REDMOND (dpa-AFX) - Microsoft (MSFT) is overhauling how security teams work by bringing Security Copilot's AI agents directly into Microsoft 365 E5. With cyberattacks accelerating and a global shortage of cybersecurity workers, the company aims to shift defenders from a reactive to a proactive stance, staying ahead of threats.
Security Copilot will now be included for all Microsoft 365 E5 customers, starting with existing users and expanding over the coming months. The agents plug into tools security teams already use across Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview, helping speed up investigations, automate routine work, and deliver quicker and more accurate decisions. All other E5 customers will receive a 30-day notice before activation.
Microsoft is also widening its agent ecosystem. More than 40 new agents are rolling out, including 12 built by Microsoft and over 30 created by partners. These agents handle everything from alert triage and threat hunting to identity cleanup, data risk remediation, and device compliance. If teams need something more specific, Security Copilot also lets them build their own agents, and customers have already created more than 370 tailored versions since the feature launched.
A new interactive agent experience, now in public preview, allows focused chats with each agent, guided workflows, and context-aware prompt suggestions. Security Copilot also taps into Microsoft's massive threat intelligence pipeline and Sentinel data, and can now draw on an organization's internal knowledge to deliver more relevant recommendations.
Microsoft says early results show major gains. SOC analysts detected malicious emails more than five times faster using the Phishing Triage Agent, and identity teams improved the accuracy of Zero Trust policy checks using Entra's optimization agent.
The company is positioning this shift as a turning point for cybersecurity, pushing organizations toward an AI-first approach where intelligent agents work alongside human experts.
Tuesday, MSFT closed at $493.79, or 2.7% lower, and currently trades after hours at $492.10, or 0.34% lower on the NasdaqGS.
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