Microsoft announced a new security tool
for Windows 10 called Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. It does
something a little differently than the other security tools Microsoft has in its
arsenal. It's designed to provide support to IT teams after a threat has
already penetrated their network.
This is important, because there is
absolutely no way to ensure breaches never happen. Even with the most
sophisticated defense and security tools, hackers will still find a way in. A
large majority of security tools are pre-emptive and deal with breaches before
they happen, but there aren't many that help alleviate the aftermath.
Introducing Microsoft's Newest Security Approach, Post-Detection
Software
Microsoft Windows chief Terry Myerson explained in the announcement post how the new
protection system will work. He noted that it includes a cloud service and will
aim at sussing out threats that have not been flagged by other anti-virus
systems on a device. It will also recommend responses to the breaches.
In other words, not only will it detect a
threat, but it will also record and relay key information that can help the
related parties investigate the attack. This will help teams respond much
faster to breaches and will save them a great deal of time, time they would
otherwise spend investigating an attack manually.
The new security tool will work alongside
Microsoft's existing Windows 10 tool set, which includes Credential Guard,
Enterprise Data Protection, Windows Hello and Device Guard.
Myerson explained the new system was
developed because of the increased sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks.
Microsoft needed to up its game to keep its users safe. He says nearly all the
IT directors that the company surveyed requested an advanced threat protection
that is quicker to identify threats and offers ways to address them.
Microsoft is Investing Heavily in Cloud Security
Many of these tools, including Windows
Defender Advanced Threat Protection, have been rolled out to Microsoft's cloud
services, as well. Considering 88 percent of enterprises store data in the cloud and now work with cloud platforms, security tools like this are
absolutely necessary.
More tools in place means greater peace of
mind for the companies and teams using Microsoft's platforms. Myerson claims
that Microsoft's strategy to heavily invest in cloud security has led to a huge increase in customer support, particularly in the
enterprise sector.
Not long ago, Microsoft rolled out the Azure Security Center Advanced Threat Detection, which also fights against virtual attackers. It's clear the company
truly want its clients' data to be safe and secure, instead of just creating the
illusion it is. That's sure to get Microsoft more customers, which is the aim.
Big Data and the Future of Security
As companies continue to embrace big data systems, they'll be
collecting and storing exponentially larger amounts of sensitive information
from consumers, employees and internal parties. It becomes increasingly
important for this information to remain locked and secure, out of reach from
unscrupulous individuals. When there is an attack, to have a backup in the form
of Microsoft that's ready to help defend companies from cyber mischief can be a
big load off companies' minds, especially smaller ones that can be impacted by
these data breaches.
Due to the nature of cloud platforms and
how they are used to store data remotely, support would absolutely evaporate if
security was lax. It's good to see a company like Microsoft taking the matter
seriously. Hopefully other tech companies will begin to offer more tools to
address the aftermath of cyber attacks in the future.
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Kayla Matthews is a tech-loving blogger who writes and edits ProductivityBytes.com.
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