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Microsoft To Integrate 3rd-party Security Info Into Its Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection Service (zdnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the next-up dept.

Microsoft is partnering with other security vendors to integrate their macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android security wares with its Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) service From a report: Microsoft has announced the first three such partners: Bitdefender, Lookoutm and Ziften. These companies will feed any threats detected into the single Windows Defender ATP console. With Defender ATP, every device has its own timeline with event history dating back up to six months. According to Microsoft, no additional infrastructure is needed to onboard events from macOS, Linux, iOS and/or Android devices. Integration with Bitdefender's GravityZone Cloud -- which allows users to get macOS and Linux threat intelligence on malware and suspicious files -- is in public preview as of today. A trial version is available now. Integration with Lookout's Mobile Endpoint Security for iOS and Android and Ziften's Zenith systems and security operations platform for macOS and Linux will be in public preview "soon," Microsoft's blog post says.

26 comments

  1. Upload your 'suspicious' documents for you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Beware this.

    Anything that could be construed as 'suspicious' by the software, or 'targetted' by any entity that wants more information from X is going to dump on people.

    Basically, a nice plausible way to say this was 'accidental' but still get access to interesting files like corporate secrets, design files, etc, etc, on your PC.

    1. Re:Upload your 'suspicious' documents for you by ctilsie242 · · Score: 2

      This is a worry as well. If can be a vector for compromise, witting or unwitting.

      Realistically, we don't need more AV BS. Instead, we need better application separation, snapshotting, ability to roll back, and defense in depth. For example, Excel shouldn't be touching Word documents unless the user explicitly specifies it, and an unknown third party web extension shouldn't be touching anything out of its temp directory.

      We definitely don't need third parties and even OS vendors having the ability (and the mandate) to slurp files at will. What is malicious software today can be a MP3 track or movie tomorrow, or perhaps a copy of a dissident's writings the day after.

      There is a balance between security and privacy. The gain for allowing all and sundry to suck up documents at will is not worth much, because no AV is good at fighting the zero day attacks anyway. At best, it might catch a Trojan, but I've found that a good ad blocker, running the web browser in a sandbox or VM, and solid backups is a lot more useful than any AV product.

  2. Frosty cnosel by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    Screw that, I'd rather have an APK console!

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  3. Semi-related. by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

    I miss the 'Borg' icon, dammit. Y'all need to bring that back.

    --
    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    1. Re:Semi-related. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Microsoft is a shadow of its former self. They don't deserve the icon anymore.

  4. Sharing is caring by GeekWithAKnife · · Score: 1


    By cross referencing all the telemetry data on windows 10, + Cortana random sound sampling + uploading suspicious samples to central 3rd party forensic analysis labs Microsoft can keep you safe.

    Thank you Microsoft for giving me YET ANOTHER REASON not to touch Windows 10. If I need to game I'll use 7, anything else is Linux.

    --
    A 'singular oddity' is an event that cannot be explained and only happens when you are alone.
    1. Re:Sharing is caring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't forget, they also need to know everything you're typing.

  5. Stop detecting AutoKMS etc. as "malicious" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am really tired of "security software" detecting "hack tools" and "keygens" as if they are a "threat." Anti-virus should not mean anti-hacking or anti-piracy. Fuck you. I'll just force-disable Windows Defender on all computers I touch and then the problem is solved. Fuck you again.

    1. Re:Stop detecting AutoKMS etc. as "malicious" by nuckfuts · · Score: 1

      Ya, there's a bright idea. Disable your antivirus and then go download some key generator.

    2. Re:Stop detecting AutoKMS etc. as "malicious" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your username checks out.

  6. From more secure to less secure platform by SysEngineer · · Score: 1

    It should be Windows 10, macOS, iOS and Android notifying Linux appliance of a threat. There is much better privacy with Linux than Microsoft.

    1. Re:From more secure to less secure platform by PmanAce · · Score: 1

      Kinda like the USB threat from a few days ago? I kid, I kid.

      --
      Tired of my customary (Score:1)
  7. Bitdefender definition lists, beware! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Last time I checked Bitdefender was not releasing publicly their virus definition lists. Their virus dictionary https://www.bitdefender.com/resourcecenter/virus-encyclopedia/ has not been updated in years. Not convincing. At all.

  8. Windows is suspicious software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will Windows now identify and delete itself?

  9. Interesting, is that even possible with SELinux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your idea sounds interesting. That could be the OS of the future, where the user chooses which directory a signed application can access.
    Any application can only access specific files at specific directories set by the admin. Accessible number of directories should be manually set for each executable too, that way only Excel can touch .xlsx and WinWord can modify .docx and not some random ransomware modifying all possible files on the system.

  10. Re:Interesting, is that even possible with SELinux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You spelled NSALinux wrong.

  11. Sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now that third party apps have had their market severely reduced by Microsoft's built-in software, time to fend off the "anticompetitive" allegations

  12. Stil whitelisting NSA Spyware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You're the best Micrisoft. THE BEST.

  13. Re:Interesting, is that even possible with SELinux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Any application can only access specific files at specific directories set by the admin"

    Antivirus usually runs with full access to everything, ever, ever!

  14. advanced? by gtall · · Score: 1

    I give up what about MS's thingy is advanced?

  15. Re:Interesting, is that even possible with SELinux by ctilsie242 · · Score: 1

    It is doable right now. SELinux and AppArmor can do this, Macs have the app sandbox, Windows has privilege and policy restrictions and (as of the last big update) has something along these lines. This just needs to be more prevalent. It is a step to add granularity to security, but it definitely will minimize damage a rogue program can do.

    QubesOS comes to mind as an idea.

  16. Re:Interesting, is that even possible with SELinux by lister+king+of+smeg · · Score: 1

    making it a very appealing target for malware to exploit ironicly.

    --
    ---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
  17. Re:advanced? Yes, their Telemetry is advanced by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry to burst your bubble, but TELEMETRY is.

  18. Re:Interesting, is that even possible with SELinux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ctilsie242 Realistically, we don't need more AV BS.

    Yes, that's why OP's main argument is that AV should be avoided first and then the OS should isolate or control the access of each signed application.

  19. A great way to add to Microsoft Spying! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nothing like an A/V tool to allow you access to foreign O/S Spying. Go Microsoft! (User-Hostile Scum)