Question:

I recently had a meeting with a Microsoft V- who contacted me for my annual renew. He could not answer some of my technical questions and said he would follow up with an engineer. He also asked me to install an auditing tool on my domain controllers as part of a security initiative. However, I already have Defender for Endpoint InTune sensors that provide the same data to the cloud. I suspect that he is actually trying to conduct a licensing audit without disclosing it. My environment is old and has been managed by various technicians before me. I am not sure if everything is properly licensed. I am inclined to decline the installation of the auditing tool. Is this a common practice by Microsoft? Why did he contact me from Spain when I am in a US tenant? I have always worked with US-based V-s before.

Answer:

How to Deal with a Suspicious Microsoft V-

If you are a Microsoft customer, you may have encountered a Microsoft V- (Virtual Technical Specialist) who contacted you for your annual renew. A V- is supposed to be a technical expert who can answer your questions and provide guidance on Microsoft products and services. However, some V-s may have ulterior motives and try to get access to your environment for purposes other than helping you.

In this article, we will discuss a scenario where a V- asked a customer to install an auditing tool on his domain controllers as part of a security initiative. The customer already had Defender for Endpoint InTune sensors that provide the same data to the cloud. He suspected that the V- was actually trying to conduct a licensing audit without disclosing it. His environment was old and had been managed by various technicians before him. He was not sure if everything was properly licensed. He was inclined to decline the installation of the auditing tool. He also wondered if this was a common practice by Microsoft and why the V- contacted him from Spain when he was in a US tenant. He had always worked with US-based V-s before.

A licensing audit is a process where Microsoft verifies that a customer is using its products and services in compliance with the terms and conditions of the license agreement. Microsoft may conduct a licensing audit for various reasons, such as:

• To ensure that the customer is paying the correct amount for the products and services they use
• To identify any unauthorized or illegal use of Microsoft products and services
• To provide the customer with recommendations on how to optimize their usage and reduce costs
• To enforce Microsoft’s intellectual property rights and protect its revenue

Microsoft may conduct a licensing audit either remotely or on-site, depending on the type and scope of the audit. Microsoft may use different methods and tools to collect data from the customer’s environment, such as:

• Self-assessment questionnaires
• Online tools that scan the customer’s network and devices
• Third-party tools that require installation on the customer’s servers or devices
• Microsoft personnel or authorized partners who visit the customer’s premises and inspect the environment

How to recognize a suspicious V- request?

A V- is supposed to be a trusted advisor who can help you with your technical questions and issues. However, some V-s may try to trick you into installing an auditing tool on your environment without telling you the real purpose. This may expose you to the risk of:

• Violating your license agreement and facing penalties or legal actions
• Compromising your security and privacy by allowing unauthorized access to your data
• Damaging your performance and stability by installing unnecessary or incompatible software
• Losing your trust and confidence in Microsoft and its products and services

To avoid falling victim to a suspicious V- request, you should look out for the following signs:

• The V- contacts you unexpectedly and without a prior appointment
• The V- cannot answer your technical questions and defers to another engineer
• The V- asks you to install an auditing tool that you have never heard of or that duplicates the functionality of another tool you already have
• The V- does not explain the purpose and benefits of the auditing tool and how it relates to your security initiative
• The V- does not provide you with any documentation or evidence to support the legitimacy of the auditing tool and the request
• The V- pressures you to install the auditing tool quickly and without consulting your IT team or management
• The V- contacts you from a different country or region than your tenant or your usual V-s

How to respond to a suspicious V- request?

If you encounter a suspicious V- request, you should not agree to install the auditing tool or provide any access to your environment without verifying the identity and authority of the V-. You should also report the incident to Microsoft and your IT team or management. Here are some steps you can take to respond to a suspicious V- request:

• Ask the V- for his name, email address, phone number, and manager’s name and contact information
• Ask the V- for the name and version of the auditing tool and the URL where you can download it
• Ask the V- for the reason and scope of the auditing request and how it relates to your security initiative
• Ask the V- for the documentation and evidence that prove the validity and necessity of the auditing request and the tool
• Ask the V- for the expected duration and impact of the auditing process and the tool on your environment
• Ask the V- for the data collection and retention policy and the privacy and security measures that are in place to protect your data
• Ask the V- for the results and outcomes of the auditing process and how they will be communicated to you
• Verify the information provided by the V- with Microsoft and your IT team or management
• Decline the installation of the auditing tool or the access to your environment until you are satisfied with the verification
• Report the suspicious V- request to Microsoft and your IT team or management and provide them with the details of the incident

Conclusion

A licensing audit is a legitimate and necessary process that Microsoft may conduct to ensure that its customers are using its products and services in compliance with the license agreement. However, some V-s may try to exploit your trust and persuade you to install an auditing tool on your environment without disclosing the real purpose. This may expose you to the risk of violating your license agreement, compromising your security and privacy, damaging your performance and stability, and losing your trust and confidence in Microsoft and its products and services.

To avoid falling victim to a suspicious V- request, you should look out for the signs that indicate a possible scam, such as unexpected contact, lack of technical knowledge, unclear purpose and benefits, missing documentation and evidence, pressure and urgency, and different country or region. You should also verify the identity and authority of the V- and the validity and necessity of the auditing request and the tool with Microsoft and your IT team or management. You should also decline the installation of the auditing tool or the access to your environment until you are satisfied with the verification. You should also report the suspicious V- request to Microsoft and your IT team or management and provide them with the details of the incident.

By

following these steps, you can protect yourself and your environment from a suspicious V- request and maintain a positive and productive relationship with Microsoft and its products and services.