Microsoft launches AI-powered Security Copilot to assist cybersecurity professionals
Microsoft has launched a new AI-powered assistant, called Security Copilot, designed to help cybersecurity professionals better identify breaches and understand the huge amounts of data available to them. Security Copilot, which is powered by Microsoft’s own security-specific model and OpenAI’s GPT-4 generative AI, can assist with incident investigations and reporting. Security professionals can use it to get a summary of a specific vulnerability, submit files, URLs, or code snippets for analysis, or request incident and alert data from other security tools. The system accepts natural language inputs and saves all prompts and responses, creating an audit trail for investigators.
Security Copilot’s prompt book is a major feature that enables users to compile a series of steps or automations into a single easy-to-use prompt. This feature can be leveraged by security researchers to create a PowerPoint presentation that showcases incidents and attack vectors, among other things. In addition, the system offers a shared workspace where results can be pinned and summarized, allowing colleagues to collaborate on the same threat analysis and investigation.
When it comes to providing information on the latest vulnerabilities, Microsoft’s Security Copilot sources results from various databases, including the CISA, the NIST’s vulnerability database, and Microsoft’s own threat intelligence database. Security Copilot’s feedback loop allows users to provide specific details on any issues encountered for better understanding. The system is intended to support security analysts rather than replace them, and it includes a pinboard feature that enables co-workers to collaborate and share information.
Microsoft has not yet given a timeline for general availability, instead choosing to preview Security Copilot with “a few customers”. Microsoft’s Security Copilot is the latest example of the company’s big push with AI, following the launch of the AI-powered Copilot assistant for Office apps and GitHub’s own Copilot, which is being developed into a more chatty assistant to help developers create code. The company appears to have big ambitions for its Copilot technology, so it is likely to appear across its software and services.
What is OpenAI GPT-4
OpenAI has developed a new language model, GPT-4, which is capable of generating human-like text. GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer, a deep learning technology that uses artificial neural networks. It builds on the technology used by ChatGPT, which is based on GPT-3.5. GPT-4 is more advanced than its predecessor in three areas: creativity, visual input, and longer context. OpenAI claims that GPT-4 is significantly better at creating and collaborating on creative projects.
