Microsoft Introduces New Cybersecurity Measures
General Director of Microsoft, Satya Valel, announced that the company is implementing unprecedented measures to enhance cybersecurity. Following the investigation of malware Storm-0558, which affected many Microsoft customers in the summer of 2023, the Cybersecurity Council prompted the corporation to revise its internal policies.
Valel highlighted Microsoft’s ambition to establish the most secure technological platform for innovation globally. Recent events underscored the growing threats faced by the company and its clients, emphasizing the need to combat increasingly sophisticated hacker tactics.
Last November, Microsoft launched the “Secure Future Initiative” (SFI) to bolster security for both new products and existing infrastructure. The finalized rules will now be fully enforced.
The SFI approach is centered on three key principles:
- Security at the design stage: Making cybersecurity a primary requirement in product and service development.
- Default security: Including all protective measures by default without any additional user actions necessary.
- Safe operations: Constantly enhancing control and monitoring measures to counter existing and evolving threats.
These principles will govern critical aspects of SFI, such as protecting identification data, isolating production environments, securing networks, enhancing threat monitoring, expediting response to vulnerabilities, and more. A comprehensive action plan for each area, along with Cybersecurity Council recommendations, has already been released.
In cases of conflict between security and other priorities, security will be prioritized. This may entail postponing product releases or discontinuing outdated systems. Additionally, a portion of Microsoft leadership’s compensation will now be linked directly to cybersecurity success.
The SFI initiative encompasses technical and operational changes, continuous improvement, employee development to combat rising threats, and increased collaboration with governmental and private entities. Valela emphasized the collective effort required for security, making the acceleration of the SFI program a top priority for all Microsoft divisions.