Microsoft is betting big on the zero-trust, an approach to computer security pioneered by Google. Many updates will be available to customers after an announcement at Ignite 2021. The updates are aimed at offering protection for devices, data, platforms, identities, and clouds.
Zero Trust is a security concept that is built around shifting access controls from the perimeter, like in traditional firewall-based security, to devices and users.The idea is to help employees be able to work securely from remote locations, without needing a traditional VPN (Virtual Private Network).
The gameplan
In a blog post by Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of security, compliance, and identity, said that the company is passionate about the zero-trust concept and it believes that the correct way to do this is by addressing identity, security, compliance, and device management as interconnected.
Microsoft’s zero-trust model is based around Azure Active Directory, which is a cloud-based enterprise identity service individuals and enterprises can use to sign-in and implement multi-factor authentication.
Azure Active Directory is getting new capabilities like passwordless authentication. When it comes to security, Microsoft announced updates for Security Information and Event Manager and Extended Detection and Response tools to remove complexity and fragmentation.
Compliance and skilling
As for compliance, protection from insider threats is taken as seriously as zero-trust security frameworks for protection against outside attacks. This does not apply just to Microsoft’s Cloud, but all platforms and clouds its users deploy.
The final piece, which is ‘Skilling’, is all about providing the customers with the learning resources needed to be up to date with complex cyber threats.
Microsoft is improving on this by adding more materials to its Security Technical Content Library. Hopefully, with these and other implementations, Microsoft can take Zero-Trust to the next level.
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