Microsoft Defender is getting AI-powered anti-ransomware protection
New ransomware tool is part of Microsoft Defender’s cloud protection feature
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Microsofthas added a new layer of adaptive protection toMicrosoft Defenderfor Endpoint that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to thwart human-operatedransomwareattacks.
Ruofan Wang and Kelly Kang from theMicrosoft 365Defender Research Team argue that human-operated ransomware attacks can be characterized by a specific set of methods and behaviors.
Microsoft researchers have capitalized on this to develop a cloud-based machine learning (ML) system that, when queried by a device, intelligently predicts if it is at risk, and then blocks the attacker’s next steps.
We’re looking at how our readers use VPNs with streaming sites like Netflix so we can improve our content and offer better advice. This survey won’t take more than 60 seconds of your time, and we’d hugely appreciate if you’d share your experiences with us.
Click here to start the survey in a new window«
“By considering indicators that would otherwise be considered low priority for remediation, adaptive protection stopped the attack chain at an early stage such that the overall impact of the attack was significantly reduced,”notethe researchers, while explaining how the AI-driven adaptive protection feature helped stop an attack on one of their customers.
Data driven approach
Microsoft explains that the system’s data-driven decisions are based on extensive research and experimentation, and can effectively block attacks without negatively impacting customer experience.
Furthermore, since the adaptive protection is AI-driven, the risk score it assigns to a device isn’t solely based on individual indicators, but on a broad set of patterns and features that helps the system gauge whether it is about to be attacked
“This capability is suited in fighting against human-operated ransomware because even if attackers use an unknown or benign file or even a legitimate file or process, the system can help prevent the file or process from launching,” explains the duo.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
The AI-driven protection is automatically available to all Microsoft Defender for Endpoint customers who have enabled cloud protection.
You can also protect your network using thesebest firewall apps and services, and guard individual computers against all kinds of attacks with thesebest endpoint protection tools
With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’sTechRadar Pro’sexpert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.
Phishing attacks surge in 2024 as cybercriminals adopt AI tools and multi-channel tactics
This new phishing strategy utilizes GitHub comments to distribute malware
Smeg Combi Steam Oven review: a multi-functional countertop oven that looks stunning and cooks well
