Microsoft announces European Security Program to help protect the EU from cyber threats for free
Microsoft is launching a new cybersecurity initiative in the EU and associated regions to help governments bolster their protections. The European Security Program is needed, the company says, because of the growing threat posed by AI, as well as increasingly complex and numerous cyberattacks from the likes of Russia and China.
The new program builds on Microsoft's existing Government Security Program, but is tailored to the specific needs of Europe. In a move that will be well-received by the EU, the European Security Program is free of charge and includes important new components.
See also:
- Microsoft is making huge changes to Windows 10 and 11, cutting out nagging to use Edge... for some
- Quick Machine Recovery is Microsoft’s latest tool for fixing Windows 11 boot problems
- Elon Musk confirms everyone is getting the 'all new' XChat this week, complete with 'Bitcoin style encryption'
The new program sees Microsoft increasing the sharing of AI-based threat intelligence with European governments, as well as greater investment in cybersecurity. It also involves an expansion of partnerships to help disrupt and contain cyberattacks, and to destroy networks used by cybercriminals.
Microsoft says:
We are making this program available to European governments, free of charge, including all 27 European Union (EU) member states, as well as EU accession countries, members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the UK, Monaco, and the Vatican.
Together, these efforts reflect Microsoft’s long-term commitment to defending Europe’s digital ecosystem -- ensuring that, no matter how the threat landscape evolves, we will remain a trusted and steadfast partner to Europe in securing its digital future.
The company highlights the fact that Chinese and Russian activity is particularly high in these regions. The war in Ukraine is cited as a key area of attention, but there is a warning that threats go far beyond the obvious:
Several campaigns, including those from China, have also targeted academic institutions, compromising accounts to access sensitive research data or conduct geopolitical espionage against think tanks. Cybercriminals continue to develop Ransomware-as-a-Service beyond nation-state threats. We have seen the emergence of illicit websites rapidly gaining followings by leaking ransomware insights to be used by criminal groups to conduct attacks across Europe.
Artificial intelligence is an important tool in the arsenal of cybercriminals, with deepfakes making it possible to easily spread misinformation. Microsoft cites this as one of the primarily reasons for boosting information-sharing:
The rise of AI is also augmenting and evolving threat actor behavior. Microsoft has observed AI use by threat actors for reconnaissance, vulnerability research, translation, LLM-refined operational command techniques, resource development, scripting techniques, detection evasion, social engineering, and brute force attacks. This is why Microsoft now tracks any malicious use of new AI models we release and proactively prevents known threat actors from using our AI products. This also underscores the importance of secure development and rigorous testing of AI models, leveraging AI to benefit cyber defenders, and close public-private partnerships to share the latest insights about AI and cybersecurity.
Full details of what Microsoft is now offering can be found in this explainer from the company’s Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith