Microsoft plans to improve customer data protection with a dedicated unit, CEO Satya Nadella has announced at the Microsoft Government Cloud Forum. The Cyber Defense Operations Center will bring together security response experts from across the company, a Microsoft Enterprise Cybersecurity Group will improve security for corporate clients.
As Microsoft´s Bret Arsenault explains on the Microsoft blog, the new security approach re-defines how Microsoft tackles protection, detection and response to security threats.
“We must better Protect all endpoints – from sensors and datacenters to identities and SaaS applications. We must move faster to Detect threats using the scale and intelligence of the cloud, machine learning and behavioral monitoring. We must Respond more quickly and comprehensively, and empower our customers with insights that are actionable and holistic.
Microsoft’s unique insights into the threat landscape, informed by trillions of signals from billions of sources, create an intelligent security graph that we use to inform how we protect all endpoints, better detect attacks and accelerate our response. The intelligent security graph is powered by inputs we receive across our end points, consumer services, commercial services and on-premises technologies – and uniquely positions us to better protect our customers and their data.”
Satya Nadella has shared some specific details about the new security strategy which embraces the product channels Windows 10, Office 365, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) to work in tandem with each other.
Increased collaboration with industry partners
Partner solutions from across the security ecosystem shall deliver a more “holistic, agile, security platform” and use insights from the intelligent security graph, whose “security features are designed to help prevent the accidental or intentional loss of corporate data, prevent password related attacks, and prevent and respond to the installation of malware on a machine.”
Some examples about how this works were also given.
- Protection against password related attacks using Windows 10’s Microsoft Passport and Windows Hello with strong biometrics to eliminate the need for passwords and Credential Guard which protects from pass the hash attacks with new virtualization technology.
- Protection against accidental or intentional data loss with the Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) “which provides features that help IT protect and manage corporate applications and data on any Windows, iOS and Android device.”
- Malware Protection via Windows 10 Device Guard to prevent the installation of untrusted or malicious code, Windows Defender with its built in protection for all Windows 10 users and Office 365’s Advanced Threat Protection which prevents users inadvertently downloading and installing untrusted software.
- Help in detection and response to successful attacks using Advanced Threat Analytics, a technology that detects anomalous patterns and recommends configuration changes to protect you from current and future attacks, and Azure Security Center, that helps you protect, detect and respond to security threats in real-time now using “advanced, analytics-driven threat detection” in cooperation with companies like Barracuda, Checkpoint, Cisco Systems Inc., CloudFlare, F5 Networks, Imperva, Incapsula, and Trend Micro Inc.
You can watch Satya Nadella´s full keynote of the Microsoft Government Cloud Forum here.
New Cloud + Enterprise Innovations in Enterprise Security
On Microsoft´s Server & Cloud Blog Takeshi Numoto has added some more details to the broader strategic view shared by Nadella and how the stronger focus on security affects enterprise security and cloud management.
“Over the last few months, in the Cloud and Enterprise division at Microsoft we have delivered key new capabilities across the whole stack to help you confidently capture the opportunities that come with new business opportunities in a more mobile and connected world, while improving security. In SQL 2016 for instance we are delivering end-to-end security and encryption built-in, with new capabilities also coming to Azure SQL DB.
To help you encrypt other types of data in Azure, we introduced Azure Key Vault. For your on-premises identity infrastructure, we introduced new detection capabilities for advanced threats. As your company adopts more and more cloud apps, we acquired Adallom to protect across your SaaS services with insight into corporate data and user activity. Finally, we are taking cloud identity assets in Azure Active Directory that support your employees protection and extending them to your partners and customers.”
You can find a detailed listing of improved security solutions on Microsoft´s Server & Cloud Blog.
Source: Microsoft Blog, Microsoft´s Server & Cloud Blog
Image credit: Microsoft
