Setting up a virtual computing environment offers plenty of benefits for most organizations. But, businesses also need to understand the potential security issues involved and how best they can address them. Recently, Microsoft has been working on enhancing security measures for Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) clients. In addition to that, one of the key goals is to address the complexities that organizations often have to deal with regarding security policy management.

By doing so, Microsoft intends to provide clients with a robust suite of new security features. The new features will offer greater infrastructure protection.

Common security risks in virtual computing

Businesses are constantly dealing with various threats to their infrastructure and data breaches can be some of the most damaging. From huge financial losses to potential legal ramifications, data breaches pose serious threats to companies. Some organizations might even find it hard to bounce back from if left unprotected.

Another of the biggest challenges that businesses deal with on a daily basis is insider threat. What makes this such a tough issue to deal with is that it encompasses both negligent as well as malicious users. This kind of problem serves to highlight the importance of the new features Microsoft is launching. These latest features aim to strengthen identity and access management protocols.

Organizations can also get punished for a lack of due diligence. If one makes the mistake of engaging a virtual computing services provider without a full understanding of the security they have in place, it can end up being extremely costly.

Working with platforms, like Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365, gives you the advantage of integrated services into the Microsoft security ecosystem. Not only do you get excellent security but you also get compliance with the appropriate regulations.

Ensuring security by default

One of the key things that Microsoft is doing to counteract security threats is putting in place features that provide security by default. This can be achieved by embedding Microsoft-recommended security settings right at the beginning when creating Cloud PCs or virtual machines. Putting in place measures like these serves to make security an integral part of these virtual services. It also provides you with robust security straight out of the box

SIMPLICITY with Azure Virtual Desktop

Implementing security by default also simplifies things by reducing the need for manual configurations. This allows you to have more productive time. IT admins will have even less to worry about, thanks to one of Microsoft’s newer updates. This update works by restricting Port 3389 by default on all newly provisioned and reprovisioned Windows 365 Cloud PCs. This update goes a long way in getting virtual services to the goal of automated, built-in security.

FLEXIBILITY with Azure Virtual Desktop

Despite the need for default security, Microsoft still appreciates that there may be times when IT admins may need to override these settings. For instance, think of a situation where IT admins have to customize security for their virtualization deployment to accommodate different devices and varying work models.

In anticipation of such scenarios, Microsoft gives clients the flexibility to override these security settings when the need arises. Ultimately, the key is to offer businesses solutions that are easy to use but not at the cost of improved security. Thus, the new features will simplify securing identity, data, and access. They’ll do so while simultaneously giving organizations the choice, flexibility, and control necessary to maintain a robust security structure.

Secure identity

Considering the threat landscape that businesses have to deal with, it’s extremely important to have the right technologies and processes to safeguard access to resources. Comprehensive solutions are necessary to secure identities ensuring that the right individuals get the right access at the right time.

Not only that, but end-users expect a seamless user experience that makes things easier for them. Needless to say, it’s equally or maybe even more important to have processes that curb malicious access.

FACILITATING SECURE ACCESS

In keeping with the goal of improved identity security, Microsoft recently preview launched Passkey support in Microsoft Entra for macOS and iOS devices with single sign-on and password-less authentication.

With this update, users can expect the end-to-end user experience to become more streamlined. Coupled with improved phish-resistant password-less security for Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, this launch will undoubtedly give organizations stronger identity processes.

Given that many individuals view Passkeys as not only easier to use but more secure than passwords, this move by Microsoft is bound to be very welcome. As a method of authentication reliant on cryptographic techniques combined with biometrics such as fingerprints, Passkeys can be a significant upgrade over conventional password-based authentication.

RE-AUTHENTICATION

In addition, clients can also look forward to new features. These include faster re-authentication (public preview) that will leverage sign-in frequency in Microsoft Entra Conditional Access policies. This is something that will give IT admins the necessary control to enforce secure, timely reauthentication based on their needs.

Users must re-authenticate only when needing to authenticate to a resource and also when a new access token is needed. Once a connection has been established, they won’t be prompted even if the connection lasts longer than the configured sign-in frequency.

Users also need to re-authenticate if a network disruption occurs that forces the session to be re-established after the configured sign-in frequency. Unfortunately, on unstable networks this probably means more frequent authentication requests.

Wrap up about Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop

The threat landscape is constantly evolving thus creating new risks that organizations have to be prepared to face. With malicious actors working nonstop to expose vulnerabilities, businesses cannot afford to be lax in their approaches to data security. This is why Microsoft is committed to ensuring that clients using the Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop platforms regularly receive new high-end security tools and updates. By doing so, organizations like yours can mitigate the risk of dangerous data breaches and financial losses with fortified security postures.