"Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative: Revolutionizing Software Security"

Microsoft is launching the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) to overhaul its software security in response to recent cybersecurity incidents, including the SolarWinds attack and the Microsoft Exchange Server flaw. The initiative will involve using automation and AI during software development, cutting the time to fix vulnerabilities, improving security settings, and strengthening infrastructure. Microsoft aims to build an AI-based "cyber shield" to detect threats more effectively. The company also plans to reduce the time it takes to mitigate cloud vulnerabilities by 50% and enhance the security of encryption keys. Additionally, Microsoft will focus on improving security defaults and expanding secure default settings for Multi-Factor Authentication. The company calls for greater accountability for nation-states involved in undermining cloud security and urges states to recognize cloud services as critical infrastructure.