Microsoft to Host Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit After CloudStrike Issue

Microsoft will host the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

The event will bring together Microsoft, CrowdStrike, and other key partners in the endpoint security sector to discuss strategies for enhancing the resiliency and protection of critical infrastructure for mutual customers.

The summit comes in the wake of a significant outage experienced by CrowdStrike in July 2024, highlighting the need for improved security measures across the industry.

Participants will focus on learning from this incident to enhance security protocols, promote safe deployment practices, and design systems with greater resiliency.

Microsoft aims to foster a collaborative environment where partners can work together to better serve customers now and in the future. In addition to industry partners, government representatives have been invited to ensure transparency and foster a community-wide commitment to delivering secure and reliable technology.

An anonymous executive told CNBC that one of the key discussion points at the conference will focus on promoting the use of applications that operate primarily in Windows’ user mode rather than kernel mode.

The July outage was attributed to CrowdStrike’s agent running in kernel mode, where the central processing unit grants software full access to a system’s resources and hardware.

In contrast, applications running in user mode are more contained, preventing them from affecting other systems in case of a failure.

The summit is expected to result in actionable steps and initiatives, both in the short and long term, to bolster security and resilience across the ecosystem. Microsoft has committed to sharing updates on the outcomes of these discussions following the event.

Protect Your Business with Cynet Managed All-in-One Cybersecurity Platform – Try Free Trial