In February 2022, a new set of Microsoft security updates were announced. These updates were designed to reinforce existing cyber security policies and fold in new safeguards in areas that need additional attention and protection.
As multi-cloud and cyber security evolve, understanding and implementing these updates is critical to ensure that businesses are working with the most up-to-date protection possible.
Today, we’ll share some of our top takeaways from this new Microsoft security update and explain how our clients can use this knowledge to improve the security of their Microsoft suite.
Takeaway 1: Multi-cloud environments are here to stay - and they need to be secured.
It should come as no surprise that diverse multi-cloud environments are here to stay.
This becomes even more apparent in this recent security update, with Microsoft Defender for Cloud capabilities being extended to the Google Cloud Platform. This makes Microsoft the only provider offering native protection for Microsoft Azure, AWS, and now Google Cloud Platform. This extension helps to provide even more security for these diverse cloud environments, which come with their own set of risks and security challenges.
Takeaway 2: Moving towards zero-trust architecture is the future.
One of the easiest ways for companies today to administer both security and compliance is through robust identity management. Controlling identities through zero-trust architecture has become incredibly important. It’s so essential that the White House just issued1 an Executive Order calling for federal agencies and suppliers “to modernize [their] approach to cyber security.”
To help make this a reality, Microsoft recently acquired CloudKnox Security and has committed to strengthening their zero-trust capabilities through features like CloudKnox Permissions Management.2
Takeaway 3: One size fits all doesn’t work for cyber security.
This should be clear by now, but unfortunately, using a one-size-fits-all approach to cyber security leaves your organization at serious risk for breaches and other cyber threats.
With attack surfaces increasing and threats becoming both more numerous and more severe, companies must prioritize cyber security across every level of their IT system. In this recent Microsoft security update, new logs compatible with Microsoft Sentinel were introduced to allow for increased capabilities in data archiving, search, threat detection, and more.
Takeaway 4: Cyber attacks can come from anywhere.
Cyber attacks are more common now than ever before, and can originate from anywhere. Organizations using insecure cloud solutions are particularly vulnerable, as this opens up unprecedented opportunities for bad actors to gain access to your system through an unprotected endpoint.
In this recent update, Microsoft has committed to offering even greater cyber security protection within the Microsoft Azure environment, including areas like payment processing and securing workload identities.
Secure Your Microsoft Suite
While the Microsoft 365 suite offers many benefits, it must be secured for companies to fully take advantage of its capabilities. We're here to help walk you through our approach to Microsoft cloud security to ensure you’re getting the most from your software.
If you aren’t sure how your Microsoft solutions are secured or whether they’ve been updated recently, get in touch with an expert at Enterprise Visions today.
Sources:
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2022/02/17/us-government-sets-forth-zero-trust-architecture-strategy-and-requirements/
- https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-active-directory-identity/cloudknox-permissions-management-is-now-in-public-preview/ba-p/2464391