Attack inception: Compromised supply chain within a supply chain poses new risks
A new software supply chain attack unearthed by Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (Windows Defender ATP) emerged as an unusual multi-tier case. Unknown attackers compromised the shared infrastructure in place between the vendor of a PDF editor application and one ... continue reading
March-April 2018 test results: More insights into industry AV tests
In a previous post, in the spirit of our commitment to delivering industry-leading protection, customer choice, and transparency on the quality of our solutions, we shared insights and context into the results of AV-TESTs January-February 2018 test cycle. We released ... continue reading
Hawkeye Keylogger – Reborn v8: An in-depth campaign analysis
Much of cybercrime today is fueled by underground markets where malware and cybercriminal services are available for purchase. These markets in the deep web commoditize malware operations. Even novice cybercriminals can buy malware toolkits and other services they might need ... continue reading
Taking apart a double zero-day sample discovered in joint hunt with ESET
In late March 2018, I analyzed an interesting PDF sample found by ESET senior malware researcher Anton Cherpanov. The sample was initially reported to Microsoft as a potential exploit for an unknown Windows kernel vulnerability. During my investigation in parallel ... continue reading
Building Zero Trust networks with Microsoft 365
The traditional perimeter-based network defense is obsolete. Perimeter-based networks operate on the assumption that all systems within a network can be trusted. However, todays increasingly mobile workforce, the migration towards public cloud services, and the adoption of Bring Your Own ... continue reading
Machine learning vs. social engineering
Machine learning is a key driver in the constant evolution of security technologies at Microsoft. Machine learning allows Microsoft 365 to scale next-gen protection capabilities and enhance cloud-based, real-time blocking of new and unknown threats. Just in the last few ... continue reading
Virtualization-based security (VBS) memory enclaves: Data protection through isolation
The escalating sophistication of cyberattacks is marked by the increased use of kernel-level exploits that attempt to run malware with the highest privileges and evade security solutions and software sandboxes. Kernel exploits famously gave the WannaCry and Petya ransomware remote ... continue reading
Adding transparency and context into industry AV test results
Corporate Vice President Brad Anderson recently shared his insights on how Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (Windows Defender ATP) evolved to achieve important quality milestones. Our Windows Defender ATP team is committed to delivering industry-leading protection, customer choice, and transparency ... continue reading
Building a world without passwords
Nobody likes passwords. They are inconvenient, insecure, and expensive. In fact, we dislike them so much that weve been busy at work trying to create a world without them a world without passwords. In this blog, we will provide a ... continue reading
Introducing Windows Defender System Guard runtime attestation
At Microsoft, we want users to be in control of their devices, including knowing the security health of these devices. If important security features should fail, users should be aware. Windows Defender System Guard runtime attestation, a new Windows platform ... continue reading
