Using gen AI to find threats and share that information with all of its applications, copilots, extended detection and response systems.
AI has become the force multiplier attackers were waiting to fine-tune their tradecraft for greater accuracy and devastating results while avoiding detection. FraudGPT and other attempts by attackers to sell AI-based attack tools are just the beginning.
Microsoft’s decision to go all-in on generative AI to unify threat intelligence across all security apps, copilots, clouds, and platforms reflects their enterprise customers’ urgency for a solution to stop these attacks that often go undetected.
Today at Microsoft Ignite 2023, Microsoft launched a series of new cybersecurity solutions designed to identify, detect, and respond to threats enterprises face, many of which current detection and response systems can’t detect or stop. The company’s new idea of cybersecurity is based on using generative AI to find threats and share that information with all of its applications, copilots, extended detection and response (XDR) systems, the cloud, and hybrid clouds in real-time. Gen AI is the new DNA of Microsoft’s broad security strategy. Attack data shows enterprise human and machine identities under siege
“The speed, scale, and sophistication of cyber attacks today are unparalleled, and security is the number one priority for CIOs worldwide,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on the company’s FY24 Q1 earnings call in October. He stated, “We see high demand for security copilot, the industry’s first and most advanced generative AI product, which is now seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Defender 365.
Nadella said on the conference call that security copilot can stop attacks at machine speed, an area of concern for many CISOs.
CISOs tell VentureBeat machine identities are growing exponentially faster than human ones, and one confided that up to 40% of endpoints are unknown on their network.
Machine industries are growing so fast that it is estimated that most enterprises have up to 45 times more machine identities than human ones. Gen AI is table stakes for controlling and securing machine identities at scale.
Microsoft detected password attacks surging from 579 per second to over 4,000 in the last two years. Existing systems need help to keep up with the rapidly growing number and complexity of password attacks. With cybercrime losses projected to reach $10.5 trillion globally by 2025, attackers continue fine-tuning their tradecraft with AI and exploring new breach strategies.
Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management, says, “Generative AI is ushering in a new era of cyber defense by enabling us to be proactive instead of reactive. Microsoft Security has the largest data footprint in the world with 65 trillion daily signals, combined with expertise in global threat intelligence, monitoring more than 300+ threat groups, and insights on attacker behaviors from more than 1 million customers and over 15,000 partners.Selling consolidation with gen-AI powered XDR
With app and platform consolidation on the minds of nearly every CISO and CIO today, Microsoft’s decision to launch its unified security operations platform now is good timing, especially with its promise of delivering increased visibility across infrastructures. The operations platform security suite includes Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender XDR, and Microsoft Security Copilot.
