Author: Steve Morton

Compare two columns for missing values in Excel

At work this morning, I had to make a list of managed computers with 32-bit operating systems which were not checking into a console. In this article from ExtendOffice, they walked through the process of comparing two columns for duplicate data by using a formula in the third column.

Once I had the formula 1 in place, I formatted the data as a table. Clicking the third column’s header provided the option to uncheck “Select All”, then scroll down and select (Blanks). The resulting view showed the items missing from my list.

 

Automating FTP on the Mac with High Sierra

At work, I was scripting the connection to an FTP server and downloading a website backup.

From articles at Low-End Mac and Mac OS X Hints, this seemed pretty straightforward.

However, the command-line FTP app was removed from recent versions of macOS. A conversation on Stack Exchange explained how to download and install the command-line FTP application.

Now the pieces are in place and that task is automated!

Adding Two-Factor Authentication to a 1Password login

I’ve been using using 1Password since version 2, way back in 2009. As of this writing, the beta of 1Password version 7, and it is a nice update.

Today, while registering for a new web service, 1Password alerted me the web service had Two-Factor Authentication (I will call it 2FA hereafter) and I had not yet enabled the feature. Enabling 2FA is important from a security standpoint. To access your account, a hacker would need your credentials (username and password), plus a temporary code from the 2FA provider.

Back in 2015, AgileBits gave 1Password the ability to act as a 2FA token. However, it had been a while since adding 2FA to a login in 1Password, and I could not recall the process.

Here is an AgileBits blog post that details the process. There’s even a video to make things easier to understand!

Using Two-Factor Authentication with Office 365

Back in the 90’s and 00’s, using encrypted e-mail and 2FA to secure systems were stigmatized as something only hackers and paranoid people used.

Increasingly, encrypted e-mail and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), also called Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) by Microsoft, has become more common, and more necessary.

I would document the process to enable and use 2FA for Office 365, but there’s a problem: Microsoft is continuously updating O365, so the steps and setting names this month may not be the same when you read these words. Instead, I will link to Microsoft’s documentation (and hope they keep the URL’s the same).

The pages I feel are most useful are Documentation for Administrators to set up the system, and Documentation for End Users on what to expect and how to set their authentication method(s).

In practice, enabling 2FA is pretty straightforward, but the initial user experience can be bumpy. While documentation says Office 2016 does not require an app password, that’s not correct. The morning after I enabled this on my account, upon login I was prompted for credentials when opening both the Office 365 versions of Skype for Business and Outlook.