Upskilling for the Future: Microsoft’s AI-Driven Cybersecurity Solutions and Career Opportunities
Perspectives
We are currently living in the digital age, where every system is interconnected through the internet. This means that a single cybersecurity breach or attack can negatively impact millions of lives all over the world, shut down businesses, and cause massive profit losses.
While the rise of advanced cybersecurity AI improves the safety of data and systems, AI can also be used to exploit security breaches and create cyber threats. To combat this, Microsoft introduced Azure Sentinel, combining cybersecurity and AI with Azure to deliver a cloud-based cybersecurity solution.
The Rise of AI in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is in a constant tug-of-war struggle against cyberattacks, with evolving technology aiding both sides. Currently, issues like ransomware, cloud security, IoT security, and even human error plague many systems and companies.
Machine learning in cybersecurity has significantly improved both prevention and recovery against attacks. Large language models (LLM) can help systems detect threats and attacks in real-time, provide predictive analytics to prevent issues, and fully automate responses and solutions to attacks.
However, AI and cybersecurity aren’t exclusive to each other, as many cyber threats have evolved and learned to use AI to find breaches and attack the cybersecurity AI itself directly.
This doesn’t mean that using AI in cybersecurity is bad, though. On the contrary, cybersecurity AI has become an integral part of any secure digital system due to the rapid advances in cyber threats.
Microsoft's AI-Powered Cybersecurity Ecosystem
With the rise of cyber threats, Microsoft decided to invest in AI and cybersecurity through Azure Sentinel, a cloud-based SaaS (software as a service) solution, and Microsoft Copilot, their own AI solution focused on productivity and security.
Microsoft Copilot for Security: AI-Powered Threat Detection and Response
On April 1st, 2024, Microsoft released their new generative AI solution focused on cybersecurity, called Microsoft Copilot for Security. Microsoft’s cybersecurity AI implementation provides in-depth analysis and summarization of incidents in real time, allowing for quick response times.
Microsoft Copilot for Security offers many features, like:
● Automated threat detection: Uses machine learning in cybersecurity to fully automate data analysis to identify malicious patterns inside systems quickly.
● Intelligent alert triage: Analyzes contextual data for every alert, filtering false positives from real threats to improve alert quality.
● Guided response recommendations: Provides action recommendations to respond to different types of threats quickly and efficiently.
● Integration with Microsoft Security Tools: Integrates other Microsoft solutions, like Azure Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, and Microsoft 365 Defender, to unify security data and provide faster threat responses.
If you’re looking into job opportunities in this career path, consider roles like:
● Security Analyst: Enhance security data analysis using AI-powered threat detection.
Salary Range: $118k/yr to $199k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Incident Responder: Streamline incident responses with guided recommendations to resolve issues faster.
Salary Range: $48k/yr to $75k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Security Automation Engineer: Develop automation workflows to increase productivity and reduce human error.
Salary Range: $120k/yr to $188k/yr from Glassdoor.
● AI/ML Engineer: Train and refine AI to improve machine learning in cybersecurity for threat detection.
Salary Range: $146k/yr to $244k/yr from Glassdoor.
Check out our website to find jobs for these roles and many others. You’re sure to find your next job opportunity!
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Intelligent Threat Protection
To further improve defenses against cyber attacks and threats, Microsoft released Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. It’s a solution designed to safeguard devices like laptops, personal computers, servers, smartphones, and tablets.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint works as a tool for prevention, detection, investigation, and solutions against any threats. To achieve this level of security, Microsoft employs many features, such as:
Next-gen protection: Combines AI and cybersecurity into a complete package, providing protection through behavior detection and heuristic analysis.
Automated investigation: Fully automates processes like data collection and analysis, then provides insights with actionable recommendations.
Remediation: Shut down attacks and threats through rollbacks, quarantining files, stopping services, killing processes, disabling drivers, and more.
Integration with Microsoft 365 Defender: Integrates defense capabilities into other Microsoft solutions, like Skype for Business, Azure Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and more.
If you’re looking into job opportunities in this career path, consider roles like:
● Endpoint Protection Specialist: Manages and optimizes all endpoint devices to improve both local and remote security.
Salary Range: $48k/yr to $77k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Threat Intelligence Analyst: Uses cybersecurity AI to identify threats, mitigate attacks, and prevent issues.
Salary Range: $128k/yr to $213k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Security Operations Engineer: Implements and maintains all solutions related to Defender to ensure smooth operation of all devices.
Salary Range: $113k/yr to $186k/yr from Glassdoor.
Check out our website to find jobs for these roles and many others.
Azure Sentinel: Intelligent Security Analytics and Automation
Azure Sentinel, currently known as Microsoft Sentinel, is a cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) platform. Microsoft leverages its massive Azure cloud platform to provide limitless scaling to operations, ensuring every customer can meet their needs and be satisfied.
Microsoft’s Azure Sentinel platform uses AI and cybersecurity in combination with its Azure cloud platform to aggregate and collect data from several networks and devices in real-time. Here's how Microsoft takes full advantage of Azure Sentinel:
● Data collection: Collects data from endpoint devices, servers, networks, cloud applications, IoT devices, and even custom data sources through APIs.
● AI-driven analysis Identifies possible threats through collected data, issues priority alerts, and provides analytics through AI.
● Workflow automation: Streamlines automated responses for alerts, automates incident reports, manages incident investigation, and integrates with other management tools.
If you’re looking into job opportunities in this career path, consider roles like:
● Security Analyst: Leverages Azure Sentinel for advanced threat detection through data collection and analysis.
Salary Range: $118k/yr to $199k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Data Engineer: Manages data pipelines and integration with other systems and platforms to expand analysis.
Salary Range: $109k/yr to $161k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Automation Specialist: Develops and automates security workflows to ensure smooth operation and reduce human error.
Salary Range: $92k/yr to $152k/yr from Glassdoor.
Check out our website to find jobs for these roles and many others.
Microsoft Threat Experts: Human-AI Collaboration for Enhanced Security
With the advance of technology and the rise of cyber attacks and threats, there’s been a lack of specialized professionals with Microsoft cybersecurity certification and other similar qualifications.
Microsoft Threat Experts fixes this by introducing a centralized platform of centralized experts on demand to support security operations centers. These experts utilize the platform to offer support through:
● Proactive threat hunting: Actively looking for advanced threats according to each customer’s specifications and needs by examining security data.
● Prioritized alerts: Filtering and sorting through incidents to reduce false positives, providing in-depth incident insight, ranking alerts based on severity, and even correlating different types of alerts to each incident.
● Guided responses: Provides actionable responses through investigations and strategies of best practices while leveraging specialized professional knowledge.
If you’re looking into job opportunities in this career path, consider roles like:
● Cyber Threat Hunter: Helps identify possible threats through data collection and analysis, then mitigates damage or applies preventative measures.
Salary Range: $114k/yr to $208k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Security Analyst: Utilizes AI-powered software and tools integrated into the systems to gather analytics from threats and attacks.
Salary Range: $118k/yr to $199k/yr from Glassdoor.
● Incident Responder: Coordinates quick responses and resolutions to incidents and threats.
Salary Range: $48k/yr to $75k/yr from Glassdoor.
Check out our website to find jobs for these roles and many others.
Unique Insights and Perspectives
The future of AI in cybersecurity, as well as in many other areas, is still a mystery to most. Microsoft’s experts are constantly discussing the long-lasting effects of AI and cybersecurity, looking for ways to overcome current challenges while predicting future issues that AI will bring along with cyberattacks and threats.
Microsoft’s Cybersecurity Program Manager Interview
Early in 2024, Dr. Fortune E. Onwuzuruike, a Microsoft cybersecurity program manager with a healthcare security background, gave an interview, sharing his views on his role and how AI can affect the future of cybersecurity.
Dr. Fortune discusses the importance of good education and networking, advising people interested in the area to stay informed, learn the basics, focus their knowledge, and network. He adds that getting a bachelor’s and proper certifications is key to successfully getting into cybersecurity. This means that a Microsoft cybersecurity certificate will put you ahead of other candidates when looking for a job.
During the interview, he briefly talks about AI, stating that he believes it will continue to grow during the next 5 to 10 years and that it needs to be regulated with parameters to avoid malfunction. He adds that while AI will make jobs easier, the thought that AI will replace jobs is naive, implying that it might actually increase the number of specialized jobs in the tech market.
Microsoft’s and LAB3’s Cybersecurity and AI Webinar
Microsoft teamed up with LAB3 early in 2024 for a webinar with multiple area experts to discuss AI and cybersecurity. The experts present are:
● Jay Doyle: Microsoft’s Senior Security Specialist
● Jordan Hennessey: Microsoft’s Partner Strategy Lead, Security
● Christina Wells: LAB3’s Head of Growth, NZ
● Ankul Bhardwaj: LAB3’s Principal Security Technologist
They talk about how cybercrimes are a growing issue, with AI aiding both cybersecurity professionals in developing effective defenses and cybercriminals in developing sophisticated and advanced attacks. They also highlight the importance of adapting cybersecurity strategies to address the advancement of technology used against them.
One major concern they discuss is the need for more trained professionals. Currently, there’s a global shortage of about 5 million cybersecurity professionals, and a growing shortage in Australia is estimated to reach 30,000 by the end of 2024. This huge imbalance leads to attacks becoming more common and easier every day.
Data discussion shows that 87% of businesses identify cyber threats as their number one concern and that more than 50% of companies have experienced some form of cyber attack. Data breaches have a cost of about $3.9 billion worldwide for medium- to large-sized companies.
Currently, experts are trying to improve detection and response times through AI and advanced tools. As of now, a data breach can take an average of up to six months to be detected, while it takes approximately 72 minutes for attackers to extract confidential data after a breach.
Skill Development and Career Advancement
Due to the shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the industry, mastering the right skills and getting the right certifications are crucial to success. Knowledge of core cybersecurity fundamentals like network security and cryptography is also important for every role.
Skill Development Basics
To get into cybersecurity AI, you’ll first have to understand the basics of IT security and networking. While getting a Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate might seem daunting at first, you’ll have an easier time starting with the fundamentals, like:
● Networking fundamentals
● Operating systems
● Security tools
● Compliance regulations
Cybersecurity AI jobs are focused on preventing and mitigating cyber attacks and threats targeted at companies and other valuable data. You’ll often be coordinating with several people at once while dealing with a lot of information at the same time. This means you’ll also need several soft skills, like:
● Attention to detail
● Communication skills
● Teamwork and collaboration
● Adaptability
● Critical thinking
After getting familiar with the security basics and understanding the importance of soft skills for this career path, you can start digging deeper into other specific technical subjects to aid you in securing your Microsoft Cybersecurity Certification tests focused on AI.
You don’t have to get ahead of yourself, though. You can start with beginner-level Microsoft certificates to get a handle on cybersecurity, AI, and how these two work together. Here are a few beginner Microsoft Cybersecurity Certification to start with:
● Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals
● Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
● Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals
● Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals
These Microsoft certificates will provide you with a deeper knowledge of databases, AI, and Microsoft’s Azure system. They’re all excellent starting points for your cybersecurity AI career and will pave the way for your career advancement.
Career Advancement
Once you get familiar with all the basics and fundamentals of security, machine learning, and some Microsoft tools, you can start digging deeper into your career advancement path. The best way to achieve this is by focusing on passing your Microsoft Cybersecurity Certification tests. Getting many credentials on your resume will
Security Engineer
If you’re looking into security engineer jobs, you’ll want to look for Microsoft certificates and credentials like:
● Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate
● Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate
● Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate
● Configure SIEM security operations using Microsoft Sentinel
AI Engineer
If you’re looking into AI engineer jobs, you’ll want to look for Microsoft certificates and credentials like:
● Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
● Create an intelligent document processing solution with Azure AI Document Intelligence
● Build an Azure AI Vision solution
● Build a natural language processing solution with Azure AI Language
Data Analyst
If you’re looking into data analyst jobs, you’ll want to look for Microsoft certificates and credentials like:
● Implement a data science and machine learning solution with Microsoft Fabric
● Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate
● Implement a Real-Time Intelligence Solution with Microsoft Fabric
Real-World Success Stories and Use Cases
Proper usage of AI in cybersecurity solutions is essential when faced with the constant threat of attacks, both for prevention and for responding to an attack. Microsoft’s approach to cybersecurity, through several different platforms and tools, offers a variety to tackle varying challenges.
The Aliquippa water plant was targeted in a cyber attack back in November 2023 focused on unsecured operational technology (OT) devices. It resulted in the water plant having its functionalities impaired and displays showing the attacker's logo.
While identifying the threat’s origin can be a challenge, Microsoft leveraged its knowledge and experts to analyze available data and understand where the breach happened. They narrowed it down to a system near the station.
Microsoft’s solution was the suggestion of implementing better OT security solutions through Microsoft Defender for IoT, enabling vulnerability assessments, reducing attack points, and implementing Zero Trust practices.
With Microsoft’s proposed changes, the Aliquippa station would be able to prevent and improve security by eliminating weak points of attack and isolating OT devices and networks from IT and firewalls. They state that according to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2023, 78% of industrial networks of their customers’s devices have known vulnerabilities, where 46% of them use outdated firmware with unsupported updates, and 32% use outdated systems with unpatched vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
Cyber attacks and threats are an ever-evolving issue that advances along with cybersecurity defense measures. However, due to the lack of cybersecurity professionals on the market, it’s been getting harder to stay ahead of the game.
Microsoft is currently offering opportunities for professionals to specialize and get certifications to improve and grow their careers. They are also constantly looking for trained and skilled professionals who are up-to-date in this evolving field.
So if you’re interested in getting a cybersecurity job and learning more about its complexity, sign up right now for notifications and more information.
