Enterprise Technology & Cloud Services / Enterprise security

The partnership addresses the fragmentation of managing software across on-premises devices and cloud/SaaS applications, which traditionally requires multiple vendors. It provides a unified solution for governance, visibility, and cost optimization across all software deployment types.

By integrating HCL BigFix's endpoint management with CloudEagle.ai's SaaS optimization platform, the partnership enables AI-driven discovery of unmanaged apps, license optimization, and automated compliance workflows—reducing manual oversight and security risks associated with shadow IT.

Traditional security tools focus on network and endpoint protection but fail to address browser-specific threats like phishing, credential theft, and GenAI-driven data leaks. Modern enterprise browsers embed security directly into browsing activity, providing real-time threat detection and compliance controls for SaaS and hybrid work environments.

Enterprise browsers now implement PII/PHI redaction and monitor LLM interactions to prevent sensitive data leaks in GenAI prompts. They also enforce policies to block unauthorized AI tool usage, addressing the 23% of employees who inadvertently expose data through AI platforms.

Storm-0558 was a cyberattack attributed to a China-based threat actor that occurred in 2023, targeting sensitive Exchange Online mailboxes. The attackers gained access by exploiting a private Microsoft Account (MSA) signing key that was inadvertently exposed in a crash dump on a Microsoft debugging server due to software bugs. This key allowed them to forge security tokens, which bypassed verification flaws in Azure services, enabling unauthorized access to both private Microsoft accounts and Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) accounts. The breach affected about 25 organizations, including U.S. government agencies and private individuals associated with them.

In response to the Storm-0558 breach, Microsoft launched its Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to enhance security for Entra ID and Microsoft Account (MSA) services. As part of this effort, Microsoft purged millions of cloud tenants to remove potentially compromised or inactive accounts and to strengthen overall cybersecurity defenses. This large-scale tenant purge was aimed at mitigating risks from the breach, closing security gaps exposed by the attack, and preventing further unauthorized access to cloud resources.

Identity-centric security focuses on managing and securing digital identities as the primary method for protecting cloud workloads. This approach is crucial because traditional perimeter protection methods are no longer effective in cloud environments, where access is often managed through Identity and Access Management (IAM) frameworks (Gunuganti, n.d.; Identity Management Institute, 2024)

A zero trust approach enhances cybersecurity resilience by assuming that all users and devices, whether inside or outside the network, are potential threats. This requires continuous verification and monitoring of identities and access, which is particularly important in cloud environments where resources are always connected to the internet and face unique security challenges (Aqua Security, 2024)

SaaS sprawl refers to the uncontrolled proliferation of cloud applications across an organization, often without centralized IT oversight. This creates an invisible attack surface because security teams lack visibility into unsanctioned apps, misconfigured permissions, and third-party integrations that may expose sensitive data. The distributed nature of SaaS ecosystems, combined with remote access patterns and complex data flows, makes it difficult to track vulnerabilities across interconnected platforms.

Tools like DataMatrix provide ecosystem-wide visibility by mapping data flows, access patterns, and integration points across SaaS applications. They help identify misconfigurations, monitor third-party API risks, and enforce least-privilege access policies. By automating security posture assessments and compliance checks, these solutions reduce manual oversight gaps and enable proactive threat detection in complex SaaS environments.

Chrome Enterprise's AI features include tools like Google Lens for instant image search, Tab Compare for streamlined product comparisons, and AI-driven shortcuts to streamline workflows. Additionally, new security enhancements include an Enterprise Web Store for curated extensions, AI-recommended policies, and advanced data protection features like copy/paste control policies and screenshot protections.

Chrome Enterprise's new security features include an Enterprise Web Store with risk scoring for extensions, AI-recommended policies for easier management, copy/paste control policies to restrict data transfers, and a screenshot protection service. These enhancements help safeguard corporate data by providing IT teams with more control over AI features and better visibility into potential security risks.

Google Unified Security is an AI-powered platform that integrates various security tools to enhance threat detection and response. It combines Google's threat intelligence, cloud security, security operations, and Chrome Enterprise protections into a single platform, leveraging AI to automate tasks and improve security operations efficiency. This platform aims to help organizations better respond to complex cyber threats by providing real-time threat visibility and incident response capabilities (Roddy, 2025; Chakravarty, 2025)[1][2].

Google Unified Security utilizes AI through its Gemini model to automate security functions such as alert triage and malware analysis. AI agents, like the alert triage agent, analyze security alerts automatically, providing evidence-backed decisions to reduce the burden on security analysts. Another AI agent focuses on deobfuscating and assessing code to determine its safety, enhancing efficiency in security operations (Roddy, 2025; Chakravarty, 2025)[1][2].

Identity-centric security places digital identities at the core of cybersecurity strategies, focusing on authenticating and authorizing access to resources based on user identities, behaviors, and context. This approach differs from traditional network-based security, which relies on securing the network perimeter and assumes trust within it. Identity-centric security is more effective in modern environments where assets and users are distributed across multiple locations and devices[1][3].

Identity-centric security enhances security in cloud and remote work environments by continuously verifying user identities and limiting access based on roles, behaviors, and context. This approach reduces the attack surface by ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data and systems, regardless of their location or device. It also integrates with Zero Trust frameworks to provide a robust defense against evolving threats[2][4].

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) plays a crucial role in enterprise endpoint security by continuously monitoring endpoint devices to detect and respond to cyber threats. It provides comprehensive visibility into endpoint activities, helping to uncover incidents that might otherwise remain undetected. EDR solutions record all endpoint activities and offer intelligent insights for remediation, making them essential for identifying and mitigating advanced threats[1][2].

Real-time monitoring is essential for effective enterprise endpoint protection as it allows for the continuous surveillance of endpoint activities. This enables the quick detection of suspicious behaviors, such as unauthorized access attempts or malicious activity, and facilitates rapid response to threats. By providing real-time insights, organizations can prevent threats from escalating and minimize the impact of potential breaches[4][5].

Secrets management is the process of securely storing, managing, and controlling access to sensitive information like passwords, API keys, and encryption keys. It is crucial in cloud environments because it helps protect against unauthorized access and data breaches by ensuring that only authorized systems and personnel can access sensitive data. This is particularly important in complex cloud ecosystems where secrets can easily become scattered and difficult to track[1][3][5].

Common challenges in secrets management include secrets sprawl, hardcoded secrets, and insufficient monitoring. Best practices include centralizing secrets management, automating secret rotation, implementing least privilege access, and using strong encryption and authentication methods. These practices help reduce the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access by ensuring that secrets are securely stored and accessed only by authorized entities[2][4][5].

Cloud security automation involves using tools to manage tasks like security monitoring, vulnerability detection, and incident response in cloud environments. It reduces manual intervention and human error, ensuring consistent operations and faster responses to threats. This automation enables security teams to focus on high-priority initiatives while maintaining a strong security posture.

A zero-trust model assumes that all users and devices, whether inside or outside the network, are potential threats. It requires continuous verification and monitoring of all interactions to ensure that only authorized access is granted. This approach significantly enhances security by minimizing the attack surface and reducing the risk of data breaches due to misconfigurations or unauthorized access.

IT leaders are interested in moving their PAM solutions to the cloud primarily due to benefits such as enhanced security, cost efficiency, scalability, and improved user experience. Cloud PAM offers real-time monitoring, automated session recording, and advanced threat detection, which are crucial for securing sensitive data in dynamic environments. Additionally, cloud-based solutions reduce the need for hardware investments and provide predictable subscription-based pricing, making them more cost-effective and scalable compared to on-premises systems.

Migrating PAM to the cloud involves several challenges, including securing credentials during the transition, reconciling legacy and cloud-based access control frameworks, and managing access for both on-premises and cloud resources. Additionally, there is a risk of vendor lock-in if the chosen PAM provider does not integrate well with multiple cloud services or on-premises systems.

Elastic Security drives value through several key areas: security team efficiency improvement, security technology consolidation and optimization, business disruption risk reduction, incident risk reduction, and incident cost avoidance. These areas help organizations reduce costs, improve productivity, and enhance security posture by leveraging a unified platform for threat detection, investigation, and response.

Elastic Security enhances security operations by providing real-time threat detection, incident response capabilities, and security event correlation. It integrates with various data sources, allowing organizations to centralize security data and respond effectively to security incidents. Additionally, it offers features like user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) and threat intelligence integration to improve threat detection and response.