Microsoft Security: 6 tips for enabling people-centric cybersecurity with security training

Everyone knows about phishing scams, and most of us think we’re too smart to take the bait. Our confidence often reaches superhero levels when we’re logged onto a company network. As Chief Security Advisor for Microsoft, and previously at telco Swisscom, it’s my business to understand how well...

Enable secure remote work, address regulations and uncover new risks with Microsoft Compliance

As we talk with a broad range of customers in the current environment, we hear some consistent challenges businesses are facing. With so many remote workers, people are creating, sharing, and storing data in new ways, which fosters productivity, but can also introduce new risks. A recent Microsof...

Beyond the ransomware: Tracking Storm-2570’s consistent tradecraft across deployments

In this article 1. Who is Storm-2570? 2. Storm-2570 attack chain: From initial foothold to impact 3. What Storm-2570 activity means for defenders 4. Mitigation and protection guidance 5. Microsoft Defender detections 6. Hunting queries Activity associated with Storm-2570, a ransomware affiliate...

AI is accelerating cyberattacks—here’s how to stay ahead

In March, we wrote that identity security has become the new pressure point for modern cyberattacks. Since then, AI has only increased that pressure. AI helps cyberattackers move faster across the attack chain: personalizing social engineering at scale, automating reconnaissance, analyzing leaked...

Defense in depth for autonomous AI agents

Designing Secure Autonomous AI Agents with Defense in Depth AI agents are moving beyond assistance and into action. Instead of generating content, they invoke tools, modify data, trigger workflows, and operate across systems with increasing autonomy. This shift changes the security problem...

Kazuar: Anatomy of a nation-state botnet

In this article 1. Delivery 2. Module types 3. Botnet operations 4. Who is Secret Blizzard? 5. Mitigation and protection guidance 6. Microsoft Defender detections Kazuar, a sophisticated malware family attributed to the Russian state actor Secret Blizzard, has been under constant development for...

World Passkey Day: Advancing passwordless authentication

World Passkey Day is a chance to reflect on progress toward a shared goal: reducing our reliance on passwords and other phishable authentication methods by accelerating passkey adoption. As cyberattacks become more automated and AI-powered, each account is only as secure as its weakest credential...

Guidance for detecting, investigating, and defending against the Trivy supply chain compromise

In this article 1. Analyzing the Trivy supply chain compromise 2. Detection and investigation 3. Mitigation and protection guidance 4. Advanced hunting queries 5. References 6. Learn more On March 19, 2026, Trivy, Aqua Security’s widely used open-source vulnerability scanner, was reported to have...

Developer-targeting campaign using malicious Next.js repositories

Microsoft Defender Experts identified a coordinated developer-targeting campaign delivered through malicious repositories disguised as legitimate Next.js projects and technical assessment materials. Telemetry collected during this investigation indicates the activity aligns with a broader cluster...

Scaling security operations with Microsoft Defender autonomous defense and expert-led services

Today’s security leaders are operating in an environment of truncated cyberattack timelines with aging defenses built for slower, linear cyberthreats that can no longer keep pace with advanced cyberthreats. AI-powered threat actors now use social engineering and malware that adapt in real time,...

Detecting backdoored language models at scale

Today, we are releasing new research on detecting backdoors in open-weight language models. Our research highlights several key properties of language model backdoors, laying the groundwork for a practical scanner designed to detect backdoored models at scale and improve overall trust in AI...

Infostealers without borders: macOS, Python stealers, and platform abuse

Infostealer threats are rapidly expanding beyond traditional Windows-focused campaigns, increasingly targeting macOS environments, leveraging cross-platform languages such as Python, and abusing trusted platforms and utilities to silently deliver credential-stealing malware at scale. Since late...

New Microsoft Data Security Index report explores secure AI adoption to protect sensitive data

Generative AI and agentic AI are redefining how organizations innovate and operate, unlocking new levels of productivity, creativity and collaboration across industry teams. From accelerating content creation to streamlining workflows, AI offers transformative benefits that empower organizations ...

New Microsoft Secure Future Initiative (SFI) patterns and practices: Practical guides to strengthen security

Building on the momentum of our initial launch of the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative SFI patterns and practices, this second installment continues our commitment to making security implementation practical and scalable. The first release introduced a foundational library of actionable guidanc...

Connect with us at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit

Security professionals visiting booths scattered around a hall, eager for solutions to today’s top cybersecurity challenges to protect their resources and people. The hum of hundreds of conversations. Presenters in packed sessions sharing expertise, trends, and stories to energize attendees. Few...

New Windows 11 features strengthen security to address evolving cyberthreat landscape

Ahead of the Microsoft Build 2024 conference, we announced a new class of Windows computers, Copilot+ PC. Alongside this exciting new class of PCs, we are introducing important security features and updates that make Windows 11 more secure for users and organizations and give developers the tools...

DEV-1101 enables high-volume AiTM campaigns with open-source phishing kit

Adversary-in-the-middle AiTM phishing kits are part of an increasing trend that is observed supplanting many other less advanced forms of phishing. AiTM phishing is capable of circumventing multifactor authentication MFA through reverse-proxy functionality. DEV-1101 is an actor tracked by Microso...

Microsoft is named a Leader in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms

The state of cybersecurity continues to challenge defenders around the world. With hybrid work here to stay and emerging trends like Ransomware as a Service, organizations need a partner that empowers them with not only modern endpoint security but an integrated solution that helps security...

Hive ransomware gets upgrades in Rust

Hive ransomware is only about one year old, having been first observed in June 2021, but it has grown into one of the most prevalent ransomware payloads in the ransomware-as-a-service RaaS ecosystem. With its latest variant carrying several major upgrades, Hive also proves it’s one of the fastest...

4 breakthrough ideas for compliance and data security

Compliance management will never be easy, but there are ways to make it simpler and more transparent. Every year, organizations confront a growing volume and diversity of data and ever-evolving industry and government regulations. But the answer to more data, more devices, and more regulations...

How to improve risk management using Zero Trust architecture

“Compliance is all about risk management and lessening risk, and the same is true of Zero Trust.” —Abbas Kudrati Whats risk management and why is it important? Risk management, the process of developing a strategy for addressing risk throughout its lifecycle, normally involves four phases: risk...

Microsoft protects against human-operated ransomware across the full attack chain in the 2022 MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK® Evaluations

For the fourth year in a row, the independent MITRE Engenuity Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge ATT&CK® Evaluations demonstrated Microsoft’s strong detection and protection capabilities thanks to our multi-platform extended detection and response XDR defenses. The ever-evolvin...

What Generation Z can teach us about cybersecurity

Girl Security National Security Fellows Program fellow Amulya, a 17-year-old interested in countering online disinformation, said she feels her sense of personal privacy has been largely nonexistent “growing up in a media-saturated world.” She believes her sense of privacy was stolen by a...

Join us at InfoSec Jupyterthon 2021

We’re excited to invite our community of infosec analysts and engineers to the second annual InfoSec Jupyterthon taking place on December 2-3, 2021. This is an online event organized by our friends in the Open Threat Research Forge, together with folks from the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Cente...

HTML smuggling surges: Highly evasive loader technique increasingly used in banking malware, targeted attacks

HTML smuggling, a highly evasive malware delivery technique that leverages legitimate HTML5 and JavaScript features, is increasingly used in email campaigns that deploy banking malware, remote access Trojans RATs, and other payloads related to targeted attacks. Notably, this technique was observe...

Afternoon Cyber Tea: Cybersecurity & IoT: New risks and how to minimize them

Recently, Microsoft announced our acquisition of CyberX, a comprehensive network-based security platform with continuous threat monitoring and analytics. This solution builds upon our commitment to provide a unified IoT security solution that addresses connected devices spread across both...

Why the Pipeline Cybersecurity Initiative is a critical step

It’s well known by now that pipeline attacks and attacks on utilities of all kinds have been an unfortunately well-trodden path by cyber-adversaries in numerous countries for a few years now. These types of attacks are not theoretical, and the damage done to date—as well as the potential damage—i...

The evolution of Microsoft Threat Protection, February update

February is an exciting month of enhancements for Microsoft Threat Protection. For those who have followed our monthly updates November, December, and January, you’re aware that Microsoft Threat Protection helps provide users optimal security from the moment they sign in, use email, work on...

Securing the future of AI and machine learning at Microsoft

Artificial intelligence AI and machine learning are making a big impact on how people work, socialize, and live their lives. As consumption of products and services built around AI and machine learning increases, specialized actions must be undertaken to safeguard not only your customers and thei...

Crypto Clipper uses Tor and worm-like propagation for persistence and control

In this article 1. Attack chain overview 2. Mitigation and protection guidance 3. References 4. Learn more Microsoft Threat Intelligence and Microsoft Defender Experts identified a Windows-based cryptocurrency clipper that has affected users since February of 2026. Clipper malware relies on...

Beyond the benchmark: Advancing security at AI speed

In this article 1. From the lab into the pipeline 2. This month’s set of discoveries 3. Beyond the headline: What the engineering work taught us 4. Where we go next 5. Defense at AI speed 6. Learn more Every vulnerability has two clocks running. One belongs to the defender racing to find it; the...

Microsoft Defender email security benchmarking: Key insights from one year of data

Microsoft publishes quarterly email security benchmarking data comparing Microsoft Defender against secure email gateway SEG and integrated cloud email security ICES vendors using real-world threat telemetry. A year ago, we set out to change how email security effectiveness is measured. With our...

Microsoft Security success stories: How St. Luke’s and ManpowerGroup are securing AI foundations

AI is reshaping how work gets done—and how risks emerge across cloud, data, identity, and more. Many organizations want AI-powered productivity, but their security foundations aren’t yet built for it. As organizations move toward AI-powered operating models, security becomes the critical enabler ...

Microsoft Security success stories: How St. Luke’s and ManpowerGroup are securing AI foundations

AI is reshaping how work gets done—and how risks emerge across cloud, data, identity, and more. Many organizations want AI-powered productivity, but their security foundations aren’t yet built for it. As organizations move toward AI-powered operating models, security becomes the critical enabler ...

How to better protect your growing business in an AI-powered world

AI is rapidly reshaping how work gets done in companies and organizations. In celebrating National Small Business Month, we want to acknowledge the unique challenges that growing business leaders face as AI creates both opportunity and risk. They face constant tradeoffs between moving fast,...

Active attack: Dirty Frag Linux vulnerability expands post-compromise risk

In this article 1. Why Dirty Frag matters 2. Technical overview 3. Exploitation scenarios 4. Mitigation guidance 5. Post-mitigation integrity verification 6. References A newly disclosed Linux local privilege escalation vulnerability known as “Dirty Frag” enables escalation from an unprivileged...

CVE-2026-31431: Copy Fail vulnerability enables Linux root privilege escalation across cloud environments

In this article 1. Vulnerability details 2. Mitigation and protection guidance 3. Microsoft Defender XDR detections 4. References 5. Learn more Microsoft Defender is investigating a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability CVE-2026-31431 affecting multiple major Linux distributions...

Detection strategies across cloud and identities against infiltrating IT workers

In this article 1. Attack chain overview 1. Activities in pre-recruitment phase 2. Activities in recruiting phase 3. Activities in post-recruitment phase 2. Mitigation and protection guidance 3. Microsoft Defender XDR detections The shift to remote and hybrid work since the pandemic expanded glob...

Storm-2561 uses SEO poisoning to distribute fake VPN clients for credential theft

In this article 1. From search to stolen credentials: Storm-2561 attack chain 2. Defending against credential theft campaigns 3. Microsoft Defender detection and hunting guidance 4. Indicators of compromise In mid-January 2026, Microsoft Defender Experts identified a credential theft campaign tha...

Storm-2561 uses SEO poisoning to distribute fake VPN clients for credential theft

In this article 1. From search to stolen credentials: Storm-2561 attack chain 2. Defending against credential theft campaigns 3. Microsoft Defender detection and hunting guidance 4. Indicators of compromise In mid-January 2026, Microsoft Defender Experts identified a credential theft campaign tha...

New e-book: Establishing a proactive defense with Microsoft Security Exposure Management

Effective exposure management begins by illuminating and hardening risks across the entire attack surface. Some of the most meaningful shifts in security happen quietly—when teams take a clear look at their exposure landscape and acknowledge the gap between where they stand today and where they...

80% of Fortune 500 use active AI Agents: Observability, governance, and security shape the new frontier

Today, Microsoft is releasing the new Cyber Pulse report to provide leaders with straightforward, practical insights and guidance on new cybersecurity risks. One of today’s most pressing concerns is the governance of AI and autonomous agents. AI agents are scaling faster than some companies can s...

Manipulating AI memory for profit: The rise of AI Recommendation Poisoning

That helpful "Summarize with AI" button? It might be secretly manipulating what your AI recommends. Microsoft security researchers have discovered a growing trend of AI memory poisoning attacks used for promotional purposes, a technique we call AI Recommendation Poisoning. Companies are embedding...

Detecting backdoored language models at scale

Today, we are releasing new research on detecting backdoors in open-weight language models. Our research highlights several key properties of language model backdoors, laying the groundwork for a practical scanner designed to detect backdoored models at scale and improve overall trust in AI...

Introducing the Microsoft Defender Experts Suite: Elevate your security with expert-led services

Security teams are being pushed to their limits as AI‑powered cyberattacks grow in speed, scale, and sophistication—and only 14% of organizations surveyed by the World Economic Forum report they feel confident they have the right people and skills needed to meet their cybersecurity objectives.1 A...

Securing agentic AI: Your guide to the Microsoft Ignite sessions catalog

Security is a core focus at Microsoft Ignite 2025, reflected in dedicated sessions and hands-on experiences designed for security professionals and leaders. Whether you’re shaping strategy or working on the front lines, Microsoft Ignite offers direct access to the latest advancements and practica...

Transparency on Microsoft Defender for Office 365 email security effectiveness

In today’s world, cyberattackers are relentless. They are often well-resourced, highly sophisticated, and constantly innovating, which means the effectiveness of cybersecurity solutions must be continuously evaluated, not assumed. Yet, despite the critical role email security plays in protecting...

Microsoft is named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms

Since 2022, the number of human-operated ransomware-linked encounters by organizations surged by 2.75x. Yet, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has outpaced this rise, reducing the number of successful attacks by 3x, proving its power to turn the tide against evolving cyberthreats.1 Defender for...

Faster, more personalized service begins at the frontline with Microsoft Intune

In healthcare, patient trust often begins at the frontline with people who deliver care, respond to questions, and manage crucial in-the-moment decisions. Increasingly, those experiences are shaped by the tools frontline workers use. When devices are secure, responsive, and tailored to clinical...

Understanding the threat landscape for Kubernetes and containerized assets

The dynamic nature of containers can make it challenging for security teams to detect runtime anomalies or pinpoint the source of a security incident, presenting an opportunity for attackers to stay undetected. Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed threat actors taking advantage of unsecured...