Success in security: reining in entropy

Your network is unique. It’s a living, breathing system evolving over time. Data is created. Data is processed. Data is accessed. Data is manipulated. Data can be forgotten. The applications and users performing these actions are all unique parts of the system, adding degrees of disorder and...

Protect your accounts with smarter ways to sign in on World Passwordless Day

As the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, our lives have become increasingly dependent on digital interactions. Operating at home, we’ve had to rely on e-commerce, telehealth, and e-government to manage the everyday business of life. Our daily online usage has increased by over 20 percent...

Secure the software development lifecycle with machine learning

Every day, software developers stare down a long list of features and bugs that need to be addressed. Security professionals try to help by using automated tools to prioritize security bugs, but too often, engineers waste time on false positives or miss a critical security vulnerability that has...

Quick wins—single sign-on (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

With Multi-Factor Authentication MFA and single sign-on SSO being a few of the most effective countermeasures against modern threats, organizations should consider a Cloud Identity as a Service IDaaS, and MFA solution, like Azure Active Directory AD. Here are seven benefits: 1. Azure AD is simple...

Announcing the Microsoft Graph Security Hackathon winners

Bringing together information from multiple disconnected security systems to solve today’s security challenges is complex. We recently asked Microsoft Graph Security Hackathon participants to come up with innovative solutions using the Microsoft Graph Security API, and they did not disappoint. We...

StealC and Amadey: Breaking down infostealers and the cybercrime services that deliver them

In this article 1. The role of infostealers: From credential theft to intrusion 2. StealC: Infostealer for rent 3. Amadey: Malware-as-a-service for delivery of infostealers 4. Defending against StealC and Amadey intrusions 5. Microsoft Defender detections 6. Indicators of compromise Infostealers...

Defending new vectors: Threat actors attempt SQL Server to cloud lateral movement

Microsoft security researchers recently identified a campaign where attackers attempted to move laterally to a cloud environment through a SQL Server instance. This attack technique demonstrates an approach weve seen in other cloud services such as VMs and Kubernetes cluster, but not in SQL Serve...

Cyber Signals: 3 strategies for protection against ransomware

The “as a service” business model has gained widespread popularity as growing cloud adoption has made it possible for people to access important services through third-party providers. Given the convenience and agility of service offerings, perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that the “as a servic...

Looking for the ‘Sliver’ lining: Hunting for emerging command-and-control frameworks

Microsoft has observed the Sliver command-and-control C2 framework now being adopted and integrated in intrusion campaigns by nation-state threat actors, cybercrime groups directly supporting ransomware and extortion, and other threat actors to evade detection. We’ve seen these actors use Sliver...

A guide to combatting human-operated ransomware: Part 1

This blog is part one of a two-part series focused on how Microsoft DART helps customers with human-operated ransomware. For more guidance on human-operated ransomware and how to defend against these extortion-based attacks, refer to our human-operated ransomware docs page. Microsoft’s Detection...

Afternoon Cyber Tea: Privacy, the pandemic, and protecting our cyber future

Much of our everyday life has moved online with the pandemic continuing to play a role in how we work and communicate with others. This migration has meant that security and privacy continue to remain top-of-mind for both security professionals and those who may not have given these cyber issues ...

Collaborative innovation on display in Microsoft’s insider risk management strategy

The disrupted work environment, in which enterprises were forced to find new ways to enable their workforce to work remotely, changed the landscape for operations as well as security. One of the top areas of concern is managing insider risks, a complex undertaking even before the pandemic, and ev...

Understanding influences shaping the cybersecurity landscape, enabling digital transformation, and helping to protect our planet

The accelerated rate of digital transformation we have seen this past year presents both challenges and endless opportunities for individuals, organizations, businesses, and governments around the world. Cybersecurity is the underpinning of helping protect these opportunities. By examining the...

IoT security: how Microsoft protects Azure Datacenters

Azure Sphere first entered the IoT Security market in 2018 with a clear mission—to empower every organization on the planet to connect and create secure and trustworthy IoT devices. Security is the foundation for durable innovation and business resilience. Every industry investing in IoT must...

Forrester TEI study: Azure Sentinel delivers 201 percent ROI over 3 years and a payback of less than 6 months

2020 has been a transitional year, ushering in broad changes in how, and where, we work. Security operations SecOps teams face more significant challenges than ever as they protect the organization in this rapidly changing environment. These teams need a flexible, cost-effective, and efficient...

Cyberattacks against machine learning systems are more common than you think

Machine learning ML is making incredible transformations in critical areas such as finance, healthcare, and defense, impacting nearly every aspect of our lives. Many businesses, eager to capitalize on advancements in ML, have not scrutinized the security of their ML systems. Today, along with...

5 cybersecurity paradigm shifts that will lead to more inclusive digital experiences

Whether responding to a natural disaster, defending against a cyberattack, or meeting the unprecedented demands to enable the largest workforce in history to work remotely, we amplify our human capacity through technology. At Microsoft, cybersecurity is the underpinning to helping organizations...

sLoad launches version 2.0, Starslord

sLoad, the PowerShell-based Trojan downloader notable for its almost exclusive use of the Background Intelligent Transfer Service BITS for malicious activities, has launched version 2.0. The new version comes on the heels of a comprehensive blog we published detailing the malware’s multi-stage...

Delivering security innovation that puts Microsoft’s experience to work for you

Cybersecurity is the central challenge of our digital age. Without it, everything from our personal email accounts and privacy to the way we do business, and all types of critical infrastructure, are under threat. As attackers evolve, staying ahead of these threats is getting harder. Microsoft ca...

Use Windows Information Protection (WIP) to help make accidental data leakage a thing of the past

Have you always wished you could have mobile application management MAM on Windows? Now you can! Windows Information Protection WIP is an out-of-the box data leakage prevention feature for Windows 10 that can automatically apply protection for work files and data to prevent accidental data leakag...

Microsoft Security Intelligence Report volume 23 is now available

As security incidents and events keep making headlines, Microsoft is committed to helping our customers and the rest of the security community to make sense of the risks and offer recommendations. Old and new malware continues to get propagated through massive botnets, attackers are increasing...

Sharing research and discoveries at PWN2OWN

The annual PWN2OWN exploit contest at the CanSecWest conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, brings together some of the top security talent from across the globe in a friendly competition. For the participants, these events are a platform to demonstrate world-class skills and vie for...

Reconstructing AI activity in investigations

AI systems are now part of everyday work. Investigators need a consistent way to reconstruct what happened within them. Security teams are already investigating activity involving Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure AI services—from prompt injection attempts to unexpected data access. Those signals a...

Contagious Interview: Malware delivered through fake developer job interviews

Microsoft Defender Experts has observed the Contagious Interview campaign, a sophisticated social engineering operation active since at least December 2022. Microsoft continues to detect activity associated with this campaign in recent customer environments, targeting software developers at...

Insights from Microsoft Security Copilot early adopters

To understand why customers are adopting generative AI solutions like Microsoft Security Copilot, we have to go back to the cyberthreat landscape—which continues to get more challenging. Organizations are facing a surge in cyberattacks while also dealing with a global shortage of security talent...

Volt Typhoon targets US critical infrastructure with living-off-the-land techniques

Microsoft has uncovered stealthy and targeted malicious activity focused on post-compromise credential access and network system discovery aimed at critical infrastructure organizations in the United States. The attack is carried out by Volt Typhoon, a state-sponsored actor based in China that...

Microsoft Security Experts discuss evolving threats in roundtable chat

I don’t know about you, but we’re still catching our breath after 2022. Microsoft Security blocked more than 70 billion email and identity threats last year.1 In the same 12-month span, ransomware attacks impacted more than 200 large organizations in the United States alone, spanning government,...

Unraveling the techniques of Mac ransomware

Ransomware continues to be one of the most prevalent and impactful threats affecting organizations, with attackers constantly evolving their techniques and expanding their tradecraft to cast a wider net of potential targets. This is evident in the range of industries, systems, and platforms...

Defenders beware: A case for post-ransomware investigations

Ransomware is one of the most pervasive threats that Microsoft Detection and Response Team DART responds to today. The groups behind these attacks continue to add sophistication to their tactics, techniques, and procedures TTPs as most network security postures increase. In this blog, we detail a...

The art and science behind Microsoft threat hunting: Part 1

At Microsoft, we define threat hunting as the practice of actively looking for cyberthreats that have covertly or not so covertly penetrated an environment. This involves looking beyond the known alerts or malicious threats to discover new potential threats and vulnerabilities. Why do incident...

Microsoft Security highlights from Black Hat USA 2022

Black Hat USA 2022 marked the twenty-fifth year that security researchers, security architects, and other security professionals have gathered to share the latest research, developments, and trends. Microsoft was among the companies participating in the conference, which was from August 6 to 11,...

Detect active network reconnaissance with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

The Microsoft Compromise Recovery Security Practice has observed how the security industry has evolved over the last few years as consumers, businesses, and industry professionals continue to adapt to the changing landscape. We have seen the emergence of new frameworks, such as the Cybersecurity...

Celebrating 20 Years of Trustworthy Computing

20 years ago this week, Bill Gates sent a now-famous email to all Microsoft employees announcing the creation of the Trustworthy Computing TwC initiative. The initiative was intended to put customer security, and ultimately customer trust, at the forefront for all Microsoft employees. Gates’ memo...

Microsoft’s 5 guiding principles for decentralized identities

Three years ago, as part of Microsoft’s mission to empower people and organizations to achieve more, we announced that we were incubating a new set of decentralized identity technologies based on a simple vision: Each of us needs a digital identity we own, one which securely and privately stores...

Windows 11 offers chip to cloud protection to meet the new security challenges of hybrid work

As the world has changed over the past 18-months, companies have been wrestling with ways to keep employees and data protected as they support new ways of hybrid working. We built Windows 11 to be the most secure Windows yet with built-in chip to cloud protection that ensures company assets stay...

MISA expands portfolio and looks ahead during Microsoft Inspire

This blog post is part of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association MISA guest blog series. Learn more about MISA. Welcome to fiscal year 2022 FY22 and my first official blog as the MISA Lead. It’s been a whirlwind couple of months getting up to speed with all things MISA—closing out FY21...

How user experience is shaping verifiable credentials and identity

Since 2017, Microsoft has been working with the identity community on two groundbreaking technologies designed from the ground up to make digital privacy convenient and practical: decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials. We believe verifiable credentials will revolutionize the way we...

Securing Azure datacenters with continuous IoT/OT monitoring

Figure 1: Industrial cooling system for datacenters. As more intelligent devices and machinery become connected to the internet, Operational Technology OT and the Internet of Things IoT have become part of your enterprise network infrastructure—and a growing security risk. With every new factory...

Microsoft surpasses $10 billion in security business revenue, more than 40 percent year-over-year growth

I joined Microsoft a little more than six months ago—amid a global pandemic and a new norm of remote work, as well as one of the most rapidly evolving threat landscapes in history. We’ve witnessed more sophisticated attacks, like the recent SolarWinds incident, as well as an increase in attack...

Gartner names Microsoft a Leader in the 2020 Magic Quadrant for Cloud Access Security Brokers

The past few months have changed the way we work in many ways, working from home, social distancing, and remote operations have all had impacts on our previously known ways of life. At Microsoft, we have been working hard to assist our customers adjust to this rapidly changing and evolving work...

Why we invite security researchers to hack Azure Sphere

Fighting the security battle so our customers don’t have to IoT devices are becoming more prevalent in almost every aspect of our lives—we will rely on them in our homes, our businesses, as well as our infrastructure. In February, Microsoft announced the general availability of Azure Sphere, an...

The science behind Microsoft Threat Protection: Attack modeling for finding and stopping evasive ransomware

The linchpin of successful cyberattacks, exemplified by nation state-level attacks and human-operated ransomware, is their ability to find the path of least resistance and progressively move across a compromised network. Determining the full scope and impact of these attacks is one the most...

Zero Trust and its role in securing the new normal

As the global crisis around COVID-19 continues, security teams have been forced to adapt to a rapidly evolving security landscape. Schools, businesses, and healthcare organizations are all getting work done from home on a variety of devices and locations, extending the potential security attack...

Lessons learned from the Microsoft SOC—Part 3c: A day in the life part 2

This is the sixth blog in the Lessons learned from the Microsoft SOC series designed to share our approach and experience from the front lines of our security operations center SOC protecting Microsoft and our Detection and Response Team DART helping our customers with their incidents. For a visu...

Protecting against coronavirus themed phishing attacks

The world has changed in unprecedented ways in the last several weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic. While it has brought out the best in humanity in many ways, as with any crisis it can also attract the worst in some. Cybercriminals use people’s fear and need for information in phishing attack...

IT executives prioritize Multi-Factor Authentication in 2020

In 2020, many IT executives will roll out or expand their implementation of Multi-Factor Authentication MFA to better safeguard identities. This is one of the key findings of a survey conducted by Pulse Q&A for Microsoft in October 2019.1 Specifically, 59 percent of executives will implement or...

Microsoft Threat Protection stops attack sprawl and auto-heals enterprise assets with built-in intelligence and automation

Attackers will cross multiple domains like email, identity, endpoints, and applications to find the point of least resistance. Today’s defense solutions have been designed to protect, detect, and block threats for each domain separately, allowing attackers to exploit the seams and threshold...

Defending the power grid against supply chain attacks—Part 1: The risk defined

Most people don’t think about electricity. If the internet works, their food is refrigerated, and their debit card is approved, why should they? Its ubiquity and reliability render it invisible—a bit of magic that powers much of modern life. That is, until a large storm passes through. Localized...

RSA Conference 2020—Empower your defenders with artificial intelligence and automation

The RSA Conference 2020 kicks off in less than three weeks, and the Microsoft Security team can’t wait. This is one of our most important annual events because it provides an invaluable opportunity for us to connect with customers, partners, and other security thought leaders. New ideas are...

Mobile threat defense and intelligence are a core part of cyber defense

The modern workplace is a mobile workplace. Today’s organizations rely on mobility to increase productivity and improve the customer experience. But the proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices has also expanded the attack surface of roughly 5 billion mobile devices in the world, man...