Microsoft and Darktrace partner on AI-enhanced cloud security

Microsoft has announced a new partnership with Cambridge-based AI startup Darktrace that aims to provide AI-enhanced cyber security to organisations transitioning to the cloud.

The collaboration will focus on addressing security challenges in the “critical areas” of email security, data integration, as well as simplified and streamlined security workflows.

Microsoft stated that Azure will now host Antigena Email, which uses Darktrace’s artificial intelligence technology to stop the most advanced email threats, with the product also being listed on the Azure Marketplace.

The tech giant also announced that it will provide users with one-click integrations allowing them to connect Darktrace’s AI detection capabilities to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Users will also be able to streamline security workflows by integrating Darktrace with Azure Sentinel, allowing them to send and visualize Darktrace alerts and Cyber AI Analyst incidents within the platform.

Commenting on the partnership, Microsoft UK CEO Clare Barclay said that, “as cyber attacks become increasingly sophisticated, AI is adding a deeper level of protection in detecting these threats”.

“The partnership between Microsoft and Darktrace will help keep organisations secure, enabling them to focus on their core business and customers,” she added.

Darktrace director of Email Security Products, Dan Feinat, warned that the AI startup witnesses “attackers impersonate CEOs or compromise vendors’ accounts to send out targeted, topical emails that look legitimate” on a daily basis.

“As these attacks get more sophisticated, employee education and awareness are not enough. The answer lies in technology. With a dynamic understanding of the business, Cyber AI detects subtle indicators of attack and stops novel threats on the first encounter. This capability is crucial in an era where it is impossible to predict where the next attack will come from or what it will look like.”

Feinat added that Darktrace’s security products “align perfectly with Microsoft’s, allowing us to build even greater confidence among our mutual customers that their business, data and staff are protected”.

The announcement of the partnership comes weeks after Darktrace officially confirmed plans to float on the London Stock Exchange. The company’s revenues soared to £145 million during the pandemic, up from around £99.5 million the year prior.