Microsoft and Darktrace partnership will help keep organisations secure using AI that learns 'SELF'

Microsoft is partnering with Darktrace, a leading autonomous cyber security AI company that uses self-learning artificial intelligence to respond to threats at machine speed.

The business, which was founded in Cambridge, UK, in 2013, provides best-in-class cyber AI to protect organisations against attacks of all kinds – including insider threats, espionage, supply chain attacks, phishing and ransomware.

The technology works “on the job” to learn from data, users and activity across all enterprise environments, learning a sense of “self” to distinguish between benign and malicious behaviour. Darktrace provides enterprise-scale, self-learning AI that detects and autonomously responds to novel cyber-threats. Together, Microsoft and Darktrace provide enhanced security across multi-platform and multi-cloud environments, automate threat investigations and enable teams to prioritize strategic tasks that matter.

The partnership with Microsoft will provide unparalleled defence against sophisticated attacks, as organisations continue to transition to the cloud.

Dan Fein, Director of Email Security Products at Darktrace, said: “Cyber-criminals will do whatever it takes. Daily, we see attackers impersonate CEOs or compromise vendors’ accounts to send out targeted, topical emails that look legitimate.

“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.

“Our 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.”

Microsoft and Darktrace are collaborating to help organisations address new security challenges in a number of critical areas:

• Email Security – Antigena Email, which uses Darktrace’s artificial intelligence to stop the most advanced email threats, will be hosted on Microsoft Azure and listed on Microsoft Azure Marketplace

• Simplified and Streamlined Security Workflows – Darktrace now integrates seamlessly with Azure Sentinel, with a bespoke Workbook allowing users to send and visualize Darktrace alerts and Cyber AI Analyst incidents inside Sentinel

• Seamless Data Integration – Darktrace one-click integrations allow users to connect Darktrace’s AI detection capabilities to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

“I am proud to be partnering with Microsoft, bringing Darktrace’s Cyber AI and autonomous response into joint customer environments,” commented Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace.

Clare Barclay, CEO, Microsoft UK, said: “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.”