Microsoft Reinvents Cybersecurity Assistance with AI-Powered Security Copilot

Microsoft is launching a new AI-driven assistant, Security Copilot, to help cybersecurity professionals identify breaches and navigate the vast amount of data at their disposal. Built on OpenAI's GPT-4 generative AI and Microsoft's security-specific model, the Security Copilot resembles a typical chatbot but harnesses the power of 65 trillion daily signals collected by Microsoft to aid professionals in threat hunting.

Designed to supplement, not replace, the work of security analysts, Security Copilot offers a collaborative pinboard for sharing information with coworkers. Analysts can use the assistant to aid in incident investigations, create summaries for reporting, or request information on vulnerabilities, files, URLs, or code snippets. With a full audit trail of prompts and responses, Security Copilot provides valuable insights throughout the investigation process.

The innovative prompt book feature bundles a set of steps or automation into a single, user-friendly button or prompt, allowing security researchers to perform tasks such as reverse engineering scripts more efficiently. Security Copilot can even generate PowerPoint slides outlining incidents and attack vectors.

Drawing from sources like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology's vulnerability database, and Microsoft's own threat intelligence database, Security Copilot provides comprehensive information on vulnerabilities. A feedback loop ensures that users can communicate issues or inaccuracies with the AI's output.

Focusing solely on security-related queries, Security Copilot is the latest manifestation of Microsoft's push to integrate AI into its products and services. Although the company has not announced a timeline for a broader rollout, Microsoft has begun previewing Security Copilot with a select group of customers. As Chang Kawaguchi, an AI security architect at Microsoft, explains, the emphasis is on learning and refining the technology responsibly to ensure the best possible product for users.

This development comes on the heels of Microsoft's announcement of an AI-powered Copilot assistant for Office apps and GitHub's chatty assistant for developers. Microsoft's Copilot technology is expected to continue expanding throughout the company's software and services, transforming the user experience and revolutionizing the way professionals work with AI assistance.