Tech Musing #1 - Microsoft Cyber Defense

Microsoft Cyber Defense Operations
Microsoft has been continuously working on and has now launched their latest product which doubles as a service, the Microsoft Cyber Cloud. This new system includes the Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (MDCU), comprehensive platforms, proactive intelligence, and a growing list of partners. All of these components, both human and digital, combine to make the Internet safer for consumers. The biggest challenge that companies now face is protecting customer trust, not competition.

MDCU
The MDCU partners with businesses and law enforcement to track down, analyze, and stop cyber crime. They utilize big data and Microsoft’s Cloud to create solutions and make the Internet safer. Taking what they learn from utilizing analytical tools, they build that information back into the cloud to be used again in the future. Self described, the MDCU “uses the cloud to track down criminals.”

New Products
Windows 10 and new Microsoft products have a new facet geared to protecting customers’ identity. Newer systems can use biometrics as login information as opposed to passwords. This includes voice recognition, iris scanning, and fingerprint recognition. SaaS apps can be pre-configured for authentication also. Microsoft has improved malware by implementing their product Device Guard. This system checks the digital signature on a downloadable application. It makes sure that the signature is not only valid, but that the signature is from a legitimate and certified company. Their product Credential Guard prevents pass-the-ticket attacks and insures viruses do not spread to multiple devices owned by the same user. Microsoft is preventing data loss by allowing IT departments to configure their own policies and then apply them to employee devices. This can even work with BYOD situations. Certain copy and paste or forwarding options are blocked if certain information should not be shared with users outside the company and network.

Related to Class
The emergence of new security features from Microsoft follows the manifesto for agile software development. They are focusing on individuals, companies, and how these people interact with their technology. During that interaction Microsoft was looking for situations where individuals and companies were vulnerable and is now providing a solution for that latent need. They have been making software and software improvements rather than simply researching and documenting. In order to find these latent needs they had to have some customer collaboration either with people who are selling their products or people who are using them. They responded to change by evolving with hacker sophistication and business needs. This agile development method has made them better in every way because they are using human methods allowing them to learn and adapt and recreate in every stage to produce the best protection for customers.

Importance for MIS Professionals
These developments are important for MIS professionals for many reasons. First, because we should be aware of these products so we can either use them ourselves or suggest that a business or individual use them. Second, so that we can track trends and evolutions of security in this sector. Third, so we can compare what products are available regarding Internet and information security.

Resources
Below is a link to an article about the Microsoft Cyber Cloud. Additional information for this post was gathered from a video about the security products at Microsoft.  Microsoft CEO Sataya Nedella and GM of Cloud Platform Julia White discuss all of the additions in security with Windows 10 on this video. The video is 50 minutes long, but the best place to start watching, especially to see the demonstrations is at 18:40 minutes into the presentation.

Here is the Article.