companies like 23andMe and PayPal. She also lays out four-layered defenses, from MFA to passkeys, that turn stolen credentials into duds before they reach your network.

Make stolen passwords worthless »

Security

A backup job says “successful”: Is that enough?

That little green checkmark on a backup job feels great, right up until you need to restore something. One Spiceworks member is asking what “successful” really proves: Did the right data get backed up? Can you restore a single file without recovering everything? Are older versions still around? And can you still reach your backups if the admin account is compromised?

What does your team check before it trusts a backup? Bring your sanity checks (and any restore-day tragedies) to the thread.

Share your backup checks »

Unanswered Questions

Answering the call to solve IT dilemmas

We spotlight questions in every newsletter, offering you the chance to step up, share your expertise, and make a difference.

It's not just about solving IT dilemmas; it's an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and earn some well-deserved points and badges along the way.

Help fellow IT pros by sharing your expertise »

Poll of the Week

How cheap would a humanoid robot need to be for you to buy one?

Picture a robot that does your chores and never once submits a ticket marked “urgent.” Tempting, right? This week’s poll asks how low the price would have to drop before you’d bring one home. Some members want proof that it can handle real physical work first, like chopping wood to their specifications. Others would take a smart laundry closet over a humanoid hovering around trying to help—and if you start feeling the need to be polite to the robot, not over-burden it… does that count as slavery (to us or the bot)? And who’s buying a $2500 phone?

One poll, a million questions.

Vote in this week’s poll! »

Water Cooler

Heading to SpiceWorld? Here’s your Austin weather forecast.

If you’re packing for SpiceWorld, one helpful community member has something you should check out: a full forecast of Austin’s weather this week, from one of his staff meteorologists.

The week starts with clouds and a little drizzle, then dries out right as most attendees arrive. By Thursday, you can expect clear skies and highs in the upper 70s. One member pointed out that with so many power supply vendors attending, there’s plenty of backup on hand if a storm knocks out the lights.

Umbrella or sunglasses? »

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