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Our most-read insights of 2025: Top 5 insider reads

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As organizations navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape—from fast‑evolving cyberthreats to the accelerating impact of AI—the need for clear, actionable guidance has never been greater.

This year, readers gravitated toward insights that help them make sense of emerging risks while building stronger, more resilient defenses. Our top five most viewed articles reflect exactly that: concise threat intelligence, practical AI governance strategies, and frameworks designed to help leaders adopt AI securely and responsibly. Together, these pieces capture questions security teams are asking right now—and the guidance they’re returning to as they prepare for what’s next.

Explore what security leaders are reading and check out the top articles from 2025.

#5: Microsoft Guide for Securing the AI-Powered Enterprise: Strategies for AI Compliance

This guide breaks down what today’s leaders need to know as AI adoption accelerates and regulatory expectations evolve. Get an overview of emerging requirements—from the EU AI Act to expanding regional standards—and practical steps to help maintain compliance by strengthening data governance, enhancing transparency, and preparing for agentic AI.

Why you should read the guide

Learn about current regulatory considerations and explore actionable frameworks that help organizations navigate the regulatory landscape, building a foundation for responsible, resilient AI adoption.
Read the guide
A book cover featuring text that reads Microsoft Security Strategies for AI Compliance alongside an illustration of a man and woman looking at a laptop.

#4: Inside Microsoft Threat Intelligence: Calm in the Chaos

In Inside Microsoft Threat Intelligence: Calm in the chaos, we pulled back the curtain on what happens when defenders face the worst possible security day, an active breach with uncertainty, incomplete data, and pressure to act fast. Rather than a SWAT response, Microsoft’s Incident Response team centers on clarity, collaboration, and customer trust from the first 30 seconds, stabilizing environments, surfacing otherwise hidden threat signals, and turning stressful incidents into opportunities for resilience. The episode isn’t just about remediation, it highlights how frontline response feeds directly back into Microsoft Threat Intelligence to sharpen detections and protections for the broader ecosystem, rebuild confidence, and elevate long-term security posture.

Why you should watch the video

The video provides a clear, practical walkthrough of these risks and shows how to apply the recommended security practices. It helps teams understand the steps needed to integrate AI securely and confidently into their operations.
Watch the video
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#3: Microsoft Guide for Securing the AI-Powered Enterprise: Strategies for Governing AI

As organizations unlock AI’s potential, strong governance has become essential to helping ensure that they are innovating responsibly while building stakeholder trust and ultimately helping create a sustainable competitive advantage. This guide distills what leaders need to know when navigating operational, ethical, and regulatory risks linked to AI adoption—from potential data governance gaps to privacy exposure and financial risks.

Why you should read the guide

Explore a practical three‑pillar model for governing AI holistically across data, systems, and regulatory obligations. Additionally, get practical tips that help lay the groundwork for effective governance.
Read the guide
A book cover featuring text that reads Microsoft Security Strategies for Governing AI alongside an illustration of a man in a green shirt sitting at a table with a computer.

#2: Microsoft guide for securing the AI-powered enterprise: Getting started with AI apps

Organizations are rapidly embracing AI to boost innovation, but that acceleration brings new security and compliance risks that teams need to address. This guide offers a clear, practical foundation for how to get started with securing AI applications—covering considerations like shadow AI, emerging threats, and evolving regulatory obligations. It’s designed to help leaders deploy AI confidently and responsibly by strengthening governance, protecting data, and preparing for the unique challenges of agentic AI systems.

Why you should read the guide

Learn about the top risks to consider as you get started and use Microsoft’s AI Adoption Framework for a phased approach to help lay the groundwork for responsible, secure AI use. With the right strategy, anchored in Zero Trust principles, you can mitigate risks, unlock innovation, and confidently navigate the evolving AI landscape.
Read the guide
A book cover featuring text that reads Microsoft Security Getting started with AI Applications alongside an illustration of a woman using a laptop.

#1: Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025

Our annual Microsoft Digital Defense Report shows how AI‑driven attacks are rapidly escalating and reshaping today’s threat landscape. Generative AI is fueling more effective phishing, malware, and social engineering, while ransomware and nation state activity continue to intensify. Weak supply chains, credential theft, cloud misconfigurations, and expanding IoT risks highlight the urgent need for effective security measures for greater cyber resilience.

Why this report matters

The Microsoft Digital Defense Report is more than a year-in-review, it’s a strategic guide for navigating today’s complex threat landscape. It delivers clear, actionable insights into the most pressing cybersecurity challenges, from AI-driven attacks and ransomware to supply chain compromises and identity-based threats. It doesn’t just outline risks; it provides practical recommendations like adopting a Zero Trust approach, implementing passwordless authentication, and leveraging AI for defense.

The report also highlights future priorities—building cyber resilience, integrating security into business continuity, and investing in skills development—so organizations can stay ahead of emerging threats.

Whether you’re a security leader, IT professional, or business decision-maker, this report helps align security strategies with business goals and prepare for what’s next.
Read the report
A book cover featuring text that reads Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025.

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