Technology 3 min read

Microsoft's Azure Sentinel Could Make Them Kings of Cloud Security

With this new security feature, Microsoft could push its way to the top of the cloud storage market. ¦ Emilija Miljkovic / Shutterstock

With this new security feature, Microsoft could push its way to the top of the cloud storage market. ¦ Emilija Miljkovic / Shutterstock

You probably know about Microsoft Azure — the company’s “cloud for all” solution available in 54 regions. While this reach remains bigger than other cloud providers, Microsoft wants to bolster its position as a leader in cloud services.

This starts by making it simpler for companies to use tools housed under one umbrella or brand. Azure Sentinel aims to streamline cloud-based services and tools for enterprises among a few other offerings. The main function serves to address specific cloud-based security needs.

As companies face an increasing number of online threats, security becomes an even more important issue. But traditional security services may not be enough when it comes to protecting cloud-based information and data.

Available for customer preview since February 28th, the Security Information and Event management tool is the first of its type originating in the cloud. It leverages AI to sort through data to locate threats.

The service allows for the automation of common security-related tasks and threat responses. Customers can also rent computing power instead of investing in more servers for number crunching.

image of the Azure Sentinel UI for article Microsoft Announces Cloud-Based Azure Sentinel Security Analytics
This interface allows you to collect data across your company more easily. You can then analyze the data to detect threats and investigate potentially problematic activities. | Microsoft

Microsoft Security Data Informs Azure Sentinel Features

Microsoft acknowledged that they had aided a few financial-service focused companies in defending against a malicious state-sponsored group. The group was “transferring large sums of cash into foreign bank accounts” using malware. Microsoft experts responded to address the issue.

Though ransomware attacks may be in decline, cryptocurrency mining and phishing attacks remain prevalent. Often, software supply chains make for ideal targets, as Microsoft tracking data for the past several years suggests.

Azure Sentinel aims to help combat these findings in a number of ways.

Firstly, it can download Office cloud data quickly then compare that with security intel to locate threats. An example of this would be Azure Sentinel combing Office email spam data for clues about suspicious activity or infected machines.

Since the product cooperates with security software such as those from Symantec Corp. or Cisco Systems Inc., you can boost protection without derailing any present security systems in place.

One More Addition to the Security Announcement

Billed as a “SIEM” tool, the AI functionality serves to save time and boost results. Microsoft also said that this tool serves to simplify GDPR concerns. You can find an in-depth introduction to the tool in the video above.

Due to the stress on cybersecurity specialists, this announcement included one more reveal.

Microsoft Threat Experts involves a new feature in which a security specialist acts as a “bounty hunter”. They comb through a customer’s data for the biggest threats to identify and stop them. This, of course, is done in a way to maintain customer anonymity.

You can acquire the assistance on demand via the “Ask a Threat Expert” button. The service joins Microsoft’s Windows Defender ATP roster of security products.

As a result of this new tool, enterprise-level customers may soon house all cloud-based services under one silo: Microsoft. However, AWS services and even IBM’s Watson remain keen competitors.

Read More: IBM Watson Now Available on Microsoft, Amazon & Google Clouds

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Juliet Childers

Content Specialist and EDGY OG with a (mostly) healthy obsession with video games. She covers Industry buzz including VR/AR, content marketing, cybersecurity, AI, and many more.

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