Microsoft Ignite: Sessions and demos to improve your security strategy

Now more than ever is the time for every organization to prioritize security. The use of AI by cyberattackers gives them an asymmetric advantage over defenders, as cyberattackers only have to be right once, while defenders have to be right 100% of the time. The way to win is with AI-first, end-to-end security—a key focus for Microsoft Security at Microsoft Ignite, November 18 to 22, 2024. Join thousands of security professionals at the event online to become part of a community focused on advancing defenders against ever-evolving cyberthreats.

Across many sessions and demos, we’ll address the top security pain points related to AI and empower you with practical, actionable strategies. Keep reading this blog for a guide of highlighted sessions for security professionals of all levels, whether you’re attending in-person or online.

And be sure to register for the digital experience to explore the Microsoft Security sessions at Microsoft Ignite.

Be among the first to hear top news

Microsoft is bringing together every part of the company in a collective mission to advance cybersecurity protection to help our customers and the security community. We have four powerful advantages to drive security innovation: large-scale data and threat intelligence; end-to-end protection; responsible AI; and tools to secure and govern the use of AI.

Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said in May 2024 that security is the top priority for our company. At the Microsoft Ignite opening keynote on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Microsoft Security Executive Vice President Charlie Bell and Corporate Vice President (CVP), Microsoft Security Business Vasu Jakkal will join Nadella to discuss Microsoft’s vision for the future of security. Other well-known cybersecurity speakers at Microsoft Ignite include Ann Johnson, CVP and Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO); Joy Chik, President, Identity, and Network Access; Mark Russinovich, Chief Technology Officer and Deputy CISO; and Sherrod DeGrippo, Director of Threat Intelligence Strategy.

For a deeper dive into security product news and demos, join the security general session on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 11:00 AM CT. Hear from Vasu Jakkal; Joy Chik; Rob Lefferts, CVP, Microsoft Threat Protection; Herain Oberoi, General Manager, Microsoft Data Security, Privacy, and Compliance; and Michael Wallent, CVP; who will share exciting security innovations to empower you with AI tools designed to help you get ahead of attackers.

These news-breaking sessions are just the start of the value you can gain from attending online.

Benefit from insights designed for your role

While cybersecurity is a shared concern of security professionals, we realize the specific concerns are unique to role. Recognizing this, we developed sessions tailored to what matters most to you.

• CISOs and senior security leaders: If you’ll be with us in Chicago, kick off the conference with the Microsoft Ignite Security Forum on November 18, 2024 from 1 PM CT to 5 PM CT. Join this exclusive pre-day event to hear from Microsoft security experts on threat intelligence insights, our Secure Future Initiative (SFI), and trends in security. Go back to your registration to add this experience on. Also for those in Chicago, be sure to join the Security Leaders Dinner, where you can engage with your peers and provide insights on your greatest challenges and successes. If you’re joining online, gain firsthand access to the latest Microsoft Security announcements. Whether you’re in person or online, don’t miss “Proactive security with continuous exposure management” (BRK324), which will explore how Microsoft Security Exposure Management unifies disparate data silos for visibility of end-to-end attack surface, and “Secure and govern data in Microsoft 365 Copilot and beyond” (BRK321), which will discuss the top concerns of security leaders when it comes to AI and how you can gain the confidence and tools to adopt AI. Plus, learn how to make your organization as diverse as the threats you are defending in “The Power of Diversity: Building a stronger workforce in the era of AI” (BRK330).
• Security analysts and engineers: Join actionable sessions for information you can use immediately. Sessions designed for the security operations center (SOC) include “Microsoft cybersecurity architect lab—Infrastructure security” (LAB454), which will showcase how to best use the Microsoft Secure Score to improve your security posture, and “Simplify your SOC with the unified security operations platform” (BRK310), which will feature a fireside chat with security experts to discuss common security challenges and topics. Plus, learn to be a champion of safe AI adoption in “Scott and Mark learn responsible AI” (BRK329), which will explore the three top risks in large language models and the origins and potential impacts of each of these.
• Developers and IT professionals: We get it—security isn’t your main focus, but it’s increasingly becoming part of your scope. Get answers to your most pressing questions at Microsoft Ignite. Sessions that may interest you include “Secure and govern custom AI built on Azure AI and Copilot Studio” (BRK322), which will dive into how Microsoft can enable data security and compliance controls for custom apps, detect and respond to AI threats, and managed your AI stack vulnerabilities, and “Making Zero Trust real: Top 10 security controls you can implement now” (BRK328), which offers technical guidance to make Zero Trust actionable with 10 top controls to help improve your organization’s security posture. Plus, join “Supercharge endpoint management with Microsoft Copilot in Intune” (THR656) for guidance on unlocking Microsoft Intune’s potential to streamline endpoint management.
• Microsoft partners: We appreciate our partners and have developed sessions aimed at supporting you. These include “Security partner growth: The power of identity with Entra Suite” (BRK332) and “Security partner growth: Help customers modernize security operations” (BRK336).

Attend sessions tailored to addressing your top challenge

When exploring effective cybersecurity strategies, you likely have specific challenges that are motivating your actions, regardless of your role within your organization. We respect that our attendees want a Microsoft Ignite experience tailored to their specific objectives. We’re committed to maximizing your value from attending the event, with Microsoft Security sessions that address the most common cybersecurity challenges.

• Managing complexity: Discover ways to simplify your infrastructure in sessions like “Simpler, smarter, and more secure endpoint management with Intune” (BRK319), which will explore new ways to strengthen your security with Microsoft Intune and AI, and “Break down risk silos and build up code-to-code security posture” (BRK312), which will focus on how defenders can overcome the expansive alphabet soup of security posture tools and gain a unified cloud security posture with Microsoft Defender for Cloud.   
• Increasing efficiency:: Learn how AI can help you overcome talent shortage challenges in sessions like “Secure data across its lifecycle in the era of AI” (BRK318), which will explore Microsoft Purview leveraging Microsoft Security Copilot can help you detect hidden risks, mitigate them, and protect and prevent data loss, and “One goal, many roles: Microsoft Security Copilot: Real-world insights and expert advice” (BRK316), which will share best practices and insider tricks to maximize Copilot’s benefits so you can realize quick value and enhance your security and IT operations.  
• Threat landscape: Navigate effectively through the modern cyberthreat landscape, guided by the insights shared in sessions like “AI-driven ransomware protection at machine speed: Defender for Endpoint” (BRK325), which will share a secret in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint success and how it uses machine learning and threat intelligence, and the theater session “Threat intelligence at machine speed with Microsoft Security Copilot” (THR555), which will showcase how Copilot can be used as a research assistant, analyst, and responder to simplify threat management.
• Regulatory compliance: Increase your confidence in meeting regulatory requirements by attending sessions like “Secure and govern your data estate with Microsoft Purview” (BRK317), which will explore how to secure and govern your data with Microsoft Purview, and “Secure and govern your data with Microsoft Fabric and Purview” (BRK327), which will dive into how Microsoft Purview works together with Microsoft Fabric for a comprehensive approach to secure and govern data.
• Maximizing value: Discover how to maximize the value of your cybersecurity investments during sessions like “Transform your security with GenAI innovations in Security Copilot” (BRK307), which will showcase how Microsoft Security Copilot’s automation capabilities and use cases can elevate your security organization-wide, and “AI-driven ransomware protection at machine speed: Defender for Endpoint” (BRK325), which will dive into the key secret to the success of Defender for Endpoint customers in reducing the risk of ransomware attacks as well maximizing the value of the product’s new features and user interfaces.

Explore cybersecurity tools with product showcases and hands-on training

Learning about Microsoft security capabilities is useful, but there’s nothing like trying out the solutions for yourself. Our in-depth showcases and hands-on trainings give you the chance to explore these capabilities for yourself. Bring a notepad and your laptop and let’s put these tools to work.

• “Secure access at the speed of AI with Copilot in Microsoft Entra” (THR556): Learn how AI with Security Copilot and Microsoft Entra can help you accelerate tasks like troubleshooting, automate cybersecurity insights, and strengthen Zero Trust.  
• “Mastering custom plugins in Microsoft Security Copliot” (THR653): Gain practical knowledge of using Security Copilot’s capabilities during a hands-on session aimed at security and IT professionals ready for advanced customization and integration with existing security tools. 
• “Getting started with Microsoft Sentinel” (LAB452): Get hands-on experience on building detections and queries, configuring your Microsoft Sentinel environment, and performing investigations. 
• “Secure Azure services and workloads with Microsoft Defender for Cloud” (LAB457): Explore how to mitigate security risks with endpoint security, network security, data protection, and posture and vulnerability management. 
• “Evolving from DLP to data security with Microsoft Preview” (THR658): See for yourself how Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) integrates with insider risk management and information protection to optimize your end-to-end DLP program. 

Network with Microsoft and other industry professionals

While you’ll gain a wealth of insights and learn about our latest product innovations in sessions, our ancillary events offer opportunities to connect and socialize with Microsoft and other security professionals as committed to you to strengthening the industry’s defenses against cyberthreats. That’s worth celebrating!

• Pre-day Forum: All Chicago Microsoft Ignite attendees are welcome to add on to the event with our pre-day sessions on November 18, 2024, from 1 PM CT to 5 PM CT. Topics covered will include threat intelligence, Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative, AI innovation, and AI security research, and the event will feature a fireside chat with Microsoft partners and customers. The pre-day event is designed for decision-makers from businesses of all sizes to advance your security strategy. If you’re already attending in person, log in to your Microsoft Ignite registration and add on the Microsoft Security Ignite Forum.
• Security Leaders Dinner: We’re hosting an exclusive dinner with leaders of security teams, where you can engage with your peers and provide insights on your greatest challenges and successes. This intimate gathering is designed specifically for CISOs and other senior security leaders to network, share learnings, and discuss what’s happening in cybersecurity.   
• Secure the Night Party: All security professionals are encouraged to celebrate the cybersecurity community with Microsoft from 6 PM CT to 10 PM CT on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with Microsoft Security subject matter experts and peers at our “Secure the Night” party during Microsoft Ignite in Chicago. Enjoy an engaging evening of conversations and experiences while sipping tasty drinks and noshing on heavy appetizers provided by Microsoft. We look forward to welcoming you. Reserve your spot today! 

Something that excites us the most about Microsoft Ignite is the opportunity to meet with cybersecurity professionals dedicated to modern defense. Stop by the Microsoft Security Expert Meetup space to say hello, learn more about capabilities you’ve been curious about, or ask questions about Microsoft’s cybersecurity efforts. 

Hear from our Microsoft Intelligent Security Association partners at Microsoft Ignite

The Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA), comprised of independent software vendors (ISV) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) that have integrated their solutions with Microsoft’s security technology, will be back at Microsoft Ignite 2024.

We kick things off by celebrating our Security Partner of the Year award winners BlueVoyant (Security), Cyclotron (Compliance), and Inspark (Identity) who will join Vasu Jakkal for a fireside chat on “How security strategy is adapting for AI,” during the Microsoft Ignite Security Pre-day Forum. This panel discussion includes insights into trends partners are seeing with customers relating to AI, a view on practical challenges, and scenarios that companies encounter when deploying AI, as well as the expert guidance and best practices that security partners can offer to ensure successful AI integration in security strategies.

MISA is thrilled to welcome small and medium business (SMB) verified solution status to its portfolio. This solution verification highlights technology solutions that are purpose built to meet the needs of small and medium businesses, and the MSSPs who often manage IT and security on behalf of SMBs. MISA members who meet the qualifying criteria and have gone through engineering review, will receive a specialized MISA member badge showcasing the verification and will be featured in the MISA partner catalog. We are excited to launch this status with Blackpoint Cyber and Huntress.

Join MISA members including Blackpoint Cyber and Huntress at the Microsoft Expert Meetup Security area where 14 members will showcase their solutions and Microsoft Security Technology. Review the full schedule below.

We are looking forward to connecting with our customers and partners at the Microsoft Secure the Night Party on Wednesday, November 20, from 6 to 10 PM CT.  This evening event offers a chance to connect with Microsoft Security subject matter experts and MISA partners while enjoying cocktails, great food, and entertainment. A special thank you to our MISA sponsors: Armor, Cayosoft, ContraForce, HID, Lighthouse, Ontinue, and Quorum Cyber.

Register today to attend Microsoft Ignite online

There’s still time to register to participate in Microsoft Ignite online from November 19 to 22, 2024, to catch security-focused breakout sessions, product demos, and participate in interactive Q&A sessions with our experts. No matter how you participate in Microsoft Ignite, you’ll gain insights on how to secure your future with an AI-first, end-to-end cybersecurity approach to keep your organizations safer.

Plus, you can take your security knowledge further at Tech Community Live: Microsoft Security edition on December 3, 2024, to ask all your follow-up questions from Microsoft Ignite. Microsoft Experts will be hosting live Ask Microsoft Anything sessions on topics from Security for AI to Copilot for Security.

To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us at @MSFTSecurity for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.