Security Baseline for M365 Apps for enterprise v2512
Security baseline for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (v2512, December 2025) Microsoft is pleased to announce the latest Security Baseline for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, version 2512, is now available as part of the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit. This release builds on previous baselines and introduces updated, security‑hardened recommendations aligned with modern threat landscapes and the latest Office administrative templates. As with prior releases, this baseline is intended to help enterprise administrators quickly deploy Microsoft recommended security configurations, reduce configuration drift, and ensure consistent protection across user environments. Download the updated baseline today from the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit, test the recommended configurations, and implement as appropriate. This release introduces and updates several security focused policies designed to strengthen protections in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and core Microsoft 365 Apps components. These changes reflect evolving attacker techniques, partner feedback, and Microsoft’s secure by design engineering standards. The recommended settings in this security baseline correspond with the administrative templates released in version 5516. Below are the updated settings included in this baseline: Excel: File Block Includes External Link Files Policy Path: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Excel 2016\Excel Options\Security\Trust Center\File Block Settings\File Block includes external link files The baseline will ensure that external links to workbooks blocked by File Block will no longer refresh. Attempts to create or update links to blocked files return an error. This prevents data ingestion from untrusted or potentially malicious sources. Block Insecure Protocols Across Microsoft 365 Apps Policy Path: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Security Settings\Block Insecure Protocols The baseline will block all non‑HTTPS protocols when opening documents, eliminating downgrade paths and unsafe connections. This aligns with Microsoft’s broader effort to enforce TLS‑secure communication across productivity and cloud services. Block OLE Graph Functionality Policy Path: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Security Settings\Block OLE Graph This setting will prevent MSGraph.Application and MSGraph.Chart (classic OLE Graph components) from executing. Microsoft 365 Apps will instead render a static image, mitigating a historically risky automation interface. Block OrgChart Add‑in Policy Path: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Security Settings\Block OrgChart The legacy OrgChart add‑in is disabled, preventing execution and replacing output with an image. This reduces exposure to outdated automation frameworks while maintaining visual fidelity. Restrict FPRPC Fallback in Microsoft 365 Apps Policy Path: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016\Security Settings\Restrict Apps from FPRPC Fallback The baseline disables the ability for Microsoft 365 Apps to fall back to FrontPage Server Extensions RPC which is an aging protocol not designed for modern security requirements. Avoiding fallback ensures consistent use of modern, authenticated file‑access methods. PowerPoint: OLE Active Content Controls Updated Policy Path: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft PowerPoint 2016\PowerPoint Options\Security\OLE Active Content This baseline enforces disabling interactive OLE actions, no OLE content will be activate. The recommended baseline selection ensures secure‑by‑default OLE activation, reducing risk from embedded legacy objects. Deployment options for the baseline IT Admins can apply baseline settings in different ways. Depending on the method(s) chosen, different registry keys will be written, and they will be observed in order of precedence: Office cloud policies will override ADMX/Group Policies which will override end user settings in the Trust Center. Cloud policies may be deployed with the Office cloud policy service for policies in HKCU. Cloud policies apply to a user on any device accessing files in Office apps with their AAD account. In Office cloud policy service, you can create a filter for the Area column to display the current Security Baselines, and within each policy's context pane the recommended baseline setting is set by default. Learn more about Office cloud policy service. ADMX policies may be deployed with Microsoft Intune for both HKCU and HKLM policies. These settings are written to the same place as Group Policy, but managed from the cloud. There are two methods to create and deploy policy configurations: Administrative templates or the settings catalog. Group Policy may be deployed with on premise AD DS to deploy Group Policy Objects (GPO) to users and computers. The downloadable baseline package includes importable GPOs, a script to apply the GPOs to local policy, a script to import the GPOs into Active Directory Group Policy, updated custom administrative template (SecGuide.ADMX/L) file, all the recommended settings in spreadsheet form and a Policy Analyzer rules file. GPOs included in the baseline Most organizations can implement the baseline’s recommended settings without any problems. However, there are a few settings that will cause operational issues for some organizations. We've broken out related groups of such settings into their own GPOs to make it easier for organizations to add or remove these restrictions as a set. The local-policy script (Baseline-LocalInstall.ps1) offers command-line options to control whether these GPOs are installed. "MSFT Microsoft 365 Apps v2512" GPO set includes “Computer” and “User” GPOs that represent the “core” settings that should be trouble free, and each of these potentially challenging GPOs: “DDE Block - User” is a User Configuration GPO that blocks using DDE to search for existing DDE server processes or to start new ones. “Legacy File Block - User” is a User Configuration GPO that prevents Office applications from opening or saving legacy file formats. "Legacy JScript Block - Computer" disables the legacy JScript execution for websites in the Internet Zone and Restricted Sites Zone. “Require Macro Signing - User” is a User Configuration GPO that disables unsigned macros in each of the Office applications. If you have questions or issues, please let us know via the Security Baseline Community or this post. Related: Learn about Microsoft Baseline Security Mode
Priority Cleanup V2: Faster, Simpler Data Purging for Exchange Online
Enhancements Achieved with Exchange Priority Cleanup V2 Priority Cleanup (Use priority cleanup to expedite the permanent deletion of sensitive information from mailboxes | Microsoft Learn) was introduced to provide administrators with a powerful tool for permanently deleting mailbox content, even when under retention or eDiscovery hold, to address scenarios such as data spillage and urgent removals. Priority Cleanup addressed a key need in Exchange Online by allowing hold overrides. Through real-world use, we received valuable insights regarding the approval process, deletion speed, and reviewer experience. These learnings have guided our ongoing enhancements, ensuring that the solution evolves to better meet customer needs for efficiency and ease of use while maintaining robust security and compliance standards. What's New in Priority Cleanup V2 Priority Cleanup V2 is currently in the planning stage. We’re sharing the proposed updates early to gather feedback before we begin implementation. The goal is to address the core limitations of V1 with enhancements focused on speed and simplicity. Faster Data Deletion & Simplified Approval Workflow: We’re proposing to streamline the process to two key checkpoints: Policy enforcement approval when moving from simulation to active mode (requires approval from a different Priority Cleanup admin). We’re proposing to minimize approval overhead by removing unnecessary review stages. Disposition review by eDiscovery admins will be required only for mailboxes under eDiscovery hold. For other mailboxes, items will be permanently deleted soon after the Priority Cleanup policy is applied to speed up processing from days to hours. This would reduce the number of required users with admin privileges from four to two. Controlled Purge Limits: Administrators will be able to efficiently manage substantial purges by securely processing deletions in batches, with a configurable limit of up to 100 items per mailbox per ELC run. A default limit of 100 items is applied, with the ability to adjust this value through an organization‑level configuration. This configurable limit provides an additional safeguard for system operations while offering flexibility to meet varying organizational needs. Note: A default limit of 100 items will apply, with the ability to adjust this value via an organization-level configuration. V1 vs V2 Feature Comparison Feature V1 Behavior V2 Improvement Deletion Speed Multi-stage process taking 6+ days for small purges Significantly faster with immediate deletion for non-hold mailboxes Approval Workflow 3-stage approval (Priority Cleanup Admin, Retention Admin, eDiscovery Admin) 2-stage approval (policy enforcement + eDiscovery review only when needed) Proposed Improvements in Admin Experience and Control Streamlined Policy Management: We are considering making policies easier to enable or disable directly from the main list view, potentially through a simple toggle, so administrators would no longer need to use the setup wizard for this task. Enhanced Review Interface: Proposed updates include adding new, informative columns to the interface, such as a dedicated Mailbox/Site column to help identify the source location. We are also looking at providing clearly labeled date fields to indicate when items were received or created, which would replace the potentially confusing ExpiryDate label. Comprehensive Audit Trails: It is proposed that every action would be thoroughly documented with a unique Cleanup ID. This ID could then be used in Audit Search to locate all events related to a specific cleanup operation, helping to simplify verification and post-incident analysis. Note: Priority Cleanup V2 enhancements are specific to Exchange Online. These changes do not affect Priority Cleanup for OneDrive and SharePoint (PC ODSP), including its rollout timelines or behavior. Key Benefits for Administrators Priority Cleanup V2 delivers tangible improvements across the entire data purging workflow. Accelerated Deletion: Requests for data removal are fulfilled much faster, enabling urgent incidents to be resolved within hours rather than days, and minimizing risk exposure. Reduced Administrative Overhead: Coordination requirements are simplified, decreasing the number of users involved from four to two in most cases, which makes Priority Cleanup V2 more practical for smaller teams. Enhanced Transparency: Improved user interface labels and robust audit logs help administrators clearly understand what data is being deleted and who authorized the action. Maintained Security and Compliance: Segregation of duties is preserved so that no single individual can delete protected content alone, supporting security and compliance requirements. Availability and Rollout Priority Cleanup V2 is currently in development with rollout planned for the end of 2026. As with all Exchange Online features, we will publish a Microsoft 365 Roadmap item and send Message Center notifications to affected tenants before general availability We Want Your Feedback Priority Cleanup V2 represents a significant evolution based on customer feedback from V1 users who emphasized the need for faster, simpler data purging without compromising security. We've addressed the core pain points around speed, approval complexity, and admin experience, but we know there's always room for improvement. We'd love to hear your thoughts: Does the simplified approval workflow meet your security requirements? What visibility or reporting capabilities would make you more confident in using Priority Cleanup for urgent data removal scenarios? Your feedback directly shapes how we prioritize future enhancements. Please share your experiences and suggestions through your regular Microsoft support channels or customer success contacts. Together, we can continue refining Priority Cleanup to better serve your data governance needs. Aniket Gupta, Mehul Kaushik, Victor Legat & Purview Data Lifecycle Management TeamWhy UK Enterprise Cybersecurity Is Failing in 2026 (And What Leaders Must Change)
Enterprise cybersecurity in large organisations has always been an asymmetric game. But with the rise of AI‑enabled cyber attacks, that imbalance has widened dramatically - particularly for UK and EMEA enterprises operating complex cloud, SaaS, and identity‑driven environments. Microsoft Threat Intelligence and Microsoft Defender Security Research have publicly reported a clear shift in how attackers operate: AI is now embedded across the entire attack lifecycle. Threat actors use AI to accelerate reconnaissance, generate highly targeted phishing at scale, automate infrastructure, and adapt tactics in real time - dramatically reducing the time required to move from initial access to business impact. In recent months, Microsoft has documented AI‑enabled phishing campaigns abusing legitimate authentication mechanisms, including OAuth and device‑code flows, to compromise enterprise accounts at scale. These attacks rely on automation, dynamic code generation, and highly personalised lures - not on exploiting traditional vulnerabilities or stealing passwords. The Reality Gap: Adaptive Attackers vs. Static Enterprise Defences Meanwhile, many UK enterprises still rely on legacy cybersecurity controls designed for a very different threat model - one rooted in a far more predictable world. This creates a dangerous "Resilience Gap." Here is why your current stack is failing- and the C-Suite strategy required to fix it. 1. The Failure of Traditional Antivirus in the AI Era Traditional antivirus (AV) relies on static signatures and hashes. It assumes malicious code remains identical across different targets. AI has rendered this assumption obsolete. Modern malware now uses automated mutation to generate unique code variants at execution time, and adapts behaviour based on its environment. Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed threat actors using AI‑assisted tooling to rapidly rewrite payload components, ensuring that every deployment looks subtly different. In this model, there is no reliable signature to detect. By the time a pattern exists, the attacker has already moved on. Signature‑based detection is not just slow - it is structurally misaligned with AI‑driven attacks. The Risk: If your security relies on "recognising" a threat, you are already breached. By the time a signature exists, the attacker has evolved. The C-Suite Pivot: Shift investment from artifact detection to EDR/XDR (Extended Detection and Response). We must prioritise behavioural analytics and machine learning models that identify intent rather than file names. 2. Why Perimeter Firewalls Fail in a Cloud-First World Many UK enterprise still rely on firewalls enforcing static allow/deny rules based on IP addresses and ports. This model worked when applications were predictable and networks clearly segmented. Today, enterprise traffic is encrypted, cloud‑hosted, API‑driven, and deeply integrated with SaaS and identity services. AI‑assisted phishing campaigns abusing OAuth and device‑code flows demonstrate this clearly. From a network perspective, everything looks legitimate: HTTPS traffic to trusted identity providers. No suspicious port. No malicious domain. Yet the attacker successfully compromises identity. The Risk: Traditional firewalls are "blind" to identity-based breaches in cloud environments. The C-Suite Pivot: Move to Identity-First Security. Treat Identity as the new Control Plane, integrating signals like user risk, device health, and geolocation into every access decision. 3. The Critical Weakness of Single-Factor Authentication Despite clear NCSC guidance, single-factor passwords remain a common vulnerability in legacy applications and VPNs. AI-driven credential abuse has changed the economics of these attacks. Threat actors now deploy adaptive phishing campaigns that evolve in real-time. Microsoft has observed attackers using AI to hyper-target high-value UK identities- specifically CEOs, Finance Directors, and Procurement leads. The Risk: Static passwords are now the primary weak link in UK supply chain security. The C-Suite Pivot: Mandate Phishing‑resistant MFA (Passkeys or hardware security keys). Implement Conditional Access policies that evaluate risk dynamically at the moment of access, not just at login. Legacy Security vs. AI‑Era Reality 4. The Inherent Risk of VPN-Centric Security VPNs were built on a flawed assumption: that anyone "inside" the network is trustworthy. In 2026, this logic is a liability. AI-assisted attackers now use automation to map internal networks and identify escalation paths the moment they gain VPN access. Furthermore, Microsoft has tracked nation-state actors using AI to create synthetic employee identities- complete with fake resumes and deepfake communication. In these scenarios, VPN access isn't "hacked"; it is legally granted to a fraudster. The Risk: A compromised VPN gives an attacker the "keys to the kingdom." The C-Suite Pivot: Transition to Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA). Access must be explicit, scoped to the specific application, and continuously re‑evaluated using behavioural signals. 5. Data: The High-Velocity Target Sensitive data sitting unencrypted in legacy databases or backups is a ticking time bomb. In the AI era, data discovery is no longer a slow, manual process for a hacker. Attackers now use AI to instantly analyse your directory structures, classify your files, and prioritise high-value data for theft. Unencrypted data significantly increases your "blast radius," turning a containable incident into a catastrophic board-level crisis. The Risk: Beyond the technical breach, unencrypted data leads to massive UK GDPR fines and irreparable brand damage. The C-Suite Pivot: Adopt Data-Centric Security. Implement encryption by default, classify data while adding sensitivity labels and start board-level discussions regarding post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) to future-proof your most sensitive assets. 6. The Failure of Static IDS Traditional Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) rely on known indicators of compromise - assuming attackers reuse the same tools and techniques. AI‑driven attacks deliberately avoid that assumption. Threat actors are now using Large Language Models (LLMs) to weaponize newly disclosed vulnerabilities within hours. While your team waits for a "known pattern" to be updated in your system, the attacker is already using a custom, AI-generated exploit. The Risk: Your team is defending against yesterday's news while the attacker is moving at machine speed. The C-Suite Pivot: Invest in Adaptive Threat Detection. Move toward Graph‑based XDR platforms that correlate signals across email, endpoint, and cloud to automate investigation and response before the damage spreads. From Static Security to Continuous Security Closing Thought: Security Is a Journey, Not a Destination For UK enterprises, the shift toward adaptive cybersecurity is no longer optional - it is increasingly driven by regulatory expectation, board oversight, and accountability for operational resilience. Recent UK cyber resilience reforms and evolving regulatory frameworks signal a clear direction of travel: cybersecurity is now a board‑level responsibility, not a back‑office technical concern. Directors and executive leaders are expected to demonstrate effective governance, risk ownership, and preparedness for cyber disruption - particularly as AI reshapes the threat landscape. AI is not a future cybersecurity problem. It is a current force multiplier for attackers, exposing the limits of legacy enterprise security architectures faster than many organisations are willing to admit. The uncomfortable truth for boards in 2026 is that no enterprise is 100% secure. Intrusions are inevitable. Credentials will be compromised. Controls will be tested. The difference between a resilient enterprise and a vulnerable one is not the absence of incidents, but how risk is managed when they occur. In mature organisations, this means assuming breach and designing for containment: Access controls that limit blast radius Least privilege and conditional access restricting attackers to the smallest possible scope if an identity is compromised Data‑centric security using automated classification and encryption, ensuring that even when access is misused, sensitive data cannot be freely exfiltrated As a Senior Enterprise Cybersecurity Architect, I see this moment as a unique opportunity. AI adoption does not have to repeat the mistakes of earlier technology waves, where innovation moved fast and security followed years later. We now have a rare chance to embed security from day one - designing identity controls, data boundaries, automated monitoring, and governance before AI systems become business‑critical. When security is built in upfront, enterprises don’t just reduce risk - they gain the confidence to move faster and unlock AI’s value safely. Security is no longer a “department”. In the age of AI, it is a continuous business function - essential to preserving trust and maintaining operational continuity as attackers move at machine speed. References: Inside an AI‑enabled device code phishing campaign | Microsoft Security Blog AI as tradecraft: How threat actors operationalize AI | Microsoft Security Blog Detecting and analyzing prompt abuse in AI tools | Microsoft Security Blog Post-Quantum Cryptography | CSRC Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025 | Microsoft https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/news/government-adopt-passkey-technology-digital-services
Feature Request: Extend Security Copilot inclusion (M365 E5) to M365 A5 Education tenants
Background At Ignite 2025, Microsoft announced that Security Copilot is included for all Microsoft 365 E5 customers, with a phased rollout starting November 18, 2025. This is a significant step forward for security operations. The gap Microsoft 365 A5 for Education is the academic equivalent of E5 — it includes the same core security stack: Microsoft Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview. However, the Security Copilot inclusion explicitly covers only commercial E5 customers. There is no public roadmap or timeline for extending this benefit to A5 education tenants. Why this matters Education institutions face the same cybersecurity threats as commercial organizations — often with fewer dedicated security resources. The A5 license was positioned as the premium security offering for education. Excluding it from Security Copilot inclusion creates an inequity between commercial and education customers holding functionally equivalent license tiers. Request We would like Microsoft to: Confirm whether Security Copilot inclusion will be extended to M365 A5 Education tenants If yes, provide an indicative timeline If no, clarify the rationale and what alternative paths exist for education customers Are other EDU admins in the same situation? Would appreciate any upvotes or comments to help raise visibility with the product team.Welcome to the Microsoft Security Community!
Microsoft Security Community Hub | Protect it all with Microsoft Security Eliminate gaps and get the simplified, comprehensive protection, expertise, and AI-powered solutions you need to innovate and grow in a changing world. The Microsoft Security Community is your gateway to connect, learn, and collaborate with peers, experts, and product teams. Gain access to technical discussions, webinars, and help shape Microsoft’s security products. Get there fast To stay up to date on upcoming opportunities and the latest Microsoft Security Community news, make sure to subscribe to our email list. Find the latest skilling content and on-demand videos – subscribe to the Microsoft Security Community YouTube channel. Catch the latest announcements and connect with us on LinkedIn – Microsoft Security Community and Microsoft Entra Community. Read the latest in the the Microsoft Security Community blog. Upcoming Community Calls April 2026 Apr. 23 | 8:00am | Security Copilot Skilling Series | Getting started with Security Copilot New to Security Copilot? This session walks through what you actually need to get started, including E5 inclusion requirements and a practical overview of the core experiences and agents you will use on day one. RESCHEDULED Apr. 28 | 8:00am | Security Copilot Skilling Series | Security Copilot Agents, DSPM AI Observability, and IRM for Agents This session covers an overview of how Microsoft Purview supports AI risk visibility and investigation through Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) and Insider Risk Management (IRM), alongside Security Copilot–powered agents. This session will go over what is AI Observability in DSPM as well as IRM for Agents in Copilot Studio and Azure AI Foundry. Attendees will learn about the IRM Triage Agent and DSPM Posture Agent and their deployment. Attendees will gain an understanding of how DSPM and IRM capabilities could be leveraged to improve visibility, context, and response for AI-related data risks in Microsoft Purview. Apr. 30 | 8:00am | Microsoft Security Community Presents | Purview Lightning Talks Join the Microsoft Security Community for Purview Lightning Talks; quick technical sessions delivered by the community, for the community. You’ll pick up practical Purview gems: must-know Compliance Manager tips, smart data security tricks, real-world scenarios, and actionable governance recommendations all in one energizing event. Hear directly from Purview customers, partners, and community members and walk away with ideas you can put to work right immediately. Register now; full agenda coming soon! May 2026 May 12 | 9:00am | Microsoft Sentinel | Hyper scale your SOC: Manage delegated access and role-based scoping in Microsoft Defender In this session we'll discuss Unified role based access control (RBAC) and granular delegated admin privileges (GDAP) expansions including: How to use RBAC to -Allow multiple SOC teams to operate securely within a shared Sentinel environment-Support granular, row-level access without requiring workspace separation-Get consistent and reusable scope definitions across tables and experiences How to use GDAP to -Manage MSSPs and hyper-scaler organizations with delegated- access to governed tenants within the Defender portal-Manage delegated access for Sentinel. Looking for more? Join the Security Advisors! As a Security Advisor, you’ll gain early visibility into product roadmaps, participate in focus groups, and access private preview features before public release. You’ll have a direct channel to share feedback with engineering teams, influencing the direction of Microsoft Security products. The program also offers opportunities to collaborate and network with fellow end users and Microsoft product teams. Join the Security Advisors program that best fits your interests: www.aka.ms/joincommunity. Additional resources Microsoft Security Hub on Tech Community Virtual Ninja Training Courses Microsoft Security Documentation Azure Network Security GitHub Microsoft Defender for Cloud GitHub Microsoft Sentinel GitHub Microsoft Defender XDR GitHub Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps GitHub Microsoft Defender for Identity GitHub Microsoft Purview GitHubSecurity Review for Microsoft Edge version 147
We have reviewed the new settings in Microsoft Edge version 147 and determined that there are no additional security settings that require enforcement. The Microsoft Edge version 139 security baseline continues to be our recommended configuration which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit. Microsoft Edge version 147 introduced 9 new Computer and User settings; we have included a spreadsheet listing the new settings to make it easier for you to find. Version 147 introduced the Control the availability of the XSLT feature policy (XSLTEnabled). This policy exists to support enterprise testing and transition scenarios while the Chromium project works toward deprecating and removing XSLT support from the browser due to security concerns associated with this legacy feature. XSLT support in modern browsers represents a disproportionate attack surface, and upstream Chromium has announced plans to disable and ultimately remove XSLT in a future release. As a result, organizations should treat continued reliance on client‑side XSLT as technical debt and plan migration accordingly. Additional details can be found here. Organizations are encouraged to proactively test setting XSLTEnabled = Disabled to identify application dependencies and remediation requirements ahead of any future default changes or removal of the feature. As a friendly reminder, all available settings for Microsoft Edge are documented here, and all available settings for Microsoft Edge Update are documented here. Please continue to give us feedback through the Security Baselines Discussion site or this post.Security Community Spotlight: Fabrício Assumpção
Meet Fabrício Assumpção, a Technical Specialist Architect for a Microsoft Security and Compliance Certified Partner, based in Brazil. Fabrício considers his involvement with the Microsoft Security Community defined by a dual approach: architectural innovation and technical enablement. As a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) since 2021, he has been dedicated to bridging the gap between theory and real-world implementation for security professionals globally. What do you find most rewarding about being a member of the Microsoft Security Community? The most rewarding part of being a member of the Microsoft Security Community is the direct access to the pulse of cybersecurity innovation. As a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and a developer/engineer/architect focused on Cloud Security/M365 Security and SIEM, being in this ecosystem allows me to bridge the gap between complex architectural challenges and AI-driven solutions. Developing security agents for Microsoft Security Copilot is particularly fulfilling because I can see how the community’s collective knowledge shapes the future of automated defense. For me, it’s not just about the tools, but about being part of a global movement that empowers defenders to stay ahead of sophisticated threats through intelligence and automation. How would you describe your Microsoft Community involvement? In my role as a Security Architect and Engineer at adaQuest, I advocate for Microsoft’s vision by designing and deploying complex security infrastructures. My work spans the entire Microsoft Security stack, from high-level XDR (Microsoft Defender) strategies and SIEM (Microsoft Sentinel) deployments to the cutting edge of AI-driven defense. Currently, alongside my other activities, I'm focused on developing custom security agents for Microsoft Security Copilot, a task that allows me to push the boundaries of how automation and AI can empower modern SOCs. While my primary involvement has been focused on technical architecture and developing security Copilot agents, my ideal community experience would be centered on deep-tier technical co-creation. I envision a community space that facilitates direct architectural dialogues between Microsoft product teams and the engineers who are building on top of those platforms. For me, the most valuable community experience is one that prioritizes 'early-access' feedback loops and specialized hackathons where we can stress-test new features—like advanced XDR integrations or AI agent capabilities—before they hit the mainstream. My ideal is a community that functions as a high-octane R&D hub, where the collective expertise of architects and developers directly influences the roadmap of the security tools we use every day Editor’s note: The scenario Fabrício describes above is much like the Security Advisors program, which gives you early access to products, features, and private previews. Your feedback to engineering has the power to directly influence Microsoft Security products. If this interests you, consider joining! How long have you been working with Microsoft Security products? My Microsoft security journey is a story of evolution—from a cloud support engineer resolving complex L3/L4 infrastructure issues to a Security Architect leading global SOC operations. I have spent the last decade mastering the transition to the cloud, starting with identity and endpoint management (Entra ID and Intune) and progressing to end-to-end administration of the Microsoft 365 and Azure security stack. A turning point was joining adaQuest, where I took the lead on SOCaaS and began bridging the gap between governance and hands-on engineering and Sentinel. Today, my journey has reached its most exciting phase: pioneering the use of Generative AI in security to build scalable, automated solutions that protect clients worldwide. What features or products have provided the most impact? Please describe how it has helped you or your customers. The most impactful solution has been the integration of Microsoft Sentinel with Security Copilot through custom-developed security agents. This combination has revolutionized how our customers manage their security posture, allowing them to orchestrate and query the entire Defender XDR, Entra ID, and Purview stack through natural language automation. The most direct benefit for our clients has been a drastic reduction in Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) and a significant increase in operational efficiency, transforming complex security data into proactive defense. This unified approach ensures that our customers maximize their investment in the Microsoft ecosystem while maintaining high-speed resilience against sophisticated threats. You’ve indeed been instrumental in building with Microsoft Security. What can you share with us, and can you tell us about your journey? I am incredibly proud of being a pioneer in the Microsoft Security Copilot ecosystem. In early 2025, before official documentation was fully available or the feature had reached General Availability (GA), I conceptualized and developed six custom security agents designed to enhance automated defense and incident response. These agents were the result of a deep dive into the underlying architecture of AI-driven security, where I had to materialize complex ideas into functional, real-world tools without a predefined roadmap. My work was officially showcased and published during the historic announcement of the Microsoft Security Store in 2025, marking the debut of third-party security agents. Seeing these agents evolve from initial concepts to essential tools for the SOC of the future—enabling faster, more intelligent decision-making—is my most rewarding professional achievement. It represents my commitment to pushing the boundaries. Fabricio’s agents are available in the Microsoft Security Store. Here’s what he’s built (so far…) Admin Guard Insight An agent focused on privileged identity and access analysis. It reviews administrative roles, sensitive changes, and risk signals to identify exposure, misuse of privileges, and opportunities to strengthen security posture. Login Investigator An agent designed to investigate suspicious sign-in activity. It correlates authentication details, IPs, locations, devices, user risk, and related incidents to determine whether a login is legitimate or potentially malicious. Entity Guard An entity-centric investigation agent for users, devices, applications, or service principals. It consolidates signals from multiple sources to enrich entity context and identify abnormal behavior, exposure, and associated risks. Data Leak Agent An agent specialized in investigating potential data leakage and sensitive information exposure. It validates and correlates incidents across Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel to produce a more reliable and contextualized investigation. L1 SOC Triage An agent built to support first-level SOC alert and incident triage. It helps classify events, enrich context, prioritize severity, and recommend next steps or escalation paths for analysts. Ransomware Kill Chain Investigator An agent focused on ransomware investigations. It correlates evidence and maps observed activity to the ransomware kill chain to help teams understand the attack, impacted assets, and priority response actions. EWS Sunset Readiness Assessor An agent that assesses an organization’s readiness for Exchange Web Services (EWS) deprecation. It identifies application and service principal dependencies and supports planning for migration to more modern and secure alternatives. What impact has integrating with Microsoft Security had on your business or your customers? Integrating with Microsoft Security has had a significant impact on both our business and our customers. For our business, it has enabled us to build higher-value security services and differentiated solutions, such as Security Copilot agents tailored to real operational challenges in identity protection, incident triage, data leakage investigations, ransomware analysis, and legacy dependency assessments. For our customers, the impact has been: improved speed, consistency, and depth in security operations. By leveraging Microsoft Security signals and platforms such as Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Sentinel, and Entra, we help teams investigate incidents faster, reduce manual effort, improve decision-making, and strengthen overall security posture. In practice, this means customers gain more actionable insights, better prioritization, and more efficient use of their security resources. What advice do you have for others who would like to get involved in the Microsoft Community? My advice is to bridge the gap between learning and building. Don’t just consume content; start creating solutions for real-world challenges, such as AI-driven automation in Security Copilot or Microsoft Sentinel. Use your practical experience to help others, and remember that teaching is one of the most powerful ways to contribute. In an era of rapid AI evolution, being a proactive 'early adopter' who shares insights is the best way to grow within the Microsoft Community and help protect the global digital landscape. Fabrício beyond Microsoft Security Beyond my technical career, I am a lifelong learner with a deep passion for understanding how the world works, from the complexities of Quantum Computing—which I studied at the University of Coimbra—to the fundamental principles of Physics, Astronomy, and Philosophy. I am currently pursuing two Master’s degrees, as I believe that diverse knowledge fuels creativity. I am also a polyglot at heart, teaching myself Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese using open-source materials. My creative side is expressed through music, as I play both the violin and the piano. In my spare time, I enjoy the discipline of sports; I have a history as both a player and coach of Rugby, and I am a fan of Ice Hockey. My future plans include completing my Doctorate and embracing a nomadic lifestyle to experience different cultures and perspectives. For me, life is about the continuous pursuit of wisdom and the belief that we can always expand the boundaries of our own understanding. Connect with Fabrício on LinkedIn. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Learn and Engage with the Microsoft Security Community Log in and follow this Microsoft Security Community Blog. Follow = Click the heart in the upper right when you're logged in 🤍. 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Why External Users Can’t Open Encrypted Attachments in Certain Conditions & How to Fix It Securely
When Conditional Access policies enforce MFA across all cloud apps and include external users, encrypted attachments may require additional considerations. This post explains why. This behavior applies only in environments where all of the following are true: Microsoft Purview encryption is used for emails and attachments A Conditional Access (CA) policy is configured to: Require MFA Apply to all cloud applications Include guest or external users The Situation: Email Opens, Attachment Doesn’t When an email is encrypted using: Microsoft Purview Sensitivity Labels, or Information Rights Management (IRM) Any attached Office document automatically inherits encryption. This inheritance is intentional and enforced by the service, Ensures consistent protection of sensitive content. That inheritance is mandatory and cannot be disabled. So far, so good. But here’s where things break for external recipients. The Hidden Dependency: Identity & Conditional Access Reading an encrypted email and opening an encrypted attachment are two different flows. External users can usually read encrypted emails by authenticating through: One-Time Passcode (OTP) Microsoft personal accounts Their own organization’s identity However, encrypted attachments use Microsoft Rights Management Services (RMS) — and RMS expects an identity the sender’s tenant can evaluate. If your organization has: A global Conditional Access policy Enforcing MFA for all users Applied to all cloud apps external users can get blocked even after successful email decryption. This commonly results in errors like: “This account does not exist in the sender’s tenant…” AADSTS90072: The external user account does not exist in our tenant and cannot access the Microsoft Office application. The account needs to be added as an external user in the tenant or use an alternative authentication method. When It Works (and Why It Often Doesn’t) External access to encrypted attachments works only when one of these conditions is met: The sender trusts the recipient’s tenant MFA via Cross‑Tenant Access (MFA trust) The recipient already exists as a guest account in the sender’s tenant In real-world scenarios, these conditions often fail: External recipients use consumer or non‑Entra identities Recipient domains are not predictable Guest onboarding does not scale Cross‑tenant trust is intentionally restricted In such cases, Conditional Access policies designed for internal users can affect RMS evaluation for external users. So what’s the alternative? The Practical, Secure Alternative When the two standard access conditions (cross‑tenant trust or guest presence) cannot be met , you can refine Conditional Access evaluation without weakening encryption. The goal is not to remove MFA, but to ensure it is applied appropriately based on identity type and access path. In this scenario: MFA remains enforced for all internal users, including access to Microsoft Rights Management Services (RMS) MFA remains enforced for external users across cloud applications other than RMS The Key Idea Let encryption stay strong, but stop blocking external RMS authentication. This is achieved by: Keeping the existing Conditional Access policy that enforces MFA for all internal users across all cloud applications, including RMS Excluding guest and external users from that internal‑only policy Deploying a separate Conditional Access policy scoped to guest and external users to: Continue enforcing MFA for external users where supported Explicitly exclude Microsoft Rights Management Services (RMS) from evaluation RMS can be excluded from the external‑user policy by specifying the following application (client) ID: RMS App ID: 00000012-0000-0000-c000-000000000000 Why This Is Still Secure This approach: ✅ Keeps email and attachment encryption fully intact ✅ Internal security posture is unchanged ✅ External users remain protected by MFA where applicable ✅ Allows external users to authenticate using supported methods ✅ Avoids over-trusting external tenants ✅ Scales for large, unpredictable recipient sets Final Takeaway Encrypted attachment access is governed by identity recognition and policy design, not by email encryption alone. By aligning Conditional Access with how encrypted content is evaluated, organizations can enable secure external collaboration while maintaining strong protection standards
Securing multicloud (Azure, AWS & GCP) with Microsoft Defender for Cloud: Connector best practices
Many organizations run workloads across multiple cloud providers and need to maintain a strong security posture while ensuring interoperability. Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) solution that helps secure these environments by providing unified visibility and protection for resources in AWS and GCP alongside Azure. Planning for multicloud security with Microsoft Defender for Cloud As customers adopt Microsoft Defender for Cloud in multicloud environments, Microsoft provides several resources to support planning, deployment, and scalable onboarding: Planning Guides: Multicloud Protection Planning Guide that walks through key design considerations for securing multicloud with Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Deployment Guides: Connect your Azure subscriptions - Microsoft Defender for Cloud. With the right planning and adoption strategy, onboarding to Microsoft Defender for Cloud can be smooth and predictable. However, support cases show that some common challenges can still arise during or after onboarding AWS or GCP environments. Below, we walk through frequent multicloud scenarios, their symptoms, and recommended troubleshooting steps. Common multicloud connector problems and how to resolve them 1. Problem: Removed cloud account still appears in Microsoft Defender for Cloud The AWS/GCP account is deleted or removed from your organization, but in Microsoft Defender for Cloud it still appears under connected environments. Additionally, security recommendations for resources in the deleted account may still show up in recommendations page. Cause Microsoft Defender for Cloud does not automatically delete a cloud connector when the external account is removed. The security connector in Azure is a separate object that remains unless explicitly removed. Microsoft Defender for Cloud isn’t aware that the AWS/GCP side was decommissioned as there’s no automatic callback to Azure when an AWS account is closed. Therefore, the connector and its last known data linger until manually removed. Solution Delete the connector to clean up the stale entry. Use one of the following methods. Option 1: Use the Azure portal Sign in to the Azure portal. Go to Microsoft Defender for Cloud > Environment settings. Select the AWS account or GCP project that no longer exists. Select Delete to remove the connector. Option 2: REST API Delete the connector by using the REST API: Security Connectors - Delete - REST API (Azure Defender for Cloud). Note: If a multicloud organization connector was set up and the organization was later decommissioned or some accounts were removed, there would be several connectors to clean up. Start by deleting the organization’s management account connector, then remove any remaining child connectors. Removing connectors in this order helps prevent leftover dependencies. Additional guidance see: What you need to know when deleting and re-creating the security connector(s) in Defender for Cloud. 2. Problem: Identity provider is missing or partially configured After running the AWS CloudFormation template, the connector setup fails. Microsoft Defender for Cloud shows the AWS environment in an error state because the identity link between Azure and AWS is not established. On the AWS side, the CloudFormation stack exists, but the required OIDC identity provider or the IAM role trust policy that allows Microsoft Defender for Cloud to assume the role via web identity federation is missing or misconfigured. Cause The AWS CloudFormation template doesn’t match the correct Azure subscription or tenant. This can happen if: You were signed in to the wrong Azure directory when generating the template. You deployed the template to a different AWS account than intended. In both cases, the Azure and AWS IDs won’t align, and the connector setup will fail. Solution Verify your Azure directory and subscription. In the Azure portal, go to Directories + subscriptions and make sure the correct directory and subscription are selected before you set up the connector. Clean up the incorrect configuration In AWS, delete the CloudFormation stack and any IAM roles or identity providers it created. In Microsoft Defender for Cloud, remove the failed connector from Environment settings. Re-create the connector. Follow the steps in Connect your Azure subscriptions - Microsoft Defender for Cloud to generate and deploy a new CloudFormation template using the correct Azure and AWS accounts. Verify the connection. After the connection succeeds, the AWS environment shows Healthy in Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Resources and recommendations begin appearing within about an hour. 3. Problem: Duplicate security connector prevents onboarding When an AWS or GCP connector is added in Microsoft Defender for Cloud, onboarding fails with an error that indicates another connector with the same hierarchyId already exists. In the Azure portal, the environment shows Failed, and no resources appear in Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Cause Microsoft Defender for Cloud allows only one connector per cloud account within the same Microsoft Entra ID tenant. The hierarchyId uniquely identifies the cloud account (for example, an AWS account ID or a GCP project ID). If the account was previously onboarded in another Azure subscription within the same tenant, you can’t onboard it again until the existing connector is removed. Solution Find and remove the existing connector and then retry onboarding. Step 1: Identify the existing connector Sign in to the Azure portal. Go to Microsoft Defender for Cloud > Environment settings. Check each subscription in the same tenant for a pre-existing AWS account or GCP project connector. If you have access, you can also query Azure Resource Graph to locate existing connectors: | resources | where type == "microsoft.security/securityconnectors" | project name, location, properties.hierarchyIdentifier, tenantId, subscriptionId Step 2: Remove the duplicate connector Delete the connector that uses the same hierarchyId. Follow the steps outlined in the previous troubleshooting scenario for deleting security connectors. Step 3: Retry onboarding After the connector is removed, add the AWS or GCP connector again in the target subscription. If the error persists, verify that all duplicate connectors were deleted and allow a short time for changes to propagate. Conclusion Microsoft Defender for Cloud supports a strong multicloud security strategy, but cloud security is an ongoing effort. Onboarding multicloud environments is only the first step. After onboarding, regularly review security recommendations, alerts, and compliance posture across all connected clouds. With the right configuration, Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides a single source of truth to maintain visibility and control as threats continue to evolve. Further Resources: Microsoft Defender for Cloud – Multicloud Security Planning Guide – Start here to design your strategy for AWS/GCP integration, with guidance on prerequisites and best practices. Connect your AWS account - Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Connect your GCP project - Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Troubleshoot connectors guide - Microsoft Defender for Cloud. We hope this guide helps you successfully implement end-to-end ingestion of Microsoft Intune logs into Microsoft Sentinel. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to us on X @MSFTSecSuppTeam.
